Please help

[GuysModel94]

New to reloading and need some info, If i purchase a Lee Pro 1000 Progressive Press for GAP .45 can i at a later time load my 30-30,30-06 and 38/357 mag. ammo on this press; or should i purchase a Lee Deluxe Turret Press??????
Have spent a lot a time reading about all the makes and models available, and for $$$$$ sake have decided on the Lee.

 

[LiveLife]

If you want to reload rifle cases, many will recommend the Lee Classic Turret over the Deluxe Turret press. I would highly recommend the Classic Turret press for both pistol and rifle reloading. There are many happy owners of the Classic Turret press.

I use the Pro 1000 for high volume reloading of pistol loads but use the single stage press for rifle loads. I know shooters who load .223/5.56 rounds on the Pro 1000 and are happy but most users of Pro 1000 use it for reloading pistol rounds. Some will comment that new reloaders should not start out on a progressive press but instead start out on a single stage. I tend to agree and would suggest that Class Turret provides a happy compromise between the two. I have helped set up several reloaders on Pro 1000 but I set them up with both Pro 1000 and single stage press.

 

[LiveLife]

Pro 1000 can load following calibers - http://www.leeprecision.com/html/catalog/lp1000.html

32 S&W Long and 32 H&R Mag
380 Auto
38 Special
38 Auto and 38 Super
357 Magnum
9mm Luger
40 S&W
10mm Auto
41 Magnum
44 Special
44 Magnum
45 ACP
45 Colt
223 Remington

 

[Lost Sheep]

Classic or Deluxe Turret

Welcome to reloading and thanks for asking our advice.

GuysModel94 New to reloading and need some info, If i purchase a Lee Pro 1000 Progressive Press for GAP .45 can i at a later time load my 30-30,30-06 and 38/357 mag. ammo on this press; or should i purchase a Lee Deluxe Turret Press??????
Have spent a lot a time reading about all the makes and models available, and for $$$$$ sake have decided on the Lee.

You will note that the longest cartridge in bds' list is 1.76" long. 30-30 is over 2" and 30-06 is 2.5" long (not including the length of the bullet).

The Pro-1000 apparently does not have room for the longer cartridges.

The two Turret presses apparently do, but note that the Deluxe Turret's base is taller than the Classic Turret and I believe the available room in the Classic is greater than in the Deluxe. Lee's web site says the Classic Turret can take cartridges as long as the .50 BMG. No such claim is made for the Deluxe Turret.

Good Luck. Always wear safety glasses, especially when working with primers and don't pinch your fingers in your press.

Lost Sheep

 

[rfwobbly]

Welcome to THR and reloading !!


I would also recommend one of the other Lee Turret presses, but for a different reason. The Pro-1000 is a very old design that is overly complicated and therefore fraught with frailties and poor design concepts. IMHO if you line up all the Lee multi-station press, at the end of 1 hour you'll have produced the fewest rounds with the Pro-1000 simply because it's so cantankerous.

If you simply need extra headaches in your life, then you might be better off having 3 wives, running for Congress supporting ObamaCare, or getting a $1000 per day cocaine habit.

 

[LiveLife]

I'll admit that gravity based primer feed ramp of Pro 1000 requires that you keep it full (and help along with a paper clip when necessary) but comparing to having 3 wives, running for Congress supporting ObamaCare, or a $1000 per day cocaine habit?

Here's a thread on Pro 1000 primer feed attachment - http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=550908

Here's a thread on Pro 1000 tips - http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=507454

Pro 1000 is not a "perfect" progressive press and it requires that you perform regular cleaning, lubing and timing adjustment like any other progressive press but it certainly is not "impossible".

 

[RandyP]

I would advise chosing the Lee Classic vs the Deluxe. Stronger machine and a MUCH better spent primer recovery system.

 

[RustyFN]

As bds pointed out the P1000 won't load anything larger than 223. I know a few people that said they load 30-06 in auto index mode on the classic turret. I have never loaded on the deluxe turret and I do own the classic turret. Just knowing the differences between the two Lee turret presses made the classic worth the extra money for me.