Bad night for LEE & Loadmaster I think it's Time to Updrade
- Thread starter volks_r_us
- Start date
you can REPLACE the chain with a BRASS ROD- they even give the specs on one of the forums, as well as use a CABLE- however, I used the OLD STYLE lever which doesn't use a chain or anything to PULL IT SHUT- the spring is attached DIRECTLY to the plate( pre 92 or whatever)
They as in Lee or is this a user suggested mod? Seems a little odd that if they thought is was an issue they would well it that way..
and number of changes that Dillon has made over the years came from user mods and suggestions..
I used to have a red, but my new mantra is "Go blue or go home."
Dillon 1050 for the win.
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And how much did the whole assyembly set you back?
the rod is a user mod, but i never had a problem with the OLD spring and plate- i saw NO REASON to change it-i just spun my powder measure into the die and it worked- i have 3-1000 as well, so i just used the powder measure from one of those- incidentally, if you need the capacity, you can use the DILLON powder measure as well
Total cost is around that of a single Non-Restricted black rifle.
Benefits are I got it with 4 caliber conversion kits, a big tumbler, automatic primer tube filler.
Loads 800 rounds per hour for rifle, and about 1100 per hour of pistol.
Less time in the basement to get the same amount of loaded ammo is a great deal in my opinion.
For the price of one or two rifles or handguns, you can get yourself a loading setup that will last you for 20 years. Consider how many guns alot of us have, and how much time you really spend loading for your favorate gun, and it is a trade well worth making.
So your talking $2000-$2500?
Blah Blah Blah. More people who drink blue koolaid. Not everyone can afford to spend 2K+ on a reloading press.
I have had 3 Lee-1000's (Down to one left for .38 spec). They worked for me for nearly a decade of loading. My biggest annoyance in the lee's was the primer feed. Now on 1000's it was an easy fix, Orings or shoe-string installed on the "agitator rings on the one upright". No more feed issues.
In the case of a Lee-1000 for under $300 you get a progressive press that does everything including a set of dies and case feeding (buy the collator, it works well for the $15). Tempermental? Yup. limited by the "Lee rhythm"? Yup. Crank out 200-300 rounds per hour? Yup. Good starter press for those unsure of how much they want to reload. Loadmaster? Add $100. Hornady LNL-AP w/o case feeder, shellplate or dies, is at least $500, Dillon the same as the LnL-AP.
To setup a Hornady or Dillon with all the same "features" as the Lee's (1000 & loadmaster), you need a press, dies, shell plate, casefeeder. Dies can be new from $40-100, Shell Plates? Another $40-$50, Casefeeder? Another $350+.
Now is the Hornady and a Dillon a better press? Yes they are, but you pay for the enhancements. Don't want to spend the extar money or cannot afford it?
All presses have issues, some are related to user errors, or maintainance issues, or construction. Yes Lee uses alot of plastic which = wear items, but are cheap to replace.
Is the Lee finicky? If you reload for a rimmed cartridge (aka .38spec/.44mag) you will most likely never have case feed issues. Primer feed issues are usually a simple solution (Keep the paths and push rod areas clean and primer tray loaded, increase tray agitation as aforementioned).
As I said. I went the Hornady way after my years with Lee. Just another shade of Red instead of Blue.
I have had 3 Lee-1000's (Down to one left for .38 spec). They worked for me for nearly a decade of loading. My biggest annoyance in the lee's was the primer feed. Now on 1000's it was an easy fix, Orings or shoe-string installed on the "agitator rings on the one upright". No more feed issues.
In the case of a Lee-1000 for under $300 you get a progressive press that does everything including a set of dies and case feeding (buy the collator, it works well for the $15). Tempermental? Yup. limited by the "Lee rhythm"? Yup. Crank out 200-300 rounds per hour? Yup. Good starter press for those unsure of how much they want to reload. Loadmaster? Add $100. Hornady LNL-AP w/o case feeder, shellplate or dies, is at least $500, Dillon the same as the LnL-AP.
To setup a Hornady or Dillon with all the same "features" as the Lee's (1000 & loadmaster), you need a press, dies, shell plate, casefeeder. Dies can be new from $40-100, Shell Plates? Another $40-$50, Casefeeder? Another $350+.
Now is the Hornady and a Dillon a better press? Yes they are, but you pay for the enhancements. Don't want to spend the extar money or cannot afford it?
All presses have issues, some are related to user errors, or maintainance issues, or construction. Yes Lee uses alot of plastic which = wear items, but are cheap to replace.
Is the Lee finicky? If you reload for a rimmed cartridge (aka .38spec/.44mag) you will most likely never have case feed issues. Primer feed issues are usually a simple solution (Keep the paths and push rod areas clean and primer tray loaded, increase tray agitation as aforementioned).
