carsonbm
Member
I am just going to get into reloading and would like to know of any weaknesses with the Lee Load-Master. I am going to reload 357 and winchester 30-30 to start with, any reponives will be appreciated.
LEE LOAD-MADSTER?
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Black Snowman
Member
I have one and I highly recommend not starting out on it. It works, but it's got a lot of things you have to tweek and lots of things that can go wrong. It helps to be pacient, detail oriented, and mechanicly inclined (or at least keep the directions handy every time you make a change on it).
If you absolutely HAVE to start out on a progressive I'd go with something like the Hornady L&L AP or a Dillon (particularly if you can find a used Dillon) because one is simpler in operation and setup, and the other has better support.
If you want to do quality ammo and decent volume with a press you can easily learn on, look to the turret presses. I like the Lee non-indexing. It will take you quite a while to get past the reloading learning curve and want something capable of more production. Even if you later get a progressive having a seperate press is still very handy.
If you absolutely HAVE to start out on a progressive I'd go with something like the Hornady L&L AP or a Dillon (particularly if you can find a used Dillon) because one is simpler in operation and setup, and the other has better support.
If you want to do quality ammo and decent volume with a press you can easily learn on, look to the turret presses. I like the Lee non-indexing. It will take you quite a while to get past the reloading learning curve and want something capable of more production. Even if you later get a progressive having a seperate press is still very handy.
lots of expendable plastic parts, that like to get ate up' and its inherently difficult to look at to troubleshoot. I progressed from a single stage, to a loadmaster, to a hornady LnL (w/new priming system), and now have invested in a dillon 650.
Couldnt be happier.
Couldnt be happier.
armabill
Member
I had a LoadMaster and got rid of it for a Dillon 550B.
Best decision I ever made.
Best decision I ever made.
I have had 3 of them. I think that they are the best press for the money. The weak link is the priming system. You prime on the upstroke which is the same stroke you size, seat, and crimp on so it is very hard to "feel" the primer seat. That said, if you have the press adjusted correctly it works very well. The Snowman is right, you have to be very patient and a little mechanically inclined and understand how the press works to get along with it. The single best peice of advice I can give on the Loadmaster is to buy a universal decapping die and put it in station one (the decapping station) and remove the decapping pin from the actual sizing die that comes with your set and put it in station 2 (the priming station which is usually empty in the toolhead). This will perfectly align the case and primer system making life much easier.
For rifle calibers I use a Lee Turret press. I am an accuracy freak so I measure every charge and really treat the turret press like a single stage press taking the time to process each case one by one through each step of the process. The advantage to using the turret press over a single stage press is that I have all my rifle dies set up in interchangeable toolheads.
The Loadmasters are great inexpesive presses and will work well for many years.
As for comparing a Loadmaster to a Dillon 550, get the Loadmaster. The Dillon 550 is not truly a progressive press (it does not automatically index the shell plate). This makes it much much easier to double charge a case. This may be ok if you are loading Blue Dot in your 357 since a double charge of that powder will overflow the case but for some of the faster powders like titegroup you could easily double charge a case and not notice it. The Loadmaster and Dillon 650 auto index and I would consider them the bare minimum if you are going with a progressive press.
For rifle calibers I use a Lee Turret press. I am an accuracy freak so I measure every charge and really treat the turret press like a single stage press taking the time to process each case one by one through each step of the process. The advantage to using the turret press over a single stage press is that I have all my rifle dies set up in interchangeable toolheads.
The Loadmasters are great inexpesive presses and will work well for many years.
As for comparing a Loadmaster to a Dillon 550, get the Loadmaster. The Dillon 550 is not truly a progressive press (it does not automatically index the shell plate). This makes it much much easier to double charge a case. This may be ok if you are loading Blue Dot in your 357 since a double charge of that powder will overflow the case but for some of the faster powders like titegroup you could easily double charge a case and not notice it. The Loadmaster and Dillon 650 auto index and I would consider them the bare minimum if you are going with a progressive press.
By the way this is why I do not reccomend a press that does not auto index...
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=217693
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=217693
sfhogman
Member
I used a Loadmaster for a few years. I had periodic problems with both the casefeed system and the priming system. With these machines, a lot of problems with priming can be avoided by simply keeping the primer tray full and the primer channel clean. I went to a 550 Dillon as well. Having said that, I believe the Loadmaster can be lived with and be used to make fine ammunition.
For me, the 550b is a pleasure to use. The Loadmaster, as I said, can be lived with.
Jeff
For me, the 550b is a pleasure to use. The Loadmaster, as I said, can be lived with.
