Who uses a Lee Pro 1000 or Loadmaster?

[toallmy]

I have been paying attention to the post about progressive reloading while I have been loading a lot more since I began casting . I have always loaded in batches because I loaded my rifle ammo for specific guns . But I must ramp up production to feed the handguns , I have recently worked out my distaste for progressive loading as the first progressive loader I tried was a lee load fast shotgun shell loader and it was a ( horrible adventure ) for years . A few years ago I tried the 9000s and my God that is how it is supposed to work . Now I am considering hand gun progressive loading , I thought I had to buy a Dillon to make good ammo , just watching and thinking could a loadmaster really work like the video . I still remember the load fast.

[Outer Rondacker]

Toallmy I guess the answer to your question is yes if tuned correctly. That is what I am getting from this thread anyway and I think it is very true. I would however say if the price of the dillon is close to the price of a new LM then by all means dillon it is. Just my 2 cents. Keep watching as once I have picked up a press I will be posting my results to finish this thread. Might be a few weeks but never the less I will. I hope we keep the chat going in the mean time.

[1bluehorse]

Using Magic Mikes priming "upgrades" I use nothing in station two on either of my LM's. 9MM has been the most difficult case for me to reload and I think that's mostly due to the shell plate. It fits both 9mm and 40s&w so the fit is a bit "off" for the 9. Stating that, I'm still not having any priming problems doing them. I DO lube all cases that I run through the presses though with a bit of spray lube. Makes the press run "smoother", with less effort.

[toallmy]

I have a lot more research to do before I go progressive .I am paying attention.

[Gillie Dog]

Using Magic Mikes priming "upgrades" I use nothing in station two on either of my LM's. 9MM has been the most difficult case for me to reload and I think that's mostly due to the shell plate. It fits both 9mm and 40s&w so the fit is a bit "off" for the 9. Stating that, I'm still not having any priming problems doing them. I DO lube all cases that I run through the presses though with a bit of spray lube. Makes the press run "smoother", with less effort.

I run that way also but for 9mm I have a separate shell plate with the wire modification to guarantee centering on the primer punch. I do have to have two 19s shell plates, one for 9mm and another for 40 S&W. Some just set the case retainer out a little and this allows the case to move out to the proper location as it is indexed into station 2 but I like the mechanical advantage method.

For every bad/broken part, die or factory defect Lee has sent me new ones at no charge and only once did I have to send the bad one back, a 22/250 die which was rough on the shoulder area and was polished I assume before returning. Granted it has only happened a few times but they did respond properly.

GD

[flysubcompact]

This does seem very strange for a couple of reasons:

1. The few times I have contacted Lee they have been very professional and eager to help.

When I found that my LM shell plate didn't like FC or military brass (worked fine with Rem and Win), Lee said "send us the plate and a couple pieces of brass and we will make it right." I had a brand new shell plate that works on all my brass inside a week at no charge. Now, Lee doesn't have the same warranty as RCBS, but one doesn't pay RCBS prices for Lee equipment either.

2. The Loadmaster is cast aluminum and I have never heard of any kind of heat treatment being used on it.

That would my same experience with dealing with Lee CS. Polite, professional and quick to make something right. I had warped shell plate. A new one was in my mail box in less than a week after I called them.

[flysubcompact]

My LLM came with 9mm dies as kit. The only real problem (other than me being a total noob at reloading) was a warped shell plate. Lee remedied that quickly.

I reprime off the press. Not because the stock LLM won't work, but because I don't like dirty primer pockets and I like to inspect every case I load, thoroughly. Slower than just running the intended configuration, but I'm persnickety with ammo I hand to loved ones.

My set up...initial tumble to get dirt out. LLM gets a factory deprime/sizer on station 1. Station 2 has a case mouth spreader die I made to insure a .357" mouth for the first .200" of depth....deprimed brass goes in for a final tumble...brass is then hand primed/final inspection....change die head on press....this second die holder has nothing at station 1, powder drop at station 2, powder cop at 3, bullet seat at 4 and factory crimp at 5.

This LLM is the press is what I used to start reloading. I like it. Especially the price.

(edit) The only real modifications I've done...moved powder drop from 3 to 2 and had a little trouble at first with tension setting on case feed. Fixed that with just sticking a rare earth magnet on the shuttle. The magnetic grip gives perfect tension.

