Lee Pro 1000 or Pro 4000

[Mark_Mark]

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:
View attachment 1097697
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.
View attachment 1097707
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...

.

I’m not giving up on my LeePro 4000, it’s going to make a great .45 colt, 38 Cowboy action Black Powder Only progressive press!

.45 ACP Dillion Square
.38 Dillion Square

I think I’m set until I need to make 1,000’s or .233 and 308. Hello D750!! <<> see you on sale baby

 

[tightgroup tiger]

Pro 4000 is a big NO for me, it's the extra step using that pez dispenser priming thing.
@Mark_Mark

I don't use it either. I started with the original Pro 1000 and that left a bad taste in my mouth for priming on it. The Pez dispenser probably works but to me it sounds like extra steps that should be built in to the press like the other companies do.
I still to this day prime off the Lee presses and probably won't change after all these years now. Yeah if you use half your time fiddling with them you can keep them working but I lost my tolerance for that over the years.
The only other gripe I have on the ABLP is the dies are to close together, I like Hornady's lock rings, and I use them on my ABLP but I have to be really careful when setting up the dies that the lock rings screw heads don't hit the ring next to it.
I expect that problem is still there with the the six station.
Minus the priming (personal thing) I do really like the press for .357mag.

 

[kmw1954]

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.

I honestly see no difference between either the Pro1000 or Pro4000 but actually prefer the 1000 and the turret tool heads. I have one set up for each caliber I reload while I only have bushings for 2 loads, 9mm and 45acp. Lastly I know many users actually despise the priming on the Pro1000 but again I prefer it to all others.

 

[LiveLife]

I started with the original Pro 1000 and that left a bad taste in my mouth for priming on it.

In our Pro 1000 support thread, we conducted "root cause analysis" to identify most common causes of primer attachment issues and resolved them for reliable operation - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...utions-no-bashing.507454/page-6#post-10116255

• Shell plate index timing. For some reason, Lee does not mention the need to lubricate the center hex rod (Action Rod) that is key to smooth operation of the indexing of shell plate that is underlying cause of primer in chute not sliding into station #2 (Any hangup of shell plate rotation and you get tilted primer ... and it's all downhill from there ... often with choice 4 letter words ). Before each reloading session, I lubricate the hex rod with a drop of oil on my finger tip and rub above and below the shell plate carrier and operate the ram lever several times until shell plate indexing is smooth (And again as needed during reloading session to smooth out rotation of the shell plate).

If the hex rod is not properly lubricated (And kept lubricated), it will eventually get damaged and prevent smooth rotation of the shell plate (See red arrow in bottom picture) affecting shell plate index timing.

• Priming pin MUST drop all the way down or top of pin rising above the chute sliding surface will tilt the primer and cause shell plate lock up (See improperly installed case sensor spring in above pictures ... bent spring pin needs to go around the base and not contact the priming pin). Forcing the ram lever at this point (natural human response) will gouge the soft plastic slide surface and things will go downhill from there as gouging will get worse with subsequent tilted primers until the bottom of priming pin hole is cleared (This can be done by blowing compressed air or by removing the shell plate carrier/primer attachment/priming pin to remove debri that is preventing the pin from dropping down fully).

Top of priming pin needs to drop to or slightly below priming attachment surface to freely slide into station #2 fed by "gravity" weight of column of primers (And any gouging of slide surface/indexing out of adjustment/priming pin not dropping down fully will all prevent proper priming of case)

My QC check before reloading session is while watching the top of priming pin, move the case sensor until pin drops with a "click" and check the top of pin is at or slightly below slide surface. If not, blow compressed air down the hole til pin drops fully.

• You can prevent debri (mostly powder granules/flakes) from falling into top open channel of primer attachment by making a simple cover (I really hoped Lee would address this and may send them an email to add a clear plastic cover)

• Primer size - Metric primers (Tula/PMC/S&B/Fiocchi) have slightly larger diameter cups and aggravate smooth insertion of primer into primer pockets of cases (Any hang up will result in tilted primers). Switching to CCI/Winchester (And surprisingly Magtech) SP primers resolved tilted primer issue for Pro 1000 primer attachment.

