Lee Pro 1000 or Pro 4000

I prefer the 4000 also, just for the 4th station. The alignment pin for the shell plate that both new models have is a major improvement over old model pro 1000. Don't like the safety primer system though.

you will hate the slow lee pro 4000 priming system. I would get the Dillion SQuare .38. Much better priming, powder drop, and better built. So much plastic parts on the Lee 4000. Lee’s powder drop is a joke, and I can’t get .223 FCD to work on the 4000. And the amount of adjusting and tinkering…. my Lee Pro 4000 will be a dedicated Black powder press, were it’s more tolerable to imperfections

Creed Bennett said:

sold all my Dillon equipment because I didn’t see a need to load that much ammo in the foreseeable future.

I had great luck with the 1000 and was going to just get another one when I found out about the 4000 option. The price difference is negligible between the 1000 and the 4000 so I decided to come here and ask you guys which way to go.

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Pro 1000 was updated around 2019 with these features:

• Flat base with through ram spent primer collection (Addressed pesky spent primer collection issue)
• Holes through shell plate with index pin (Addressed index timing adjustment issue)
• Counter-clockwise rotated position of press/dies (Improved visualization of powder charge at station #3)
• Retains improved ram linkage for greater leverage
• Retains ergonomic roller handle for left/right hand operation
• Retains ram under station #1 (Reduces shell plate tilt/deflection under heavy resizing force for more consistent OAL)
• Retains 3 hole turret for fast caliber change
• Can perform separate seat and crimp operations by using pre-resized/primed brass (Powder charge/flare at station #1, Seat bullet at station #2, Crimp at station #3)
• Limited to loading short rifle cartridges (.223, 7.62x39, .300 BLK)

Pro 4000 (Kit version of Auto Breech Lock Pro) was released with these features:

• 4 stations for separate seat and crimp operations
• Uses breech lock bushings for fast caliber change
• Uses safety prime with small/large primer feet that allows fastest primer change (Hands down) and once properly adjusted, will feed primer down to the last one in the chute
• All tools and primer feet are stored on board built-in tray
• Flat base with through ram spent primer collection
• Holes through shell plate with index pin on press body for no adjustment auto index - If shell plate hole is not lined up with pin, back the ram/lever a bit and index auto adjusts to pin
• Improved ram linkage for greater leverage and ergonomic roller handle for left/right hand operation
• Ram under station #1
• Uses spring instead of Z bar for more positive tension on case slider
• Uses universal case feeder
• Improved shell plate index system to eliminate hex nylon slider of Pro 1000
• Solid ram/press operation to eliminate play of Pro 1000
• Improved finished round kick out design for 100% release of finished round into collection bin (Only flaw for ABLP/Pro 4000 is bin requires flap to prevent some rounds from bouncing out of bin - I used foam sheet padding inside bin for silent capture of finished rounds)
• Limited to loading short rifle cartridges (.223, 7.62x39, .300 BLK)

Pro 6000 (Kit version of Six Pack press) will be "Available late August 2022" - https://leeprecision.com/pro-6000-six-pack-reloading-press/

• 6 stations
• Can load all long rifle cartridges
• Larger ram/linkage for increased leverage
• Holes through shell plate auto index with press body pin
• Uses breech lock bushings for fast caliber change
• New improved automatic priming system (From available photos, looks like new system captures individual primer to feed into station #2 instead of gravity column feeding of Pro 1000)
• Uses universal case feeder with spring on case slider
• Ram under station #1 design
• Spent primer collection through ram

I really believe the new Pro 6000 will be a game changer for the reloading world (On par with Dillon 750/Hornady LNL AP with extra station) and you should check it out before buying the Pro 4000. But if you are only loading pistol calibers with no plans for long rifle cartridges, then Pro 1000 may be sufficient.

9mmepiphany said:

I'm pretty surprised at your experience with the Autodrum. I've seen folks who have used the Autodrum on higher end Dillons. The included case feeder is a nice bonus...which isn't even an option on the Square Deal (SD)

The Dillon SD does have a better priming system. What put a kibosh on the SD for me was the small window and the proprietary dies.

While the Lee Breech Lock system isn't a nice was either the Hornady bushings or the Co-Ax system, it does make switching out dies very easy...I really like that flexibility

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The auto drum is not consistent. .223 is +\- 0.3 grains. The case feed for .223 is finicky, brass popping out when you think you got it zeroed.

Don’t like it!

Mark_Mark said:

The auto drum is not consistent. .223 is +\- 0.3 grains. The case feed for .223 is finicky, brass popping out when you think you got it zeroed.

Don’t like it!

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I've got an AutoDrum, been using it for 5-6 years.

Your experience of +/- .3 gr is not what I've experienced.

Even with extruded powders, IMR4895 and the like, I get much closer tolerance. With 2400 I am dropping dead on almost every time, or +/- .1gr max.
With ball powders like WC844 (H335) I set it up and check the drop, then run it. It is very accurate, usually dead on, or as dead on as my 5-0-5 can measure.

With Promo - a big flake powder- I can still run +/- .1gr.

I love the AutoDrum, and even the AutoDisc although I have less experience with the latter.

Mark_Mark said:

The auto drum is not consistent. .223 is +\- 0.3 grains. The case feed for .223 is finicky, brass popping out when you think you got it zeroed.

Don’t like it!

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Not my experience at all. Very consistent.

I own and use both the Pro1000 and the Pro4000 ABLP. I purchased the Pro4000 because I needed the 4th station for loading my cast lead and plated 45ACP loads because I needed the Lee FCD. Otherwise all my 9mm, 380, and 38Spl all get loaded on the Pro1000..

