Coming soon - lee six station progressive press

[Chapo]

The spring didn’t break. It kinked rendering the primer mechanism dead. Ordered one from Lee for free. The spring is very sturdy though. I think I was lowering and raising the ram to test the priming mechanism and must move the spring from its normal alignment and got trapped by the shell plate. Other than that it’s just another press that I didn’t need. It was a blem one but seems perfect to me. If you go to my channel I made a couple of videos about the press and spring. I didnt have to tinker at all with the press as I did with my old loadmaster.

The shell plate can easily misalign, but is very easy to align back. Just use your finger and tap it back to where it’s supposed to be.

[GWS]

I see.....sounds like a working press, then....maybe just needing some TLC. Would still like to play with one.....but I got to come up with a need and a place to put it yet......gotta hurry before the Christmas stock is gone. Sounds like a fun winter project to me.

[Chapo]

There ya go!!

[deces]

[deces]

[GWS]

Grafs finally has em in stock.....at least for tonight.

I got a basic press ordered as I have everything else I need....except a shell plate, and I haven't decided which caliber to use this press for yet anyway. Time to start organizing the space......I have my winter entertainment coming.....wife will be thrilled....as we will call it done for her Christmas shopping for me.

I will be using one of my several case activated Uniflows to feed powder...so will be testing that option instead of Lees stock one.

[deces]

Grafs finally has em in stock.....at least for tonight.

I got a basic press ordered as I have everything else I need....except a shell plate, and I haven't decided which caliber to use this press for yet anyway. Time to start organizing the space......I have my winter entertainment coming.....wife will be thrilled....as we will call it done for her Christmas shopping for me.

Congratulations, GSW! Let us all know what you think of it, when it comes.

[dverna]

Grafs finally has em in stock.....at least for tonight.

I got a basic press ordered as I have everything else I need....except a shell plate, and I haven't decided which caliber to use this press for yet anyway. Time to start organizing the space......I have my winter entertainment coming.....wife will be thrilled....as we will call it done for her Christmas shopping for me.

I will be using one of my several case activated Uniflows to feed powder...so will be testing that option instead of Lees stock one.

Thanks for posting!!!

I just ordered a .38/.357 Kit. I need a winter project too...LOL.

Did not "need" the kit, as I have a full set up for the 1050, but I want to evaluate what a new reloader can expect who is starting out with a 6000. Therefore, how the powder measure, and case feeder work comes into play.

I figure you will put one of the 3D case feeders on yours. It will be great to have your review of how that works.

[GWS]

I figure you will put one of the 3D case feeders on yours. It will be great to have your review of how that works.

Yup! This one, which I previously posted running 9mm at full speed.....and yes at that speed it caught a case and tested the nifty built-in clutch nicely. Added a speed control and it became a wonderful pistol case feeder....for .9mm, .40, .357, and .45....heck it even worked for .223, but I use a bigger one with lay down slots for that.



So you may surmise, I decided on 9mm, but had to order a 9mm shell plate from Titan. Grafs were out of those too. Hoping the basic press comes with the primer trays....

If you slow that down to crawl speed you will see flaws in that 2 or three fell mouth down. What was most interesting was that zero fed to the press that way. Only explanation possible is the free fall into the tube allowed gravity to turn them heavy side down. I have yet to feed even one mouth down. Weird, but I'll take weird if it works. The other three calibers did not have that. I suppose hole size was the reason.....but I do like that one plate works for all. Easier caliber change.

[jmorris]

So you may surmise, I decided on 9mm, but had to order a 9mm shell plate from Titan. Grafs were out of those too. Hoping the basic press comes with the primer trays....

Wonder if they still use a too large shell plate for 9mm, like they do on the loadmaster (same shell plate for 9mm as 40 S&W. Caused priming issues on that press without using another die to properly locate the case for priming. Still don’t understand why they did that vs just make another shell plate to sell…probably would have helped many frustrated with that press over the years.

[GWS]

Didn't remember that.....thanks for the heads up. First thing I'll report on. I can't believe I'm actually going to do 9mm! I don't even have a pistol in that caliber....just two grandsons that I load for.

Of all my pistols I shoot a Ruger SR40 the best....it just seems natural (obviously a personal fit thing). So I never bought anything smaller.....and my wife likes the heavier .45......but its not for carry.....she won't do that anyway. So when this is set up I will probably buy one for her to try.....maybe she will even like it enough to carry one.

[GWS]

Wonder if they still use a too large shell plate for 9mm, like they do on the loadmaster (same shell plate for 9mm as 40 S&W. Caused priming issues on that press without using another die to properly locate the case for priming. Still don’t understand why they did that vs just make another shell plate to sell…probably would have helped many frustrated with that press over the years.

