hey, I've been doing some research on a first reloading setup and i think i'm gonna go with the lee pro 1000. it seems to have everything i think i need. i want to reload mainly 9mm and one day 45acp.. i'm looking for opinions on the pro 1000 and info on what else i my need to switch calibers. thanks guys..
Lee pro 1000 reloader for a starter press
- Thread starter Z0MBIE
- Start date
#1bcshooter
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- North Of The DMZ (US border)
Forget the pro 1000 and get the turret press with the new primer feed . I have both and the 1000 is a PITA
I purchased a Pro 1000 a few weeks ago for loading 9mm. Set up the press according to the instructions and a few pointers from Lee's website and a couple of videos on Youtube. IMO it's junk, wouldn't index properly, powder drop chain kept breaking and primer feeding was problematic. One week after purchasing it I returned it and now own a Dillon RL550B 
I like my Pro 1000 but I am used to it and have been reloading for quite some time. That being said I would not recommend it as a starting press. They can be finicky and that wont help you when trying to learn to reload at the same time
- Location
- Niagara Region, Ontario. For now
Get the Loadmaster.
easyrider604
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Greater Vancouver, BC
If you are mechanically inclined, extremely patient, meticulously read and follow instructions and watch instructional videos before you set-up and use the Pro1000, as well as almost anal in maintaining and lubing it, yeah sure, go ahead. You will probably get it to work right.
Otherwise, get a Classic Turret with Safety Prime (large and small primer) and Pro-AutoDisk, lots of reloading components then be prepared to enjoy life happily ever after.
The Loadmaster is a viable option if you are somewhat mechanically gifted too, but it doesn't require the same devotion as the Pro1000. I have both Classic Turret and LM but use the Turret more since I shoot only about a hundred rounds per range trip.
Otherwise, get a Classic Turret with Safety Prime (large and small primer) and Pro-AutoDisk, lots of reloading components then be prepared to enjoy life happily ever after.
The Loadmaster is a viable option if you are somewhat mechanically gifted too, but it doesn't require the same devotion as the Pro1000. I have both Classic Turret and LM but use the Turret more since I shoot only about a hundred rounds per range trip.
Lee Pro 100
I have two Lee pro 1000’s presses. If you are not mechanically inclined and don’t have much patients with mechanical things it’s not for you. I have loaded thousands of 9m, 357, and 44mag there are a few quirks with the primer feed but they load ammo. For the price they can’t be beat. But definitely not for a beginner reloader.
I have two Lee pro 1000’s presses. If you are not mechanically inclined and don’t have much patients with mechanical things it’s not for you. I have loaded thousands of 9m, 357, and 44mag there are a few quirks with the primer feed but they load ammo. For the price they can’t be beat. But definitely not for a beginner reloader.
I started with a Rock Chucker. After loading 1000 .40's on a single stage, I jumped to a Lee-1000 (I had done lots of Rifle previously...).
If it is your first press, I'd recommend a Turret Press first. Best combination for learning and speed of loading..
I've had two single stages (Still have the Rock Chucker), 3 Lee-1000's (Still have one) and now a Hornady L-N-L-AP.
The keys to success are to prep and read, and take your time to know the process. Biggest issue with many bare bone progressives is that before you realize you made an error through inattention, you've cranked out 20 rounds.
Now some things can be avoided (AKA use of Powder Cop, etc...) but everything you add costs more money.
If it is your first press, I'd recommend a Turret Press first. Best combination for learning and speed of loading..
I've had two single stages (Still have the Rock Chucker), 3 Lee-1000's (Still have one) and now a Hornady L-N-L-AP.
The keys to success are to prep and read, and take your time to know the process. Biggest issue with many bare bone progressives is that before you realize you made an error through inattention, you've cranked out 20 rounds.
Now some things can be avoided (AKA use of Powder Cop, etc...) but everything you add costs more money.
I really like my 1000s and I don,t think that they are that finicky to work. If they are set up properly and you set the indexing properly to begin with, they will make cartridges without any problems.
If you don't set them up and if you try to rush loading and if you try to force them, you will have problems.
Saying all that, if this is your first press and your first reloading experience I would not recommend any progressive. Get a single stage or a turret and learn to load on them first.
If you don't set them up and if you try to rush loading and if you try to force them, you will have problems.
Saying all that, if this is your first press and your first reloading experience I would not recommend any progressive. Get a single stage or a turret and learn to load on them first.
People saying that Lee presses don't index properly or have problems with the primer feed blah blah, don't take their time to watch some youtube videos and don't maintain the press. Those presses work properly, keep in mind that they are 1/3 of the price of a Dillon. Ask yourself: How many rounds do I want to make, how much time do I have? I you really want to crank out rounds and have no mechanical skills and no means to adjust anything and just work it out of the box - don't reload.
