Hello, I am looking into a progressive reloading press and specifically starting in 9MM on a certain website i found a press for $403 free shipping set with 9MM die's . I read the Sticky comparing the 3, but I was wondering multiple owner's thoughts, as searching lead me to very little about it. Only thing i have heard is the priming station has some issues? Thanks for the input!
Lee Loadmaster Owner's, Your thoughts ?
- Thread starter Kondor
- Start date
I've got 2 loadmasters, a Dillon 550 and 650. You get what you pay for. I spent quite a few years reading and watching videos on how to make the loadmaster work. Its better than it was but still quirky. I can do about 400 an hour. The 650 is amazing but no where near the same price. I can do 100 rounds in under 5 minutes with the case feeder but no bullet feeder and you aren't nervous about it flipping a primer. If you can afford it get a 650. Having said that the lee was what I could afford at the time. I've seen the lock n load and would say it looks better than the lee.
Look up videos on You Tube for the Loadmaster. A lot of them are related to fixing this or tweaking that or related to doing things differently from how the manual suggests because it works better.
If the multitude of such videos on how to make the press work doesn't put you off then after you get the press go back and look at them again to tweak the press to make it work for you.
The gist I got from all those videos on fixing and tweaking is that you need to be attentive for some new quirk arriving.
If the number of such videos puts you off the Loadmaster then two upscale but still not crazy expensive options are the Hornady Lock N' Load AP and the Dillon 550. There's also the Dillon Square Deal B but if you go that route be warned that you're locked into Dillon dies since it's a special proprietary size. The 550 uses regular 7/8-14 dies.
One upside of the Hornady over the Dillon 550 is that it has 5 stations. So you can use separate stations and dies for bullet seating and crimping and still have an empty spot for a powder check die or some other die.
If the multitude of such videos on how to make the press work doesn't put you off then after you get the press go back and look at them again to tweak the press to make it work for you.
The gist I got from all those videos on fixing and tweaking is that you need to be attentive for some new quirk arriving.
If the number of such videos puts you off the Loadmaster then two upscale but still not crazy expensive options are the Hornady Lock N' Load AP and the Dillon 550. There's also the Dillon Square Deal B but if you go that route be warned that you're locked into Dillon dies since it's a special proprietary size. The 550 uses regular 7/8-14 dies.
One upside of the Hornady over the Dillon 550 is that it has 5 stations. So you can use separate stations and dies for bullet seating and crimping and still have an empty spot for a powder check die or some other die.
I bought a lee progressive in 45 ACP and it took some tweeking that I managed to do by common sense, pre you tube days. Once tuned up I had no complaints. Never considered the others the Lee was the first one I saw. 400 per hour is good for me. There is always better if you want to pay more.
I load 9mm, .40, .45acp, and .38/.357 on a loadmaster. Probably 4-500 rounds an hour. I've reloaded over 15k-20k rounds on mine in the last year and have basically worked out most of the little quirks and figured out what works and what doesn't. I maybe get 3 rounds out of 1000 with a buggered primer now. For the cost, you can't beat any lee product. I would like a Dillon of course, but you have to draw the line for your budget somewhere. I look forward to reloading with it.
Here is a link to reviews from Amazon. These are honest reviews from owners. I chose the .223 setup because of volume reloading. It is a US site so ignore pricing.
http://www.amazon.com/Lee-Precision...8737566&sr=8-2&keywords=lee+progressive+press
http://www.amazon.com/Lee-Precision...8737566&sr=8-2&keywords=lee+progressive+press
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- Location
- Halifax - NS
I was a Loadmaster owner; fought with it constantly, twerking and modifying...thought it was part of the reloading process.
Ignorance was bliss.
Then I got a Dillon and quickly learned that Lee progressives are simply junk.
No one should be selling a product that requires internet and do-it-yourself fixes to make it work properly in the short term.
Doing it over again, I'd save the money for the Dillon and not shoot for a while rather than go through the Lee Loadmaster experience again.
Ignorance was bliss.
Then I got a Dillon and quickly learned that Lee progressives are simply junk.
No one should be selling a product that requires internet and do-it-yourself fixes to make it work properly in the short term.
Doing it over again, I'd save the money for the Dillon and not shoot for a while rather than go through the Lee Loadmaster experience again.
Used one for a dozen years or so. Can be temperamental at times but generally works fine. I have done 600/hr of 9mm on it, but 400/hr is a more leisurely pace. It will build ammo every bit as good as that off of the blue presses.
Auggie D.
Auggie D.
