Noob reloader very frustrated-help!

[lamazza]

I just bought a Lee 1000 3 station progressive for .223-I haven't even been able to reload 1 shell yet! I have been trying to set this up for about 3 days and the major problem is
1.Either I get the brass stuck in the decapper or
adjust adjust adjust
2. The decapper just won't pop the old primer out
I bought some lube and have adjusted the die hight thread by thread...
I hear so many people praise this press and feel embarassed and stupid that I can't even get it set up properly.
What am I doing wrong? Should I buy a new die?

 

[Smokey Joe]

Best help

Lamazza--It's really, really frustrating to get a new toy and try to set it up and it just will not perform! I know the feeling. It causes me to use really "special" language that'd get me thrown off of THR if I used it here! So, to you my sympathies go.

You're in the same state as Lee; they are over in Hartford. Check their website www.Leeprecision.com for their address and 'phone number, and give them a jingle. If they can't help you get the thing right over the 'phone, take it back to 'em and complain to Customer Service. Their Dave Shono has been in CS since I don't know when, and he is really helpful.

When you call 'em, though, ASK for Customer Service; the people who answer the 'phones are nice but they are basically order takers.

Lee stands behind their stuff; one way or another I expect they'll get you going.

 

[Lennyjoe]

Also check Lee's website for instruction videos. http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/browse.cgi?1145603355.995=/html/HelpVideos/video.html

Remember, you need to lube rifle cases before sizing. You should screw down the die until it hits the shell holder when the handle is full down. Once it hits the holder give it a 1/4 turn and lock it down. Next, set your decapping pin so it protrudes enough to deprime the brass. Lock down the nut on top nice and tight. Lube case and resize/deprime.

Another thing, are your .223 brass staked? By that I mean the primers are staked in. If so, you might break your decapping pin if too much force is used. Been there, done that.

 

[asknight]

Not intending to offend, but it's MUCH easier to learn reloading on a good simple single stage press, not a progressive where a multitude of adjustments must synchronize in order to work even close to correctly.

 

[Smokey Joe]

Crimped primers

Lennyjoe brings up a good point. If it's military brass, the primers may be fixed into the primer pockets (he calls it "staked," I always used the term "crimped" for the same thing) by denting the edge of the primer pocket over the primer. This is so that the primer can't be blown out of the pocket while being fired in full-auto mode, which would have the primer flying around inside the firearm's working parts, until it causes a jam.

If yr primers are crimped/staked, you have to deprime as a separate operation, then remove the remains of the crimp from the edge of the primer pocket. There are several elegant tools on the market for this--I just use a sharp jackknife; put the point of the blade in the empty primer pocket at an angle, turn the case about 1 to 1 1/4 times around, and carve the edge of the primer pocket smooth. Avoid taking off any more brass than you have to. Crude, I admit, but effective. And, you only have to do it once in the life of the case.

After de-priming and smoothing the edges of the primer pockets, you reload the brass just like any other brass. The mil brass may be a trifle thicker than commercial brass, so start with a relatively mild load and work up, watching always for signs of overpressure.

I don't use lots and lots of military brass. If I had hundreds of cases to de-primer-crimp, I'd be very tempted by the nifty primer-pocket-uniforming devices available.

On the depriming pin breakage issue, some makers advertise their pins are not affected by crimped primers. I think RCBS does. Anyhow, my RCBS FL die recently deprimed a couple dozen range pick-up 7.62x39 cases that were crimped, with no problem.

Hope you get yr issues solved, and can get on with reloading!

 

[Powderman]

I always decap and prime .223 as seperate steps. Lube your cases well; then run them through the press to decap only. On Lee dies, the decapper is unbreakable--the pin is designed to slide up into the die if it hits an obstruction. I address this by making sure the decapper pin is pushed down flush with the top of the die, then really locking the locknut down.

Once the cases are deprimed, run them through your tumbler again to remove the lube. I use a mix of corncob, walnut shells with about 1/4 tube of Simichrome polish mixed in. Puts a shine on the brass you would not believe!

Next, I chuck a deburring tool into a 3/8 VSR drill. About 2 seconds per case at low speed will remove the crimp and will put a small bevel around the primer pocket.

Finally, re-prime all the cases. Now, all you have to do is to put the cases back through the press, to add powder and bullet.

NOTE WELL!!!! I heartily recommend the use of the Lee Factory Crimp die. Set it for a firm crimp, especially if you're using these loads in a semiautomatic rifle. Uncrimped rounds will be pushed into the case upon feeding, causing unsafe pressures. Don't ask me how I know...

 

[silicon wolverine]

staked vs. crimped

smokey there actually is a difference between staked and crimped primers. While only a technicla detail it can be a problem. Staked primers have only small (usually 1/32 or 1/16) spots that are pressed into the case head to hold the primer. crimped primers have a ring pressed into the case the entire circumference of the primer. crimped usually require a reamer or press to open the pocket for relaoding. staked usually break off the point of metal and are open without any other process needed. staking has taken a backseat in newer ammo as crimping is easier as a manufacturing process

a few examples.

crimped
9mm winchester 115 gr mil overrun
50s yugo 8mm mauser
most all korean .30-06' ( i have seen 1 staked korean round)
All lake city military ammo
all radway green military ammo

staked
original german 8mm mauser ammo from the 30s and 40s
some jap 6.5mm (some has no primer retention at all)
70s production santa barbara 7.62x51mm
"oxyless" .45 ACP (unkown manufatcurer 50s headstamp dates)
brass cased win USA 7.62x39mm ammo had been found with staked primers


SW

 

[redneck2]

You didn't say what brand of brass you have. I might suggest starting with Winchester or Federal as you know it won't have any crimped in military primers. This would help eliminate whether that was the problem

You should be able to lightly roll the case across a lube pad. They don't need to be dripping lube.

