[Nate1778]

Guys I need help from Lee users. I have a deluxe turret, which has been great. I reload .380, .38, and 9mm at the moment. The Turret is fast, and I love it. I have been feeling the itch to buy a Pro 1000, mostly for the 9mm and the .38. Don't know why, maybe its the wrenchhead side of me, maybe its the time I spend on the turret reloading the two calibers. My question is do I wait till they start getting refurbished units back in stock, do I build one from scratch to handle both calibers. That last scenario would cost as much as buying a 9mm Pro 1000 and buying the parts to do .38. Can I convert my current Deluxe Turret? Need some advice guys, I am a gadget head so I don't mind the quirks. I also want to know if its worth moving up from the turret which is fairly fast as it is. Like to hear from guys that have the turret and/or the 1000 whom moved up, why where and how?

[jfh]

I have used Lee Turrets (older standard / 3-die, standard updated to 4-die), and a Pro 1000, and the Load-Master. Personally, I have dropped the Pro 1000 from my bench. In the long-run, IMO the Load-Master is a better progressive than the Pro 1000 although the L-M has its own steeper learning curve and quirks / problem areas.

The Pro 1000 can work well, but its weak link is the powder drop at the priming station--one screw up there, and it's time to disassemble and clean.

The real question is how much do you shoot, and what is your time worth, IMO. I can load about 180-200 RPH handgun cartridges (38/357/10mm/45ACP) on the turret, and if I am in production mode on the Load-Master, about 400 an hour. Even if your needs are, say, 1000 rounds per month, then even by going to strictly production, with no load development, I save maybe 2.5 or 3 hours of time.

Throw those issues into your consideration as well. Personally, were I to start over and if I really felt the need for high-test production, the progressive I would buy would be the Hornady LnL--or, I'd wait until Lee introduced the "Classic Cast" 4-die progressive. (FWIW, the protyping was complete over 18 months ago; they just can't expand production fast enough with the demand for their current products.)

Jim H.

[ilbob]

I have a 1000. I like it. It makes good ammo. But, I wish it had another station or two.

[Nate1778]

Any links to that new press coming out by Lee, I couldn't find an iota on the web. That is the thing, I like my turret and it loads pretty darn fast. It would be nice to get a round every pull though. I can wait, as I am currently covered, but I feel going progressive is coming up.

[jfh]

There are no links to a "Classic Cast Progressive." John Lee told me about it a year ago last December.

Jim H

[Nate1778]

Thanks Jim, I think I will hold off and continue on with the turret, its at the very least reliable. Maybe when things calm down a bit and the Pro 1000 can be had as a re-manufactured or used I'll give it a whirl. Or something new and improved comes from out.

[FlyinBryan]

the only person i know that has had the 1000 told me sometimes he wished he had just bought the loadmaster.

ive been running a loadmaster for a while and love it.

on the other hand i think the loadmaster lends itself to the mechanically incline, which you said you were a wrenchhead, so you would probably enjoy it.

i really like the casefeeder, although with taller rifle cartridges, it requires a little ingenuity to make it run flawless and fast.

i load 45acp, 223, and 30-06 on mine and can really whipum out.

the case feeder will hold 80 45acp brass' and i can load 100 rounds in 10 min. at a fairly relaxed pace.

its slower with the taller rounds like 30-06 simply because you have to stop to fill the feeder tubes more often.

i bought 4 extra tubes and just fill them on the bench laying down, then squeeze the end of the tube so the brass dont fall out when i turn it upright, hold it over the feeder tubes on the press, and release finger pressure and clackity clackity clack, they all slide down in the feeder tubes.

its a five station press, but i normally only use 3, because i like to size beforehand so i dont have to put lubed cases through the case feeder system.

sorry for the long winded post.

[FlyinBryan]

oh ya, die plates for the LM are only about 12 bux.

[45Badger]

I sold my pro 1000 and bought a Dillon. My blood pressure dropped 40 points and my productivity went up by 200-300 rounds per hours.

