User Manual

ManualsBrandsHornady ManualsEquipment50 Cal. BMG

50 Cal. BMG

Lock-N-Load

4/06 780229(2)

P.O. Box 1848 • Grand Island, NE 68802-1848

(308) 382-1390 •

www.hornady.com

RELOADING INSTRUCTIONS

Assemble the Ram Prime with a Sure Loc Lock Ring to a

Lock-N-Load die bushing. Select the Primer Seater Punch

of your choice. Place the Primer Seater cup, and spring onto

the primer seater punch. Place a wire (a paper clip works

well) through the cross hole in the Primer Seater cup and

Primer Seater punch. Thread the seater punch into the primer

adjusting shaft, until the thread “bottoms out.” Remove the

wire. Thread the adjustment shaft and lock ring into the body.

Thread the body into the Sure Loc Lock Ring and the Lock-N-

Load die bushing. Snug the Sure Loc Lock Ring to the bushing,

but do not secure it at this time. Place the assembled ram

prime unit in the end of the ram, and engage the Lock-N-Load

bushings. Raise the ram to the top of its stroke. (This is with

the links parallel to the ram, and just before the end of travel

of the press handle.) Adjust the primer seater punch to extend

through the shell head holder a few thousandths of an inch.

(Correct adjustment should seat the primer .005 to .013,

depending on your requirements.) Once adjusted, lock the Lock

Rings in place. The Ram Prime Unit should now be able to be

removed and replaced at will, with no adjustments necessary.

Priming the Case

Insert the .50 cal shell holder in the adapter bushing and

lock into place in top plate. Lower the press handle to raise the

Primer Seater cup above the shell head holder. Place a primer

in the cup, and raise the handle to allow you to place a case in

the shell head holder. Lower the handle to seat the primer. Raise

the handle a small amount and remove the case. Insufﬁ cient

or excessive primer seating depth will greatly decrease primer

sensitivity and can result in misﬁ res. Due to the mechanical

advantages of this press, it is possible to over-seat or crush

primers during this operation. Care must be exercised while

adjusting to the proper depth to not crush or overseat the prim-

ers. After you have accurately weighed the powder charge, it can

be poured into the primed case. You are now ready for the ﬁ nal

steps of reloading seating the bullet and crimping the case.

Seating the Bullet and Crimping Case

Remove the Ram Primer and reinstall the Lock-N-Load shell

holder in the ram. Install the seater die and place a case in the

shellhead holder. Raise the ram to the top of its stroke. Turn the

seater adjusting screw up and out of the way. Screw the seater

die down until it contacts the case, then back it off one quarter

turn. Lower the ram and insert a bullet in the mouth of the

case. Raise the ram to the top of its stroke, and lower the seater

adjusting screw to seat a bullet to the proper depth. Crimp

a case, by backing the seater adjusting screw up a couple of

turns. Screw the seater die down a little at a time until the de-

sired crimp is achieved. Turn the seater adjusting screw down

until it contacts the bullet. When you have achieved the proper

adjustment, lock it in place with the Lock Ring.

Sizing the Case

Place the shell holder into the end of the ram and lock it in

place with the Lock-N-Load system. Thread the .50 cal size die

into the press, until the end of the die contacts the shell head

holder, with the ram raised to its highest position. Turn it a

quarter turn more, and turn the Lock Ring down the die until it

contacts the top of the press. Back the die and the Lock Ring out

of the press a short distance, and lock the Lock Ring to the die.

Turn the die back into the press, until it stops against the Lock

Ring. Place a lubricated case into the shell head holder. (We rec-

ommend Hornady’s One Shot Case Lube; follow the instructions

on the can.) Lower the press handle and run the case all the

way into the die, and retract it. This will size your case, expel the

spent primer, and expand the case mouth. (See die instructions

for proper decap pin setting.)

The Lock-N-Load 50 BMG is supplied with a ram priming unit.