GREAT ADVICE.
I have a 1000pro on the way and am looking forward to it. I know of a member at my club with 4X yes FOUR 1000pro (9mm, 45, 357, 44) and has them lines up in his garage all set, all worked like a dream.
He always preached, for the price of a fully set up Dillon 650 or 1050 in ONE caliber you can have 4X lee1000pro .
Ok so they work right if you watch some videos and tinker with them? So in other words they are junk?
Get an RCBS Pro 2000 or a Dillon. Stay away from the Lee. There is a reason why no one who loads a lot uses a Lee. And I'm not talking about a few thousand a year I mean a few thousand a month. But even if that is not your goal, consider what your time is worth. If you figure even just $20/hr you will have been able to own a 2000 or a 650 after only a couple of months tinkering on the Lee.
Get an RCBS Pro 2000 or a Dillon. Stay away from the Lee. There is a reason why no one who loads a lot uses a Lee. And I'm not talking about a few thousand a year I mean a few thousand a month. But even if that is not your goal, consider what your time is worth. If you figure even just $20/hr you will have been able to own a 2000 or a 650 after only a couple of months tinkering on the Lee.
I have a Loadmaster and I like it, that said I would not recommend it or the Lee Pro 1000 as a starter.
I would recommend a single stage kit like the Lee 50th and a set of dies. Then as you build experience and a collection of manuals you will be better prepared to deal with progressives of all types and qualities.
I would recommend a single stage kit like the Lee 50th and a set of dies. Then as you build experience and a collection of manuals you will be better prepared to deal with progressives of all types and qualities.
If this is your very first press, don't get it.
Get a LEE kit that include's a LEE Classic turret.
If in the future you want to get into reloading just about any caliber it'll work out for you.
You can run it as a turret of remove the index feature and use it like a single stage , but with the die's all set up.
Get a LEE kit that include's a LEE Classic turret.
If in the future you want to get into reloading just about any caliber it'll work out for you.
You can run it as a turret of remove the index feature and use it like a single stage , but with the die's all set up.
- Location
- Fort McMurray
I got a Lee 1000 as my first press ... just set it up this past weekend ... watched a few videos, played with it a bit, sent some PMs to the guy I bought it from, got everything working right and loaded my first 100 rounds of 40 with it ...
Some of my thoughts ... please note that I am new to reloading (but have been reading and collecting books for 2 years) ... however, I am mechanically inclined (electrician by trade so working with my hands is nothing new to me) and I do like to play/tinker/fool around with my toys as soon as they are out of the box ...
Primer feeding was finicky ... had to keep the primer tray over 1/2 full at all times to make sure they feed properly, I don't really like the plastic there ...
Powder measure was a bit of a bugger to get set up ... biggest problem I had was keeping powder from spilling all over the bench when taking it apart to change the disk ... chain pulley system had me scratching my head for a few minutes while getting that installed ... (enter youtube) ... really is quite simple once I got it figured out, not sure why I had problems with it to begin with ...
Loaded rounds didn't drop nicely all the time ... had to push them into my tray about 1/2 the time as I was putting a new bullet on ...
Spent primer drop is retarded ... I rigged up some tubing through a hole I drilled in the bench and down into an old yogurt container ... spent primers have a tendency to bounce around though and don't always go into the proper hole nicely ...
There are times when the brass doesn't line up nicely for the de-priming/sizing die which is a bit of a piss-off ... have to stick my finger in once in a while to get it lined up nicely ... shell plate seems a bit wobbly maybe and the case just a bit off ....
That being said ... those weren't any real big problems, just some minor complaints ... I checked a bunch of times through the 100 rounds that I loaded and the powder drop was consistent in my spot checks, as well as the COL was well within tolerances and for the most part consistent.
For the $200 I spent on this (used from the EE with some extras and about 1000 .40 brass with it) I really can't complain I guess ... I did have 2 primers not seat properly (my fault for not being a bit more rammy with the handle, figured it out and all good) ... also 2 primers in upside down and 2 primers in sideways - my biggest complaint with the whole set up is the primer feed system ...
Now I just need to get out and shoot some of those 40s off to see how they do
Some of my thoughts ... please note that I am new to reloading (but have been reading and collecting books for 2 years) ... however, I am mechanically inclined (electrician by trade so working with my hands is nothing new to me) and I do like to play/tinker/fool around with my toys as soon as they are out of the box ...