Jeff
I was just curious as I have one too and have no trouble at all. I personaly don't use the sizing die in station two but rather simply make sure the case retainers are set as they are supposed to. I find that when it's set right, the priming system is completely reliable and donsn't even require periodic cleaning.
rchernandez
Member
Weakest part is the priming system...I had my first primer explosion a few nights ago. I purchased my loadmaster used from a fellow I shoot with in Bullseye league, he went on to buy a Dillon 550b. The loadmaster is a good press if you like a challenge and you're okay with "tweaking" things.
Attached are some pics.
I started reloading with the Lee Anniversary kit. However, I'd recommend beginners to the Lee Classic Turret. Good solid press that can upgrade to an auto-indexing setup later.
Just a note, I run my Loadmaster as a "semi-progressive". I took off the case feeder so that I can inspect the cases as I load them. Its alltogether slower but works for me. Note the 5-gallon pail (under the 8-lb jug of Bullseye powder) that's where I store my spent brass. I cycle through my cases every 2-1/2 to 3 months.
I do have plans for a Dillon 650 (or 1050) in a year or so but still plan to keep the LM around for my hardball rounds.
Attached are some pics.
I started reloading with the Lee Anniversary kit. However, I'd recommend beginners to the Lee Classic Turret. Good solid press that can upgrade to an auto-indexing setup later.
Just a note, I run my Loadmaster as a "semi-progressive". I took off the case feeder so that I can inspect the cases as I load them. Its alltogether slower but works for me. Note the 5-gallon pail (under the 8-lb jug of Bullseye powder) that's where I store my spent brass. I cycle through my cases every 2-1/2 to 3 months.
I do have plans for a Dillon 650 (or 1050) in a year or so but still plan to keep the LM around for my hardball rounds.
Attachments
bfox
Member
When I first got my Loadmaster thought I'd pull my hair out .
Know I'm not the greatest with directions .
With Uncle Dons tips mine is running great .
Blew a primer in mine before also .
Looks like it did the same as yours it made the trough a little singed
but no other primers went . I got the primer explosion shield
think its well worth the $5 .
Matter of fact liked it so much got a second one . Had the rest of the parts
and you could get a stripped down one from Midway for a little over $100
Have a couple pro 1000's and with a little help from these boards
they worked good to .
Got a Classic cast turret to thats Great .
Got a Dillon SDB that I like one day I am going to get a 650
Good Luck , Bill
Know I'm not the greatest with directions .
With Uncle Dons tips mine is running great .
Blew a primer in mine before also .
Looks like it did the same as yours it made the trough a little singed
but no other primers went . I got the primer explosion shield
think its well worth the $5 .
Matter of fact liked it so much got a second one . Had the rest of the parts
and you could get a stripped down one from Midway for a little over $100
Have a couple pro 1000's and with a little help from these boards
they worked good to .
Got a Classic cast turret to thats Great .
Got a Dillon SDB that I like one day I am going to get a 650
Good Luck , Bill
carsonbm
Member
Load Master?
Do you have to use Lees dies? Where do the spent primers go, on the floor?
Do you have to use Lees dies? Where do the spent primers go, on the floor?
No, you don't have to use Lee dies, but the powder drop system is based on the powder through expander die so I think trying to use anything else would require some modification.
The primers are stored in the ram. It's very thick so it holds around 10,000 and I've only emptied mine about three times (a little door ont he bottom) and I'm nearing 40k though mine and it works as well today as the day I set it up. I'm out $2.00 in primer sliders (until I figured it out) and one spring for a priming pin but it turned out that it still works and I didn't have to replace it.
The primers are stored in the ram. It's very thick so it holds around 10,000 and I've only emptied mine about three times (a little door ont he bottom) and I'm nearing 40k though mine and it works as well today as the day I set it up. I'm out $2.00 in primer sliders (until I figured it out) and one spring for a priming pin but it turned out that it still works and I didn't have to replace it.
I had a Federal large pistol primer go and it ignited the whole tray. Still picking up plastic chards all over the basement and that was over a year ago. Blew the cr*p out of the primer tray and primer feeder. That is when I put a sizing die in station 2....
The Federals by all accounts are much easier to set off.
The Federals by all accounts are much easier to set off.
benedict1
Member
rchernandez--what kind of primers caused this?
You didn't' mention the brand of primers. Were they Federals?
You didn't' mention the brand of primers. Were they Federals?
rchernandez
Member
Fortunately/unfortunately: CCI's
From the photos you'll see about a dozen of the primers went off but the rest on the plate didn't. I reload in a storage room off my garage, not air-conditioned, and its been awfully hot and muggy around Memphis. I'm sure this contributed to it somehow. There was nothing out of the ordinary with the pulling of the arm when suddenly "bam"! Sounded like a .22 popping off! Fortunately the press came with a lot of spare parts. I now have about a half dozen sliders, troughs and covers!!!
