Lee Loadmaster might be beyond me...Should I sell it?

[Stopsign32v]

I haven't got to use it much but the complexity of it I just have found out I do not enjoy and might can't handle. This is my first progressive press and I'm used to single stage to where I have complete control. I got this to really mash out some 9mm loads but it's so much going on at one time I end up with mistakes and sometimes it stops working and I have to problem solve for a while. All in all the frustration and time lost I don't know if it is better than a single stage for me.

[jmorris]

The loadmaster can be made to run like a top but it’s probably the most difficult progressive to get to run smoothly.

If it seems like too much is going on and problems shut to down too long, I’d probably suggest selling it and getting a better progressive.

[Jal5]

LM do take patience and tinkering to run smoothly. But when you get it smooth it will make good ammo and pretty fast. What troubles are you having? Have you tried the videos on set up and running it?
Joe


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Outer Rondacker]

If I can make it work anyone can. I did a stent on one years ago overcoming all the issues and making new ones lol. But if it makes you feel uncomfortable part with it.

[jetinteriorguy]

Dump it and get a Lee Classic Cast turret press. You’ll never regret it. My LM has been laying in my storage closet for three years and I feel safer knowing that’s where it resides.

[Stopsign32v]

Dump it and get a Lee Classic Cast turret press. You’ll never regret it. My LM has been laying in my storage closet for three years and I feel safer knowing that’s where it resides.

That's exactly what I wish I had done, gone the turret press route.

[slim1836]

I went the LM route a few years ago and fiddled with it more than loading, just had to get rid of it before I shot it.

Slim

[Misery-Whip]

Before you dump it, take off the case feeder and feed a case with the right hand and a bullet with the left. I find the case feeder to not be worth the headache.

Anything but CCI primers cause issues. Dont know why. Even Lee says not to use anything else.

So try priming, off the press and ditch the casefeeder and see what ya think. It will still flare, charge, seat and crimp faster than the 1x.

And keep it covered to protect it from dust.

If it doesnt work out i might be interested in your loadmaster.

[414gates]

Keep the Loadmaster.

The only real problem the Loadmaster has is the priming. Prime your cases separately, and then run them through the LM. You still save a huge amount of time over reloading single stage.

The complexity of progressive reloading is not any less with a different make of progressive, some are just more reliable than others.

Get yourself a single stage as well.

There are a few necessary operations that come up from time to time when reloading that can't be easily done on a progressive, so having the single stage as well is useful. For example, when you just need to load a few rounds to test a new load, it's a lot less effort to do those few on a single stage.

If your Loadmaster has other problems, like inconsistent case placement in the shellholder, or not indexing correctly, there are many good instructional videos out there to help you get it right, and the replacement parts are dirt cheap.

[Stopsign32v]

Keep the Loadmaster.

The only real problem the Loadmaster has is the priming. Prime your cases separately, and then run them through the LM. You still save a huge amount of time over reloading single stage.

The complexity of progressive reloading is not any less with a different make of progressive, some are just more reliable than others.

Get yourself a single stage as well.

There are a few necessary operations that come up from time to time when reloading that can't be easily done on a progressive, so having the single stage as well is useful. For example, when you just need to load a few rounds to test a new load, it's a lot less effort to do those few on a single stage.

If your Loadmaster has other problems, like inconsistent case placement in the shellholder, or not indexing correctly, there are many good instructional videos out there to help you get it right, and the replacement parts are dirt cheap.

Yesterday it just stopped indexing out of no where. Rod stopped moving and just stayed in. I could physically pull it out and make it index and it would just go back to not indexing.

Honestly at one point I had it butter smooth indexing and here lately it was indexing but not smoothly.

[Martin Luber]

Pull the index bar and toss it. Index by hand. The sizing die aligns the shell plate.
I have to push the feeder slide in both directions by hand. Make sure the primer trough stays full. Good luck, my match ammo comes off this unit.

[DougGuy]

Keep the Loadmaster.

The only real problem the Loadmaster has is the priming. Prime your cases separately, and then run them through the LM. You still save a huge amount of time over reloading single stage.

The complexity of progressive reloading is not any less with a different make of progressive, some are just more reliable than others.

Get yourself a single stage as well.

There are a few necessary operations that come up from time to time when reloading that can't be easily done on a progressive, so having the single stage as well is useful. For example, when you just need to load a few rounds to test a new load, it's a lot less effort to do those few on a single stage.

If your Loadmaster has other problems, like inconsistent case placement in the shellholder, or not indexing correctly, there are many good instructional videos out there to help you get it right, and the replacement parts are dirt cheap.

THIS^^^^^^

I prime off press as I found the Load Master priming system a selling point that will get the $$ of those who don't know (yet) how problematic it is.

Feeding it primed brass is the way to go, and you don't need 5 stations to accomplish that.

[Finster101]

If you have a "special friend" give it to them. Then just smile and wave as they back out of the driveway. The results may be quite satisfying in a sinister sort of way.

[dverna]

How many rounds a month do you want to reload? How much time are you willing to spend reloading. How many calibers do you want to reload and how many of each? That will drive your decision wrt what kind of press you need.

Btw, you where warned not to buy this press by many on this forum. You were also told to buy it by many members.

Who will you listen to now? Whoever agrees with what you want to hear?

Here is reality. You will get rid of it. You are frustrated and have lost confidence in the machine and/or your ability to make it work. You will not be alone when you get rid of it.

I have a great deal of respect for Mr. Morris. What he can accomplish is beyond what most people are capable of. I am in that subset of folks who need a more forgiving machine than a LM.

