Who uses a Lee Pro 1000 or Loadmaster?

[jmorris]

Looks like size in slot 1 with ? in 2 flare powder drop 3 rcbs bullet feeder in 4 and five is a seat crimp. Am I correct? Still not sure what is in two or why you didnt move them all back one and do a FC in the last hole.

Yep size/deprime in 1.

#2 is where priming takes place and it happens on the up stroke so if you moved the measure back one you would be dumping powder before the primer was fully seated. The die in #2 is just an extra powder/expander die that does nothing except center he case, Lee for whatever reason uses the same shell plate for 9mm as it does for 40 so it has room to move around and cause problems priming if you don't locate it somehow. Priming is likely the #1 issue with the LM.

The feed die is a Hornady but the rest is correct.

[Outer Rondacker]

OK school me on this one. On all presses I have ever run the priming action happens when the press handle is pushed forward. Are you telling me on the LM it happens while the handle is being pulled back and the ram is going upward? If so I did not know this.

[vaskeet]

OK school me on this one. On all presses I have ever run the priming action happens when the press handle is pushed forward. Are you telling me on the LM it happens while the handle is being pulled back and the ram is going upward? If so I did not know this.

Yes it primes when the handle is pulled down at the same time that you are depriming sizing seating and crimping so there is no feel to the priming and that is why I hand prime and have the primer feed removed and the primer seating setup disabled on mine

[jmorris]

OK school me on this one. On all presses I have ever run the priming action happens when the press handle is pushed forward. Are you telling me on the LM it happens while the handle is being pulled back and the ram is going upward? If so I did not know this.

Yes, the Loadmaster and Dillon 1050 are the only two presses that I know of that do this.

You don't need "feel" as the primer is seated to an exact depth. Just turns out to be a better idea if you have a swage station before priming, like the 1050.

Look at the area where the excess chain for the powder measure reset is hanging in the photo below.

The upside down bolt screwed into the top of the press contacts the rocker arm below mounted to the ram. When the two make contact the rocker pushes an anvil up seating a primer in the case. If you want them deeper you thread the bolt lower.

[rbuck351]

Rondacker
I didn't buy any of the three new. I have about $100 each in them average and I already have a Dillon 550b and a Star universal. The reason I got the Lee Pro 1000s was just to see how bad they really are and if they can be made to work properly. Now that they are working right I have one set up for 9mm one for 32S&W long and one for 7.62x25 and they won't be changed. makes changing calibers really fast. Just step sideways and grab the handle of a different press. That's faster than changing dies on a lock and load.
The Star also seats a primer on the down stroke along with all the other steps. the Star doesn't have a ram as such. The whole die plate with all the dies comes down to the shell plate.

[flyingmonkey35]

I own two Lee load masters and have given up priming on. Them.

Flipped primers. Depth. And kaboooms.

So I will run full bore and derpime / resize separately.

Then prime one a being priming system. 1000 at a time.

Now I'm all set for reloading with prepped brass.

If you can get it you get a powder checking die and say good bye to squibs.

[Outer Rondacker]

I own two Lee load masters and have given up priming on. Them.

Flipped primers. Depth. And kaboooms.

So I will run full bore and derpime / resize separately.

Then prime one a being priming system. 1000 at a time.

Now I'm all set for reloading with prepped brass.

If you can get it you get a powder checking die and say good bye to squibs.

Kinda defeats the purpose of a progressive if you have to do everything single stage like that. I have done thousands this way in the past just was thinking of trying something new. I do have a powder check die. I have always picked it up a head of time with my eye before it got to the die. But just in case i use one when I can.

[Outer Rondacker]

Yes, the Loadmaster and Dillon 1050 are the only two presses that I know of that do this.

You don't need "feel" as the primer is seated to an exact depth. Just turns out to be a better idea if you have a swage station before priming, like the 1050.

Look at the area where the excess chain for the powder measure reset is hanging in the photo below.

The upside down bolt screwed into the top of the press contacts the rocker arm below mounted to the ram. When the two make contact the rocker pushes an anvil up seating a primer in the case. If you want them deeper you thread the bolt lower.

