Lee Loadmaster

[Prodigalshooter]

I bought one of these recently, my first progressive machine, always used the simple hand deal before. Well, I'm sure it must be me, but I can't seem to make the *#%%^$& thing work at all. Had the wife look at it, as she has a very analytical mind and has a knack for understanding instruction books (you know, she knows what they meant to say , when they wrote the sheet )
So, after half the afternoon is gone, we are no closer to getting it even close to running. The shell plate won't move, the powder dispenser doesn't and forget about the bullet feeder
:banghead:
I've fired off an email to Lee, asking for help and complaining about their instruction booklets.
Has anyone else been down this road and made it work?
Neither of us is mentally or mechanically challenged (or, we didn't used to be):banghead: , so maybe there is something we should have gotten that was left out? I've checked their website, all the instructions there are = to what I have.

I got this because I got a good price for the whole set-up, but now I'm wondering if I should have spent the extra $$ for a Dillon SDB. I only plan to use it for .45ACP, for the most part. Have I made a huge mistake? Anyone wanna buy a Lee Loadmaster with dies, bullet feeder, Pro-disk powder etc etc?

 

[Nero Steptoe]

The bullet feeder is a total waste of time. Think about it...you have to load the bullet feeder one-at-a-time. Then the damned thing doesn't work. You can load faster by just loading the bulets manually. Good luck on getting that crappy Loadmaster to work. I suffered through tens of thousands of rounds reloaded with a Loadmaster. Wish I'd done the smart thing and bought a Dillon 650 in the beginning.

The Loadmaster looks to have been engineered by a fourth-grade dropout.

 

[Lloyd Smale]

had one sold it and bought a dil. 550 best move i ever made i still have a lee 1000 set up in .38s its not much either but i actually had less problems with it then the loadmaster!

 

[dan_s]

Had one but sent it back for a refund and used the credit for a Hornady Lnl AP... got tired of futzing with the Lee..

Per the prowder drop, I would check and recheck your adjustments as I found this was the one thing that worked reliably on this press. Is the chain properly tensioned ? On the shell plate, is it properly aligned and tightened that the shell plate is correctly situated on the key which rotates it ? Never used the bullet feeder, but the case feeder was a pain to get properly adjusted.. The primer mechanism was the last straw for me..

 

[bdhawk]

loadmaster

i sent mine back, too. midway gave me a full refund. i wouldn't wish one on my worst enemy. i had my first and only primer detonation in a press after close to 30 years of reloading. the basic press may be okay, but the primer feed, the bullet feed and the powder feed cannot be relied upon. send it back, they are too light for a boat anchor.

 

[E357]

I really like the Lee Pro-1000s, but your press (the loadmaster) is just crap. Lee should take it off the market. Your best best is to return it, if you can.

If you just want to loads .45s then the Lee Pro-1000 or the Dillon SDB are fine presses. I favor the Pro-1000s, but I have lots of experience with them and know the little tricks. The Dillon presses are easier to get started with and have way better instructional material/help available.

Elliot

 

[Steve Smith]

ALL HAIL LEE!

 

[Rock45]

Mine works great!

I bought a Loadmaster to go with my Pro 1000...Have reloaded .223 and .38 Special...No problems! I don't use the bullet feeder, and I stick to the pro disk powder measure, but it works flawlessly for me.

 

[m1911joe]

Glad I bought my Dillion instead of a Lee. Easy to set up and no playing around to try to get it to work. Have I had some problems with it. Yes, minor change a spring or clean the bottom of the primer slide is all. The most trouble is with the A_ _ pulling the handle and not paying attention to what is going on. Run out of powder or primers and not stop to fill them up again.

 

[Rock45]

LOL Joe, I don't counts those problems

No, Sir...I bury that stuff with the unuseable rounds that they produce...Ha Ha Ha

 

[Prodigalshooter]

Well, no response from Lee yet, I sent an email on the holiday (Monday), so I thought maybe I'd hear a peep by now.
I'm hoping to send it to them and have them "fix" it.
More as the story develops.

 

[Nero Steptoe]

It's really pretty simple to fix it at home, saving the shipping costs. Got a hacksaw and/or cutting torch??

 

[JPM70535]

Just goes to prove what my Daddyalways told me, " You get what you pay for"