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Thread: Lee Pro 4000 kit

  1. #1
    Boolit Master


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    Lee Pro 4000 kit

    Hello all,
    My wife gifted me a Lee Pro 4000 progressive loader set up for 9mm for my upcoming Birthday. Are there any tips or advice dealing with setup or use from those who have experience with this machine? I haven't removed it from the box. Going to mount it to a 2x6 or such so I can attach or remove it from my bench as needed.
    Thanks for the help,
    Rick

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    She gave you a good present !
    The only things I have done to mine is lightly chamfer the rim of the primer cup , and I don't like the primer feed laying against the press so I loop a rubber band around a die and around the primer feeder right below the primer container so it keeps the bottom away from the press .
    Set the sizer die first with it you can control the elevation of the primer cup and get problem free loading of the primer to the cup .
    When you adjust the factory crimp die adjust it to hit the shell plate at the exact same time as the sizing die.
    The head of the press has a hole you can use to feed a case without the 4 tube feeder it works great to manually feed cases . I would go manually on the cases for a bit to get used to the press before feeding with the 4 tube feeder it is great to use but the most likely part of the system to need adjustment.
    I have one of the bins like the one that catches the bullets mounted under the primer feed to catch any fumbled primers they drop right in the bin and lesson the irritation of a fumble while getting used to it . If you have the LCT and primer feed on it it the exact same system , I like it.
    I vacume mine off and or blow it off with an air hose at the end of each session and lube all the metal to metal moving parts with a lube that dries including the metal to metal parts on the PM and primer cup . I use Hornady 1 shot gun cleaner lube but other things will work and keep it all working smoothly.
    I like this press the best of all the Lee progressives it is simple to set up and use and is trouble free once you get the routine down . Don't rush take your time and just watch and get a feel for it and you will find it is very easy to load 3 to 400 rounds an hour of hand gun ammo on it.
    If yours comes with the auto drum PM just follow the directions , my auto drum has been trouble free once you learn the right tension on the screw for the drum and you can order spare drums to have pre set for powder charges you use often.
    You can order parts kits that have all the plastic parts incase you break something the parts kits are cheap and make it a minor inconvenience when you have them on hand . The only thing I have replaced on mine was the plastic piece that kicks out the loaded round , operator error
    If after loading a few rounds you have any questions let us know how we can help .
    Enjoy your new press.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master


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    Thank you for the thorough response. It will take several readings and absorbings to get what you are telling me down. I have progressive shotshell experience so this can't be so much different. Learning the quirks of this particular machine I'm sure will be the challenge.
    Any other tips welcome!
    Rick

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    Your welcome . You will have no problem getting it going.
    Lived in Nashville a couple of years (mid 70s ) and we camped and rode dirt bikes in the Franklin area . Beautiful country .

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
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    If you are not using the case feeder consider taking the case slider off of the press and just manually putting the cases into the shell plate when the ram is down.

    If you are using the Auto-Drum powder measure you will notice that the spring inside it is very strong. The current Lee instructions do not refer to the disconnect. When you operate the handle you will throw a charge. If the handle moves up (and the spring is more than strong enough to do this) you will recharge the powder measure. Moving the handle down again, and it is only a short distance, will throw a double charge. So make sure the handle says down, use your knee to hold it down if necessary, while you are feeding a primer into the primer cup. Set up lights and a mirror if necessary so you can check every charge to make sure there are no double charges.

    While you are learning this press consider making two passes. The first pass will use only the sizing die and an empty bushing in position 4 to hold the index rod. So you will size, decap, and prime the cases on this pass. Keep the auto advance working and all of your primed brass will end up in the bin. Take the sizing die out and install the powder measure, seating die, and crimp die for the second pass. You will flare the case, drop the powder, set and seat the bullet, and crimp the bullet on this pass.

    After you are comfortable with everything that is going on you can do it all on a single pass.

    Enjoy your press. I am beginning to think that this is a good learners press because it is very easy to use it as a single stage press and then, as you become familiar with reloading, start to combine operations.
    Some times it's the pot,
    Some times it's the pan,
    It might even be the skillet,
    But, most of the time, it's the cook.

  6. #6
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    Oct 2019
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    The only issue I have had is with the Lee Safety Prime for small primers. It simply will not feed them correctly. I have no problems with the large primer feed. I may have a defective small feeder, but nobody has replacement parts. Probably have to buy a new setup. Seems that the primer delivery system is always the weakest link in Lee Progressive presses.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    LHitchcox the latest version of the safety prime is the best . I have had all the versions and they all have worked but they have gotten better with each change . If you use the factory crimp die back it off and then adjust your sizing die to stop the shell plate at the best location for the cup to receive the primer when you rock the feeder toward the press it should not touch the press only the primer arm if it touches the press when you rock it screw the sizer down farther if the cup is to low to reliably receive the primer back the sizing die out when you find the sweet spot lock the die raise the ram and set the FCD to just touch the shell plate . If that don't work something is wrong with your safety prime . I have taken mine apart and reworked the spring when it was not returning enough to pick up the next primer . Had to do that once in in maybe 15000 primers .
    chamfer the rim on the primer cup enough to take the hard edge off the inside so the primer can set in easily and make sure the collar slides freely I lube mine after each session I do that on every press I prime on . And I almost always prime on the press single stage ,turret or progressive .
    This may not be the case for you but a lot of problems on some of the Lee equipment is set up . They are the only presses I know of where sizing die adjustment affects primer feeding and on this press so can the FCD if it is screwed in to far.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master

    Lefty Red's Avatar
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    I wish I could add more, but seems like all the bases are covered. It’s a great press with fewer quirks than most progressives, IMHO.

    Lefty
    I'll be needing that for squirrels and such.....

  9. #9
    Boolit Grand Master
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    I've never used a progressive, that the primer system worked as fool proof as priming outside the press.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master

    Lefty Red's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by abunaitoo View Post
    I've never used a progressive, that the primer system worked as fool proof as priming outside the press.
    Truer words have never been spoken.....
    I'll be needing that for squirrels and such.....

  11. #11
    Boolit Bub RegCom7's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LHitchcox View Post
    The only issue I have had is with the Lee Safety Prime for small primers. It simply will not feed them correctly. I have no problems with the large primer feed. I may have a defective small feeder, but nobody has replacement parts. Probably have to buy a new setup. Seems that the primer delivery system is always the weakest link in Lee Progressive presses.
    I had the same problem with the Lee Safety Prime. But now it works perfectly after I fixed it, following the instructions in this video. https://youtu.be/Kx1uC6cFyGA

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check