It bothers me that for some reason I think I like this method. Do the new LM come with the upgraded primer system everyone is talking about?

[vaskeet]

I own two Lee load masters and have given up priming on. Them.

Flipped primers. Depth. And kaboooms.

So I will run full bore and derpime / resize separately.

Then prime one a being priming system. 1000 at a time.

Now I'm all set for reloading with prepped brass.

If you can get it you get a powder checking die and say good bye to squibs.

You forgot lost primers put 100 primers in the feed get 96 out in cases the other 4 gone into the ram

[longshot1154]

I would imagine they come with the new priming system as they no longer sell parts for the old units.

[flyingmonkey35]

Kinda defeats the purpose of a progressive if you have to do everything single stage like that. I have done thousands this way in the past just was thinking of trying something new. I do have a powder check die. I have always picked it up a head of time with my eye before it got to the die. But just in case i use one when I can.

That's not really single stage the way I see it. But lots of us deprime / and clean anyway.

In this case I use the case feeder system to make short work of it.


Yes the priming system sucks an is inconsistent on the LM. However lots and lots of people have 0 issues with it.

Bit I've destroyed two feed ramps with a misaligned primer on the thing.

So to each his own.

So I chose to prime off the press and have zero priming issues.

Wish it wasn't the case

[Gillie Dog]

But lots of us deprime / and clean anyway. In this case I use the case feeder system to make short work of it. I agree and do the same.

Yes the priming system sucks an is inconsistent on the LM. However lots and lots of people have 0 issues with it. I agree and have 0 problems because I run the aftermarket priming system.

So to each his own. I whole heartily agree.

So I chose to prime off the press and have zero priming issues.

Wish it wasn't the case

In my case I prime 45ACP large primer, 9MM and 40 S&W on the Loadmasters after decapping before hand through a Loadmaster and cleaning . Been using the new Auto Drum powder measure and it has made life much easier and more trouble free.

Just me and like he says, to each his own, that is part of what makes this hobby interesting and enjoyable.

GD

[Outer Rondacker]

You forgot lost primers put 100 primers in the feed get 96 out in cases the other 4 gone into the ram

You must feed the beast.

Guys I am taking in what everyone is saying. I am happy for everyone who does this hobby and more so with those who share it with others. I have a weird way of looking at things and do not have the softest of ways in which I express myself.

[flyingmonkey35]

In my case I prime 45ACP large primer, 9MM and 40 S&W on the Loadmasters after decapping before hand through a Loadmaster and cleaning . Been using the new Auto Drum powder measure and it has made life much easier and more trouble free.

Just me and like he says, to each his own, that is part of what makes this hobby interesting and enjoyable.

GD

Aftermarket priming system??? Which one there is one etc..

Or the modifed one from Doug's reloading bench

[jmorris]

It bothers me that for some reason I think I like this method. Do the new LM come with the upgraded primer system everyone is talking about?

I really like it on my 1050's and actually didn't have any problems with the method of seating on my LM, the weakness would be getting brass that is crimped or otherwise won't accept a primer and it gets mangled but you can't feel it and bad things happen.

The problems I had were getting the primers to the anvil to be seated 100% and the new system is a big help. As long as you don't buy an "old stock" press you should get the new system.

If you really want one of these things you need to start sending PM's to folks that say they have one collecting dust because it took too much energy to throw it in the trash. That's how I got mine for free (sent the fellow some brass for his trouble and covered shipping) then just buy the new parts from Titan. There are enough haters out there you should be able to find one cheap.

Dont worry about it being a basket case, they will all get to that point if you don't learn how they work, might as well figure it out at the beginning.

[Outer Rondacker]

I really like it on my 1050's and actually didn't have any problems with the method of seating on my LM, the weakness would be getting brass that is crimped or otherwise won't accept a primer and it gets mangled but you can't feel it and bad things happen.

The problems I had were getting the primers to the anvil to be seated 100% and the new system is a big help. As long as you don't buy an "old stock" press you should get the new system.

