Lee Pro 1000

[PowderApe]

I've been reloading for well over 40 years using single stage presses. Recently was talked into going for a progressive press.. Considered seriously the big blue Dillon and hesitated due to the cost- not only for the press itself, but everything else needed for caliber conversion. I chose the Lee 1000

It's pretty slick but having lots of problems with the primer feed system! Cant really bypass that step as I used to when using the single stage by hand priming the whole batch all at once.....

Any tricks?? I've done about 600 .45ACP's with not too much problems with the large primer setup, but having a hell of a time with the small primer set up for .38's and such.

I even tried the small primer setup from a new conversion kit and still having problems (tipped, absent or even upside down primers)

Additionally, it's that same stage as priming that I've also encountered powder drop issues! It's very difficult to peer down into a .357 or .38 case to insure the powder was delivered. I've never in 40 years rolled a squib load, but lately, I've had about a dozen squibs (pound-em-out type) out of about 400 rounds of .38/.357 and a few who's *bang* sounded markedly "different".

I use a relatively fluffy high volume powder so there's no real chance of double / over charging the case and the loads are nowhere near maximums- just mid-range plinker fun rounds- hence the desire for the progressive press

I just don't trust it. :banghead:

I don't know if it's my technique- I do know that each press has it's ideosyncracies and one learns to "finesse" the lever over time, and that I'm just not used to it..... or I've got a defective press, or what...

Any ideas or suggestions. Any similar experiences? Does it eventually get better ....or should I have drunk from the blue Cool-aide fountain!!

 

[flynlr]

I use the Lee 1000 for my .223 loads and only hand prime as the few times I tried it on the press it was failure. there is no reason you cannot hand prime
before heading to the final powder drop and seat stage.

yes it doubles up the trips through the press but overall time isnt that much .

 

[artjs]

Powder

I've only been reloading for about 6 months, but already have 3 Pro 1000's (9mm, .40 and .45). Now, I DID have a friend come over and help me with the first one's setup and he showed me a few tricks (he has about 8 1000's set up in different calibers)

Use a small squirt of powdered graphite in both the tray (along with the primers, either before or after you shake/tip them all up) and down the primer tray tube. NEVER allow the primer tube to get empty. Always refill the primer tray AS SOON as the tray is empty and the last of the primers get about ½" down the tray.

Make SURE there aren't any small pieces of plastic sticking up in the primer tray tube...especially at the end/bottom. One of mine had that, it just took a utility knife blade to fix it but it was always flipping the primers either sideways or upside down.

Powder: I use Unique exclusively, to be sure of no double loads, but I'm thinking of starting to use either a Clay's product or Titegroup soon.

Finesse: This was my first ever reloading setup, never even used a single stage or shotgun before. The guy that was helping me was trying to show me how to 'feel' the primer being seated but I couldn't detect it when he was showing me. I decided to do it this way..... I pushed the auto cartidge feeder out of the way, then loaded a single cartridge in and ran it throught the 3 dies, then put another in, etc. I did this for about 100 rounds until I felt confident about the 'feel' that I needed.

I do occasionally get a tipped primer, but with the correct (or INcorrect) feeling of seating the primer, also a careful eye of the operation (1, is the cartridge in the deprimer/resizer die correct in station 1. 2, did powder drop in the cartridge and then set the bullet in station 3. 3 when the ram is coming down, did the primers jog down when the cartidge spun past the primer lever. Watching all those items plus making sure the powder isn't too low (I try to keep it at least 1/3 full), the primer tray is full and the cartidge tubes are full ALL the time makes for no squibs and no problems for me. Also no other distractions such as TV, radio or family.

 

[Phil A]

The Pro1000 has limitations. I have reloaded 4 different cartridges and like you, I have found the 45 ACP works best (short and fat shell, large primer, taper crimp). Ball powder works best (ie. AA5, 231, ect). My Pro1000 is basically a dedicated 45 ACP press.