While a single stage may seem easier, you still end up doing the same steps either way. LOAD ONE ROUND AT A TIME TO START. I cannot emphasize how much easier this will make your learning curve. Take one case thru all the stages and then start another. I've used a Dillon 550 for years but still load rifle one at a time. HTH

 

[lamazza]

All really great advice! Thanks for your inputs.
1. Asknight-i agree with you and regret not going single stage.
2. I AM using military brass-radway
3. Lennyjoe thanks for the die placement tutorial!

 

[Jim Watson]

Widener's advertises RG .223 as being "fully reloadable" but just to be sure, look down inside a case and see if it really does have a Boxer primer - one good size centered flash hole.

Berdan primed cases (two small flashholes) are not readily reloadable, and there are some Boxer cases with flashholes too small to pass the decapping pin.

 

[Uncle Don]

Not intending to offend, but it's MUCH easier to learn reloading on a good simple single stage press, not a progressive where a multitude of adjustments must synchronize in order to work even close to correctly.

I know what you mean. This is one of the reasons that I think that Lee takes a bad rap for progressives. They are inexpensive enough that a new person can buy one for the price of many single stations and turret presses. Thinking they are way ahead of the game, they try to teach themselves the basics on a press that they are not ready for (no offense). The result is massive frustration and the blame of the design. Then, after the learning curve is mostly burned, they'll buy a Dillon 550 and get along fine, because there is no longer an auto index or casefeeder to be concerned with. Then, they think they have the best thing since they put pockets on shirts when in fact, they pay more for less. In a year or two of experience with a press that is more manual, they could have run the 1000. Anyway, my .02 and if you add it to my good looks, you'll have .02.

 

[lamazza]

The Radway is boxer primed, but its a very thick case compared to my winchester brass.
I'm going to give this another chance and then maybe try and find a used single stage. Geez, I bought this to save money on shells-lol
I'm not experienced enough to comment on Lee just yet, but it seems like a very flimsy rig.

 

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

lamazza,

If that brass is thicker than Winchester brass, I'd suggest getting the single stage and a Lee Universal Deprimer die. I'd deprime off the press, run the brass through a polisher and a decrimper (You have to do with with any military crimped rounds, which I believe the Radway Green is.) and then lubricate it good and try running it through the Pro 1000 again.

Based on what friends of mine who own the 1000 have told me, it's an excellent press for progressive pistol reloading, but you're pushing it just a bit reloading rifle on it. If you still have problems after what I've described in my first paragraph, I'd try using other, less thick and therefore easier to process .223 brass. But don't give up on the press entirely, even if, after trying the suggestions, it won't reload the .223 well. You can still get good service out of it reloading pistol cartridges.

Dave

 

[Smokey Joe]

Staked vs crimped

Silicon Wolverine--Well, learn something new every day!

I've dealt with both ways of primer fixing in the past, but called 'em all "crimped" regardless. Now I know better.

BTW, the recent 7.62x39's I did (referred to above) WERE staked, not crimped, per yr explanation! Found 'em at my usual range, picked 'em up of course, and processed 'em. They were marked E D P 7.62x39 02 around the primer. Primer was Small Rifle-size, like Remington cases, but at a price of "free," I'll take 'em even so! (Almost all Boxer-primed 7.62x39 brass EXCEPT Rem uses Large Rifle primers, and that's what I have most of. Why oh why did Rem, and apparently EDP, choose to be different? I wish SAAMI had slapped Rem's wrist for even thinking of it!)

Anyhow, thx for the explanation!

 

[Nortonics]

I wonder if you set the 1000 aside for now and purchase just a hand press to get the hang of things if that wouldn't help? The Lee hand press is inexpensive and decent quality, and you'll always be able to use it for other purposes later, like a dedicated deprimer.

 

[The Bushmaster]

He should get a single stage and start over and learn how to reload by the numbers. Besides, when he goes back to his progressive press he will find out that he still can't do without the single stage...

 

[bobaloo]

I use my Hornady LNL for .223, but do it in two separate operations. I take the brass and resize and deprime only, then clean it thoroughly (wash it) to get it clean. It then gets trimmed and primer pocket swaged. Then I prime, add powder, bullet and crimp.

I'm just finishing up 4,000 rounds loaded in LC brass a buddy gave me. It's a LOT of work, but it beats watching TV and the 4 ammo boxes full of loaded rounds make it all worthwhile.

I do find it a lot faster to do the sizing and depriming on the progressive as it's much quicker for me to just keep sticking a new case into the shellplate with the last one dropping into the hopper, rather than having to grab a round, put it in the single stage, size, take it out and put it away, grab another one, etc.

 

[lamazza]

Will take all advice to heart-thx for the replies

 

[YellowLab]

Don't need a single stage press... just do 1 case at a time in the 1000 till you get the hang of the machine.

Military brass is cheap, but pay the seller to process the primer pockets.... save the headache. Plus most commercial brass is the same cost as military processed brass.

 

[darwin-t]

You can run the pro 1000 like a turret press (basically in single stage mode) by removing the case feeder and feeding a new case every third pull of the handle. The only difference between dong it the way and doing it on a turret is that the shellplate rotates instead of the turret. Plus the finished round ejects itself.