If you really want one of these things you need to start sending PM's to folks that say they have one collecting dust because it took too much energy to throw it in the trash. That's how I got mine for free (sent the fellow some brass for his trouble and covered shipping) then just buy the new parts from Titan. There are enough haters out there you should be able to find one cheap.

Dont worry about it being a basket case, they will all get to that point if you don't learn how they work, might as well figure it out at the beginning.

Very well said and could not be any more up my alley if I had said it myself. Thank you sir for the good idea. With that said.....

Anyone have a Lee Load Master or Pro 1000 they hate or want to part with for cheap?

[dave33]

A lee pro 1000 was my first press I learned to reload on. It is a little quirky but can load good ammo pretty quickly if you are a little patient. There are some good resources online that can give you lots of tweeks to make it run better. Best I ever got was 500 rounds in 1hr 8mins. Thats replinishing brass, primers, etc, but 400/hr is more realistic. My pro 1000 primes perfectly.

That said, I bought a used Loadmaster from a guy in my gun club that had used it to load 1000 rounds of 9mm about 7 yrs ago and left it in his storage shed ever since. Had to do a little refurbishment to it and replace a few parts but it runs great now. The priming system is about my favorite part. Priming on the downstroke is great and having the ability to adjust primer depth is even better as I shoot a lot of lightly sprung guns and giving the primers a little precrush keeps everything reliable. Folks having problems with the priming system are most likely running the handle too fast. The Loadmaster priming system works by having a wedge bar push the primer into a cup on the way to the top of the toolhead, and if you run the handle too fast you can sling the primer out or flip it in sideways and get it crushed in sideways. I ran into this early in my loadmaster experience and almost gave up on the primer system until I took time to understand what its doing, now priming about the best part. Slow and steady is the key to the loadmaster.

After using both I much prefer the Loadmaster. Loading cast boolits (you are loading cast boolits arent you) really needs separate seating and crimping and you just cant do it on the Pro 1000. The nice thing about Lee progressives is just how simply they are designed. If you take the time to understand how everything is suppose to be working together its pretty easy to diagnose and fix the problems you run into. Heck, you can even totally disassemble and reassemble either press in just a few minutes. Definitely cant beat the price. Im going to jump on the next used loadmaster I find no matter what the condition as long as the price is right and keep one set up for large primer and one for small primer.

A couple good resources for lee press help and tips are loadmastervideos.com and mikesreloadingbench.com. Good luck if you give one a try.

[Outer Rondacker]

Dave33 thank you for your post. Good info and good idea on the one for small and one for large primers. I am at the stage of one press per cal. Set it and forget it as they say. Yes I load lead for 45's. I do have a little over 10k jacketed 230 to burn up some day. It was one of them deals you kinda could not pass up. I got them cheaper then I can buy the lead to cast them up.

[Gillie Dog]

Aftermarket priming system??? Which one there is one etc..

Or the modifed one from Doug's reloading bench

MikesReloadingBench.com

It is a modified trough, slider and carrier. I did 2,000 45ACP with out a fail to prime properly a while back. I did learn to keep the trough full with primers and add a new filled tray as soon as the last primer leaves the tray or I would miss primers when there was not enough weight in the trough to push them down. Seems more important with small primers than large. But I also have a ROCK SOLID bench and there is no wiggle, shake or press movement at all as it is cycled, this is almost as important as the aftermarket priming system.

GD

[tunnug]

I also have two Pro1000's, small and large primer, the first one I ordered new for about $120 with a set of dies (a long time ago), the second one I found at a local swap meet (flea market), the husband had gone to get a beer when I found it all in pieces in a box, the wife said give me $20 and get out a here before my husband gets back, he's thinking of not selling it and I want it gone, he's had it for a few years and not done anything with it.
Got it home and had it put together in no time, the trick to them once you get them adjusted right is to go the full stroke each time you pull the handle, don't stop between pulls and don't change your tempo, they have worked just fine for me on handgun cartridges, I do rifle on a single stage.

Forgot to mention that for the priming system I have a small right angle handled pick that I use to make sure the primers move along on the feed troth (sp), when they hang up is when you start having problems, I also changed the powder disc to a micro-adjustable replacement they sell on Midway, makes getting the proper charge easier.