Just picked up my loadmaster (updated post#46 new comment and problem)

not that i know of- if it does cure it, what i'd do is buy a CARBIDE DIE BODY only in 9mm from lee- i think the're under 20 bucks- and swap the internals( the nut, decapping pin, and the regulating nut from the outside- the carbide is a coating that's applied to the steel, much in the same way as teflon is applied to steel- scratch that- lee now sells the die complete for 19.98- probably best to order from higgenson as he's closer to you
 
smaybe you have to take the whole thing to pieces and re-build it

Let's not be doing that. More Loadmasters are binned because someone "adjusted" everything to make it "better" that for any other reason.

Everything works fine without a shell case? Then it's not assembly.

It's stiff with a shell case? OK, but these are _not_ steel dies. If they were, you would never get the case out without lube. The rim would tear off first. In any event, it's easy to tell one from the other: steel is dull, carbide is shiny.

Try a shot of lube, if that cures it, you're done. Lube is cheap.
 
Is there a way to actually check if a die is carbide or steel?

Yes. Have a look at the die on the left. See the shiny insert at the bottom around the decapping pin? That's a carbide insert.

CARBIDE_DIE_SET.jpg
 
i have just realize wt the problem is....
I put the universal decapper on station one, but everytime i decap the pin got pushed back and the spent primer is not completely decapped. therefore it makes a crushed primer every time it reaches station 2.
problem is, i have tried to tighten the pin clamp using two huge adjustables already but it still keeps poping out
what can i do?
 
Are your using military cases with crimped in primers?

Why are you using a universal decap instead of the decapping/resizing die? I see no reason to decap before putting it in the resizing die.
 
Are your using military cases with crimped in primers?

Why are you using a universal decap instead of the decapping/resizing die? I see no reason to decap before putting it in the resizing die.

the cases are made by speer, how can i tell if it is crumped or not?
and i am using decap before resizing cause on station 2 in a laodmaster, the press prime on the up stroke. putting a resizing die above it can reduce the chance of misalignment of the primer to the case. This is a quite common method in loadmaster.
 
the cases are made by speer, how can i tell if it is crumped or not?
and i am using decap before resizing cause on station 2 in a laodmaster, the press prime on the up stroke. putting a resizing die above it can reduce the chance of misalignment of the primer to the case. This is a quite common method in loadmaster.

have you tried operation with a lubed case followed by a few more?
 
i have just realize wt the problem is....
I put the universal decapper on station one, but everytime i decap the pin got pushed back and the spent primer is not completely decapped. therefore it makes a crushed primer every time it reaches station 2.
problem is, i have tried to tighten the pin clamp using two huge adjustables already but it still keeps poping out
what can i do?

Well, at least you figured that part out.

The universal decapper will decap military-crimp primers, so the likely issue (not guaranteed) is the pin not being tight enough. The other possibility is that it's misaligned and not entering the flash hole.

If it isn't tight enough: take the pin out. lube the threads on the outside of the collar to make it easier to tighten. Degrease the pin and the inside of the collar where the pin is gripped - there should be no lubricants on the gripping surface. Then tighten it back down firmly.

Check that the pin is in the centre of the universal decapper, and that the brass is fully in the shellplate when it enters the decapper, so that the pin will be centred in and enter the flash hole.

You might try putting the sizer/decapper back in station one. The caseholder will keep the case well-enough aligned at station two for the priming to work, but there is no caseholder at station one and that allows the decapper in a universal decapper to miss the flash hole. With the sizer/decapper, the sizer centres the case.

And the next time you need "two hands" to work the press arm, stop and figure out what's happening before you break something. You'll eventually get the feel for the press and know when something isn't right.
 
sorry for the misinformation, i was just passing on what i had been told and didn't know it was wrong- anyway, i suppose i could be wrong on this too, but you can USE LANOLIN and a DRY STAMP PAD to lube your cases- or that's the way i do my RIFLE cases-and the wrenches you need for the die are a 1/2 for the nut on top and a 3/4 for the flats on the die body-
 
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i jsut got a reply from lee regarding the decapper

Yours is the third complaint I have received on the decapper pin pushing up on the Universal decapper. Try swapping the decapper clamp from another Lee die; I suspect a bad batch of decapper clamps got out... Let me know what you find, and if this solves the problem I will send you a replacement decapper clamp.

