Frustrated Lee Loadmaster owner!

[koger]

I have one in .38/357 for a couple of years. Never has worked right, only loaded a handful of shells, and I have 35 years of loading ammo. I have a buddy who has two, is a guru to get them running right, never could this one. I have been on the phone, emailed lee several times, they don't seem to comprehend the problems, so this time it is going in a box back to them. The rod does not want to index the shell plate half the time, and then when you go to the top, the flipper only moves a little, does not back out the rod. Primer system has never worked. I hope they get it right, my buddy routinely loads 600 rounds a hour on either one of his. Anyone here feel my pain, can relate. And, I watched all the youtube videos on them. If I could get it to let me insert a case, a bullet, crank the handle and everything work I would be ecstatic.

[dverna]

But look at all the money you saved!!

Many years ago I made a similar mistake. I bought an RCBS Green Machine because I did not want to spend the money on a Star .... No Dillon's back then. It was the most expensive reloading tool mistake I ever made. It sat for years unused until I sold it on EBay.

Do do yourself a favor and get a Dillon. I have owned every model they offer and had great results with them. If you are loading only a few calibers, the 650 is my recommendation. I currently have a 550 for low volume work and a 1050 for large runs.

[Jal5]

Try loadmastervideos.com
These guys know everything that can tweak the LM to get it going right

[VHoward]

I understand the op's frustration. The one I bought almost became a boat anchor without a boat until I cooled down and sold it on ebay.

[shoot-n-lead]

Try a http://www.brianenos.com/store/dillon.html...this guy knows how to sell a product that works...right out of the box.

[mgread]

I have one in .38/357 for a couple of years. Never has worked right, only loaded a handful of shells, and I have 35 years of loading ammo. I have a buddy who has two, is a guru to get them running right, never could this one. I have been on the phone, emailed lee several times, they don't seem to comprehend the problems, so this time it is going in a box back to them. The rod does not want to index the shell plate half the time, and then when you go to the top, the flipper only moves a little, does not back out the rod. Primer system has never worked. I hope they get it right, my buddy routinely loads 600 rounds a hour on either one of his. Anyone here feel my pain, can relate. And, I watched all the youtube videos on them. If I could get it to let me insert a case, a bullet, crank the handle and everything work I would be ecstatic.

i have it in 9 and have load more the 10 round. Did you order it as a kit. If so it should of work. If you have had it a part go watch there video and start at step 1 and it will work. if you got any question PM me

[koger]

mgread, thanks but have tried that till I am blue in the face, bought new, as a set up kit. Several pieces in it were not made correctly, have been replaced, but still just a basic lemon all over. If I can get it to work when returned, may keep it, if not will probably destroy it and not put it on someone else. All I wanted this for is to load higher volume pistol calibers ammunition, instead of on a single stage.

[kryogen]

I have been trying to get my loadmaster to work reliably for 6 years, never been able to get it to prime reliably even with all the lee updates.
The case feeder was also giving me trouble.

What I did to fix it, I bought a dillon 650 and everything works well, all the time.

I keep my loadmaster to powder/seat/crimp small volume test runs, but honestly I don't use it much anymore. 650, and single stage, thats it...

[Jal5]

Post it here or another web page. Someone may buy it even for parts. You could make a dedicated decapper out of it too

[Garyshome]

Yep RL550B will solve all of your problems.

[toallmy]

Their is a good post on the loadmaster in reloading equipment section , who uses a lee pro 1000 or loadmaster , started by Mr Outer Rondacker , after watching his experience with a loadmaster , and all the members input . I ordered one and it is working fine . Very much worth a look .

[toallmy]

Pull the primer system out and see if it will rotate the shell plate without the primer system . Without brass .

[jmorris]

I was given a "basket case" loadmaster and can see why many don't like them vs all of the other brands of progressives. That said they can be made to run if you invest the time it takes to learn "what makes them tick". I have loaded 100 rounds on the one given to me after a few hours of learning.

For the index the carrier (held on with bolt at the bottom of the ram) and with the handle at 30 degrees (flipper beside one of the webs in the press) a .006" gap was what worked for me, I think the next "notch" was .027" gap and would not work. The flipper is plastic and I would swap it out if you can see and damage.

This is a thread that I had going when I started messing with it. Post #28 has a video of how it was set when finally started indexing.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...admaster+index

[zomby woof]

YOUR CARRIER IS OUT OF TIME. Simple fix sir. Mine runs like a Swiss watch.

[vonzep]

Correct the carrier is out of time. Loosen the bolt on the bottom of the ram and Re time. Don't overtighten.

[HangFireW8]

Sending it back is an expensive way to show Lee that everything they make is not golden. They are so used to dealing with clueless newbies that someone with a real problem isn't believed or taken seriously.

I had enough with their "phone support" with molds, so I started returning them with printed pictures, diagrams, and descriptions with clear, unequivocal evidence of wrongness. Oddly enough 1/2 the time in documenting the issues I solved the problem myself. The other half was not fixable, but each time they replaced the equipment.

[too many things]

I have one of the first they made. its still not 100%. for the 1st month Lee and I were on a first name deal. some of the changes of later presses I am sure was because of my 100s of calls . I made several changes and some "new parts" that made it work
I still have the old primer system but have modified it some and learned a lot over the years.
I did get a Dillon 650 THEN i found out how much they wanted for cal changes. so got to working on it . about a month and some time I have 15 cal changes for about $80 I did fix the BS pins. and made the same as Lee uses . Makes it easy to remove a case and don't have to have 50 pins to drop and loose
If lee would spend some time that I have told them about , they could have a no1 press. they would have to add about $100 a unit. and spend a couple 100,000 to re tool for some things . but the way things are now its not going to pay off because the reloading has been replaced by I phones

[rbuck351]

I'm looking for the LM from Hades. The one you are going to take a sledge hammer to rather than sell it to some unsuspecting sucker. I want one to see for myself what the fuss is all about. I didn't need one but I bought 2 used and 1 factory rebuilt Pro 1000s to see what the issue is. They all work fine now. I don't want to buy a new LM as it might work out of the box. I want the LM you have tried to fix but have given up on. The one that just can't be fixed. Somebody make me a deal on that one under your bench you have tried to forget but it keeps haunting you. Trying to climb back on your bench and make more misery for you. I'm offering salvation from the LM from Hades.

[daboone]

You can get LM to work out of the box if you give up on priming. The guy over on the Loadmasterzone has the aftermarket stuff to get the primer system working but after you add up all the cost then Hornady, RCBS and Dillon price make since.

[rtracy2001]

You can get LM to work out of the box if you give up on priming.

IMO, if you give up on priming, it isn't really working.

My LM has been pretty trouble free. A couple of priming issues that were my fault and a stripped index flipper (also my fault). I did have to clean the priming system after I ran some "less than clean" brass through it. I load 3 different calibers, 223/556, 40 S&W, and 30 carbine.