Which Lee loader might be best for my uses?

[LEADLUBBER]

Hello All,

Brand new here, but I have been lurking for awhile......


I have a chance at buying a lee 1000 progressive for very cheap, and it comes with dies and many accessories...

but, before I jump and buy it, I wanted to confirm what I think it will work for.....


1. I am wanting to load a Vihtavuori powder 10B101 from Bartlett Reloaders- Square Flake powder similar to loading with HERCO powder for .45 acp, .40 S&W, .357Mag/.38 SPECIAL, .380 acp.... Mainly for .40 s&w..... but in relatively low quantity count of less than 500 month (max) total

Will the typical lee powder disk setup work well with this Vit powder or not?? It is said that is really works best in single stage pressess because of the powder design and dropping slowly, but, I don't know how well the disk system works on the Lee.....

Or.....

Could I add a powder measure (Drop measure) and eliminate the disk setup and manually drop the powder myself into the case as it comes around while on the powder charging die?


2. I am also wanting to use this pro 1000 press for neck sizing .308 and manually loading the shell without the shell feeder and using the powder dump (not a disk setup) and possibly .30-06, but, I can't see where it would work for .30-06 for the OAL....


Am I asking too much of the 1000 to do more than designed?


Would I be better off with a Loadmaster?


My main goal is to be able to quickly load decent ammo using cast boolits and sometimes jaxketed at a medium to low production rate.

What I don't want: Spending 3 hours to resize and reload 50 rounds like I used to do with an old friend on an RCBS single stage press.



Thanks for the great website and users!

[Cowboy T]

The Pro 1000 is really primarily a handgun press. I wouldn't do .308 Win or .30-06 on it. However, it should be just great for all those handgun rounds you listed. I'm now up to 20,000 rounds of .38 Special and .357 Magnum on one of my presses, and over 5,000 rounds of .45 Colt on the other. I haven't used that Vit powder, but I have used lots of Titegroup, which is a flake powder, and it meters very well through the Pro Auto-Disk Powder Measure that comes with it.

For your rifle rounds, I'd strongly suggest a Lee Classic Turret Press. Unless you're shooting 1,500+ rounds of rifle ammo, the LCTP will be more than enough press for your needs. I absolutely love mine. The one finicky part about this press is the Safety Prime that it was built to use. It's a little tricky to set up and to figure out how it prefers to be actuated (there's a certain feel to it), but once you do, it works pretty well.

[jcwit]

I don't have a Pro 1000 but I do use a Lee Pro Auto-Disk with Vectan AO powder and it works well. Vectan AO is a large sq. flake powder very very close to Herco to look at it.

Hope this helps
jcwit

[LEADLUBBER]

hmmmm......


I too was looking very strongly at the lee Classic Turret Press for all uses like you stated.....


The part that stinks is that there is a guy with a great deal on some Pro1000's and a bunch of extra parts, so, I may buy those plus a classic turret and sell whatever I don't use to help pay for the habit!


I do appreciate you both for the help and opinions about the presses and powder drop with the large square flake powder!

[mike in co]

hmmmm......


I too was looking very strongly at the lee Classic Turret Press for all uses like you stated.....


The part that stinks is that there is a guy with a great deal on some Pro1000's and a bunch of extra parts, so, I may buy those plus a classic turret and sell whatever I don't use to help pay for the habit!


I do appreciate you both for the help and opinions about the presses and powder drop with the large square flake powder!

yuo might consider..".why is he selling all this stuff as such a great price ?"

junk has little value......

[LEADLUBBER]

He is scared to reload.....

He has some very nice reloading equipment that he got in trade for a .22 rifle, and he has no knowledge and is mortified of reloading.....


You know the deal..... so many men today can't even change a flat tire or a battery, much less have the mechanical and scientific/mathematical brain to calculate and measure powder and case length....

[Skipper488]

I have heard (after looking into it for a long time) that the Lee Progressives are a nightmare to setup. IF (notice it's a big if) you get it working correctly it'll work for that session but when you come back you'll have to tweak it some more. On the other hand I have found nothing but good reviews for the Lee Classic Turret. I'm going with the Classic Turret as soon as I get some other bills out of the way.

[mike in co]

He is scared to reload.....

He has some very nice reloading equipment that he got in trade for a .22 rifle, and he has no knowledge and is mortified of reloading.....