Lee makes good presses, but the pro 1000 is not one of them (in my opinion). There is a reason they are cheap:banghead:

[Nate1778]

No, I like the post Bryan, I am very mechanical oriented and like mechanical things. I have read about flimsy plastic parts with the Loadmaster that break on initial usage do to lack of understanding, is there any truth to this? If one was to order a Loadmaster, what are some of the parts you would order with it just in case. What other than plates are needed for caliber change, different case tube I assume, and primer feed or no?

I know there are progressives out there that work out of the box, I kinda like to have to understand everything that is going on so that it runs right, been that way since I plugged my first radio into the wall socket at the tender age of 8. Of coarse the radio was made out of the dismantled kitchen telephone and it produced more smoke then music, but at that point I was hooked.........:D

And yes I now know a phone cannot be a radio.

[RVenick]

I guess each to his own but I like my Pro 1000. I load 9mm, 38spl, 357 mag, 40SW and 45 acp. I bought turrets and shellplate carriers for each cal and can change cals in about 2 minutes. I can load 300 rph at a leisurely pace. It does have its quirks but once you get used to them it is a non-issue.

[Nate1778]

That is my one other issue with the Pro 1000, as it sounds as if you have to order indexing carriers for quick switch out. They look to be about $35 per, if not how time consuming is it to switch a plate to the indexing carrier?

[ForneyRider]

I sold the Pro 1000 since I didn't use it much, but use single stage all the time. On the occasion, I want to make a bunch of ammo, say 45 ACP, then I just suffer along with the single stage.

If I shot more, then I would get the LoadMaster for the extra stations.

When I had the Pro 1000, I would use the single stage to do the taper crimp on the 45 ACP. But with the 41 mag, I was good to go on the Pro 1000.

If you take out the indexing on the Pro 1000, you can fit a big case like the 270 Win, but it is a PITA, that is why I got the single stage.

[RVenick]

That is my one other issue with the Pro 1000, as it sounds as if you have to order indexing carriers for quick switch out. They look to be about $35 per, if not how time consuming is it to switch a plate to the indexing carrier?It is not that big of a deal to just change out the shellplate might add a few minutes. I was able to buy the 2 whole shellplate carriers because me and a Bud split the cost because we both load the we same cals. The 9mm and 40SW use the same shellplate as do the 38/357.

[SteveW-II]

I had a couple of Pro-1000s in the past. Once they work, they work well. When they don't work, well, they are pretty frustrating. The good news is, once they do work well, they stay that way until you do something outrageous like change caliber.

If you can afford it, get one for each pistol caliber you want to load for. I consider them to be an inexpensive press.. I didn't ever load rifle on them.

If there was anyone who could make a radio out of a kitchen phone and sell it to the public, it would be Richard Lee.

[Roccobro]

If you can afford it, get one for each pistol caliber you want to load for. I consider them to be an inexpensive press.. I didn't ever load rifle on them.

That is my feeling too. Kinda like a Dillon Square Deal B in my book. Cheap enough for a single caliber, good enough to keep around if you leave it that way.

How about you buy a used/borrow a .38 Pro1000 and see how it goes?

Justin

[ants]

Depending upon the calibers, you may change two things: The shellplate and the priming chute.

It takes me 3 minutes to change the parts, and another minute to adjust the timing.

You don't need a second shellplate carrier unless you just want it. I have two, but hardly ever use the second one.

[evan price]

I load all my pistol with a Pro-1000; as others have said, it does have it's quirks and if you are not mechanically inclined it can be frustrating.

The two biggest "problems" (or , maybe, unintended features? :lol:) are the gravity-feed primer drop, and timing the shellplate.

The gravity feed primer system is actually used on every press iirc. Lee's issue with Pro1K is that the primer chute has a steep curve that turns nearly level at the end. If you don't have a column of primers in the chute, the ones past the curve stop moving and you get fail to feed a primer errors, and as pointed out, if you miss a primer you then dump powder through the flash hole into the recess under the shellplate where the primers feed. This causes more jams, sideways primers, and frustration. The simple solution to this is to keep the primer tray full. If you see your tray is empty, STOP LOADING and refill it instead of trying to run it empty. If you know you're needing more than 100 shells, just stop and refill when you need to instead of running it empty. If you need to empty the primer chute, a dental pick or any other slender tool works to help push the last few primers into place.

