Fixed My Lee Load-Master 1000 Progressive Press

[HollowPoint]

I Finally got around to fixing my old Lee Loadmaster press.

I bought it brand new many years ago and it worked fine for about a year, then it started getting real sticky when attempting to index a new round. Eventually it wouldn't index worth a darn so, I got tired of ******* around with and decided to put it out in the storage shed. There it sat for about six years.

I own a couple of other loading presses so, it wasn't absolutely crucial that I have this progressive press working but, this week I found myself with some free time on my hands and nothing to do so I decided to try to fix this reloading press one last time.

After watching a few YouTube videos on how to fix this indexing problem I got it to work intermittently. I guess that's better than not working at all.

It turns out that the little plastic Flipper-thingy was worn out on the inside of the shelf-area where it's supposed to make contact with and slide along the casting of the press frame.

Rather than buying a replacement I decided to model and slightly reconfigure this particular component in my CAD software and then 3D print a couple of them with an extra to have on hand. That did the trick. After six years of sitting idle, my Lee Loadmaster press is back up and running again.

I bought it specifically to reload 223 Remington loads. This meant that the 9mm reloads I plan to use it for now won't work with the existing shell plate. I ordered the appropriate one yesterday.

Another thing that needed replacing in order to reload 9mm cases is that little rectangular plastic case-slider that automatically pushes the next case in succession into position on the shell-plate. I don't know the technical names of these components. The existing case-slider/pusher was meant to push the much taller 223 cases. The 9mm cases just create a sort of logjam in the works.

Anyway, since that case-slider thingy is plastic too, I went ahead and 3D printed a reconfigured version of that component as well. Now it's just a matter of waiting for my new 9mm shell holder to arrive.

I suppose I could have modeled, and 3D printed the shell holder too but, I'm not sure that any of the plastic print filaments on the market would be strong enough to pull those tighter fitting cases out of the sizing die without breaking the plastic, even if they were liberally case-lubed. I might try it anyway just for the heck of it. Wouldn't it be something if I could simply 3D print a new shell-plate for various calibers?

If you buy a new indexer/flipper you have to buy the assembly. The assembly consists of the square metal threaded shank onto which the plastic flipper gets screwed to. I think I saved somewhere about five to fifteen bucks not including tax and shipping on that part, depending on who you but it from. The little plastic case-slider/pusher sized specifically for smaller cases costs about thirty bucks if you can find them; again, not including tax and shipping.

Bottom line is, I finally got my Lee Load-Master Progressive Press back up and running again. That's a good thing.

HollowPoint

[Barry54]

I think Lee recently discontinued one of the progressive presses. Might get what you want sooner rather than later...

[charlie b]

I had indexing issues with mine as well. I suffered with it for a long time, then I finally figured out the problem. The plastic 'flipper' and the index 'rod' (square shaft) were both worn out. Turns out it doesn't take much for the metal rod to not work properly. Like the slight bevel on one end that must be in the proper orientation (you can grind down the end and put a new bevel on it when it wears down). The new rod and flipper were $5 plus shipping (Titan Reloading). Fixed it.

I also found that a bit of smoothing up of the bottom of the shell holder also helps a lot, as well as using a dry graphite lube on the bottom of the shell plate and all four sides of the index rod.

This all assumes that the shell holder assembly is also still properly aligned. If you ever had a really bad jam up it might have been pushed out of alignment.

My press is over 20 yrs old and works better than new.

FWIW, while I love mine, this is not a press I recommend to most folks. It takes some 'tinkering' to get it running well. I changed how the priming is done as well as modifying the powder measure mechanism. If you want a press for high volume loading then save your pennies and get a Dillon.

[HollowPoint]

I had indexing issues with mine as well. I suffered with it for a long time, then I finally figured out the problem. The plastic 'flipper' and the index 'rod' (square shaft) were both worn out. Turns out it doesn't take much for the metal rod to not work properly. Like the slight bevel on one end that must be in the proper orientation (you can grind down the end and put a new bevel on it when it wears down). The new rod and flipper were $5 plus shipping (Titan Reloading). Fixed it.

I also found that a bit of smoothing up of the bottom of the shell holder also helps a lot, as well as using a dry graphite lube on the bottom of the shell plate and all four sides of the index rod.

This all assumes that the shell holder assembly is also still properly aligned. If you ever had a really bad jam up it might have been pushed out of alignment.

My press is over 20 yrs old and works better than new.

FWIW, while I love mine, this is not a press I recommend to most folks. It takes some 'tinkering' to get it running well. I changed how the priming is done as well as modifying the powder measure mechanism. If you want a press for high volume loading then save your pennies and get a Dillon.

I've been reloading with a single stage coaxial reloading press for so long now that going back to this progressive loading press will be like going from a stick-shift automobile to an automatic transmission automobile.

Other than those indexing issues, my Load-Master press is still in excellent condition. I think it's still listed for sale on the Lee website and other places so, I don't believe it's quite reached the obsolete stage of it's life span. Even if it gets to that point eventually, now I know that I can fabricate replacement parts without too much trouble.

HollowPoint

[charlie b]

Yep, I am glad Lee is still making them and I am surprised at the low cost of replacement parts. Many of the parts Lee will send for free, like the pesky little primer seating stem springs or the oring on the shell plate retainer. They even replaced the primer feed system when they upgraded the design years ago.