You know the deal..... so many men today can't even change a flat tire or a battery, much less have the mechanical and scientific/mathematical brain to calculate and measure powder and case length....

two things.....
one..a "lee loader" is a hand tool for loading ammo by hand..it is not a press....ok a minor issue but thought i would point it out.

two....so this is third hand equiptment ? so how much patience do you have ? do you want to spend your time reloading or working the kinks out of marginal equiptment ???

unless you are a tinker'er by nature, very mechanically inclined, know how to id the problem, and not the sysmptom...i'd pass......

mike in co

[jameslovesjammie]

I also suggest the Lee Classic Turret Press. It is fantastic.

[LEADLUBBER]

two things.....
one..a "lee loader" is a hand tool for loading ammo by hand..it is not a press....ok a minor issue but thought i would point it out.

two....so this is third hand equiptment ? so how much patience do you have ? do you want to spend your time reloading or working the kinks out of marginal equiptment ???

unless you are a tinker'er by nature, very mechanically inclined, know how to id the problem, and not the sysmptom...i'd pass......

mike in co



Mike, to answer the questions,


Yes, it is third hand, but, the guy who owns it as #2 doesn't understand the first thing about reloading, so, I would say he is more of a middleman.

unless you are a tinker'er by nature....
Yes I am, nothing is stock that I own, cars, etc...,

very mechanically inclined,
Yes I am, not an engineer or a pro mechanic, but, I have built 1000hp 4 cylinder engines, transmissions, etc., and tuned and modified just about anything I need to work the way I intend to use it

know how to id the problem, and not the symptom...
Yes Sir, again, I don't part swap, I figure out what is the reason for the problem in the first place




Again, I think I will look for a lee Classic Turret, and I will sell some stuff to get it.... maybe keep a Pro1000 just for pistol ammo.....



I am a detail freak by nature, and finding the kink in the chain is what I like to do....

:grin:

[Skipper488]

I posted a link in a seperate thread to a video of the Classic Turret in operation.

[LEADLUBBER]

I posted a link in a seperate thread to a video of the Classic Turret in operation.




Thanks!

I am gonna check it out

[1bluehorse]

If all you're loading is 500 a month then the Classic Turret press is made for you. You will be able to load that many rounds easily in two to three hours. The pro disc powder measure works very well with this press and is as dependable and repeatable as any. I also like the Lee safety prime with this press. Makes a very nice setup. There are a lot of people that don't like (mildly put) Lee progressive presses, especially the Loadmaster. There are also alot of folks who have used both the Pro 1000 and Loadmaster and have had good results from both. I fall into this latter catagory, however I will say I belive the Pro 1000 to be easier to set up and have fewer issues. Downside is it's a three station press, thats a no go for most because of the carbide factory crimp die that folks want to employ as a seperate step. You won't go wrong with the Classic Turret press.

[Cowboy T]

If you'd like to see both the LCT and the Pro 1000 in action, here are some videos.

http://www.sanfranciscoliberalwithagun.com/default.html

[angus6]

LEADLUBBER sounds like you will do fine with the pro1000 , there is a Lee Challenger Breech Lock on one of the forums I was on yesterday for a great deal

[Skipper488]

I use the Challenger Breach Lock now. It's a good, sturdy single stage press. Buy extra inserts and your dies stay set without having to adjust every time you change them.

[jameslovesjammie]

Just a FYI but Lee has a factory refurbished Classic Turret Press for $74 on their website right now.

http://www.leeprecision.com/html/catalog/surplus.html

[LEADLUBBER]

JLJ,


You talked me into it!!!

I realize that I can only have room/ am only allowed to get one press to do reloading, and I think the Classic turret is the one I am going to have to go with.


Looks like I will soon have two pro1000's for sale that are MINT....

[LEADLUBBER]

Cowboy T,


I watched your videos and determined that because I plan on loading a bunch of different calibers, I think the Classic Turret will be best for me... especially since I can only have one press.


Thanks for posting the vids!

[2wheelDuke]

Like others have said, there's alot of strong dislike for Lee products out there.

As a reloader without a huge budget and big reloading room, the Lee stuff works well enough for me. I'm fond of my Lee turret press. Sure I'd like to have a room with a few Dillons someday, but the Lees fit my needs for now.

[LEADLUBBER]

That is what I am thinking also, 2wheelduke, Lee makes a good product with a lot of very happy followers.

They aren't the fastest, but, they turn out quality ammo for 1/5 the cost of some other brands, and the parts available for the presses and tools makes it that much more attractive for the long term...

[Crash_Corrigan]

I started out with a Lee Challenger single stage and a Lee Loadmaster progressive. That progressive once I got it up and running really churned out the ammo but the primer system was really an annoying PITA mostly.

I cannot tell you how many times it failed to seat a primer and I ended up with spilled powder all over the press and the bench. It was such a PITA that I tossed it when I got my paws on a Dillon 550RL progressive press.

Now I have the original Lee Challenger (mostly for depriming and priming), a Dillon 550 RL, a Dillon Square Deal Press (9 MM), a Lee hand press for range use and a Lee Classic Turret Press.

I must say that the Lee Classic Turret Press is very nice to use and produces good results. The only down side is that some die nuts are just a mite too big to work well on the tiny turret ring. I keep a spare sack of Lee reloading die nuts handy for that purpose. The other issue is the priming deallie. I still am working on that but I usually just hand prime my cases while watching TV in my easy chair with Sgt. Rambo on my lap keeping me warm.

I know it is an extra step but again it is something involving shooting and I enjoy pretty much all aspects of this sport and it will produce another opportunity for me to examine the brass for splits and such and produce a more reliable and accurate round of ammo.

[LEADLUBBER]

Thanks for the tip on the die nuts!!

it is nice to hear all the small quirks with something before getting into it and getting frustrated...

Glad to hear so many good things about the Classic Turret....

Gives me that much more faith in buying it....

[C.F.Plinker]

I must say that the Lee Classic Turret Press is very nice to use and produces good results. The only down side is that some die nuts are just a mite too big to work well on the tiny turret ring. I keep a spare sack of Lee reloading die nuts handy for that purpose. .

Hare you tried the Dillon 1" die nuts with the Turret Press?

[dudel]

What I don't want: Spending 3 hours to resize and reload 50 rounds like I used to do with an old friend on an RCBS single stage

Well, you won't get that with a Lee. You'll spend three hours setting it up and getting it to work right. Each time I might add. :grin:

[mike in co]

Well, you won't get that with a Lee. You'll spend three hours setting it up and getting it to work right. Each time I might add. :grin:

me thinks you have miss read his plan...he is going wiht the lee TURRET...not the 1000.......

mike in co

[Suo Gan]

For rifle I really like the classic turret. The real Lee Loader requires the use of a mallet.

[mike in co]

they turn out quality ammo for 1/5 the cost of some other brands, ...

thats false economy...
you are not taking in to account the value of your time, nor the time in use...the dillons will smoke the lee in terms of count/down time..........
the components cost the same so the real added cost is output minus parts and down time and original cost......


on the other hand your choice of the lee turret is good for what you do....


mike in co

[JIMinPHX]

I've been running a Lee 1000 for more than 20 years. My original (bought new) press has turned out well over 50,000 rounds & is still going strong. So is the one that I bought used at a gun show, very used.

They are not the strongest press made. They are not the safest press made. They are not the easiest to use. They take a little fiddling now & then. When used properly, they can turn out a lot of good quality ammo in a short time. Nothing else that I am aware of in the price range even comes close.

I have used Bullseye, Unique, & W-231 in the powder dispenser for years with no problems.

The two biggest issues that I have seen on the 1000 are that the primer feeder can be a little fussy & you don't get a powder cop style protection system.

When the press is new & the primer feed area is kept clean, the primers feed fine. If a flake or two of powder gets in there, you need to clean it out. After a few years, the plastic primer feed gizmo can start to sag & not feed so well any more. A little tap of the finger now & then can overcome that, or you can buy an inexpensive replacement part.

The 1000 does not have a powder cop style safety gizmo, so if you get out of sequence for some reason, you the operator, must make sure that you don't double charge or fail to charge powder into a round. You get no help with that. The newer (round) style powder hopper from Lee is less likely to let you double charge than the older (rectangular) type, but it can be done if the operator makes the wrong mistakes.

The 1000 has enough cartridge height to load .223 ammo, but probably not .308. I'd have to measure one before swearing to that though.

The 1000 does need to be adjusted correctly to work, but it normally comes that way from the factory. If you don't mess it up, you should not need to mess with it much. I've gone 5 years at a stretch without touching any of the adjustment on one of those things.

My record is 800 rounds in 1 hour, when I had all the components laid out & ready to go. My normal loading rate is about half of that. I don't think that it is prudent or wise to try to load much faster than 400 rounds per hour on one of those things. I don't try to do that anymore.

If you are a careful & conscientious reloader that wants a fast press & needs to work inside a tight budget, then the 1000 is a great choice. If you are not confident in your abilities to keep careful track of your powder charge or you are not willing to keep an eye on your primer feed, then you should save up your money for a nicer press with more safety gizmos.