The installation and operation procedure to seat is as follows:

Remove the sizer die from the top plate. Install the Press Adapt-

er, and the shell head holder in the top of the press. (You may

want to use a wrench to snug the press adapter to the press.)

Summary of content (12 pages)

PAGE 1
Lock-N-Load TM 50 Cal.
PAGE 2
INTRODUCTION The single-stage Lock-N-Load 50 BMG is a big, strong press that provides the experienced or beginning handloader with all the capacity, strength, and leverage to reload all rifle and pistol calibers. With the Hornady Lock-N-Load 50 BMG press compound leverage system and massive 1 1/2" ram, Lock-N-Load 50 BMG will form cases or swage bullets.
PAGE 3
WARNING To avoid injury, read and follow these safe priming practices. DO NOT attempt to prime military cartridge cases with crimped primer pockets until the crimp has been removed with a counter sink, a special reamer or by swaging. Primers seated into crimped pockets are subject to deformation which can cause misfires and even detonation during seating which can cause serious personal injury.
PAGE 4
50 Cal. BMG PARTS Your 50 Cal BMG press comes with the following items: 1 .
PAGE 5
GUIDELINES General * Use all equipment as the manufacturer recommends. Study the instructions carefully and become thoroughly familiar with the operation of the product. If you do not have written instructions, request a copy from the equipment manufacturer. * Don’t take short cuts. Attempting to bypass established procedures is an invitation to an accident. * Observe “good housekeeping” in the reloading area. Keep tools and components neat, clean and orderly.
PAGE 6
RELOADING INSTRUCTIONS Sizing the Case 1 Place the shell holder into the end of the ram and lock it in place with the Lock-N-Load system. Thread the .50 cal size die into the press, until the end of the die contacts the shell head holder, with the ram raised to its highest position. Turn it a quarter turn more, and turn the Lock Ring down the die until it contacts the top of the press. Back the die and the Lock Ring out of the press a short distance, and lock the Lock Ring to the die.
PAGE 7
3 Assemble the Ram Prime with a Sure Loc Lock Ring to a Lock-N-Load die bushing. Select the Primer Seater Punch of your choice. Place the Primer Seater cup, and spring onto the primer seater punch. Place a wire (a paper clip works well) through the cross hole in the Primer Seater cup and Primer Seater punch. Thread the seater punch into the primer adjusting shaft, until the thread “bottoms out.” Remove the wire. Thread the adjustment shaft and lock ring into the body.
PAGE 8
Priming the Case 4 Insert the .50 cal shell holder in the adapter bushing and lock into place in top plate. Lower the press handle to raise the Primer Seater cup above the shell head holder. Place a primer in the cup, and raise the handle to allow you to place a case in the shell head holder. Lower the handle to seat the primer. Raise the handle a small amount and remove the case. Insufficient or excessive primer seating depth will greatly decrease primer sensitivity and can result in misfires.
PAGE 9
Seating the Bullet and Crimping Case 5 Remove the Ram Primer and reinstall the Lock-N-Load shell holder in the ram. Install the seater die and place a case in the shellhead holder. Raise the ram to the top of its stroke. Turn the seater adjusting screw up and out of the way. Screw the seater die down until it contacts the case, then back it off one quarter turn. Lower the ram and insert a bullet in the mouth of the case.
PAGE 10
PRODUCT WARRANTY "We guarantee our reloading tools and accessories for life." No Risk Lifetime Warranty: All Hornady reloading tools and accessories are warranted against material defects and workmanship for the life of the product. Parts, which by nature of their function are subject to normal wear such as springs, pins, bearings, etc. Parts which have been altered, abused, or neglected are excluded from the warranty.
PAGE 11
HORNADY WARRANTY REGISTRATION Please return in envelope within 20 days of purchase. Name ___________________________________________ Address __________________________________________ City ____________________________________________ State ________________________ Zip _______________ email ___________________________________________ Item Purchased ____________________________________ Serial No.
PAGE 12
TM P.O. Box 1848 • Grand Island, NE 68802-1848 (308) 382-1390 • www.hornady.