For other lower volume cartridges, I bought the Lee Classic "Cast" autoindexing turret press. Theoretically not as fast but reliable priming (using safety primer), much stronger for rifle, 4 stages, and very low changeover cost and time. It has the visibilty of a single stage but quite a bit faster. I really like it.

I used to do a 2 pass for 38/357 on the Pro1000. (size, prime then powder drop, seat, crimp) for a total of 5 steps but I find the turret to be a better solution.

I bought the Pro1000 around 15 years ago but I would not recommend it today. However, it will still crank out 45ACP (brass feeder works fairly well). It came with a die set and a decent powder measure that I also use on the turret press. It still pays for itself about every 2 reloading sessions.

Maybe in the near future I will replace the Pro1000 but I'm keeping the turret. - Phil

 

[Dustinthewind]

I have found that keeping primers in the tray helps with feeding issues. Once the last primer has dropped from the tray into the feeder tube I refill the tray and have had no further problems with the priming sequence.

 

[philbo]

As above, keep primers in the tray, refilling as soon as the tray is empty and the feed tube as empty space in it. The graphite helps as well.
I have also noticed on my pro's that you have to have the tension on the chain correct. Too little tension on the chain and the brass will not advance above the primer as it moves to stage 2, but tip the primer as it advances. There is a video on the lee site if you have not discovered it yet.

http://www.leeprecision.com/html/HelpVideos/videos/Progressive chain attachment-1.wmv

 

[darwin-t]

Yes, I used a hand primer when I used a Pro 1000. I resized/deprimed on a turret with indexer removed, then hand primed. This allowed me to put powder die in station one, bullet placement die in station two and the Lee Factory Crimp die in station three. It wasn't hard at all to reach around to the back of the press with my left hand to place the bullets and I could get a good view down the case .

 

[jfh]

fifteen years ago I got my Pro1000 working reliably on the priming

by scrupulously cleaning the unit--from the carrier on up to and including the primer feed trough. I also cleaned the tray, to get rid of minute brass particles.

Then I lubricated the trough slightly with graphite in a quick-drying base. Finally, keeping the primer tray 'full' really helps.

FWIW, I did finally use dedicated carrier assemblies so that I did not have to do anything but switch the entire unit for different calibers. That also made it easier for routine maintenance.

Typically, this unit loaded either .45 ACP or 10mm back then. If I kept the primer pin and trough clean, it would reliably feed primers down to about the last six to eight. That is, 99+% of the time.

If this doesn't solve all the problems, the timing may be slightly off--follow the Lee directions on how to adjust it; that worked for me. Once the unit was timed and clean, I could easily load more than 500 rounds an hour in .45 ACP or 10mm--and later in .40S&W.

I've just broken out this unit again, and set it up this time for .38 / .357. I did a complete disassembly and cleaning again, and as soon as I finish load development on the Turret Press, I'll start production of .38 / .357--and .45 ACP when I eventually need it again.

Jim H.

 

[Eljay]

On the power drop issue, I found with 38/357 if the case mouth flare is not enough the disk does not travel far enough to scrape all of power into the drop hole, and its worse with some powder/disc combos. If case mouth flare is too much if you change it to get better drop, then more drastic means are needed. I solved the problem by "throating" my powder measure. I opened up the leading edge (of the metal part) with my dremmel so the powder drops a little sooner with less disc travel, even with light loads I get complete drop, tho some powders are too corse to work with small discs.
On primer feed, make sure that the little flat spring that pushes the case into the shellplate has good tension, to push the case all the way in and line up the primer/hole. As stated keep a good supply of primers in the tray, but if you want to run primers dry, use a dential pick to push the last 6 or 7 on every stroke. Also make sure the primer feed ramp is not spread open, I think it's the same ramp for large and small primers and it may be a little sloppy for small. I have 4 active Pro 1000s and think they are a great value