Lee Pro 1000

[lonewolf5347]

I been loading from a RCBS single stage press for some 40 years
was looking into the lee 1000 for 45 auto,seem the single stage press will not cut bulk.
I DON'T WANT TO BREAK THE BANK
any pro or cons

[Hunter]

Here is a good comparason.
http://www.comrace.ca/cmfiles/dillonLeeHornadyComparison.pdf

[trickyasafox]

i have a pro 1000 and it's the only press that would allow me to go progressive.

i run several different calibers on it, 9mm, 40sw, 357, 38spl, 223, and 45acp. for some reason, maybe just the parts i got, the 45acp is the easiest to work with.
i recommend the case feeder, i've never used the bullet feeder.

honest production rates are probably 275-300 per hour maybe a bit slower cause i certainly don't rush. but it'll definately crank em out if you have a steady consistant pull.

lots of people will tell you the priming system can be finicky, but if you keep it clean and rub the chute with graphite from a pencil, it's really not bad at all.

it can use the same 3 die tool head that lee turret presses use, (which i also recommend) so if you set dies up for one press, and need to switch over its a snap.

for powder dispensing, i have both the updated and old style auto disk. i use em both, and get whatever is cheaper used. if you can set a tool head up for each caliber and leave it alone, conversions (including primer switch) should take no more than 5 minutes. significantly less if your staying with the primer size.

sometimes they will give you grief and make you scratch your head for a few minutes, but i managed to figure it out pretty easily when i was still very new to reloading (now i'm just 'kinda' new) and i don't think it can be beat for the price.

i bought a used pro 1000 with shell plate and tool head for 45-50 bucks off a forum.

if you have a turret press, pm me. i have a spare shell plate carrier ( i think i have a spare #2 shell plate on it actually, got it in trade) that i'll let go for a song. that will be all you need to make any turret into a pro 1000 i think. . . .i'll check if you care.

all in all, very good press for the moderately mechanically inclined. i wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone, especially someone who already has reloading experience.

checking midway the price on pro-1000s has climbed! i paid 119 for mine two years ago now they want 132.99! wow!

they sell the press bare without the shell plate carrier for 55 (C&R discount!) but then you'd need to get a powder drop (auto disk) and the carrier and a shell plate. they sell it complete with the dies for 133.

if you have no aversion to used, i'd shop around they do come up fairly regularly, and though i haven't been looking, finding them for 75 dollars or so didn't used to be too hard.

hope some of this helps! if you have any press specific questions please pm me, i'm glad i'm moderately useful for once :)

[Phil A]

I been loading from a RCBS single stage press for some 40 years
was looking into the lee 1000 for 45 auto,seem the single stage press will not cut bulk.
I DON'T WANT TO BREAK THE BANK
any pro or cons

If you are going to limit the Pro1000 to auto pistol cartridges such as a 45ACP, then this 3 stage will work O.K. (with some tweaking and close monitoring of the priming). It does not have a separate crimp stage.

In about the same price range is the Lee Classic Cast indexing turret press (4 stage press). This press is stronger, the safety primer is more reliable and the press works well for rifle and pistol. Here's a link on it: http://www.realguns.com/archives/122.htm

You don't want to frequently change calibers or primer sizes on the Pro 1000 but that is a very simple and quick thing to do on the Lee turret press.

A well running Pro1000, can out produce the turret unless of course a primer does not get seated and ball powder leaks out of the shell and fouls up the shell plate carrier. Eventually you get real good at knowing when to stop and fix/clean things. A can of compressed air is a good thing to have.

So while I still use the Pro1000 for the 45 ACP (my highest volume) I am using the Lee Classic Cast turret for all the other cartridges. - Phil

[bglz42]

I've been using Pro1000's for years. Have loaded many thousands of rounds of 38 and 45. It's a good press, just keep it clean and watch the primer feed.

[lonewolf5347]

I was wondering if can take a Lee Classic Cast indexing turret press (4 stage press). and up dated to a 1000
I was told the 1000 will not load centerfire,seem the only rifle round I still load is the 06 ??

[trickyasafox]

i know you'll need the 3 die toolheads instead of the 4 to make the switch. i don't have the classic cast but let me go check if you can do it with a 3 station non-classic turret. . . .

ok on the old style with the 3 die tool head you have to:

unscrew the unit that holds the shell holder on and the indexing rod
add shell carrier and tighten down by the allen key screw
invert the indexing rod, as the shell plate, and not the die head now rotates

parts you'll need:
shell carrier
shell plate
primer tube
primer tray
3 die tool head

I'm PRETTY sure thats everything. i'm not sure if the 4 die update kit changes anything much.

4275 HIGHWAY U
HARTFORD WISCONSIN 53027
262-673-3075 Voice
262-673-9273 FAX

thats lee's number if you want to call and double check

[jonk]

I've never loaded rifle on my Pro 1000 but don't see why it wouldn't, with a well lubed case, rifle charging die, and double disk powder setup. Of course, using a non-conatminating lube that truly dries is a must.

I find that CCI primers feed about 99.9% reliably- I get about one jam in 500- whereas Winchester primers jammed once every 50 or so. Dunno why, don't argue, just load. YMMV.