As I said. I went the Hornady way after my years with Lee. Just another shade of Red instead of Blue.
- Location
- Halifax - NS
Best Post so far.
If your tolerance for f-ups on on your equipment is greater than the amount of money in your wallet, cheap is your brand.
If your spare time is worth little; cheap all the way.
Me - I want ammo fast & I want it done right - so I spent a little extra on my equipment. I prefer to spend my spare time at the range.
Final comment - I "grew up" on Lee too, but didn't know how horrible thier progressives were until I tried something else.
I honestly thought that screwing with the press as you load was part of the process of reloading.
Go figure - I was wrong.
Got Juice?
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Peoples Republik of Kanukkistan
I don’t have enough cash in my bullet budget to keep my Loadmaster busy, in fact most of the presses are idle. What I really need is a illegal alien living in my garage in exchange for case prep. The actually reloading stuff takes way less time, then getting everything ready. I have a friend that has the full bore Dillion setup, it’s really nice, but won’t do cast lead as the bullets stick in the system.
As I said before, Lee causes most of the problems with their poor instructions and their videos are of limited help. Loadmaster forums have solved most of my primer issues.
Make sure you set the timing right
Make sure your dies are not causing the ram from lifting all the way up.
Prep the plastic slider with a nail file, remove the edges and casting imperfections
Make sure the case keeper arms are adjusted correctly
Make sure the shell plate retaining nut is tight and that the keeper plate under it is properly setup
Keep your press clean and lubed
Do the above and drastically reduce your priming issues with the loadmaster.
As I said before, Lee causes most of the problems with their poor instructions and their videos are of limited help. Loadmaster forums have solved most of my primer issues.
Make sure you set the timing right
Make sure your dies are not causing the ram from lifting all the way up.
Prep the plastic slider with a nail file, remove the edges and casting imperfections
Make sure the case keeper arms are adjusted correctly
Make sure the shell plate retaining nut is tight and that the keeper plate under it is properly setup
Keep your press clean and lubed
Do the above and drastically reduce your priming issues with the loadmaster.
$2500 will set you up for about 3 calibers and get you pretty well all the worthwhile accessories... such as a large tumbler, primer feeder, etc.
Depends on your shooting style really.
If you shoot mainly just a few calibers, and shoot them alot, such as 9mm or .223, then paying that 2k for top of the line reloading products will save you a lot of time down the road.
If you load small quantities of lots of calibers, then somthing like a turret or single stage is the way to go. But lets face it, the point of a progressive press is because you want higher output for way less time and effort.
My stand is that if you shoot a lot of rounds in a few calibers, then hold off buying that snazzy new gun you were looking at and save your pennies, because it is somthing that you will likely load tens of thousands, if not more rounds on in the coming years, so what is the extra few hundred dollars worth to you?
My .02.
Agreed. It all depends on your definitions as well. When I started into defensive pistol shooting a few years ago, I only shot at our club, That meant that I only used a couple thousand rounds a year. It all comes down to usage.
Reloading 200 rounds an hour on a $300 press is fine if you only shoot a couple thousand a year. 2000 rounds/200 = 10 hours of reloading for the year. That is a weekend total.
Reloading 5000 rounds a year @ 200 rounds/hour however = 50 hours of work.
So maybe you want to get a better press $1000, and up your production to 400 rounds per hour. Now 5000 rounds = 12.5 hours
Heavy competitor? 20K rounds a year? @ 400 rounds per hour = 50 hours again. So now you get a loaded press for $2500 and your production jumps to 800 rounds per hour. Now 20K rounds = 25 hours.
Remember that ammo costs money and reloading time does not include prep time (tumbling & such). Even if you shoot 9mm reloads at $10 a box...
2000 reloads a year = $400 of ammo.
5000 reloads a year = $1000 of ammo.
20K reloads a year = $4000 of ammo.
If you don't shoot $500 of reloaded ammunition a year, can you justify spending $2000 on a press?
These are the questions that reloaders need to determine, and there are those who shoot 50K+ rounds a year.
Once I had kids, my free time sank like a stone and my reloading time was cut to a fraction of what it used to be, so in my case I upgraded so that the hour I got occassionally would be good for enptying a tumbler, sifting the brass, put unclean brass in tumbler and load up a couple hundred rounds before my little mosters came and bothered me. In my case the $1500 spent on reloading equipment was due to my time constraints more than production volumes.
It is all up to the individual and their goals.
How many rounds do you plan on loading a year.
How much time do you want to spend reloading.
How many Calibres? (Associated with above for conversions)
How much are you willing/budgeted to spend.
If you have a couple thousand burning a hole in your pocket... I'm am available as a good home for it
Here you go: http://www.shellsorter.com/