I have been tempted many times to get a printer. Had a largish laser cutter for years and found a lot of ways to use it. And I regret selling my lathe several years ago as well. One of these days.... :)

[HollowPoint]

Yep, I am glad Lee is still making them and I am surprised at the low cost of replacement parts. Many of the parts Lee will send for free, like the pesky little primer seating stem springs or the oring on the shell plate retainer. They even replaced the primer feed system when they upgraded the design years ago.

I have been tempted many times to get a printer. Had a largish laser cutter for years and found a lot of ways to use it. And I regret selling my lathe several years ago as well. One of these days.... :)

Like I mentioned above, this press sat in my storage room for about six years. I had purchased all the bells and whistles for it but dang if I seemed to have lost some of them.
I never really used the automatic primer seater, but I do recall buying and installing one of the automatic bullet feeders so that I didn't have to manually set the bullet on the cast mouth each time.

I don't know what ever became of that add-on. I'll have to tear my storage room apart and hope I can find it. Other than that, I'm good to go with this progressive press.

As far at the 3D printer is concerned, I've been able to model and print lots of gun related items with mine. If a person doesn't do their own designing, it's simple enough to go online and find lots of free and useful things you can print.

I've made airgun-scope-mounts, peep-sights, rifle magazines, fishing lures, brass-catchers, automotive trim parts that are no longer available and a whole host of other items. I've owned my filament printer for a few years now and I think it's just about paid for itself. My resin 3D printer has also produced some items that at first, I didn't think possible but, it turns out that this type of 3D printer can do things that the filament printer can't do.

HollowPoint

[charlie b]

Thanks. I know I would use one, just not sure how much. Especially with the smaller resin versions.

Many years ago I worked for a larger company that did a lot of modeling work on the 3d printers. They were really expensive to buy and use back then. Heck even 3D cad/cam software back then was expensive. The 3D printed stuff still saved a lot of money vs the cnc milling machines.

[HollowPoint]

Thanks. I know I would use one, just not sure how much. Especially with the smaller resin versions.

Many years ago I worked for a larger company that did a lot of modeling work on the 3d printers. They were really expensive to buy and use back then. Heck even 3D cad/cam software back then was expensive. The 3D printed stuff still saved a lot of money vs the cnc milling machines.

One of the main reasons I bought my first 3D printer was because I thought it would save me some time and money if I 3D printed my projects rather than milling them. I owned a CNC hobby mill at the time and it actually did save me some time and money.

I recently sold my CNC Tormach mill and kept my small mini mill for milling easy stuff. Most of the projects I come up with now days are 3D printed.

HollowPoint

[HollowPoint]

I think this will be my last post on this thread.

I just wanted to share some absent-minded stupidity on my part.

Back when I bought this Lee Load-Master progressive press I bought it with alot of the bells and whistles available for it at the time. This included the automatic bullet feeder, extra shell plates, extra flipper levers and an extra case-slider.

I had forgotten about all these addons. A few days ago, I ordered a new 9mm shell plate that I didn't know that I didn't need. Thirty-bucks plus tax and shipping. I guess I'll be sending it back as soon as it arrives.

The additional plastic indexing-flippers that I modeled and then 3D printed, I didn't need those either. I had two factory replacements stashed away in my storage room in a clearly marked box containing all of these addons.

The only thing that I couldn't find, and the thing that I scoured my storage room for was that automatic bullet feeder assembly. I could only find a couple of the components to that assembly. If it's like just about everything else I've ever had the misfortune of losing or misplacing in the past, this too will turn up when I least expect it. It will most likely appear out of thin air after I've paid out more money for another one of those bullet feeders.

Oh well, maybe with the refund from the purchase of the 9mm shell plate that I didn't need I can invest it in another bullet feeder.

I blame all of this on old age. I know none of you guys out there in reloader-land have to deal with things like this. I just mention it because it's something that you have to look forward to in the future.

HollowPoint

[charlie b]

ROFLMAO Yep.

I did have a bullet feeder for mine. It worked really well for the .45 as long as the case mouth had a good flare to it. The .357 not so much. Even with a good flare it would routinely 'miss' the case mouth. Crushed a lot of cases with that thing :)

When I did use it with the .45 I found I saved little time. I'd just get it running and then the thing would run out of bullets. Then stop and refill the tube. I could just put the bullets on by hand and it would work just as fast.

[HollowPoint]

The guy I bought the new 9mm shell plate won't be too happy about me returning it but I think he may be OK if I tell him I'd like to trade it for a 9mm Lee factory Crimp Die.

I know about having to flare the case mouths enough to get those bullets to seat easily. I got that pretty well dialed in now, it's just that I'd like to be able to taper crimp that flared mouth just enough to avoid any feeding issues in my guns.

I installed the 9mm shell plate earlier today. It's all running smoothly for me now. The last thing I have to do is adjust my powder dispenser and I can get started reloading. I'll just hand-feed the bullets for now but eventually I would like to get another bullet feeder installed. Hopefully my existing bullet feeder will turn up somehow, otherwise I'll eventually buy another one.

HollowPoint

[charlie b]

Contrary to some in here I like the LEE FCD taper crimp dies. I set mine to a minimum amount, just to hold the bullet. 9mm seems to be very sensitive to this as a bit too much and it will swage the bullet to a smaller size.

Let us know how it works out.