just thought i'd ask for some opinions before i make a decision. i'm thinking about getting into reloading and have a friend who has a Lee Loadmaster. I asked if he'd be interested in selling it since he hasnt been using it for a while and to my suprise he said yes and to an even bigger suprise he said i could have it for $75. It looks to be used very little. He said he loaded maybe a 1000 rnds of 9mm. I would have to buy a set of dies in 38sp and a shell plate. Theres also a few extras like an extra set of tubes for the shell feeder and some extra plastic parts. I've read a few reviews on the Loadmaster and i know some like Lee and others dont but the price seems to be good so i'm not sure if i should pass it up. Oh yeah, i was actually looking at getting a Classic Turret press from Lee when i stumbled upon this. So any opinions would be greatly appreciated.
Should I buy
- Thread starter boodro98
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LiveLife
Member
Welcome to THR.boodro98 said:
For $75, I would buy the Lee Load Master and sell it to someone who wants it (THR has a Buy/Sell/Trade Reloading Components and Gear section).
Then buy yourself a Lee Classic Turret kit.
Welcome aboard! I have not tried one of the Lee Loadmasters, but I don't see how you could possibly go wrong with buying it at that price. Even if you change your mind afterwards you should be able to sell it easily for that price (or more). I personally load mostly for rifles and use a couple of the rock chuckers. Let us know if you need any assistance once you get set up.
Lost Sheep
Member
I would jump on that deal with both feet in less than a heartbeat!
And I don't even like progressive presses. I prefer the Classic Turret. But $75? It's like he is making it a gift. Be sure to say "Thank you" and think of something really nice to do for him.
I am also an inveterate bargainer. I would ask him to help me set it up for 38 and teach me how to use it.
Pause to calm myself down.
Is it practical for you?
The Classic Turret is easily capable of 100-125 rounds an hour. More if you are intent. The Loadmaster is probably capable of 2-3 times that.
Having said that, I am still uncomfortable with monitoring multiple simultaneous operations. But that is just me. Using my Pro-1000 presses made me a nervous wreck because I would stop at every stroke of the press and check all the stations like an obsessive-compulsive madman. It slowed me down terribly.
$75 is a great price. If your friend doesn't have anyone else to make this gift to, I would take it. If there is another good friend out there, it would be a blessing to let them have it.
By my experience of owning and using a progressive and having the opportunity to find out for myself that progressives do not match my loading style, I would say you owe it to yourself to take this opportunity to discover how well the progressive works for you.
So, I recommend taking it and investing in the dies and shell plate and the time to discover how well it fits your style. If you find it works for you, great. If you find it doesn't, you have gained valuable knowledge at little expense.
For most folks, the deciding factors are:
Your quantity needs and the time you have available to load.
Your need to swap calibers often (much easier with the turret than with the progressive)
Your tolerance for purchase cost (not an issue in your case)
Your tolerance for maintaining surveillance over multiple simultaneous operations.
Good luck.
Lost Sheep
KansasPaul
Member
- Joined
- Jun 14, 2011
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- 194
Buy the Load Master. These machines are known for being finicky but there are some great You Tube videos that outline how to set the machine up properly. I wouldn't hesitate for a moment.
dbarnhart
Member
As others have said, 'Yes'. Just be sure you are going into this with your eyes wide open.
Lee equipment tends to need for tinkering and fiddling that some other brands. If you are a tinkerer and enjoy the tinkering then you'll do just fine. If on the other hand your tools need to 'just work' then you'll probably not be happy with the Loadmaster.
Here are some resources I would recommend:
1. This guy used the Lee Loadmaster, a Hornady LnL, and a Dillon 650 side-by-side for a years and then wrote about it:
http://www.comrace.ca/cmfiles/dillonLeeHornadyComparison.pdf
2. Ultimate Reloader has some good videos you should watch:
http://www.UltimateReloader.com
3. Here is an entire website dedicated to the setup care, and feeding of the Lee Loadmaster:
http://loadmastervideos.com/
Lee equipment tends to need for tinkering and fiddling that some other brands. If you are a tinkerer and enjoy the tinkering then you'll do just fine. If on the other hand your tools need to 'just work' then you'll probably not be happy with the Loadmaster.
