Lee 6000 press

[9mmepiphany]

That is one thing that has me worried also, Lee is trying to re-design some things on the fly and doing it fast, so are the presses that are being sold now, updated or do we have to find out the hard way after we buy them. I guess keeping in contact with Lee would be the best choice with this press design being so new.
Like you said we are the beta testers for Lee and I guess this goes along with that role.

It's a role I willingly accept...but then I like to fiddly with my press to see what it will, and won't, do. That it one of the reasons I went with the Hornady instead of the Dillon when I decided to get a progressive press

The Lee progressive family is completely new to me. I have a Classic Cast single stage, the APP and the ACP, but I just never warmed up to the Pro 1k or the Loadmaster. What I'm saying is that most of what prior users might accept as normal is really new to me...like remembering to "close" the powder measure reservoir before lifting it off the powder measure body.

The biggest thing I'm having to adjust to is working in the tighter spaces of the Pro-6k

 

[LiveLife]

The Lee progressive family is completely new to me

What I'm saying is that most of what prior users might accept as normal is really new to me

You are quite fortunate to be starting out with SPP/Pro 6000 that essentially has all the previous generation progressive press issues/concerns addressed (primer system and index timing for example).

While you are becoming familiar with press operations, go at the speed you can see and confirm reliable operation at each station before increasing the speed of production.

 

[trdjohn]

Are you de-priming in station one?
I have found primer "dust" gets around/under the priming pin when de-priming in station one. (on my Pro 1000)
That dust can get between the shoulder on the pin and the carrier, preventing the pin from moving down completely.
Trying removing/cleaning the priming pin and lube the bottom half of the pin where it slides thru the carrier.
If that's not the case for you, nevermind.

As far as the bent/kinked (primer) spring, find a piece of stiff poly tubing that the will fit inside that spring, cut it somewhat shorter than the internal length of the spring, and insert it into the spring.
Some have used a straw from a WD 40 spray can for this.
That should stiffen it up and somewhat straighten out the kink.

As to the case feed spring removal
I have cut off a bit of the ends of spring eyes with a cutoff wheel in a Dremel for easier hooking/unhooking.
You could snip of the end with wire dikes but that will ruin the dikes because the spring wire is almost as hard as the dike jaws.
good luck on your quest,

.

I deprime on APP and then wet tumble, but good to know nonetheless

I'll have to hunt for a piece of tubing, heard that before, but totally forgot about it. See if that'll work in a pinch.

I'll have to get get out my snips or dremel and try that...thanks for the tips.

John

 

[Gillie Dog]

Please tell me more about this "tool"

Well, long winded but here you are.

I took a long, 10 inch or so, small black cable tie and ground off the head sides so it was a little narrower than a small primer. Then ground off the top so it was a little shorter than a primer. It fit easily into primer trough. Had to fiddle with it a little bit by shaving off the trailing edge of the cable tie head so it would slide into the primer trough through the primer guide at a downward angle.

To use, I back up the primer slider raising the ram until the primer guide lines up with the trough (still holding a primer), take a tooth pick and slide the primers up the trough holding them up an eighth to quarter inch, this leaves one or two primers in bottom of trough but no weight pushing down. Insert the head of the cable tie through the primer guide pushing the primers up the trough, pull the tooth pick and push all the primers back into the primer tray. Then pull out the tray and cable tie still pushing up on cable tie and bring out cable tie with tray together, tail of cable tie sliding up and out of trough. Tip tray up, pull out cable tie and close tray so primers do not fall out. Done. Takes about 5 or 10 seconds.

Very crude, functions well.

GD

 

[9mmepiphany]

I got all my dies adjusted and installed today to give the press a trial run. I moved it up off my bench and onto the Quick Change plate on my Inline Fabrication Ultramount. I'm able to see everything much more clearly now; I'm hoping KMS (squared) comes out with an light system soon.

I now have a better understanding of why Lee offers a Riser for their powder measure. Having the measure mounted on the top plate really limits which direction it can be installed it due to the placement of other dies. I have the Spline locking bushings on order, so I'm not inadvertently pushing my dies out of adjustment

I was too impatient to figure out how to set up the powder through expander and went with my Lyman M-die. When Lee starts offering their stepped expanders, I'll be in for 9mm, .38Spl, and .45ACP....it will be right up there with purchasing their bullet feeder.

