I finally got back my powder measure from Hornady. They did not make the change to pin the hopper to the measure like they did for stu1ritter as I hoped. This is so very disappointing.

In the meantime, I’ve been using the LNL AP press with the LEE Auto Drum Powder Measure and expander die. What I have now works great and probably leave it that way. Otherwise, I would constantly be checking the Hornady measure’s hopper and I don’t need the frustration of having to set up the complex PTX expander. Yet, I have almost doubled my output over my LEE Classic Turret Press. The LCT is a great press but not as fast I would like. After much research and limited hands-on testing, I cautiously upgraded to the Hornady LNL AP even though it had some mixed reviews. It had all the features and options I needed without needless extras. It looked like the best fit for the price. Despite not being as trouble free as I hoped and the disappointing customer service, overall, I believe it has given me what I wanted.

Hornady would have a great product if they focused more on quality control and customer service. It’s a good press for the money but has some negative reviews because of quality control issues. The press isn’t perfect. Obviously, I’m not happy with some design features such as the way the hopper is secured to the powder measure body and the overly complex PTX expander. I’m sure others can add to this list. Simple things make a big difference in how one feels about the press. Quality and support are on the top of that list for many and is reflected in people’s opinions. Parts should not have to be polished nor complex adjustments made on a new press. These should be done at the factory. The consumer should not have to rely on the luck of the draw on whether you get a good one or not. They all should be great.

Every press has its issues. None are perfect even those painted blue. But having a press work without problems right out of the box goes a long way in developing brand loyalty and makes some of the design quirk’s tolerable. Even blue has their share of design faults. Listening to some of the comments people make about blue, one could almost believe that Moses carried one down with the tablets from Mount Sinai. Any manufacturer would envy such loyalty. Blue earned it because they focused on providing quality products with great service. However, blue was just not the right fit for my needs. Everyone’s needs are different. Hornady had just the features I needed at a reasonable price. It is also a good press once it is set up right. Unfortunately, it just takes some time to get there and their customer service has left a bad taste in my mouth. If red wants to level the playing field and be great, red needs to take a few pages from blue’s playbook.