Yes I fully use the Pro1000 exactly the way it was meant to be used and that includes priming on the press. In this press I use all Lee standard 3 die pistol set dies. I also use the Auto Drum measure and 2 other Auto Disk measures.

Last time I loaded 9mm on the Pro1000 I ran 1800 primers thru it w/o a single primer mishap. so I am guessing my doesn't work correctly. I also have certain loads developed with powders that I can use the Auto Disk and run like the devil is after me as it drops within .1gr of target point and that slight variance plays no impact on loads accuracy. and that is with HP-38, AA#2, AA#5, and Ramshot Silhouette.

With the Lee Auto Drum measure I use it on my pistol loads and on my 223 loads and once again using the 3 pistol powders and TAC, 2460 and benchmark powders and sadly it holds to .05 grain with all these powders. It is so consistent that it is actually boring. So it too must not be functioning properly.

My personal opinion is that if Lee would release the updated Pro1000 press as a stand alone item and not have to order the whole kit I would replace my old red base model and be happy as a pig in mud. Also my opinion is that the Pro4000 is a cross between the Pro1000 and the 4 hole Value Turret press w/o the turret tool head.

Maybe I got a lemon Pro 4000 or my setup is off, or I’m being picky. In any case, I’m done with Lee Progressive, but, it’s going to be a dedicated Black Powder press!

Wham Bham said:

Lee 4000. They are great until it comes time to change calibers- it takes a good hour or so to swap everything and fine tune the dies.

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No. You are supposed to have different caliber dies pre-loaded in breech lock bushings so caliber change takes seconds with just swapping pre-loaded dies without need to adjust the dies.

Auto Breech Lock Pro allows easiest and fastest caliber change, hands down.

Mark_Mark said:

Maybe I got a lemon Pro 4000 or my setup is off, or I’m being picky. In any case, I’m done with Lee Progressive, but, it’s going to be a dedicated Black Powder press!

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Mark,
I don't think you got a lemon, I think your comparing it to the Dillon's you already have and like and you can't do that.
They are not Dillon's or LNL-APs.
Then you picked the most difficult case to run through it and expected it to run good.
I think you were expecting to much.

Now, black powder press, what caliber? You'll have the same problem with the simular shaped cases as the 5.56 in the case feeder.
Make sure there is no steel in the powder measure. Black powder measures are brass, aluminum, and plastic non ferrous, non sparking metals.
Some say you don't need to worry about this but I don't agree. Every company that make powder measures make a brass and aluminum one for black powder, there has to be a reason for that.
You'll need to mount your powder measure up high and use a long drop tube to get it to the die.

Do you know what your getting into with this?

I might be tempted to wait for the upcoming 6000 press, assuming you wanted to go with Lee.

9mmepiphany, Thanks for the reminder. Mark got me off on a tangent.
The ABLP will load 9mm very well.
Edit to add, I would be very tempted to see how the Pro 6000 works before buying, if it ever makes it to the market.

+ 1 on the Pro 4000!!! I have it and like how it operates! I think LiveLife's description in both post 6 and 13 say it all!!!

I am also very interested in finding out about the Pro 6000 when it gets released or someone creates a video on it!!!

That's a lot better than the $500.00 MSRP from Lee. Now just get them in stock, Lee!

Live Life has some reviewing to do.

Granted both my 1000s are early models. I absolutely despise the priming system. Worst part of the whole design. I grew up with a Star progressive so I’m a little spoiled. Never used the Auto Drum but the Auto Disc has been fine. Four holes are pretty much necessary for auto loader cases. I’ve mothballed my two except for the rare occasion I need to run a big batch and then I size and prime on a single stage and set the Lee up for powder one #1, seat on two and crimp on three.
I had a Loadmaster and it was a fiddlers dream.
I do just fine with my Lyman All American, myRock Chucker and for small test batches my Lee four hole turret.
I shoot mostly shotgun now and MEC progressives are sports cars to Lee’s Geo Metros.
If you love ‘em and they work for you, you have my sincere admiration. I’m old and have lost my old desire to constantly tinker with stuff. BTW, I’ve been loading for 65 years, fifteen of them commercially, and can cast and load for about thirty different cartridges.

Not much to add to the thread, just watching it. I've been interested in a pro 4000 for 9mm loading, good to see all the reviews and experience! Thanks guys.

LiveLife said:

No. You are supposed to have different caliber dies pre-loaded in breech lock bushings so caliber change takes seconds with just swapping pre-loaded dies without need to adjust the dies.

Auto Breech Lock Pro allows easiest and fastest caliber change, hands down.

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I like the breech lock. Best thing of lee. Preset and easy

LiveLife said:

Auto Breech Lock Pro allows easiest and fastest caliber change, hands down.

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They are inexpensive enough that I have 2. One setup for 9 and one for 45acp.

Not much to add that hasn't been said.
Pro 4000 is a big NO for me, it's the extra step using that pez dispenser priming thing.
@Mark_Mark
Filing the powder measure flush to the disc, get a better seal for more consistent drops...
This pic is from the LEE site:

That and check that the drop tube is pressed into the body all the way to the shoulder, some measures were shipped that were not.

Priming problems on the Pro 1000
I have traced ALL my priming problems (on 4 different progressives) to, 2 things, debris from DE-PRIMING carried over to the priming station, and crimped primers being sucked back in while DE-PRIMING carried over to the priming station.
Both eliminated by DE-PRIMING all cases (and chamfering the crimps when I find them) before wet tumbling, before loading.
I too suggest waiting for the Pro 6000 called the Six-Pack by Lee...

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