the only bummer in the mix is if you're using a revolver and need that 4th station for the factory crimp die- that thing is almost required on the ones i've got- right now i load with the 1000, then run the lot through the factory die in a turret press with the center removed so it doesn't rotate- now if they make a upgrade kit for the 1k like they did for the turret, we'd be home free- but they probably would rather sell you a loadmaster
Ever use a Lee pro 1000 ?
- Thread starter Casper
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btw, don't tilt it forward for the 223, it throws the case out of alignment with the die and you have to hand guide it in past the neck- or at least i had that happen- it's fine on wide mouth pistol cases, but when you've only got a 22 hole to hit, you need the alignment- i removed the tilt and we're fine again
Mystic Precision
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I have two to load three cals (45, 40 and 9mm). I found the small primer feeding for the 9mm the most problematic. Could have been a big primer vs a smaller primer pocket. Loading 40 on the same press has shown no issues.
Loading the 45 has been a snap.
This is not the type of press where you can just move the handle and chug out ammo. I watch each step to make sure nothing is out of whack. The Lee is not fool proof so that slows things down.
However, I can load a few hundred rds in an hour which is enough speed for me. Some may find that a bit slow.
I think this rig would be ideal for a high volume 223/7.62Russ bolt rifle shooter. You could use collet dies and just pump out the ammo.
I crimp my bullets in the seating stage using the Lee dies and have had no problems so far. One 9mm needed a very tight crimp so I used a tapered crimp die in the single stage. All other pistols have run the ammo fine as it came off the press.
Jerry
Loading the 45 has been a snap.
This is not the type of press where you can just move the handle and chug out ammo. I watch each step to make sure nothing is out of whack. The Lee is not fool proof so that slows things down.
However, I can load a few hundred rds in an hour which is enough speed for me. Some may find that a bit slow.
I think this rig would be ideal for a high volume 223/7.62Russ bolt rifle shooter. You could use collet dies and just pump out the ammo.
I crimp my bullets in the seating stage using the Lee dies and have had no problems so far. One 9mm needed a very tight crimp so I used a tapered crimp die in the single stage. All other pistols have run the ammo fine as it came off the press.
Jerry
For guys that are on a budget like me, Lee Pro 1000 is the only economical way to go. You can drive a civic and it get you from point A to point B and you can drive a BMW and it get you there a bit faster. I think the problem with those who have owned Lee Pro 1000 and hated them is because they do NOT understand how the press works, they just want something that work all the time without having to maintain them. And that's perfectly understandable(is that a word?) Anyway, the point is, go over the manual carefully, watch the video on the Lee precision website. And carefully look at the design of the press and UNDERSTAND how it works. And once you do, you will know exactly what to do when something goes wrong. Primer feed is the main headach causing design. The proper feeding of the primers depend on the weight of the other primer to push on it so that it slides proper into place. So when the primer feed is dirty, the primers get hung up in it, and there's no weight pushing on the primers at the bottom, of course it's not going to load properly. So? KEEP IT CLEAN, and keep the primer tray at 1/4, AND I would highly recommend CCI primers because it's nickle coated, they slide better than the Winchester copper ones.
And what happens when you miss a primer and get powder all over the place? Get a can of compressed air to blow all the powder out, or if you have it setup in your bedroom(like me, I'm renting an apartment ok? so stop laughing) Use a handheld vaccum cleaner to suck the powder out from underneath the shellplate and carrier assembly. If there's a primer jammed in the priming station, just use a little pick or something to flip it out, it may or may not be reusable.
If you are really not paying attention and have loaded 100 rounds with no primers on them and got powder deep into the shellplate carrier and the whole thing just stopped working. Then you gotta take the press apart. I'm not gonna go over how to take it apart, it's all on the manual. If you don't have one because you got it 2nd hand, get it printed off from lee's website. There aren't that many parts on the press it. It works on very simple principles, understand it and work with it, develop a feel for it. And you'd be just fine with it.
I've had priming problems, case feed problems, and had to take it apart when I just started loading. But after a couple of times of taking it apart and putting it back together, I understood how it works and haven't had problem since then.
And what happens when you miss a primer and get powder all over the place? Get a can of compressed air to blow all the powder out, or if you have it setup in your bedroom(like me, I'm renting an apartment ok? so stop laughing) Use a handheld vaccum cleaner to suck the powder out from underneath the shellplate and carrier assembly. If there's a primer jammed in the priming station, just use a little pick or something to flip it out, it may or may not be reusable.
If you are really not paying attention and have loaded 100 rounds with no primers on them and got powder deep into the shellplate carrier and the whole thing just stopped working. Then you gotta take the press apart. I'm not gonna go over how to take it apart, it's all on the manual. If you don't have one because you got it 2nd hand, get it printed off from lee's website. There aren't that many parts on the press it. It works on very simple principles, understand it and work with it, develop a feel for it. And you'd be just fine with it.
I've had priming problems, case feed problems, and had to take it apart when I just started loading. But after a couple of times of taking it apart and putting it back together, I understood how it works and haven't had problem since then.
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you need to check and see whether cabela's will ship to canada- some don't, and ck with higgenson on pricing- there's also factory seconds and used/reconditioned direct from lee to consider- less'n you're tending to cross the border and tote the thing home in the trunk- then none of this applies
mysticplayer said:
Same here...9mm is a bit of a pain with the primer feeding, but .40cal loads the best.
mysticplayer said:
Again, same here.
mysticplayer said:
Slow and easy is the 'quickest' way to get ammo out of my Loadmaster. Slowing down just at the end of both up and down strokes helps a lot. Like mysticplayer says, I also watch each step to make sure everything's ok. There is a lot to monitor, and it pays off to monitor it.
I also took the advice of placing a Universal Decapper in Station #1, and placing the sizing die (minus the decapper) in Station #2 to steady the case as it is primed. That helped a lot. I still have problems with .40 cases flipping backwards when they feed forward after dropping out of the case feeder, but I'm working on that..
Six Star said:
Here's how I solved the .40 problem. The case slider is too short. Slice a piece of something (I used hardwood) about .220" thick and hot-glue it to the slider. It will no longer work for 9mm, so get a new one for that.
Gasanwu said:
No, the case feed tube height has nothing to do with the 'flipping 40s'. The 'small' slider is too short for the .40 case, so it applies force more at the base. The top drags a bit on the next case in line, and the thing flips, base first, instead of travelling smoothly. The 'large' slider is too tall and flat-out won't work, so we add a slice to the 'small' slider to make it just right, applying even force along the case.
It's not like every .40 will 'flip', but enough do / did to make it irritating and somewhat slow. The 'slice' cured that.
lee 1000
I own 6.Got tired of converting to another calibre so I went on a program of buying wornout 1000s or turret presses and converting them to 1000s by ordering parts directly from Lee. Seems that all progressive presses have some idiocencies most of which revolve around primer feeds. It is important to keep the primer tray full because it is gravity reliant. Large primers are not as big a problem as small. I have extended the small primer tube by cutting up an old primer tube an inserting in the existing tube. This was fiddelly but after 2 or three trys at getting them aligned properly it works much better.
I own 6.Got tired of converting to another calibre so I went on a program of buying wornout 1000s or turret presses and converting them to 1000s by ordering parts directly from Lee. Seems that all progressive presses have some idiocencies most of which revolve around primer feeds. It is important to keep the primer tray full because it is gravity reliant. Large primers are not as big a problem as small. I have extended the small primer tube by cutting up an old primer tube an inserting in the existing tube. This was fiddelly but after 2 or three trys at getting them aligned properly it works much better.
