Thinking of buying the lee in 40sw
- Thread starter NaStY5000
- Start date
- Location
- Keswick, Ontario
Love mine. I have two. I also had issues with the primer feed, but only when it gets dirty. Keep it clean and you shouldn't have any problems.
Just got a brand new one. Slapped it together with the case and bullet feeders in less than 30 minutes. Was pushing out rounds in 90 minutes. Case feeder works great. Saves a TON of time and frees me up to focus on other things like visually checking the powder level etc.
Bullet feeder doesn't work as advertised. I can only load in about three at a time or they all just spill out. (I am using flat bottomed 147gr 9MM). I don't mind because it's still easier (and faster) than seating them with my fingers.
The Auto Disk powder measure works well, but don't trust the chart that comes with it. The CC to grain conversions they came up with for heavier/bigger powders aren't accurate. Of course, you should be weighing every once in a while to make sure everything is working properly anyway.
Keep it clean and you'll have no issues with it. Best bang for the buck, but high maintenance.
Just got a brand new one. Slapped it together with the case and bullet feeders in less than 30 minutes. Was pushing out rounds in 90 minutes. Case feeder works great. Saves a TON of time and frees me up to focus on other things like visually checking the powder level etc.
Bullet feeder doesn't work as advertised. I can only load in about three at a time or they all just spill out. (I am using flat bottomed 147gr 9MM). I don't mind because it's still easier (and faster) than seating them with my fingers.
The Auto Disk powder measure works well, but don't trust the chart that comes with it. The CC to grain conversions they came up with for heavier/bigger powders aren't accurate. Of course, you should be weighing every once in a while to make sure everything is working properly anyway.
Keep it clean and you'll have no issues with it. Best bang for the buck, but high maintenance.
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- Location
- Winnipeg, now
I have two pro 1000's. no major issues to date and I have loaded thousands of rounds. Never tried the bullet feeder but it goes pretty smooth if you just throw the lead in a low dish beside the machine and pick them as you go. I load 9mm, 38, 357, 40sw, and 45acp. Also never had any real problem with the primer feed, just give it a tap once in a while for the first 20 or so rounds when you first fill it. feeds fine.
I use an old Lee 1000 and have gone through the learning curve with it and have loaded 9 mm,38s,357,45 lc and 44 mag.
-Keep it clean which means tearing it down once in a while and cleaning every piece.
- Make sure you don't miss with the primer or the powder spills through the hole and causes you grief on the primer feed.
- Clean and lubricate the main shaft often as it gums up and makes it hard to feel the primer seat.
-Once you keep the timing right and apply force at the right time and be gentle at other times it works well.
I don't use the bullet feed and I don't want to try.
It was the most frustrating tool to get to know but for 200 bucks it is good value.
Search some previous posts as there is some nutz on here that have offered great advise and make it purr.
-Keep it clean which means tearing it down once in a while and cleaning every piece.
- Make sure you don't miss with the primer or the powder spills through the hole and causes you grief on the primer feed.
- Clean and lubricate the main shaft often as it gums up and makes it hard to feel the primer seat.
-Once you keep the timing right and apply force at the right time and be gentle at other times it works well.
I don't use the bullet feed and I don't want to try.
It was the most frustrating tool to get to know but for 200 bucks it is good value.
Search some previous posts as there is some nutz on here that have offered great advise and make it purr.
Progressive loader
Buy a Dillon!
Always works great! Always supported by "NO Bull#### Warranty". And if you want to get rid of it you will get 90% of new price when you try to sell it.
I have loaded around 40K including several calibres and have had no issue EVER.
Buy a Dillon!
Always works great! Always supported by "NO Bull#### Warranty". And if you want to get rid of it you will get 90% of new price when you try to sell it.
I have loaded around 40K including several calibres and have had no issue EVER.
I use a Pro 1000 for 40S&W, 357/38spc and it works fine. It's little finicky sometimes and there is definetly a learning curve to get used to it but you can't beat it for the price.
Bullet feeder sucks, I could never get mine to work reliably but It doesn't slow me down too much having to place the bullets myself anyway.
Bullet feeder sucks, I could never get mine to work reliably but It doesn't slow me down too much having to place the bullets myself anyway.
the only advantage the loadmaster has over the 1000 is the extra stations- you still run into the same type of priming problem, and you don't need the extra stations for an auto
i;ve got 3 1000 and a loadmaster- with the loadmaster, you never seem to know when you're going to have to tear it apart to fix the priming mech- i've gone so far as to have 2 or 3 spare complete mechanisms and about 10 extra sliders just so i can contine my run- plus it can and does work itself into a non working condition- even lee admits this in the videos- sure, it's a simple fix, ( you loosen and re-tighten the drive bolt after re-centering the ram) and it's not SUPPOSED to happen, but it does- the 1000 doesn't do that at all- i've had my 1000 in 9mm, 45, and 223 since about 1988 or 90, and loaded thousands of rounds through them, and the only caveat is the priming mech- and having to replace the nylon gears once in a while- all that being said , there are a few things you can do to "improve" the primer mech- some guys have put o rings on the stepped coumn to give the mechanism more of a bump as it rolls over, and i've made the back end higher than the front by means of washers to improve the gravity flow - about a 15 degree forward tilt- do do this on the 223, as it throws the neck of the case out of sync with the decapper- i've also bypassed the primer block so i get a primer whether there's a case in the powder slot or not- it's a simple thing to remove the primer with needle nose pliers and replace it in the primer feed tray- i also drilled a feed hole on the feed tray cover so i can replace primers one at a time without opening the tray- CAUTION: THESE ARE THINGS THAT WORK FOR ME AND I TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR ACTIONS
i;ve got 3 1000 and a loadmaster- with the loadmaster, you never seem to know when you're going to have to tear it apart to fix the priming mech- i've gone so far as to have 2 or 3 spare complete mechanisms and about 10 extra sliders just so i can contine my run- plus it can and does work itself into a non working condition- even lee admits this in the videos- sure, it's a simple fix, ( you loosen and re-tighten the drive bolt after re-centering the ram) and it's not SUPPOSED to happen, but it does- the 1000 doesn't do that at all- i've had my 1000 in 9mm, 45, and 223 since about 1988 or 90, and loaded thousands of rounds through them, and the only caveat is the priming mech- and having to replace the nylon gears once in a while- all that being said , there are a few things you can do to "improve" the primer mech- some guys have put o rings on the stepped coumn to give the mechanism more of a bump as it rolls over, and i've made the back end higher than the front by means of washers to improve the gravity flow - about a 15 degree forward tilt- do do this on the 223, as it throws the neck of the case out of sync with the decapper- i've also bypassed the primer block so i get a primer whether there's a case in the powder slot or not- it's a simple thing to remove the primer with needle nose pliers and replace it in the primer feed tray- i also drilled a feed hole on the feed tray cover so i can replace primers one at a time without opening the tray- CAUTION: THESE ARE THINGS THAT WORK FOR ME AND I TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR ACTIONS
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