I really wanted to see the new primer feeding system in action; turned primers are the only distracting thing about the ACP...otherwise it has to be the best bench mounted priming tool out their for volume priming. I was also interested in seeing if there was any downside to using the same sized primer punch to seat LPP. To remove controllable variables, I used cases sorted by head stamp (. 45ACP, Xtreme, LPP) ...I only loaded 20 cases.

I'm happy to report that the primer feed is very reliable...I did blow/clean it out before starting. No inverted primers, no missed pickup, and smooth seating. Seating the primer is on the rams downstroke right after the case moves between Station 1 and Station 2, as you lift the handle and press it forward. You can easily feel the primer being seated fulling in the primer pocket.

Examining the seated primers (Federal LPP) afterwards revealed a smooth face and no signs of indention from the smaller punch. Primers aren't going to get much softer than Federal Match, so I'm very happy with the primer seating system

 

[trdjohn]

Well, long winded but here you are.

I took a long, 10 inch or so, small black cable tie and ground off the head sides so it was a little narrower than a small primer. Then ground off the top so it was a little shorter than a primer. It fit easily into primer trough. Had to fiddle with it a little bit by shaving off the trailing edge of the cable tie head so it would slide into the primer trough through the primer guide at a downward angle.

To use, I back up the primer slider raising the ram until the primer guide lines up with the trough (still holding a primer), take a tooth pick and slide the primers up the trough holding them up an eighth to quarter inch, this leaves one or two primers in bottom of trough but no weight pushing down. Insert the head of the cable tie through the primer guide pushing the primers up the trough, pull the tooth pick and push all the primers back into the primer tray. Then pull out the tray and cable tie still pushing up on cable tie and bring out cable tie with tray together, tail of cable tie sliding up and out of trough. Tip tray up, pull out cable tie and close tray so primers do not fall out. Done. Takes about 5 or 10 seconds.

Very crude, functions well.

GD

Very clever! I had been using toothpick to slide them up yup take pressure off the primer guide, but couldn't come up with something flexible...but zip tie seems like it is more than good enough

 

[LiveLife]

primer slide didn't slide the primer full onto the primer pin. I did 4 or 5 more, each having difficulty getting the primer over/onto the pin. If I pushed the primer slide with my finger, while lifting the shell plate a tad, it would eventually enter correctly.

Before anything, cycle the ram several times while watching the spring end of primer slider to see if it is contacting/hanging up on the four holddown tabs of primer slider channel/trough. Primer slider with guide should slide smoothly without hesitation but if spring end makes contact with the tabs, slider movement will hesitate/hang up.

If this is the case, solution is narrowing the spring end with pliers to clear the tabs (Lee has already started narrowing the spring end) - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...r-oal-consistency.911743/page-5#post-12454989

But I think something else is going on with your press since guide is hanging up on the priming rod/pin.

Removed the shell plate ... tip of the primer guide hangs up on the priming pin. I futzed around pushing the pin by hand, and it seemed to move up and down okay, but on one press I could hear the primer pin spring, twang just a bit, and then the pin started to move more smoothly

Priming rod/pin should move up and down freely and if not, there may be something that's preventing the rod/pin from moving freely (Debri in the priming rod/pin hole and/or bottom of shellplate carrier cover).

With the shellplate carrier raised, actuate the priming rod/pin with your finger to see if top drops down so primer guide won't hit it. If tip of priming rod/pin sticks up to block the primer guide, you will need to disassemble the shellplate carrier covers to clear the debri from the hole/bottom cover.

Instructions for disassembling the shellplate carrier covers are here (See #4) - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...ing-for-oal-consistency.911743/#post-12443441

Once you separate the covers, you will see priming rod with spring on top of bottom cover

And check the bottom of priming rod/pin hole and clear any debri. Now, priming rod/pin should drop all the way down to clear the primer guide. Reassembly of shellplate carrier covers is reverse of disassembly.

 

[LiveLife]

I'm happy to report that the primer feed is very reliable ... No inverted primers, no missed pickup, and smooth seating.

You can easily feel the primer being seated fulling in the primer pocket ... smooth face and no signs of indention from the smaller punch. Primers aren't going to get much softer than Federal Match, so I'm very happy with the primer seating system

Nice!

 

[Tilos]

I deprime on APP and then wet tumble, but good to know nonetheless

I'll have to hunt for a piece of tubing, heard that before, but totally forgot about it. See if that'll work in a pinch.

I'll have to get get out my snips or dremel and try that...thanks for the tips.

John

Thanks for reading/quoting my post.
Lubing the priming pin may still improve its operation, worth a try.
And follow what @LiveLife suggests.
jmo,
.