Primer feeding was finicky ... had to keep the primer tray over 1/2 full at all times to make sure they feed properly, I don't really like the plastic there ...
Powder measure was a bit of a bugger to get set up ... biggest problem I had was keeping powder from spilling all over the bench when taking it apart to change the disk ... chain pulley system had me scratching my head for a few minutes while getting that installed ... (enter youtube) ... really is quite simple once I got it figured out, not sure why I had problems with it to begin with ...
Loaded rounds didn't drop nicely all the time ... had to push them into my tray about 1/2 the time as I was putting a new bullet on ...
Spent primer drop is retarded ... I rigged up some tubing through a hole I drilled in the bench and down into an old yogurt container ... spent primers have a tendency to bounce around though and don't always go into the proper hole nicely ...
There are times when the brass doesn't line up nicely for the de-priming/sizing die which is a bit of a piss-off ... have to stick my finger in once in a while to get it lined up nicely ... shell plate seems a bit wobbly maybe and the case just a bit off ....
That being said ... those weren't any real big problems, just some minor complaints ... I checked a bunch of times through the 100 rounds that I loaded and the powder drop was consistent in my spot checks, as well as the COL was well within tolerances and for the most part consistent.
For the $200 I spent on this (used from the EE with some extras and about 1000 .40 brass with it) I really can't complain I guess ... I did have 2 primers not seat properly (my fault for not being a bit more rammy with the handle, figured it out and all good) ... also 2 primers in upside down and 2 primers in sideways - my biggest complaint with the whole set up is the primer feed system ...
Now I just need to get out and shoot some of those 40s off to see how they do
caperbound
Regular
- Location
- Nova Scotia
I started with a pro 1000 and did not like it at all. Now I switch between a 4 hole turret and single stage. I'm not a high volume shooter so progressive is not needed. Biggest issue I had with the pro 1000 other than constant adjustments was quality control checks.
I'VE GOT 3 - 9mm, 45, 223- had them since about 1990- yea, they're the old fellas WITHOUT THAT STUPID CHAIN- they can be finicky as far as priming goes, and they're ONLY 3 STATIONS, so that lets them out for revolvers- you want a MINIMUM of 4- decap/resize, powder/primer, seater , and FACTORY CRIMP- that die has saved a LOT of work
i would also not recommend a 223 b/c of the lack of a 4th station- you WANT a LUBE DIE in there if you're really going to get up to speed- otherwise, you get the insides of your tubes all gucky- i've picked up more than a few "tricks" along the way mostly with regards to that finicky primer system, and most of those are covered in this forum as well as on the LEE SITE- even to mounting the press- you want about a 15 degree forward tilt ( put lots of washers under that rear mounting hole to help that primer feed-) you DON'T do this for 223, as it throws the decapping pin off center-things like that
i STARTED off with the 3 hole turret, but found a CHANGE WAS NECESSARY for 1) my shooting became a LOT more frequent,
2) that FOOL RATCHET GEAR in the auto index would WEAR OUT far too frequently- sometimes as little as ONE cycle-i normally kept 10 PAKAGES(30) ON HAND- that's WHY they're 3/1.50- LEE EXPECTS THEM TO GO FAULTY OR WEAR OUT QUICKLY
3) too slow
and i started to shoot an m14- so i got a dillon 550
one thing that struck me with ALL the progressives was the AMOUNT OF FIDDLING you had to do to CHANGE CALIBERS- even on the 550 , so i ended up buying a DEDICATED press for each caliber
i would also not recommend a 223 b/c of the lack of a 4th station- you WANT a LUBE DIE in there if you're really going to get up to speed- otherwise, you get the insides of your tubes all gucky- i've picked up more than a few "tricks" along the way mostly with regards to that finicky primer system, and most of those are covered in this forum as well as on the LEE SITE- even to mounting the press- you want about a 15 degree forward tilt ( put lots of washers under that rear mounting hole to help that primer feed-) you DON'T do this for 223, as it throws the decapping pin off center-things like that
i STARTED off with the 3 hole turret, but found a CHANGE WAS NECESSARY for 1) my shooting became a LOT more frequent,
2) that FOOL RATCHET GEAR in the auto index would WEAR OUT far too frequently- sometimes as little as ONE cycle-i normally kept 10 PAKAGES(30) ON HAND- that's WHY they're 3/1.50- LEE EXPECTS THEM TO GO FAULTY OR WEAR OUT QUICKLY
3) too slow
and i started to shoot an m14- so i got a dillon 550
one thing that struck me with ALL the progressives was the AMOUNT OF FIDDLING you had to do to CHANGE CALIBERS- even on the 550 , so i ended up buying a DEDICATED press for each caliber