[DxieLandMan]

I use a Pro 1000 for all my pistol calibers. The shell plate thingy was a real PITA for me so instead of getting ticked every time I wanted to change calibers, I just bought another press set up for that (I got a good deal so I have 3). I hand prime all my cases though. Pro 1000 works for me and I am very well pleased with it

[flyingmonkey35]

Never had a issues with lees warranty. Even when I blew up my press with a primer they had no issues replacing the tray.

Broke a single stage at the base with a stuck case. Sent me out a new one no questions asked.


But yes I have real bad luck with other company's.

If you still have that press. Feel free to send this post to Lee warranty service. And see what happens.

[sghart3578]

To the OP:

First you should understand that I am a big Lee fan. I have a Classic Turret press that has put out thousands and thousands of rounds in several calibers.

I also have a Lee Classic Cast that gets a lot of working sizing/depriming, etc.

What I am going to say is not Lee bashing, I love Lee stuff.

I tried a Loadmaster once. It was in great shape when I got it. I had a lot of trouble with the priming system. I had, over time, developed work arounds and fixes but was never really happy with it.

When I loaded 223 on it it worked great but on those I sized and reprimed off press. It worked very well in that situation.
I finally sold it when I was offered a good deal on an RCBS Turret Press.

Based on my experience I would not recommend a Loadmaster. I am going to try a Pro 1000 for the first time as I am expecting one in the mail that I purchased on Gunbroker.

I have never owned a Dillon but as luck would have it I found one on my local Craigslist yesterday and made an offer. I pick it up tomorrow.


Best of luck.

[Outer Rondacker]

Thanks for sharing sghart. Let us know what you think of the pro 1000 and congrats on the dillon. My local craigslist gets everything flagged to do with reloading guns ammo heck even war stuff. Post a bb gun its off in a min. I did snag my dillon from CL for a good buy. Please fill in your profile as I always like to look where people are from I am typing to. Thanks again.

[rbuck351]

sghart
You're going to really like the Dillon if you're getting the 550b. It is so simple to work with. You can slide a case in and back out at any station. Put a case in the powder station pull the handle, remove case to check charge, adj powder charge and put case back in. Same with adjusting bell on mouth or bullet seating or crimp. The pro 1000 is a pita to make the initial adjustments. Once you put a case in the front it has to go all around as you can't remove it except at the end. Don't even think of short stroking the thing to try to leave the brass at one station as it will jam up. I have three of the Pro 1000s and they all work good, but only after hours of set up and fixing the brand new powder measure and the brand new primer tray and slide. The pro 1000 can best be described as a semi finished reloading kit that the factory assembled to make sure all the parts were there. Once you have one finished they will load a lot of quality in a hurry but you better be a serious tinker kind of guy or really lucky. I would not recommend one of these to anyone not mechanically inclined and patient lot's of patience. I got mine used cheap from folks that were ready to throw them in a pond and mostly to see for myself where the problem is and I found the problem. Actually I found lot's of them. All fixable but they do exist. My next step is the Load Master. Anyone got one of these cheap that you are considering making a boat anchor out of. Please, no good ones. I want the press from Hades, the one that just can't be made to work correctly. It's a genetic defect I have, fixing junk.

[oldfart1956]

Can't help you on the Loadmaster Rondacker but might have some insight on the Pro-1000. I've been using one for a good while now for 9mm. and decided to get another just for .45acp. Like many I had to fiddle a bit with both presses to smooth out the primer issues but that seems to be a common problem with all the progressives not just Lee. Anyways, for $158 from Titan you get the press, dies and powder measure. Heckuva deal. Get the primer chute attachment and drill a hole thru the bench and primers drop just like the Classic Turret. I only load small primer .45acp so got the small primer kit as well. ($11?) Spend a bit of time fine tuning the dies and you can do all the work on the press. I seat&crimp both 9mm. and .45acp as the presses were designed to do without ANY issues. With cast boolits in both calibers. No shaving lead, no downsized boolits...just fill the case collater up with brass and pull the lever. I did modify the expanders in both calibers due to oversize cast boolits. Remember we're not actually crimping just ironing out the flare from the expanders. Proper neck tension is the key. The supplied powder measure is working excellent! Keep it at least half full and don't bypass the chain set up. It's there for a reason. Audie...the Oldfart.

[Gillie Dog]

My next step is the Load Master. Anyone got one of these cheap that you are considering making a boat anchor out of. Please, no good ones. I want the press from Hades, the one that just can't be made to work correctly. It's a genetic defect I have, fixing junk.

