Lee pro 1000 issue

[xd4584]

I know lots of ppl have issues with these things. Mine runs flawlessly with one exception. The case in the first position which is the sizer decapper die rarely goes into the die without me pushing back on it. It's almost like the hole for the die is drilled or threaded crooked.. Anyone else experience this?

[geargnasher]

Only when the case slider rod is bent and it short-strokes the case into the shellplate.

I did, however, just last night discover one of the holes in a four-hole turret was drilled HORRIBLY out of plumb while attempting to discover why my expander die was bending the case necks enough to make 1/8" runout in the 7mm-08 cases (no exaggeration), so it's quite conceivable that the hole is bored out of alignment. One other thing to check is to remove the sizer die, raise the ram all the way up with a case installed in station one, and look straight down through the hole to see how the case is centering in the turret hole. It may be that the pillars aren't screwed in evenly and thus causing the whole top plate to shift in alignment with the base and ram.

Gear

[xd4584]

That's kinda what I was thinking. Thanks gear. I'm gonna see if I can rework this plate a little bit to make it work. Ill swap out the dies and make sure it's not the die. I just bought the case feeder kit. As of right now I have $40 in this press and I've loaded 500 rounds with it so I can't complain. It's just difficult to push the case back with my finger now with the case feeder.

How does the bullet feeder work with tumble lube bullets?

[r1kk1]

Only when the case slider rod is bent and it short-strokes the case into the shellplate.

I did, however, just last night discover one of the holes in a four-hole turret was drilled HORRIBLY out of plumb while attempting to discover why my expander die was bending the case necks enough to make 1/8" runout in the 7mm-08 cases (no exaggeration), so it's quite conceivable that the hole is bored out of alignment. One other thing to check is to remove the sizer die, raise the ram all the way up with a case installed in station one, and look straight down through the hole to see how the case is centering in the turret hole. It may be that the pillars aren't screwed in evenly and thus causing the whole top plate to shift in alignment with the base and ram.

Gear

send it back for them to fix. I would fire that QC guy.

I often wondered with presses with a rod arrangement, like Lee turret, RCBS/Hornady ammomaster, P/W, how accurate there are in relation to the posts. Hard to explain. To me it seems to be a weak point when assembling a press without the use of a jig of some sort.

I'd appreciate any thoughts on this.

r1kk1

[1bluehorse]

Seems to me I read somewhere about loosening the pillars then with the shellplate fully loaded, run them into the dies and then tighten things back up. Aligns the posts maybe???

[Gliden07]

I had this happen with mine. It ended up being a couple things 1) I had to zero out the shell plate and 2) the Z bar was slightly out of alignment. After following the videos on U tube it runs GREAT!

Zeroing Video- http://youtu.be/D8tfTLt_iCw

Z-Bar Adjustment- http://youtu.be/VavCFPD0hI0

There are a couple small plastic gears in the shell carrier that get chewed up, they might look good but if its a used press replace them. I couldn't Zero out my shell plate, after replacing them and zeroing the press it ran GREAT. The ratchating one is the one that wears out the fastest and are sold in bags of 3. If the plate that holds the dies is drilled wrong call Lee I would think they would replace it? And if not there less than 10 bucks! Check out the videos on you tube by Cowboy T (A member here too) there very good and easy to follow.

[xd4584]

I replaced the gears when I was given the press. I have it aligned. I will try loosening the pillars

[Bullet Caster]

Just ask LoveLife about the Lee 1000 progressive. Ask him where his now resides. Lol. BC

[geargnasher]

Just ask LoveLife about the Lee 1000 progressive. Ask him where his now resides. Lol. BC

Yeah, lol.

I had to shim the back two posts on my RCBS Ammomaster to get the top plate plumb with the ram, so it ain't just a Lee thing.

Gear

[xd4584]

After some tinkering tonight I found the problem. It is not that the turret is drilled wrong or the pillars are out of place. The press base is worn. A steel rod running through cast aluminum can only take so much.

Now, What are the odds I can hand ream the hole and install a brass bushing?

If its going to be a problem hand reaming it I can probably sneak it into work and have the tool and die guy throw it up on the cnc mill and fix the problem.

[Recluse]

Yeah, lol.

I had to shim the back two posts on my RCBS Ammomaster to get the top plate plumb with the ram, so it ain't just a Lee thing.

Gear

Agreed. I have the same issue with my Classic Turret. I have to "manually" adjust the brass to align it with the decapping/sizing die--and this is for every single caliber, so it's not a turret issue.

At one of my favorite gun stores, the manager iss having the same fits with his Classic Turret. He sent it back to the distributor, got a new one in and is having the same exact issue. One of these days I might get motivated and fiddle with the pillars, but in the meantime I've just accepted the defect as typical of Lee's increasingly questionable QC these days and moved on.

Hell, I only paid a hundred dollars for it brand new.


After some tinkering tonight I found the problem. It is not that the turret is drilled wrong or the pillars are out of place. The press base is worn. A steel rod running through cast aluminum can only take so much.


I wonder how recently your press was manufactured. I bought my Pro1000 back in 1988 and I have over 100,000 rounds cranked through it. Along the way, I've replaced numerous shellplate carriers, but that's about it. Mine still lines up the cases perfectly using the case feeder.

In fact, I just "updated" the linkage and handle with their new roller bar assembly last week. The new linkage is solid steel, as is the handle, and this makes the old press run better than it ever has since I bought it!

The case feeder for the Pro1000 is about the most simple and ingenious setup I've ever seen. Why Dillon or Hornady seem incapable of designing something this easy, basic and affordable is beyond me.

:coffee:

[geargnasher]

Yeah, the case feeder works very well, especially with the collator. I keep an extra Pro-1000 on the end of the bench just set up for processing brass (decapping) because it's so fast and reliable. I epoxied a little piece of brass rod on the end of the priming punch that will "go" in a large pocket, but "no go" in a small one, so I can decap dirty .45 ACP range pickups and sort out the small primer ones without looking.

Gear

[Gliden07]

xd4584

Did you ever get this problem fixed?? Just curious!

[xd4584]

I haven't had time to mess with it. Been trying to work up a load for my 270 with h4831 and some speer game kings... the first batch was a 3" group at 100 yards, Im not happy with that. I am leaving friday. Still trying to get everything ready for myself. Plus loading for my brother in law and a buddy of mine.... On top of that I lost my hunting license. Or my 16 month old has it stashed somewhere. I honestly probably won't get to it til after christmas. It functions fine now, I just have to lift up on the carrier at the front to get it to go in properly.

[smokemjoe]

I had this troubles for for a long time , I finally looked at the bottom of the sizing die, There was hardly any raduis on it and the shell hanged up all the time, I send the die back to lee and told them and they sent me a new carb. die with a large radius on the bottom, It stop just like that, or with a die grinder you could grind on one, For more help I also chambered all the primer pockets and the primers seat with easy. The new lee 1000s have a different handle on them and you cant tell if the primers seats or not and dont have the feel like the old wooden handle.Joe

[xd4584]

I have RCBS carbide dies