[trickyasafox]

problems with rifle cases on pro 1000s is that if the case is too long the press will index before ti is totally out of the die. i think cases that around 2.5 inches is right at the max. its' listed on the FAQ of the lee website (leeprecision.com)

[lonewolf5347]

I called Lee yesterday for a catalog so I can get a better idea.
I may just go with a turret press hate to be limited to one press for pistol and one for rifle.
I was also looking at the Lyman T Turrent

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

lonewolf,

If you're going to get a turret press, the new Lee Classic Cast turret press is the way to go. Most turrets put out about 50 rounds an hour. The Lee Classic cast turret can do 200 to 250 typical and some folks can get 300 an hour with it. But 200 to 250 is more common. It works well, it's pretty fast and it's affordable, what more can one ask of a press?

Regards,

Dave

[twoworms]

I think you will get alone with it ok. I have one and load for my 45ACP, in the past I have loaded maybe 3000 rounds or more.

Keep it lubed, move the arm slow and steady that helps alot. One more thing, make sure the press is locked down tight to your load bench. If the press rocks the primer operations won't work well, make sure you come up all the way and down all the way, never half down and then up again.

Tim

[Lloyd Smale]

If money is a serious problem and you cant afford to step up to a dillon or hornady i would suggest you stick with a lee manual turrent press. They not only can handle your handgun ammo but your rifle ammo too and my experiences with the pro 1000 and pro master are different then others. I had both and spent more time tweaking then loading. I switched to dillons and its like night and day. I still do have an old lee turrent on the bench though and it is still occasionaly used for odd and ends loading and has never given me one minute of greef and is one of the best bangs for the buck on the market.

[lonewolf5347]

yep: leaning for the lee classic turret press seem this press has some good reviews and will turn out 200 rounds a hour ,more then enough and still load for my 30-06

[Sundogg1911]

if you just want to load .45 Auto. Look into a Dillon Square Deal B progressive. That's what I use for .45. It doesn't use standard dies, but if you won't be changing them it wont be an issue. I have 2 other Dillon 550B's and they are a little more versatile, and more expensive. I had 2 Lee 1000's and I gave 'em both away. I was always "adjusting". I had a lot of issues with the primer feed jamming and the nylon gear for indexing wore out quite often. I have probably loaded 25,000 rounds in the Dillon SDB and only have replaced a few minor parts. I have had great experiences with Dillons customer support. I broke a piece off of a powder measure on one of the 550's and it was my fault and I sold the service girl, and they still replaced it for free! I'm not trying to Bash Lee by any means. I have a lot of Lee equipment. I'm just telling you my experience with the Pro 1000's

[DLCTEX]

I love my classic cast turret for rifle and experimenting with pistol, but use my Lee loadmaster for 45 auto production. Dale

[Rod B]

Another vote for the Lee Classic Turret Press.

I have had mine for about six months. It's been problem free & works very well.

[Crash_Corrigan]

I bought a Lee Loadmaster for my first press. I spend forever adjusting and messing around. I never could get reliable rounds made with it. The clinker was the primer feeder. It was always missing and I was always getting powder everywhere. It drove me nuts. Finally a buddy got out of reloading and gave me his well used Dillon 550. It was a very short learning curve and wow does it make good rounds fast. After three years of messing with it I sprang for the casefeeder. Big improvement! Now I can crank out 300 to 400 rounds an hour and feed my hunger to pop caps. I trashed the Lee but I think highly of a lot of their products but not the Loadmaster.

[toecutter]

The Lee Pro1000 is a cheap press... All around. If you are going to buy one, buy one totally configured. If you go to the lee webpage, you can often buy them used for about $90. It does work for .45 but most of the accessories and functions of this press just suck. The primer thing often jams, crushes, or reverses the primer. (probably 20-30 per 1000 reloads) The lee dies are horrible, but you have to use their powder-through-expander die which also sucks.

If you want quality tools, buy a dillon, or a hornaday LNL, if you want cheap buy the lee. Personally, for reloading .45 on this machine I do all my processing in two stages. I first do all my sizing belling etc in one stage, then I prime on an RCBS primer thingy, and then I run primed brass through to be charged (using a dillon powder measure because the lee one REALLY blows.) then I use the lee bullet feeder/seater arrangement, and then it goes into a final seating/crimping step done using a standard RCBS seating/crimping die.

I don't know why lee does things the way they do, it seems like they have some good ideas, but they are poorly executed, and their ideas run contrary to what the rest of the industry is doing. Sometimes this is a good thing, sometimes it's not. Ever notice at the gun shows, they usually sell a lot of used equipment from RCBS, Lyman and hornady, but it's rare that anyone is selling used lee equipment. I'll tell you now it's not because everyone loves their lee equipment.

You are much better off running through the pro 1000 in two steps, this is what I do for just about every cartridge I reload on this thing. It is really the only way I can get reliable performance out of it.

[USARO4]

IMHO the Lee Classis Turret Press is the best buy out there. I've had mine for a little over a year, its brute strong and trouble free.

[50 Caliber]

Ive had Dillons for 20 years and have had no issues withnany of them. Ive had a Lee pro 1000 for 38special and was always tinkering to make it work correctly. Finaly sold it on Ebay:-D .
My best advise is, Buy what you can afford and go from there.:mrgreen: