Hornady Shell Plate interchange?

[TexasJackKin]

I notice that when reloading on my single stage press, I use the same shell holder for .30-06 and .45 ACP, as well as .270 Win and others. However, I see that Hornady sells a different shell plate for .45 ACP and .30-06, to use in my Lock-n-Load AP. my question is "Can I buy one shell plate and use it for both?(.30-06 /.270 and .45 ACP) Is there a chart that shows "expanded compatibility" anywhere? Or do I just need to not be a cheap baseball terd, and buy the shell plates Hornady recommends?

I've been loading .40 S&W and 9MM Luger (with the recommended shell plates) and love the press and the way it works, just looking to expand calibers. I guess I could dust off my Rock Chucker, I've had since the '70s, But I'm more than a little bit spoiled, with the Lock-n-Load!

[aleng888]

this on the hornady web site

it look like .270 and 30-06 both use plate #1 but the 45ACP use plate #45,

http://www.hornady.com/assets/files/shell-plate-chart.pdf

[Creeping Incrementalism]

When I bought my Lock N Load in 2006, Hornady didn't even offer a #45 shellplate back then, they indicated the #1 would work with it according to the shell plate selection chart.

I have a shell holder for both sizes, and the only significant difference is a slightly larger cut for the rim for the #45 (with a correspondingly longer overlap up top to keep the case from pulling out once inserted). The difference is so small I wouldn't bother ordering the #45 unless you get annoyed using the #1 bumping the sides trying to insert the case. I doubt the cut would be different between the holder and plate (I don't have the #45 plate, just the holder).

[Noonanda]

I use the same #1 plate for both .308 & .45 ACP with no issues

[JMP]

It really just matters on the size of the base and rim. Cartridges of the same parent will generally use the same shell holder. In the case of .45 ACP and .308 Win the dimensions are sufficiently close to usually be interchangeable.

[TexasJackKin]

Thanks guys, that's just the kind of information I was looking for. I'll get a number 1 plate, and see how it works. If I run into any issues, I'll go ahead and get the number 45 plate. For some reason the number 45 plate seems to cost more (or at least doesn't go on sale as often)

Thanks again for the info!

[Carcassonne]

Originally there was no # 45 shell plate for the LNL-AP. If you load a lot of 45 ACP, it is worth it to get that shell plate. The #1 plate will work, but the #45 is better.


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[noylj]

I always used the #1 shell plate in all my Hornady progressive presses since I bought my first one back in late '70s. The problem was that the little .45 case would not auto-eject well with the #1 plate for a lot of folks, so they designed the #45 plate. I have no idea is the #45 plate would work well for .30-06 et al, since it was designed to address a specific problem for the .45 Auto.

[TexasJackKin]

Thanks, there's more good information. I probably load .45, a few hundred to one over .30-06 and .270 combined. So, now I'm thinking I'll get the 45 plate and see if it will fit the .30-06 et al. I can always load '06 and .270 on my single stage for awhile......

I don't know why I'm agonizing over this so much, we're only talking about the cost of a single pound of powder or so (at least at the current prices) If there is an advantage, to both, at some point I'll end up with both.

Thanks again for all the input, I was hoping it would make my life simpler, but oh well........

[TexasJackKin]

OK, after checking out comments another forum, it was indicated that with the auto-ject system .45 brass wanted to “ride up” and jam now and then, when loading .45ACP using the #1 shell plate. I notice that the rim on the .30-06 is 0.007” smaller than on the .45ACP and the extractor groove is 0.009” larger on the .30-06 than on the .45 ACP.

Long story short, the .30-06 case will NOT fit the .45ACP shell plate.

I bought the #45 shell plate (for .45ACP) thinking the reason .45ACP cases would “ride up” on the auto-ject system would be because the rim was thinner on the .45ACP, however that is not the case. At this point I would guess, that the #1 plate (for .30-06 et al) would allow the .45ACP case to tip slightly allowing the rim to lift or ride up on the auto-ject nub and jam.

So, as others have said, you could load .45ACP with the #1 plate, with the occasional jam, but you cannot load .30-06 brass on the #45 shell plate. as, .30-06 brass will not fit into the #45 shell plate.

[roc_my_tims]

Funny i have this same delima, so i spend and extra $15 on the 45 plate. Im goint go as 308 would be done on a ss most likely for me. But 45acp i need thousands of