Timing the shellplate is also a problem because if you have the timing too advanced or retarded the shell's primer pocket won't align properly with the primer punch when you go to press in a primer. Then you get sideways or upside down primers. You want to have the shellplate stop moving before the primer punch starts to move upwards. The proper method of timing the Pro1K is to advance the shellplate slowly until the steel ball bearing that is the index stop drops into the slot and pulls the shellplate ahead by itself. Then screw the screw another half turn. Usually this is dead nuts right on. As long as you do not take apart the carrier (or break a plastic timing gear) your timing should be good to go. Plastic timing gears usually strip out due to people trying to adjust the timing while the shellplate is still locked to the ratchet. Or, somebody forces something when it jams. Otherwise, what some people call "Cheap-sh*t mickey mouse plastic parts" seem to me to last a very long time. In over 20,000 rounds I have yet to replace a set. If there's a jam, find out what the problem is, don't just force the press handle until something pops.

Other problems with the Pro-1K are pretty simple.

For example, the finished round chute tends to have finished rounds that do not slide down and fall out. If you lightly buff the chute with ultrafine sandpaper and give it a bit of spray silicone lube, no more hung up rounds.

If you have cases that do not slide well on the case feeder horn, the same thing there. Lightly buff the top of the case feeder horn, and sparingly lubricate the bottom of the rails where the slider slides. If you lube the top of the horn it is possible that long cases may be more prone to slip out of place and you get feed jams.

If your cases do not slide into the shellplate, adjust the angle of the "Z" bar and "Z"bar link until it firmly pushes the case in and compresses the "Z" bar link spring.

Sometimes I've had spent primers build up under the press to the point that no more can fit. I drilled a large hole under the press in my work top. I took a large pill bottle from the pharmacy (with childproof lid) and drilled the same size hole in the lid. I superglued the lid to the bottom of the worktop. The jar threads onto the lid, and can be removed to cump out the caught primers.

I've also had primers get stuck in the ram or bounce and wind up under the shellplate carrier, on top of the red base of the press up by the "LEE" logo. Then the primer punch won't be activated to press the primer all the way up into the case. Keep those areas clean and free of grit and dirt. I clean the ram and lube with silicone spray. I also lube the right rear upright (with the notches where the primer feed chute jiggle pin rubs- I wore out a jiggle pin!), the ram cylinder, the finished round chute, and the ratchet & gear with some silicone spray. Don't use any lube on the primer feed chute except some powdered graphite and remove any excess. Be careful not to overspray lube into the primer feed, because it just gums up the works.

I currently have 4 shellplate carrier assemblies- one for .45acp, one for 9mm/.40S&W, one for .38/.357, and one for .223 Rem. When I need to load .30 carbine or .44 mag/special or something else, I pick a carrier that has the right primer feeder and just swap the plate. I don't load those that often.

I found that by having a ready-to-go shellplate carrier with all the right primer feed and case feed parts ready to go in a box I can do a caliber conversion in about two minutes flat (especially since I've found a common powder load that works with about 6 different calibers). That way the timing is right, the parts are right, and you can start making good ammo immediately. I also have 4 different auto-disk powder measures and leave them set for certain common drops. One is a double-disk unit, the others single. All my rifle dies have powder-feed dies in the turret, ready to go. Another advantage is that my Lee Turret press uses the same turret plates as the Pro-1K does- simple to change stuff around.

Another advantage is that the press is light enough and simple enough I can mount it on a mobile stand and put it wherever I want to reload- I've been known to take it out on the porch and enjoy the cool evening air while pulling the handle.

I average between 250-350 rounds per hour depending on how tall the rounds are. Tall stuff like .357 or .223 take longer because the tall cases like to fall over while being pushed into the shellplate if you really work it hard.

The bullet feeder accessory is not worth having. Seriously. You have to manually feed each bullet tail-down in the tube- it doesn't have a "collator-funnel" like the case feeder does. Plus you get better feel when you do it yourself.