Here are some resources I would recommend:
1. This guy used the Lee Loadmaster, a Hornady LnL, and a Dillon 650 side-by-side for a years and then wrote about it:
http://www.comrace.ca/cmfiles/dillonLeeHornadyComparison.pdf
2. Ultimate Reloader has some good videos you should watch:
http://www.UltimateReloader.com
3. Here is an entire website dedicated to the setup care, and feeding of the Lee Loadmaster:
http://loadmastervideos.com/
Do the people that says Lee press are finicky need tinkering with or fiddling even own one? My press are great & I don't tinker unless I have gas. No fiddling & it is far from finicky. I really think you people ether haven't owned one or don't know how to use it. It is hard to blame a tool for causing the problem.
If you do own a Lee progressive & are tinkering with or fiddling with it or think it is finicky please send me a message. I will be glad to help you with it or pay a reasonable price for a press that doesn't work.
ETA: Don't fallow the advice on the loadmastervideos site or you may believe it is a finicky press.
If you do own a Lee progressive & are tinkering with or fiddling with it or think it is finicky please send me a message. I will be glad to help you with it or pay a reasonable price for a press that doesn't work.
ETA: Don't fallow the advice on the loadmastervideos site or you may believe it is a finicky press.
thanks for all the great info. i got a chance to look real good at the loadmaster today. looks like it will also need a couple of plastic parts replaced, no biggie i guess, but i couldnt get it to index. the index rod (if thats whats called) would never come back out. for some reason the plastic piece on the end that rides along the frame would not alow it to come out. i could pull it out but just didnt seem to work right. then when i got it out it still wouldnt index. i think im gonna just get the turret, i know the loadmaster is a good deal but being new to reloading or going to be new, i dont want to get turned off from reloading or have to worry about replacing parts to get it to work right from the beginning and from what i read the turret is less finicky and i could take the index rod out and use it as a single stage if need be. ill ask if that price is for anyone or just me if any of yall are interested in it. once agian thanx for taking the time to read and reply. oh yeah the loadmaster is in chattanooga, tn.
Lost Sheep
Member
A wise choice. If you don't need the kinds of quantities a progressive can deliver a turret or single stage is much simpler to use. A good single stage is always nice to have. (Warning: Pure Opinion ahead, for the next two sentences.) The Lee Classic Turret, though, that is the press that is best for the largest number of handloaders. There is no other turret press manufactured today that can hold a candle to the Lee Classic.
OK, back to facts. There is no other turret press made today that features auto-indexing (except for the Lee Deluxe Turret). The Classic Turret, though is a much better press. If you don't need more than 4 die stations, Lee is it. The primer feed is up out of the way of spent primer debris and leaves the primer about to be seated visible for inspection. Spent primers drop down through the hollow ram neatly into a tube which can be capped (and emptied periodically) or pointed into a bucket.
Kempf's Gun Shop online has a dandy kit built around the Lee Classic Turret. It includes the Deluxe dies, Auto-Disk powder measure, primer dispenser and 6 plastic ammo boxes for $210. It lacks only a manual and a scale. (Since many people prefer manuals and scales other than Lee's, this is probably a good marketing decision.) Most other kits make you take stuff you don't need and lack things you do. Kempf's only superfluous stuff is the ammo boxes. Kempf's will throw in a manual and scale for no more than you will pay anywhere else.
Advertisement over.
Good luck. I look forward to hearing from you again.
Lost Sheep
OK, back to facts. There is no other turret press made today that features auto-indexing (except for the Lee Deluxe Turret). The Classic Turret, though is a much better press. If you don't need more than 4 die stations, Lee is it. The primer feed is up out of the way of spent primer debris and leaves the primer about to be seated visible for inspection. Spent primers drop down through the hollow ram neatly into a tube which can be capped (and emptied periodically) or pointed into a bucket.
Kempf's Gun Shop online has a dandy kit built around the Lee Classic Turret. It includes the Deluxe dies, Auto-Disk powder measure, primer dispenser and 6 plastic ammo boxes for $210. It lacks only a manual and a scale. (Since many people prefer manuals and scales other than Lee's, this is probably a good marketing decision.) Most other kits make you take stuff you don't need and lack things you do. Kempf's only superfluous stuff is the ammo boxes. Kempf's will throw in a manual and scale for no more than you will pay anywhere else.
Advertisement over.
Good luck. I look forward to hearing from you again.
Lost Sheep
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