So i guess i will try swapping on the decapper clamp from my resizing die and see if it helps
 
yup i have done it
and found that the reason that the primer was not getting pushed out was due to those ####ty primer that actually sticks to the decap pin so hard that the primer goes back into the pocket a bit when i lower the stage. that causes the crushed primer issue
(I was trying to decap CIL primers from the ones that were not seat deep enough or too deep, but apparently those anvils tend to hold on to the decapping pin instead of falling off)
now i am using wsp primers and they seems running nice so far.

i still need some sizing lube though T_T
and i am worried the 2x4 plus the 3/4 plywood i used to mount the press on is gonna snap one day.... it flexes a bit when i am sizing the case
 
update...
priming and depriming problem is fixed. now i have a few question with the pro auto disk powder measure
1. Do you use the disk with the closest size or do u use the adjustable bar when u have already developed the load?
2. When i use the adjustable bar, powder leakage is minimal but the charge weight varies up to 0.2 gr. However, when i use the disk, the charge weight is within 0.1gr but it tends to leak quite a bit of powder on the side. When i look from the side i can see a visible gap between the hopper mouth and the disk thus creating leaked powder. What should I do?

Thanks a lot.
 
1 i just WEIGH ALL MY CHARGES, period- i don't take it for granted what anyone says-how i set up mine was to remove the indexer bar so it won't rotate, then take an empty casing with a dead primer still in it, charge the case , and WEIGH THE CHARGE- on a beam scale- then you KNOW what you're throwing-
as far as the variance goes, if your hopper's brass nuts are tight, i don't think there's much you can do- you don't want them too tight as that'll impede the charge bar and stress the hopper base
it's an option as to whether to go fixed disc or adjustable, and i just leave the adjustable in as sometimes i shoot lead, sometimes jacketed, and various bullet weights or sometimes change powders- ie if my supplier doesn't have 231( which is what i always use) then i can go to titegroup or whatever without having to take the measure apart,just do the weighing thing with the scale again and we're back in business
i just looked at my hopper adjustable charge bar( it's a lee charge bar) and there's less than a hair's width between them- ie my hopper is almost but not quite RIDING on the charge bar-also there's no washers or anything on my screws-just the straight screw and nut
if your's isn't like that pls post a pic so we can see if the wings have been left high or something-
 
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1. Do you use the disk with the closest size or do u use the adjustable bar when u have already developed the load?
2. When i use the adjustable bar, powder leakage is minimal but the charge weight varies up to 0.2 gr. However, when i use the disk, the charge weight is within 0.1gr but it tends to leak quite a bit of powder on the side. When i look from the side i can see a visible gap between the hopper mouth and the disk thus creating leaked powder. What should I do?

In order:
1: I used the disk, because it was easier to repeat a setting. But the adjustable works fine too (see 2a below)

2a (charge weight variance): the adjustable bar, on low charge weights (which you'll have with most powders suited to 9mm), has a narrow "clam-shaped" cavity and may not fill reliably. This problem is worse with flake powders, so I recommend ball or modified ball (titegroup) powders that flow like water. It's good advice for any progressive. The disks have nice, round holes that fill reliably and will give you more consistent charge weights regardless of powder, but ball powders are still recommended.

2b (leakage) - if you see a gap, you'll get leakage. Order a bunch of the polymer wipers and try until you get one that's a bit bigger and fits more tightly. Having said that,you'll always have some leakage with this type of powder throw. The only throws that don't really leak are the rotary ones, like an RCBS Pro 2000 or Hornady LNL AP.
 
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i just WEIGH ALL MY CHARGES,
[...]
as far as the variance goes, if your hopper's brass nuts are tight, i don't think there's much you can do
[...]
you don't want them too tight as that'll impede the charge bar and stress the hopper base

In order:
1) that's silly, because it defeats the purpose of using a progressive. Just use an easy-flowing ball powder and every case will be charged within +-.1 of a grain. Cautious persons (me) recommend also using an RCBS Lock-Out die to sense a double- or empty-charge case and stop the press. That's for human error (short-stroking etc), not for press issues.

Of course, maybe you meant to write "i just WEIGH ALL MY CHARGES during initial setup", which would have made perfect sense.

2) yes, as mentioned above you can a) use the disks and b) use easy-flowing ball powders. +-.1gr is good enough, and really so is +-.2gr for most applications (like close-range action shooting below max charges).

3) make the brass nuts snug, they have to be else they'll back off. If the powder charge bar/disk binds when they're snug, you have a different problem (tight wiper, warped hopper base or other manufacturing defect).
 
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