I hope you do better than I did. Almost two years trying to find used Loadmasters in any shape or form on the "cheap" was not possible. Everybody hangs on to them or sells them on EBAY for more than retail. I would contact haters with requests for what they will part with them for and if I received a reply it was at retail or more. Ended up buying new ones when I could get them $180 shipped for the kits and sell off the extra dies and such I already had, but the last one was $200 shipped when I got it last year. Oh well, I do not need any more any longer...............

Good luck.

GD

[sghart3578]

To rbuck31,


The Dillon I am buying is a 450. It is complete and set up for .223.

Here is what happened. I was looking for a new project for my reloading room. I love to tinker. I found a Lee Pro 1000 on Gunbroker for $100, complete with two carriers, 4 shellplates, 2 three hole turrets and some other parts. I was thinking that since I do a lot of 5.56/.223 I would get a dedicated press for it. I do all of my brass processing on my single stage and I hand prime so I would be completing the 223 rounds on the Pro 1000. Charging, seating and maybe crimping if I wanted.

I mailed the payment for the Pro 1000 and 2 days later on my local Craigslist there was a Dillon 450, complete with powder measure and dies for .223 and .308. All for $200. So I bought that also. Goodbye tax refund.

Now I have to find a way to squeeze them in between my Lee Classic Turret, RCBS Turret, Lee Classic Cast and Lee Load-All.


Best of luck to you all,


Steve in N CA

[dikman]

All I can say is that based on my experience with Lee so-called "Customer Service" when I buy Lee stuff I assume I'll be on my own if something goes wrong. Fortunately, other than molds I've been able to fix any issues myself.

[Lefty Red]

To rbuck31,


The Dillon I am buying is a 450. It is complete and set up for .223.

Here is what happened. I was looking for a new project for my reloading room. I love to tinker. I found a Lee Pro 1000 on Gunbroker for $100, complete with two carriers, 4 shellplates, 2 three hole turrets and some other parts. I was thinking that since I do a lot of 5.56/.223 I would get a dedicated press for it. I do all of my brass processing on my single stage and I hand prime so I would be completing the 223 rounds on the Pro 1000. Charging, seating and maybe crimping if I wanted.

I mailed the payment for the Pro 1000 and 2 days later on my local Craigslist there was a Dillon 450, complete with powder measure and dies for .223 and .308. All for $200. So I bought that also. Goodbye tax refund.

Now I have to find a way to squeeze them in between my Lee Classic Turret, RCBS Turret, Lee Classic Cast and Lee Load-All.


Best of luck to you all,


Steve in N CA

You are going to love the 450! I like it better than my 550. The 550 has a little play in the removable tool head, just a tad I would say. Still no where near the play in the Lee CTP.

[rbuck351]

So why would a bit of play in the 550 tool head be a problem. I'm thinking all the play is gone before the 4 cases have made it to the top of their stroke. I just checked my 550 with the 45acp dies. As soon as the case starts into the sizer die, all play is gone. So, how is this an issue?

[Lefty Red]

So why would a bit of play in the 550 tool head be a problem. I'm thinking all the play is gone before the 4 cases have made it to the top of their stroke. I just checked my 550 with the 45acp dies. As soon as the case starts into the sizer die, all play is gone. So, how is this an issue?

I don't like slop in something I paid $800 when setup like I want. I put a thin shim in it to stop it, for the price I don't want it. Glad it doesn't bother you, but it's a flaw in the 550. Especially if you don't use the wide mouth/higher cost Dillon dies.

Jerry

[r1kk1]

I don't like slop in something I paid $800 when setup like I want. I put a thin shim in it to stop it, for the price I don't want it. Glad it doesn't bother you, but it's a flaw in the 550. Especially if you don't use the wide mouth/higher cost Dillon dies.

Jerry

The toolhead is made to float. It would be akin to taking the die slop out of a COAX press. If this isn't to your liking then Uniquetek makes a toolhead clamp kit. Both Whidden and Tubbs have competed at the long game using Dillon presses. I load from .17 caliber to 50 non BMG stuff on mine and two cases slow me down because of fragile shoulders - 38-40 and 44-40. I use everyone's dies except for maybe a Lee rifle FCD in the last station. Using Dillon's instructions, I will fill the shellplate up, THEN tighten down each lockring. I lower the shellplate and then load. If a problem, I may use an O ring under the offending die or switch it out.

What concentricity gauge are you using Jerry?

take care

r1kk1