So from out-of-the-box, proper lubrication of hex rod/nylon hex gear, proper installation of case sensor spring, proper index adjustment of shell plate, using a cover over primer attachment chute opening and using non-metric primers can maintain smooth and reliable primer attachment operation of Pro 1000 as demonstrated by member ljnowell, a bullseye match shooter who never used a Pro 1000/primer attachment before - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...lutions-no-bashing.507454/page-6#post-9614898

The only other gripe I have on the ABLP is the dies are to close together

And why Lee added lock ring wrench - https://leeprecision.com/die-wrench.html

While some may not like the Safety Prime for ABLP/Pro 4000, when I set it up for my BIL after their move to Texas who never reloaded before, he was able to quickly master inserting primers into primer foot cup to perform 100% reliable priming after 10 minutes and after 30 minutes, he was consistently reloading on the press. (I had considered "Paying It Forward" the Pro 1000 for them but having 1911s, he needed separate seat and crimp operations for 45ACP lead SWC loads and decided on the ABLP PIF instead)

I ... actually prefer the 1000 and the turret tool heads. I have one set up for each caliber ... 9mm and 45acp. Lastly I know many users actually despise the priming on the Pro1000 but again I prefer it to all others.

When I had to liquidate 15 reloading presses to support my aging parents (Good news, wife and I didn't have to sell our house and move), I chose to keep Dillon 550C and Lee Auto Breech Lock Pro/Pro 4000 set up (Yes, 650 with case feeder is gone) with anticipation that I may get 750 with case feeder later.

I had 3 Pro 1000s set up for dedicated calibers (9mm/40S&W/45ACP) and had 2 new in box complete Pro 1000s but decided to PIF all the Pro 1000s during the "liquidation". When one of new Pro 1000 was returned from PIF and sister/BIL moving to Texas wanted a reloading setup, I PIF my Lee ABLP and kept the Pro 1000 as I have conducted all of my myth busting/load testing reloading on Pro 1000 due to smallest shell plate with least amount of shell plate tilt/deflection to produce .001" OAL variance (Smallest I have seen, even compared to 550/650) using mixed range brass - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...progressive-press.833604/page-2#post-10779806

Even with Lee's new Pro 6000, I will continue to use the Pro 1000 (Pre 2019 model with old base but NEW out of the box) for THR myth busting tests along with Dillon 550C (Press I started out my reloading journey ... Ahhhh memories) for rest of retirement.

 

[RashQuestion]

Most of my primer issues were cured when I...

eliminated by DE-PRIMING all cases (and chamfering the crimps when I find them) before wet tumbling, before loading

I believe that by adding that step it keeps my press cleaner and smooths out my reloading process, does for me anyway!!!

Thanks LiveLife for all your contributions!!!! Great Posts!!! They are appreciated!!!!

 

[9mmepiphany]

(Smallest I have seen, even compared to 550/650)

It surprises me that it had less tilt than the Dillon 550.

I'm not doubting you, I'm just surprised

 

[LiveLife]

It surprises me that it had less tilt than the Dillon 550.

I'm not doubting you, I'm just surprised

Me too as .001" OAL variance is the "standard" I consider having been taught to reload by a bullseye match shooter (Man, he was really OCD ... scraping bottom of FMJ so all the bullets weighed exactly same ... But his 50 yard pistol groups were smaller than my 25 yard groups ... so I just followed what he told me). For the myth busting thread, focus was mixed range brass vs pre-resized brass to remove the different headstamp brass factor to even out shell plate tilt/deflection amount.

With mixed range brass, OAL variance ranged from .002"-.003" depending on the bullet type used but with pre-resized brass, OAL variance all reduced down to .001", regardless of headstamp brass used.

I can repeat the OAL variance test after I get the new Pro 6000 as I have new-in-box Pro 1000 (Pre-2019 model) and compare to Dillon 550C.