Well since they are supplying a "9mm/.40 plate" the answer to your question is yes. Were they able to tighten it up enough to work better I will find out today when the press comes in. I already received the plate yesterday. The .40 goes in with zero play, ZERO. so there's no room for slightly out of Sammi spec, .40, that's for sure! Yes, a little play with the 9mm. They didn't start making 9mm wider. We will see how much it causes a problem.

[dverna]

The 9mm/.40 shell plate issue is a glaring example of dumb things Lee will do to save a few dollars. With the 9mm being one of the most popular rounds it makes no sense at all.

My Six Pack should arrive today as well.

[GWS]

The 9mm/.40 shell plate issue is a glaring example of dumb things Lee will do to save a few dollars. With the 9mm being one of the most popular rounds it makes no sense at all.

My Six Pack should arrive today as well.

Actually, when you think about it, this one fer two loses them money. They would sell two rather than one. Nobody is going to not buy a $25 shell plate needed for their gun.
But I was noticing that while there's a little play maybe not enough to matter. In fact, I remember back in the 70's the smart thing to do on RockChuckers was to loosen the spring holding the shell holders in, so the upward thrust of the ram had a change to center the case perfectly......maybe I have more to worry about the .40 being thrust not quite center in a no-give shell plate to an imperfect press.....and ALL presses are. Betting it all works.

[megasupermagnum]

While I can understand the need for a specal 9mm X-press shell holder for the APP, maybe it's just me but I've had zero issues with Lee's standard shell holder for 9mm, and I don't know anyone who has. I guess I can understand the issue with having it centered on a progressive for priming if you don't want to use a a die in that station. Now with the 6 pack I don't see why that would be a problem. Yes it seems it would make sense for Lee to sell a 9mm specific shell plate, but I'm not sure it would help that much, and it might even cause issues with how many variations of 9mm luger and 9x19 are out there.

[Kenstone]

While I can understand the need for a specal 9mm X-press shell holder for the APP, maybe it's just me but I've had zero issues with Lee's standard shell holder for 9mm, and I don't know anyone who has. I guess I can understand the issue with having it centered on a progressive for priming if you don't want to use a a die in that station. Now with the 6 pack I don't see why that would be a problem. Yes it seems it would make sense for Lee to sell a 9mm specific shell plate, but I'm not sure it would help that much, and it might even cause issues with how many variations of 9mm luger and 9x19 are out there.

Well, it has been a problem in the past, it was minimized on the Loadmaster by adding a die in station 2 to center the case, as priming is done on the TOP of the stroke.

That does not work for presses that prime at the bottom, like the Pro1000, ABLP, or Pro6000.
There is a common mod to deal with the off-center 9mm case in the 19s shell plates.
It's simply a wire glued in the shell plate case cavity to keep the case from going too far into the case cavity.


This fix is to minimized primer flipping during the primer seating operation.
jmo,
.

[dverna]

Well, it has been a problem in the past, it was minimized on the Loadmaster by adding a die in station 2 to center the case, as priming is done on the TOP of the stroke.

That does not work for presses that prime at the bottom, like the Pro1000, ABLP, or Pro6000.
There is a common mod to deal with the off-center 9mm case in the 19s shell plates.
It's simply a wire glued in the shell plate case cavity to keep the case from going too far into the case cavity.


This fix is to minimized primer flipping during the primer seating operation.
jmo,
.

I wonder if a .380 shell plate can be ground out a bit using a conical stone in a Dremel tool? .010" increase in radius should do it.

[megasupermagnum]

One thing that came to my mind is the 6 pack has a new shell retention setup that appears to be spring loaded arms. I wonder if those might provide some self centering abilities. I'm only speculating and hoping for the best. Keep us updated how things go. I'll likely buy one eventually, but I don't load 9mm anymore, so I'm no help.

[GWS]

One thing that came to my mind is the 6 pack has a new shell retention setup that appears to be spring loaded arms. I wonder if those might provide some self centering abilities. I'm only speculating and hoping for the best. Keep us updated how things go. I'll likely buy one eventually, but I don't load 9mm anymore, so I'm no help.

I got the press, but I'm still waiting for the Inline Fabrications quick change mount. There's two parts to shell retention, the 3d printed black ring around the whole plate, and the pivots in several places. The pivots would be better if they were spring loaded like RCBS progressives, but they are not....just very tight pivots, that have to be swung closed, touching the shell plate and swung open to remove a case. Easiest done with a blade screwdriver....but if you got strong finger nails that works too. And BTW, yes, RCBS's shell retention springs do provide self centering abilities. I have a Pro 2000 and a Pro Chucker 7.....this will be my 3rd progressive.

I'll be honest, even knowing Lee tends to build small, I was a bit surprised how small. If it works as advertised without breaking easily, I don't care....in fact a plus. We will see.

[deces]

Primmer change quick swap.