Can't decide on progressive press

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cmcgehee

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I have been reloading on a Lee Classic 4 die press for the past couple years. I plan to jump to a progressive press and due to budget restraints I will have to stay with Lee products. I load only 45acp and 9mm and shoot 1200-1500 per month. I like the look and features of the Lee Loadmaster but wonder if I would not be better off with the Pro-1000 with the amount I am reloading. Most of the reviews I find on the Loadmaster are several years old so I am not sure how much they have improved in the last couple years if any. It seems that a lot of people have problems with them. Just as I get ready to pull the trigger, I read something else that says I maybe should go with the Pro-1000 and I am back to square one. I would love to hear from anyone that has used both as to their opinions.
 
Thanks, Load Master. Seems your set up is really running smooth. How much trouble is it to change calibers? The Load Master just looks to be a much heavier piece of equipment than the Pro-1000. I also like the idea of 5 die holes. I had just read so many negative statements about it but I also realize that some people would have problems operating an anvil. I don't mind tinkering in order to get things set right as long as they can be made right.
 
In my opinion the bad rap came from the early years of the Load Master. I have two of them. One is less than a year old, the other was new in the box but the guy I purchase from never opened the box in 5 years. The newer one worked great out of the box. The older one took some trouble shooting. Pretty easy with a good running one setting beside it. I found that the older one came with a miss timed shell plate and the primer pushing pin was undersized. Talked with Lee and they replaced the bad parts with good. It runs great now.

I know nothing about the Pro 1000, though it seems to have a good following of people that love them.

I have two presses, I have one setup for pistol and the other is for rifle. I can switch from 380acp, 9mm, to 45acp in less than 5 minutes and be running.
 
I was thinking that the age had something to do with complaints. Is that a 1/2" steel plate you have it mounted to?
 
CMC, depending on what your budget is, might want to look at the Hornady LNL also, been keeping a watch on it thru Amazon, now down to $382 from $413. Don't know if the drop is due to a summer sale of stock or ???
 
The plate I use for each press is 3/8 x 8 x 12. It is drilled and tapped for the press three mounting screws, 1/4-20. It is then bolted to the work bench with four 1/4-20 bolts. They work well to keep the press mounting stiff.
 
BBQreloader...By the time I add everything to load both 45 & 9mm to the Hornady it goes for a lot more than the $382. Besides, I already have all the dies I need for the Lee and also the auto-drum powder drop.
 
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I was thinking about doing something similar. I may just laminate two 1 x 12 x 24" oak boards together and then bolt it to my bench top. I don't need it to be movable, just stiffened up some. I can overhang my work bench about 1 1/2" and make a cutout for the main shaft.
 
OP, not trying to change your mind, but the LNL would not be a great deal more than the $382, or whatever price you can find it for.
Your dies will work, for the most part, in the LNL. The press brings the Hornady LNL powder measure system. About the only thing you may need to buy would be some more die bushings.
I have 2 friends that went from the Lee progressive to the LNL. I can't remember which model they had.
 
mstreddy said:
OP, not trying to change your mind, but the LNL would not be a great deal more than the $382, or whatever price you can find it for.
Your dies will work, for the most part, in the LNL. The press brings the Hornady LNL powder measure system. About the only thing you may need to buy would be some more die bushings.
I have 2 friends that went from the Lee progressive to the LNL. I can't remember which model they had.
Click to expand...
+1 on the LnL press. I recently made the move to a progressive press, from my reliable Lee LCT turret and it's been a great move. I'm sure I could of gotten the Lee progressives to work, but they seem require more "fiddling" to keep that way. The Hornady is built like a tank, I can still use all my Lee dies (just buy extra bushing to make quick changes), and I love the included powder measure.

If you figure in the 500 free bullets, there just wasn't much of a premium over the Lee products for a (IMO) superior press.
 
Since the OP is not asking for opinions on alternate brands of presses but rather should he get a pro1000 or load master my opinion is get the load master. We can assume that the OP is aware of the issues in operation of both and is willing to live with those issues.
 
I taught myself to reload on a Pro 1000. Currently there are 2 Loadmasters on my reloading bench, though I still have the Pro 1000 in a box. I had to tinker with every one of them to get them to run smoothly and mostly trouble free, but in the end they all work very well.

If you only ever plan to load jacketed or plated bullets the pro 1000 is fine. If you want to shoot coated or straight lead bullets I am a firm believer in seating and "crimping" separately and you just cant do that on the pro 1000 with it only having 3 stations. This was the reason I bought a loadmaster in the first place, so I could separate seating and crimping.

Now that I have loaded on the loadmaster I can definitely say I prefer it to the pro 1000. Having all the operations take place on the downstroke, the extra die station, quicker caliber changes (only by a little bit), and just being a more robust press are some of the reasons.

Probably the single biggest complaint about the loadmaster is the priming system, but its the part I like the best. The way the system is designed its best to work the handle slow and smooth, if you do you shouldn't have trouble with it. Being able to adjust primer seating depth is great as I like a deeply seated primer with a very light pre-crush, helps lightly sprung guns stay 100% reliable.
 
If I compare the LNL to the Loadmaster: Loadmaster with case feeder...LnL without. Using existing dies for either. Loadmaster: $444.00....LnL: $587.00. This is less difference than I expected so it is probably worth my considering coming up with a little more money. I have not read many reviews on the LnL but seems like they are mostly all good.
 
cmcgehee said:
If I compare the LNL to the Loadmaster: Loadmaster with case feeder...LnL without. Using existing dies for either. Loadmaster: $444.00....LnL: $587.00. This is less difference than I expected so it is probably worth my considering coming up with a little more money. I have not read many reviews on the LnL but seems like they are mostly all good.
Click to expand...
Don't know where you are getting your pricing from but right now Cabelas has the LnL press kit complete for $383.00, and lower price on the Loadmaster. And don't forget the 500 free bullets that come along for the ride with the LnL.
 
Where are you buying from? You can purchase the Lee Load Master for well under $300 as a complete kit including dies.
 
I have 3 Lee Pro 1000's... learned on one started with .223

Never an issue.. well.. besides the lee Bullet feeder for the Pro 1000... that was an event...LOL. so that sits idle.. but was only $25 so no big loss

I use all 3... and also my dillon 650
1 for 9mm
1 for 357/38s... I swap the turrets between caliber, very easy
1 NOW for Case prep of .223, The dillon does the rest with a case and bullet feeder

I love my 1000's.... price is good... and have never had any real issues with them...

P.S.
Is easy to load 100-300/hr of the 9mm... Case feeder works well and holds about 25 cases per tube, so 100 total. so only down time is adding primers(i just fill 2 trays so can do over 300 fast) and adding cases... but cases tubes fill fast with the included sorter (add the mod of a small piece of cardbored or penny to assist in keeping cases Butt down)

Hope this helps
 
Looks like I have talked myself into going with Lock n Load after reading reviews and considering $161.00 in free bullets. Thanks for all the advice.:D
 
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