 

[LiveLife]

Update to post #407 - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/lee-6000-press.905987/page-17#post-12467793

primer slide didn't slide the primer full onto the primer pin. I did 4 or 5 more, each having difficulty getting the primer over/onto the pin. If I pushed the primer slide with my finger, while lifting the shell plate a tad, it would eventually enter correctly.

I think I may have identified the solution to your problem to try.

When I disassembled the shellplate carrier covers to take picture of priming rod/pin and bottom of hole then reassembled the shellplate carrier covers, I didn't follow my own instructions and forgot to tighten the bottom panhead screw before tightening the two flathead screws on top.

What this did was to tilt the top shellplate carrier cover and would rub on the priming rod/pin to not smoothly move up and down and also would catch on the primer guide, just like how you described.

So loosen the two flathead screws on top and bottom panhead screw and first tighten the bottom screw then the top screws. Also, apply some downward pressure on the case/primer slider arms to better align the priming rod/pin with the hole in the top shellplate carrier cover.

Once screws are tight, raise the shellplate carrier and push up on the priming rod/pin to ensure it is moving up and down freely without rubbing or catching the primer guide. If you notice rubbing or primer guide catching/being pushed up, loosen the screws and apply little bit more pressure on the case/primer slider arms while you tighten the screws.

Let us know if this resolves your issue.

 

[trdjohn]

Update to post #407 - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/lee-6000-press.905987/page-17#post-12467793


I think I may have identified the solution to your problem to try.

When I disassembled the shellplate carrier covers to take picture of priming rod/pin and bottom of hole then reassembled the shellplate carrier covers, I didn't follow my own instructions and forgot to tighten the bottom panhead screw before tightening the two flathead screws on top.

What this did was to tilt the top shellplate carrier cover and would rub on the priming rod/pin to not smoothly move up and down and also would catch on the primer guide, just like how you described.

So loosen the two flathead screws on top and bottom panhead screw and first tighten the bottom screw then the top screws. Also, apply some downward pressure on the case/primer slider arms to better align the priming rod/pin with the hole in the top shellplate carrier cover.

Once screws are tight, raise the shellplate carrier and push up on the priming rod/pin to ensure it is moving up and down freely without rubbing or catching the primer guide. If you notice rubbing or primer guide catching/being pushed up, loosen the screws and apply little bit more pressure on the case/primer slider arms while you tighten the screws.

Let us know if this resolves your issue.

Thanks a lot for the detailed info
I'll try later today or tomorrow to work on the press and let you all know what I find.

 

[GW Staar]

Well here's the almost finished mods I came up with for that problem......already showed my rifle collator bowl, but I just finished fixing the "tube size" problem. The first step was to get 5/8" thinwall tubing into it. The bottom part just slips over the Lee four-way base. The top part I had to change the tube outlet on the shaker bowl by cutting off all but 3/4" of it. Why? Because the Lee plastic would not handle drilling it out and that lower part was reduced in diameter to fit the old too small 9/16" tubes. Then I made a new part that screws on from inside the bowl. Picture and Video below:

View attachment 1116048
Sorry for the lack of 5/8" tubing.....all I have is leftover little pieces.....good enough for the design and test......real ones on order.


Only two ways so far to have both....1. buy two shakers and modify one of them. 2. Make two more top and bottom piece but made to fit the smaller tube. Either way isn't that hard, being that Lee's product is pretty inexpensive. I'll probably make the new parts and buy another shaker, just to see which option I like better.

Now that SPP/Pro 6000 can load all large rifle calibers including magnums using same ram/linkage/lever from .50 cal single stage press, when I mentioned the issue of case feed tubes being not large enough during telephone call with Calvin, he said they are already aware of the issue and working on the case feeder/tubes.

Good to know! Will be interesting to see how Lee attacks the problem.....a second collator, or just parts to convert existing ones.

 

[trdjohn]

Thanks for reading/quoting my post.
Lubing the priming pin may still improve its operation, worth a try.
And follow what @LiveLife suggests.
jmo,
.

and @LiveLife

Small update, all day I've been thinking about what has been written so far, decided I'd start w/ easy potential fixes and progress if they didn't help.

