Lee Loadmaster issues / questions

[curiousgeorge]

Hi everyone,
A very good friend of mine dropped off a box with a Lee Loadmaster that he's had for a long time but never set up. Things were opened and mixed, no instructions, but a little reading and studying and its now set up and running. It was a complete setup from factory as "44 special" & is now running 44 mag.

Now for questions and issues for those of you who use this press. He also brought me dies for 38 special and 9mm (and the correct shell plates). It appears that he will have to have a small primer system (punch, feeder, little plastic thingies), and a small case feeder system. Correct or totally wrong?

The issue as of now is the primer feed consistency / reliability. I thought I had figured out a solution but very occasionally still get a missed primer. Started adding about 10 primers more than what I was going to load and thought I had it, but that odd missed primer every so often has me stumped. I have disassembled everything, cleaned, checked function, etc. No parts broken or missing and all seems to work, but still in 25 rds will sometimes have a missing primer.

HELP -please

Thanks, Steve

[Livin_cincy]

Lee used small & large primer assemblies. To produce a value they do not include the other size.
Like Blue Press owners, many have a press dedicated to each size and if caliber. Normally available at Titan reloading.

What die do you have installed above the primer station ?

Check the carrier alignment and adjust per Lee instructions or their video. This will create an issue that is random.

The primer arm is stamped sheetmetal. It could have a burr on either end causing random issues. Simply file, sand, or polish.

The seating depth bolt headstamp could be causing issues with the arm moving off the letters. This can be random and just misalign things. Make it smooth.

The punch to set a primer has a spring. It might be the issue. It is not returning deep enough to let a primer in every time.

Run a full dispenser of primers ( only 75 or so ) with the index removed and no case. Watch the mechanism. Slide the primer off the punch with your finger. If you do not get a primer look at the primer trough to see if they move when you repeat. There could be something binding in the trough.

Lee has revised the Primer Assembly many times. The newest one is worth the $$$. Contact them and probably you pay for postage to you.

Yes, others do not charge to send out parts. Their warranty also permits them to direct you to send them the broken part at your expense. There are people that have this evoked on them. So, while not BS it is not a free lunch.

[curiousgeorge]

Thank you Cincy. A couple of things I had not checked. Will be talking to Lee tomorrow about swapping out this old large primer assembly for the new one and getting a small one too. Consensus is that new priming setup works better.

Currently no die at priming station. Had read several places that case alignment at the priming station can be eliminated by decapping at station one and sizing only at priming station to keep case aligned. Going to try that after checking out your other suggestions.

Thanks, Steve

[ranger391xt]

+1 on Cincy's advice. Since this was a 44 Special set up from the factory, Lee should send you the replacement large primer trough for "free", which actually seems to mean cost + shipping. You might get the small one for the same cost if you order through their website or might have to pay full retail.

I have become more convinced that de-priming off press and prepping brass before running it through the LoadMaster reduces priming problems. I recently started loading 10 mm, and was having priming issues (flipped, missing, etc.). It turned out that some of the cases in the batch of once fired brass I purchased had tight or crimped primer pockets (all S&B headstamp BTW). De-priming with Lee's APP and and then reaming, uniforming and cleaning the primer pockets on a Lyman Case Prep Xpress eliminated the priming issues.

One other benefit of priming off press is that your press also is cleaner because you don't have the residue of depriming getting in places to cause issues.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

[oldsalt444]

Agreed, cincy offers good advice. I've had my Loadmaster for several years and find it an excellent progressive reloader. The most critical is to ensure that the primer trough has plenty of extra primers. I usually have 15 or so more than I need in there. The extra weight helps with feeding. Aligning the carrier is important, too. It's a good idea to replace the primer feeder every now and then. They are inexpensive. I also like to keep a few extra springs for that around. That's the one that looks like it came from the inside of a ball point pen. They can bend easily. I also keep a can of compressed air handy to keep the priming station clean while loading.

https://www.titanreloading.com/lee-precision-reloading-equipment/lee-service-parts/load-master-parts?page=2
https://www.titanreloading.com/lee-precision-reloading-equipment/lee-service-parts/load-master-parts/lee-lm3290-primer-pin-spring

[curiousgeorge]

I set up and loaded 35 rds of 44 magnum with no priming issues at all.

I moved the sizing die minus the decapping stem to the priming station hole. I put an old 45 Colt steel die at station 1 just to knock out the primers. Put 50 primers in the tray to load 35 rounds. Everything ran pretty smooth. Still not getting rid of my Star, RCBS Piggyback, and all the Dillons, but I think I'm getting there for my buddy to have a good useable machine.

Cincy, I filed the letters off the priming depth adjustment bolt head. I don't think they were touching the arm, but now never have to worry about it.

Thanks to everyone for the tips.
Steve

[too many things]

once they get set right they work, cincy give you some good points . i spent a yr with richard at lee to try to get him to change some things when they first came out.
and i have one of the first they made.
they did make some changes, but i had to do many on my own, i have no problems if things are lube in the right places.
main thing is the primer system is plastic and needs to be CLEAN, that is big problem .
i found out to dump the primers in a mason jar with tore up paper towel and shake. cleans them and they dont make a mess in the tray / stem

[jmorris]

I don’t run around in circles with the priming system, if it’s messing up, get a new one. <$10 to lower your blood pressure is as cheap as it gets.

https://www.titanreloading.com/lee-precision-reloading-equipment/lee-service-parts/load-master-parts/new-load-master-small-primer-trough-assembly

[dverna]

Mr Morris can fix anything. If he says buy a new one, just buy it.

[Conditor22]

Call Lee | phone (262) 673-3075 tell them your priming system isn't working. they may just send you a new one. they did an upgrade a while back to fix some problems.

A phone call is free :)

[flyingmonkey35]

Welcome to the world of the lee sqib-o- matic master.

The priming system is so bad on this machine that people have a ton of hacks and tweaks to get it to work.

None of lee's updates have reslolved this yet.

While you can prime on this machine i wpuld not reccomend it.

I prime off press.





Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[hollywood63]

I prime off press.

X2

[toallmy]

I can't say anything about the older primer system simple because I have never used in , but the new stile primer system works well for me lg , & small primers as long as I keep the trough full of primers . A flaring or expander die in the priming position is a big plus .

[pastera]

I prime on the press with a die* to keep the case centered at the priming station - very few issues with priming but I have the newest versions of the primer feeds and I don't decap on the Loadmaster (have an APP for bulk decapping).

I also changed out the primer wedge bar for one that is longer with a much more shallow taper - this slows the presentation of the primer down so that the primer isn't tossed off the priming pin or flipped in transit. Can be made from 1/4" key stock with hand tools (drill/tap, hacksaw and a file).

* - I use a 3d printed die to locate the case so that I can size and prime separately.

TLDR: If you are missing primers slow down your down stroke when the primer feed arm contacts the primer wedge bar.

[prs]

I do not have priming problems at all on my old LM. Not sure if my third edition of the red large primer feed and black small primer feeders are current, but they flat out work. I size abd deprime on press, but my cases have been cleaned in ultrasonic cleaner and then lubed. My priming system stays clean becasue I adapted the bottom of the ram tube to accept one of Lee's spent primer plastic tubes. The current case feeds come as a double decker affair with both sections used if feeding larger cases.

prs