[mike in co]

i'm glad your press has worked well for you....
as anexample of how a dillon is used..i know a competitor that shot 40,000 rounds in prep for one match...all loaded on a dillon....in the three months or so prior to the match........lots of dillons see similar use....mine dont....maybe 10k every couple of month or so....

plain and simple i cannot be spending time "working" on the press...time is just too valuable.


i did not say they did not work.......

but i do believe it is false economy to say they are less expensive per round to operate.....


mike in co

[Skipper488]

I'd be willing to bet that anyone who shoots less than 2000 rounds a month would be well served with a Lee press. I know I'm lucky to shoot 500-600 per month and usually that's just one trip to the range. I may shoot another 100 shells at the trap range. I don't shoot competitively and while many on here do I'd bet most don't and that makes the capacity of the Lees just fine with us. After all if I was shooting that many I'd spend the $12,000 on a Magma Caster and count myself even further ahead. I mean seriously people willing to spend that much and shoot as little as people like me would be better off just buying their ammo. $12,000 would buy me several years worth of ammuntion and I could spend my time collecting stamps or something.

[mike in co]

I'd be willing to bet that anyone who shoots less than 2000 rounds a month would be well served with a Lee press. I know I'm lucky to shoot 500-600 per month and usually that's just one trip to the range. I may shoot another 100 shells at the trap range. I don't shoot competitively and while many on here do I'd bet most don't and that makes the capacity of the Lees just fine with us. After all if I was shooting that many I'd spend the $12,000 on a Magma Caster and count myself even further ahead. I mean seriously people willing to spend that much and shoot as little as people like me would be better off just buying their ammo. $12,000 would buy me several years worth of ammuntion and I could spend my time collecting stamps or something.

sorry but i just don't see it..a guy talking the lee presses and turns around and says he'd spend 12,000 on a caster........and still load on a lee...?????/

sorry just more false economy.........

yes a lee can work.....but again i'd rather load than tinker...

mike in co

[Skipper488]

sorry but i just don't see it..a guy talking the lee presses and turns around and says he'd spend 12,000 on a caster........and still load on a lee...?????/

sorry just more false economy.........

yes a lee can work.....but again i'd rather load than tinker...

mike in co

That's my point Mike, I reload so I can shoot more because my wallet doesn't allow me to buy enough ammunition to shoot all I'd like. I'm struggling right now to scrape up enough money to buy a rifle that will cost all of $315 and I got into reloading when .45acp ammo was running close to $30/box and I could reload a box for about $17. I got into casting so I can get that price down to about $6/box People on here are poo pooing the Lee presses because they take a little tinkering. Well I tell you what when anyone out there wants to get rid of their Lee in favor of a Dillon I'm open to a little charity and would be most grateful for it. I all but quit going to one reloading site because it seems that unless you spend $10,000 on a gun you're a bum. I come to these places to learn from experienced casters and reloaders and to share what I have learned. I value knowledge and experience and I have a lot more respect that can cobble together a piece of equipment from scrap than one that writes a check for what he wants.

[Cowboy T]

It seems that one's objection to Lee gear is directly proportional to the money one has spent on, and thus must emotionally justify in reloading forums like this one, much more expensive presses. These "fanbois" seem to take the position that anything that doesn't have the name "Dillon" on it automatically sucks. Of course, it's not true. My two Pro 1000's, one of which just recently clocked its 20,000th round of .38 Special (this is in just over a year), are very easy to work with and do not require a lot of "fiddling" at all.

Is Dillon good gear? Of course it is! But for my needs of 1,000 rounds/month, the Pro 1000 does a mighty fine job and has proved to also be good gear.

[mwjones]

As it's been said above, the 1000 will work great for all your pistol calibres. HOWEVER, I'd be strongly gainst using a turret press to reload for rifle. It might be fun to see the whole press flex when you're FL resizing .308 (especially with a small base die), but i wouldn't trust my rifle rounds to anything but a single stage O frame! Just mho!

MJ

[mike in co]

so i will say it again.....

I OWN THREE LEE PRESSES......

but for volume work i use one of my two dillon 550b's


again..i say it is false economy to spend low bucks on a machine that requires you to spend TIME making it work. TIME cannot be replaced and has value to most people. in my case..i reload on my presses..i DO NOT SPEND TIME TINKERING on them.......

i understand that not everyone can afford a dillon....i started with lee hand loaders and moved up to a lee turret.
i learned from these purchases....
i own close to 100 lee handloaders...and use them for small lot loading, but for large lot i use the dillons.
if you do not value your time....wellllll do what you want.

mike in co