Only had a little time this evening...I wiped out the primer guide/slide trough (there wasn't much gunk in it), cut the plastic nozzle tube from compressed air can, slide it into the primer feed spring, changed out the small primer guide for the extra one Lee had in my kit, pressed the primer seating pin by hand half dozen times. I also squeezed the primer slide spring eye closer together, it didn't touch the bumps along the trough everytime, but it did occasionally. Then I cycled the press and things seemed okay. So I loaded up 15 primers, intending to run 10 cases and it finished all 10 rounds w/o a hiccup from the primer feed. Now 10 isn't definitive, but it was better than last night. If I get more time Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon/evening I'll try and run a few hundred. I'm still going to order a few primer feed springs as back up. And if I get more hiccups along the way this week, I'm prepared to tear it down thanks to LiveLife's great instructions.

Oh...The breech lock makes it a snap to pour out your auto drum and powder hopper...that's worth 1/2 the price of admission right there.

Thx again guys.

 

[LiveLife]

So I loaded up 15 primers, intending to run 10 cases and it finished all 10 rounds w/o a hiccup from the primer feed.

That's great!

And if I get more hiccups along the way this week, I'm prepared to tear it down thanks to LiveLife's great instructions.

And if you run into any "hiccups", we are here to provide tech support.

Oh...The breech lock makes it a snap to pour out your auto drum and powder hopper

Nice. Very good point.

 

[Gillie Dog]

Oh...The breech lock makes it a snap to pour out your auto drum and powder hopper...that's worth 1/2 the price of admission right there.

You are so correct. Being a little slow, I did not figure that out until the second run on this new press. I used turn off the hopper and have to operate the measure enough times to empty it, not very expeditious. Much better now......................


GD

 

[9mmepiphany]

The breech lock makes it a snap to pour out your auto drum and powder hopper...that's worth 1/2 the price of admission right there.

Only if you remember to rotate it while not grabbing the measure, but rather the bushing itself...other wise you change all your settings. That is why I ordered several Spline Drive bushings

 

[Tilos]

and @LiveLife

Small update, all day I've been thinking about what has been written so far, decided I'd start w/ easy potential fixes and progress if they didn't help.

Only had a little time this evening...I wiped out the primer guide/slide trough (there wasn't much gunk in it), cut the plastic nozzle tube from compressed air can, slide it into the primer feed spring, changed out the small primer guide for the extra one Lee had in my kit, pressed the primer seating pin by hand half dozen times. I also squeezed the primer slide spring eye closer together, it didn't touch the bumps along the trough everytime, but it did occasionally. Then I cycled the press and things seemed okay. So I loaded up 15 primers, intending to run 10 cases and it finished all 10 rounds w/o a hiccup from the primer feed. Now 10 isn't definitive, but it was better than last night. If I get more time Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon/evening I'll try and run a few hundred. I'm still going to order a few primer feed springs as back up. And if I get more hiccups along the way this week, I'm prepared to tear it down thanks to LiveLife's great instructions.

Oh...The breech lock makes it a snap to pour out your auto drum and powder hopper...that's worth 1/2 the price of admission right there.

Thx again guys.

Good news for sure
With what primers cost and being almost unattainable, whenever I debug a priming system, I use spent primers that I have cleaned.
I press them in and out many times because if I crush one, nothing lost.
jmo,
.

 

[Gillie Dog]

Only if you remember to rotate it while not grabbing the measure, but rather the bushing itself...other wise you change all your settings. That is why I ordered several Spline Drive bushings

Yep, I ordered a bunch before I even had the press so could just change the dies and measures into the clamp style breech lock when removing from the other press.
There have been comments earlier about what good the o'ring bushings will actually be.

GD

 

[9mmepiphany]

There have been comments earlier about what good the o'ring bushings will actually be

I don't think they are a bad choice for a reloader who gets his dies setup "just so" and doesn't touch them again. The O-rings allows minor adjustments without having to loosen the locking ring. Of course, that sort of defeats the advantage of the breech lock system...easy die placement changes; but then, how many folks do that (other than Hornady users)

The O-ring bushings can be conveniently use with dies that don't have critical settings. Even with my Hornady LNL, I'll use them for the Powder Check and Universal Decapping dies. Even the Sizing die isn't setting critical...it just has to be screwed in all the way until it touches the shell plate

 

[GW Staar]

There's uses.....but not my choice for a die set I want to set once and forget about.......see ... that's the problem when you approach "old".... what you forget can hurt you.