As far as loading the case feeder tubes, a $10 "Case Collator Funnel" optional accessory is worth having- it sits atop all 4 case feeder tubes. You can literally just dump a handfull of fresh cases in there periodically while you load and let the jiggle of the press fill the tubes for you. No need to prefill spare tubes or anything.

In short: The pro1K: you get what you pay for, but when it works, it works well.

Is it a Dillon? No, it's not. It will load as good of ammo as a Dillon. You can buy 4-5 Pro1K's for the price of a Dillon, and let's not get started on the cost of a Dillon caliber conversion. The advantage of a DIllon is that it will flat out work every time. As I say many times over, look at it this way:

The Lee press is the Sears Craftsman lawn mower. The Dillon is the John Deere or Kubota lawn mower. Some guys need the reliability and ruggedness of a piece of commercial equipment- the Deere or Kubota are the choice for them. Then there's guys like me who don't have the money or require the reliabilty. The Craftsman works for guys like us. Not that there's anything wrong with a John Deere, it's just the cost/benefit analysis says it's not worth the extra expense.

[JCisHe]

Pro 1000 is only good if you use it after you have deprimed, tumbled, sized, and primed...

Then I just hand feed each round into the carousel and powder/bell and then finally seat/crimp.

I do it all by hand and I don't have to worry about any malfunctions.

I take a lot of time prepping the cases and being sure they are good and then bang the last 2 (4) parts of the process out, measuring every 5-10th charge.

Don't prime on the 1000, you will want to rip it off the bench, but if you just use its progressive features to speed up the last few processes it really works great for pistol cartridges. The way I do it I don't have to worry about feeding the cases into those stupid tubes. I just tip the ammo boxes upside down and shake it a bit then open them (upside down) grab one at a time and feed it.

Might sound like it's defeating the purpose but it really speeds things up (compared to my single stage). Then, finally... inspect and wipe each loaded cartridge and place back in the ammo boxes.

I can do, 300 an hour that way (already sized and primed).

Maybe that will help you.

I found some problems with the 3 hole turret when I used it. I kept getting +/- .001-.003 with good brass. I really can't stand it...

That's my .02

God Bless,
Beau

[flynlr]

I do every step loading .223 except Priming. and I use the 1000 only for .223 oddly enough I use a single stage for my .40cal

[Nate1778]

Thanks guys, at this point I know I am going to go progressive. After hunting around a bit last evening I definitely saw I need to wait till product becomes more available. I am going to wait till the bubble pops and at that point start looking. I just can't justify paying top retail for a press right now with a perfectly good press mounted to the bench. As soon as I run into a deal on either a Pro 1000 or a Loadmaster I will snatch it up.

[Walkalong]

I have used neither, but I would vote Loadmaster over Pro 1000. I have owned a Lee turret press, and it did a good job.

[OrangePwrx9]

+1 on 45Badger's post. Also, JCisHe may be onto something with just using them to finish the job.

Before the Pro-1000, I would reload to relax. With them, reloading was anything but relaxing.

I had two. Reloaded .223, 9mm, .357 and .44 Mag. Gave them both away. They worked fine for the first year or so, but when things got busy at work they'd sit for a month or two....and apparently "stiffen up". Each time you tried to get them going again, there were more headaches. Lots of issues with priming. The autoindex often led to powder spills from .44 Mag. cases...a mess to clean up. Spent more time recovering from loader issues than reloading. When my old single stage RCBS began to look good, I got rid of them both.

Saving now for an RL550B. Would've been cheaper, in the long run, to have bought a Dillon to begin with.
Bob

[Racinbob]

JCisHe is thinking like me. I'm thinking of a Pro-1000 for the final steps. I intend to de-prime/size in my single stage. Prime with my handheld then finish up on the Pro-1000.

[ForneyRider]

JCisHe is thinking like me. I'm thinking of a Pro-1000 for the final steps. I intend to de-prime/size in my single stage. Prime with my handheld then finish up on the Pro-1000.

Did several this way and it works great. Always good to have a single stage on hand, and Progressive is nice when you want to speed things up.

[Lloyd Smale]

Like 45bager said if you are stuck on getting either of the lee progressives your first step should be seeing your doctor to get some blood pressure medicine.