Still a good machine for the money...just remember to wear eye-protection and a kevlar vest may come in handy
gondive
Member
If your going to use anything other than Winchester or CCI , spent the extra $5 and buy the explosion shield. I got mine from Midway. So far I love the Loadmaster, no problems yet.
Old_Salt
Member
I have owned and used Lyman (Spar-T turret) and Lee reloading presses, The Load-Master is a great press, but does require a little mechanical ability when setting it up. I (when I first purchased the press) destroyed a couple of primer sliders (a buck apiece from Lee). In the several thousand loads I have done on the Load-Master (after the original learning curve) have had no problems at all.
Several things to keep in mind are:
1. Keep the powder hopper at least 2/3 full
2. NEVER short-stroke this press, you will more than likely break something cheap that was made to protect something more expensive.
3. When changing shell plates, cycle the primer slider by hand to place the slider in the farthest from the shellplate location before moving the handle (failure to do this will break the center pin on the primer slider.
4. Keep an eye on the trough between the primer tray and the slider, and if it gets even a little low, shake the tray by hand (only happens once in a while, but will result in a case(s) without a primer).
5. Develop a rhythm and go slow at first.
6. Before you start loading a batch, throw about 10 - 15 charges and return them to the powder measure hopper, then throw and weigh a couple more to verify your load.
Powder measures (auto disc) are relatively cheap, its worth the money to purchase a couple and keep them on the die turret when changing calibers.
The case feeder works well with MOST pistol calibers, feed by hand with extremely short (or long) cases.
Do not waste your time or money on the bullet feeder, I do not think it can be made to work right over 3/4 of the time and if you miss feeding a case (or the tube goes dry on the case feeder) you will drop a bullet onto the bench/floor.
I by far prefer the Load-Master over the Pro-1000 (have 2 that I used for several years and still do for some low run batches).
READ THE MANUAL, be careful of the brand of primer you use and military crimp cases will cause problems, use civilian cases!!
Glenn
Several things to keep in mind are:
1. Keep the powder hopper at least 2/3 full
2. NEVER short-stroke this press, you will more than likely break something cheap that was made to protect something more expensive.
3. When changing shell plates, cycle the primer slider by hand to place the slider in the farthest from the shellplate location before moving the handle (failure to do this will break the center pin on the primer slider.
4. Keep an eye on the trough between the primer tray and the slider, and if it gets even a little low, shake the tray by hand (only happens once in a while, but will result in a case(s) without a primer).
5. Develop a rhythm and go slow at first.
6. Before you start loading a batch, throw about 10 - 15 charges and return them to the powder measure hopper, then throw and weigh a couple more to verify your load.
Powder measures (auto disc) are relatively cheap, its worth the money to purchase a couple and keep them on the die turret when changing calibers.
The case feeder works well with MOST pistol calibers, feed by hand with extremely short (or long) cases.
Do not waste your time or money on the bullet feeder, I do not think it can be made to work right over 3/4 of the time and if you miss feeding a case (or the tube goes dry on the case feeder) you will drop a bullet onto the bench/floor.
I by far prefer the Load-Master over the Pro-1000 (have 2 that I used for several years and still do for some low run batches).
READ THE MANUAL, be careful of the brand of primer you use and military crimp cases will cause problems, use civilian cases!!
Glenn
benedict1
Member
Sign up for the Lee forum!
Old Salt and the rest of you guys with Load Masters or other Lee equipment, check out the new forum for Lee presses at
http://forums.loadmastervideos.com/forums/index.php
Sign up and be in the place where the widest range of experience and multiple videos for instruction and trouble shooting are collected in one spot. We've all been waiting for this for a long time and it's finally here!
You'll find the videos at http://loadmastervideos.com and that link is also found in a 'stickie' at the top of each forum sub-topic page too.
Old Salt and the rest of you guys with Load Masters or other Lee equipment, check out the new forum for Lee presses at
http://forums.loadmastervideos.com/forums/index.php
Sign up and be in the place where the widest range of experience and multiple videos for instruction and trouble shooting are collected in one spot. We've all been waiting for this for a long time and it's finally here!
You'll find the videos at http://loadmastervideos.com and that link is also found in a 'stickie' at the top of each forum sub-topic page too.
FieroCDSP
Member
It certainly is tempermental. The You-Tube vids and the threads on here are a big help in setting the thing up right. If cost is the biggest concern, the LM is the least expensive progressive. If you want to load and not worry about having to adjust it, you might look elsewhere.
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