 

[Gillie Dog]

Of course, that sort of defeats the advantage of the breech lock system...easy die placement changes; but then, how many folks do that (other than Hornady users)

Um, that would be me. All of my rifle dies are breech lock old steel clamp style to go in Classic Cast breech lock press. And then now with the experimentation with this press and six sets of pistol dies pre set in breech lock clamp style bushings and ready to go including powder measure. Sizing die set, station 1, and FCD, station 6, set to have equal shell plate contact without having to fiddle with them each time. Measure/flare ready to go. All of them just tighten into breech lock without movement of die in the bushing and you can use the die itself to tighten into the tool head without fear of movement. Set the powder measure volume, bullet seating length and you are ready to go. Powder check die maybe use o'ring bushing because of setting each load but why fight it installing having it twisting around, maybe if you do not remove it each caliber change it would be okay.

Even the Sizing die isn't setting critical...it just has to be screwed in all the way until it touches the shell plate

I do not know, we will have to see how the sizing and FCDs either help or not COAL with this offset ram set up. Firmly setting the shell plate position at full up could be essential to COAL and having the sizing and FCD both pre set might give some confidence in consistency. (I am used to presses with positive up stops at each die location to assist in maintaining the shell plate location consistent with or without all stations full and to try to get consistent COALs.

I really do not know at this point and will learn as I go just like everyone else I guess. Just taking one variable out might help. My OCD taking over again.............

GD

 

[Bartojc]

I don't think they are a bad choice for a reloader who gets his dies setup "just so" and doesn't touch them again. The O-rings allows minor adjustments without having to loosen the locking ring.

That is my initial reaction too. For my situation I bought the press for strictly 9mm higher volume. For the near future this is all press will be used for. The o-ring bushings are fine for me. If I were changing calibers often I would prefer a locking ring to protect me from myself.

I can't see myself ever trusting swapping out the dies and trusting the breech lock bushings anyhow. I'd measure everything before running a batch. I do that now when swapping turrets even though I know nothing has changed.

Things change and I may use for something else, but right now the plan is to still do rifle and 45 Colt on the classic turret which already have a turret with dies ready to go.

-Jeff

 

[Gillie Dog]

For my situation I bought the press for strictly 9mm higher volume. For the near future this is all press will be used for. The o-ring bushings are fine for me. If I were changing calibers often I would prefer a locking ring to protect me from myself.

Yes, you guys are correct, not changing out calibers would be a good use for o'ring bushings. I was not thinking about that. I came from set up turrets for each caliber and was just thinking of changing calibers.
With these breech lock without the locating pin it will need to be seen if they are as consistent as located breech lock bushings or set turrets and if the o'rings inside the breech lock cavity will afford repeatability or not, or if the bushings bottom out retaining repeatability and the internal o'ring in the bushing cavity is just to prevent movement after insertion. Learn as we go.

Thanks for straightening me out.

GD

 

[ttabbal]

I've been running one of these for a couple weeks now. I've run a couple hundred each of 380 ACP, 38 special, and 308. For 308, I used pre-prepped brass, so no sizing die was used on the progressive. For bottleneck brass, it might be better to just keep that up. Size/trim etc as a separate process. Seems like a good fit for the APP, but for now I'll do it single stage or if I clean them up a bit first, maybe on the Pro6k with the feeder.

I started with a lot of pre-primed brass as I was migrating from a Pro 1000 and didn't have good luck with progressive priming on it. Those worked great, no trouble at all. Adjust the dies, lock them down, adjust and check the powder drop and lock-out die for the handguns, off to the races. I just removed the decapping pin for the pre-primed brass. As part of the migration, I added the 3D printed brass and bullet collators and bullet feed dies. Those really sped things up.

I then switched to unprimed brass and set up the primer feed. Initially, I had some trouble. I think the root cause was a small burr on the business end of the priming pin. That hung up on the carrier and would sometimes not move as freely as it should. That combined with the resulting pile of powder in there, caused feeding problems. After disassembling and cleaning everything out, I filed the burr off and it's been running great. I ran probably 200 small pistol primers and 150ish large rifle without any missfeeds after that. That said, I don't know that I can really blame Lee. I did run it before so that could have been caused by something I did. I'm mentioning it just in case someone else has a similar issue. If it happens again, perhaps I'll make a new one out of O1 steel and harden it, but for now it's running great.

Thanks to the poster that added disassembled photos of the press. It was pretty easy to get to the parts I needed to work on, partly as a result of seeing the parts layed out. I think it's probably worth while to get in there and clean things out every once in a while. And I can inspect that pin easily as part of the cleaning and lubrication.

 

[LiveLife]

Thanks to the poster that added disassembled photos of the press.

You are very welcome.

And welcome to THR.