Here's the actual data from the myth busting thread - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...progressive-press.833604/page-2#post-10779806

BLAZER - 9mm RMR 115 gr FMJ:

• Regular: 1.115" - 1.118" = .003" OAL variance
• Pre-resized: 1.115" - 1.116' = .001' OAL variance

R-P - 9mm RMR 115 gr FMJ:

• Regular; 1.115' - 1.118" = .003" OAL variance
• Pre-resized: 1.115" - 1.116' = .001" OAL variance

WIN - 9mm RMR 115 gr FMJ:

• Regular: 1.114" - 1.117" = .003" OAL variance
• Pre-resized: 1.114" - 1.115" = .001" OAL variance

BLAZER - 9mm RMR 124 gr FP:

• Regular: 1.070" - 1.072" = .002" OAL variance
• Pre-resized: 1.069" - 1.070 = .001 OAL variance

 

[Creed Bennett]

Thanks for all the replies, comments and wisdom you all passed along. As of right now this project is on hold until I can obtain enough primers at a decent price to warrant buying a press that will go through them so fast. I’m hoping in the near future Midsouth will get in some and the price will come down. The best price I’m seeing online is about $7.50 a 100 and that is just nuts to me! On top of that is the Hazmat fees from not being able to go pick them up just down the road. Once the price comes down and the availability goes up I’ll revisit this thread. Thanks Again all!

 

[Mark_Mark]

Thanks for all the replies, comments and wisdom you all passed along. As of right now this project is on hold until I can obtain enough primers at a decent price to warrant buying a press that will go through them so fast. I’m hoping in the near future Midsouth will get in some and the price will come down. The best price I’m seeing online is about $7.50 a 100 and that is just nuts to me! On top of that is the Hazmat fees from not being able to go pick them up just down the road. Once the price comes down and the availability goes up I’ll revisit this thread. Thanks Again all!

Good luck bud! We been chase cheap primers for the last 2 years without much luck. But soon!

 

[Creed Bennett]

I didn’t realize just how scarce primers were till I started this thread and got to looking. I still have some but I’ll hang on to them till I feel confident I can replace them. Might need them for a rainy day if this current situation continues.

 

[ParallelCode]

I didn’t realize just how scarce primers were till I started this thread and got to looking. I still have some but I’ll hang on to them till I feel confident I can replace them. Might need them for a rainy day if this current situation continues.

They are relatively plentiful now as compared to six months to a year ago. The "where to buy it" thread has something primer related virtually every day. That said, it wouldn't hurt to stock back up.

 

[LiveLife]

It surprises me that it had less tilt than the Dillon 550.

I'm not doubting you, I'm just surprised

Here's the actual data from the myth busting thread

It's my educated guess that minimal OAL variance results from the myth busting thread of .001" (.002"-.003" with mixed range brass) is the result of using consistent nose profile/ogive bullets from RMR and the design of the shell plate/carrier of Pro 1000/4000 that places the ram under station #1 instead of the center of the shell plate.

Yes, most other progressive presses with ram under center of shell plate utilize some sort of sub-plate design to better support the shell plate and reduce the effects of shell plate tilt/deflection but as Walkalong has confirmed, using pre-resized brass reduced OAL variance verifying that shell plate tilt/deflection is indeed occuring.

With Pro 1000/4000 designs, shell plates "free-float" to rotate and during resizing, movement downward is limited by contact with top of shell plate carrier (Reason why bottom of shell plate does not require lubrication). With ram under station #1 where resizing of brass takes place, force applied to the shell plate is concentrated right under the case base to reduce shell plate tilt/deflection.

And looks like Lee is continuing with the same design of placing ram under station #1 for Pro 6000.

 

[Mark_Mark]

They are relatively plentiful now as compared to six months to a year ago. The "where to buy it" thread has something primer related virtually every day. That said, it wouldn't hurt to stock back up.

you beat me to it! Remember when primers shot up on $300 / 1,000! and people were buying