[elmacgyver0]

Most of my equipment is Lee, mainly because it is cheap, and I did not have a lot of money to spend at the time.
If it had not been for Lee, I most likely would never have entered reloading.
I got a Lee 1000 progressive press for Christmas, then I found two for $20.00, not apiece but for both.
I don't use them as full progressives anymore, I still use them though.
If I were to buy a progressive today, I would most likely go with a Dillion.
I won't buy the Dillion because I have all the Lee stuff and I know how to make it work.

[ulav8r]

I would love to have a loadmaster, but they are beyond my means, especially with what Biden has done to the economy.

[country gent]

You have lost confidence in it to produce ammo safely.chances are you will always question it in the back of your mind a distraction you dont need, notonly whileloading but alsowhile shooting the ammo loaded on this machine. I would recommend trading or selling it for something you do have confidence and trust in.

[jmorris]

This one came to me as a box of parts. I ordered new parts from Titan for the flipper and priming system and spent around two weeks, in the evening figuring them out (also added things they don’t come with). That said, once you know what it takes to make them work, it’s pretty easy to keep them running.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9pjmuHAkBU&t=140s

[Ben]

You have lost confidence in it to produce ammo safely.chances are you will always question it in the back of your mind a distraction you dont need, notonly whileloading but alsowhile shooting the ammo loaded on this machine. I would recommend trading or selling it for something you do have confidence and trust in.

^^^^^^^^^^^ I'll second that.

Ben

[Dancing Bear]

That's exactly what I wish I had done, gone the turret press route.

After 20 some years on a Redding Boss single stage I finally bought the Lee Classic Turret a few weeks ago. Couldn't be happier. One can manually advance the turret or use the auto index.
I just don't shoot enough to warrant the expense of a progressive press. I shoot in the hundreds of rounds not thousands.

[Rockindaddy]

The Lee Loadmasters work if you do not prime. The priming systems are junk! Plastic injected parts that do not hold up. Went to tumbling my decapped brass with stainless pins, citric acid and Dawn dish detergent. The bright and shiny cased get dried and primed. Then they go into the Loadmaster for sizing and loading. I have had great success loading 38 Colt Automatic for my 1902's with cast 9mm round nose boolits! Have two Lee Loadmasters and various caliber heads all set up! Have been on the phone with Lee trying to fix my presses. They tell me to box em up and send them back for a 50% credit on a new press. Wish I could send them to Dillon!!!

[Rockindaddy]

Jmorris wow! What an impressive video! My ole Lee Loadmasters don't run like that. My Dillons do though. Who is Titan????

[Sig]

Jmorris wow! What an impressive video! My ole Lee Loadmasters don't run like that. My Dillons do though. Who is Titan????

Their banner is at the top. Here's a link if you don't see it.
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/rbs_banner.php?id=22&userid=28167

[ranger391xt]

I have several load masters. I used to depirme and prime on press and used the lee bullet feeder. Depriming on press adds a lot of contaminants/dirt to the press. Priming on press can be problematic as mentioned and you can lose 3%-10% of the primers down the ram. The bullet feeder can be a pain as well.

I now have an APP that I use for depriming. I use an ACP for priming. On the loadmaster I size on station 1, Flare and Charge on station 2, feed bullet (using 3d printed in line bullet feed die) in station 3, seat in station 4 and factory crimp in station 5. I have a 3d printed case and bullet feeders that feed these presses. When things are working as they should the LoadMaster will crank out a lot of rounds in a short amount of time. To be able to do that it is critical to keep it clean and lubed because even without all the junk from depriving, you still end up with spilled powder, etc on the press that eventually needs to be removed and the various sliding parts need to be greased, oiled, etc.

Sent from my SM-N981U using Tapatalk

[jmorris]

Jmorris wow! What an impressive video! My ole Lee Loadmasters don't run like that. My Dillons do though. Who is Titan????

Titan, linked in #23 is a “master distributor” for Lee, the owner (plastics/die cast molding engineer) has also worked with John Lee on products they make.

I’ve never seen any others that run like that one either but it has “enhancements” over any production loadmaster but it does prove the base machine can be made (adjusted) to run well. Others you just have to take out of the box and bolt it down. That’s the difference.

[Jal5]

I deprime on a single stage press to avoid all the dirt fouling up the LM. Then clean the brass. I will spray a little lube on them before loading up the shell mechanism justs keeps them moving around the shell plate and through each die smoother. I do use the priming function- keep it full of primers again just to have everything go smoothly. A nice steady even rhythm is what I try to use- don’t force anything or try for speed. If something feels off or stuck stop and figure it out.

This press will work fine but it is finicky at times. Mine is a really old one but it will outlast me! I’d like another one setup for just large primers.

I’ve loaded mainly pistol rounds on it and 223. Bulk ammo is what I use it for. Small batch trials and rifle I do on a single stage press.

Joe


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Mollyboy]

Talk to Lee they will let you upgrade to a Six pack progressive for a fee, the guys on the High Road forum have lots of good things to say about it.

[David2011]

Keep the Loadmaster.

The only real problem the Loadmaster has is the priming. Prime your cases separately, and then run them through the LM. You still save a huge amount of time over reloading single stage.

The complexity of progressive reloading is not any less with a different make of progressive, some are just more reliable than others.

Get yourself a single stage as well.

There are a few necessary operations that come up from time to time when reloading that can't be easily done on a progressive, so having the single stage as well is useful. For example, when you just need to load a few rounds to test a new load, it's a lot less effort to do those few on a single stage.

If your Loadmaster has other problems, like inconsistent case placement in the shellholder, or not indexing correctly, there are many good instructional videos out there to help you get it right, and the replacement parts are dirt cheap.

While the complexity is the same, the difficulty need not be. The advice to get a single stage press is golden.