FIRE A R M S TAC T I C S
At Left: Hornady primer feeding is done through a primer tube, which is
then surrounded by a very sturdy safety tube. The press seats primers on the
downstroke, which is smooth and reliable. Note the shell plate and the overall
beefiness of the structure. Below: Hornady's EZ-Ject system kicks out a loaded
round at the end of the cycle. The overall quality of the product is outstanding.
doesn't have spurious casting or machining marks, or unfinished
surfaces. It is designed and manufactured the way law enforcement
users like to have their equipment: over-engineered. Sometimes this
type of treatment just makes products look nice. The Lock-N-Load
AP Press, with its huge ram and frame, also has a significant amount
of operating leverage and natural smoothness in its operation.
The smoothness and leverage of this press could also be a disadvantage. For example, this press seats primers on the downstroke,
where the user is pressing the lever forward. Although it has plenty
of primer "feel", where the user can literally feel the primer enter the
cup, it's several times the strength of a hand-priming tool. Since I'm
a 223 user I had to sort my brass carefully. Military style brass, of
which I have several thousand, has crimped primers. Without that
"feel" (and good sorting), the leverage of the primer seating punch
could easily force a primer into crimped brass.
The Lock-N-Load AP Press is slightly less expensive than
competitive models. It is beefier and a little more versatile than its
Circle 73 on Reader Service Card
40
Law Enforcement Technology
June 2013
www.officer.com