Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

Hi folks,

Anyone having problems with Lee Pro 1000 progressive presses? Hopefully this thread can help.

I haven't been reloading as much as a lot of other folks have (though more than some others), but in the relatively short time I've been doing it, I've done a fair amount of rounds. My "weapon of choice" for this purpose is the Pro 1000. Why this model? Two reasons:

1.) It's affordable.
2.) It lets me turn out lots of very good ammo in short order.

Like any progressive press, the Pro 1000 has its quirks, too, the most famous of which is its "Auto-Prime" based priming system. I wanted to know what the deal was, so I took mine apart and put it back together (several times!). In so doing, I got to know these presses pretty darned well. Turns out they're pretty easy to make run without any real hassle.

If you've got any questions about them that either Lee Precision or Google haven't been able to answer, I'll do my best to help out here. Now, this assumes that you're already experienced in single-stage handloading. If you're not, then learn that first.

Safe shootin',

- Cowboy T

Here are some vids I made that hopefully will help someone who has one of these presses.

http://www.sanfranciscoliberalwithagun.com/pro1000.html

CowboyT wrote:Here are some vids I made that hopefully will help someone who has one of these presses.

http://www.sanfranciscoliberalwithagun.com/pro1000.html

By the way I met you at the Dale City Gun Show a week or so ago there at the VFW as you were in the VCDL Booth.

Thanks I am looking to get into reloading and gunderwood has been helping me get started but he has not worked with the Lee Precision presses.

I have been looking at the both the Lee Precision Load Master and the Pro1000 press I will mostly be loading pistol .38 Special, .380, .30 Carbine, 7.62 x 39 and .40SW, but I would also like to load 30.06 as well.

I know from reading that the Pro 1000 will do everything listed above except the .06 so that is why I was looking at the Load Master. I can get the Pro 1000 cheaper then the Load Master ($100 or so) just to start and then just by hunting rounds for my .06 and use the money to by extra die's for the Pro 1000. Any advice? I know that Carbide Dies are really supposed to be nice and think I would like to try them out.

I know that you have to get a lot of extras like Trim tools, Powder Scales, Calipers, and such, so the money saved on the Pro 1000 could go to those items as well.

I looked at the RCBS package as well and that was a bit costly compared to the Lee

Vern


Vern

Hi Vern,

The Pro 1000's really are intended for the shorter cartridges. For that, they're great.

For your .30-06, I'd suggest the Lee Classic Turret Press. It's very affordable at just under $100 at MidwayUSA, and it's just a pleasure to use. Matter of fact, this is a really great first press, because it can operate in either turret mode or single-stage mode.

Are you going to the Chantilly show this weekend? I'll be at the VCDL booth for the Saturday morning shift. We can talk about it more there if you'd like.

CowboyT wrote:Hi Vern,

The Pro 1000's really are intended for the shorter cartridges. For that, they're great.

For your .30-06, I'd suggest the Lee Classic Turret Press. It's very affordable at just under $100 at MidwayUSA, and it's just a pleasure to use. Matter of fact, this is a really great first press, because it can operate in either turret mode or single-stage mode.

Are you going to the Chantilly show this weekend? I'll be at the VCDL booth for the Saturday morning shift. We can talk about it more there if you'd like.

I will not be able to make it till Sunday to the Gun Show but that is ok I know the press that you are talking about. the Pro 1000 will take care of 90% of what I have and if that means that I just by my .06 rounds that is fine. I do have a bunch of .06 brass (maybe 20 - 30) that I have collected but not that many as I usaly only make sure it is sighted in for Deer season and then what I shoot during the season, so I think I can start with the smaller press for now. Let me know if you see anyone with a good deal on a Lee press Saturday as i may be able to get out there late in the afternoon. I have to go pick my boat up from the shop getting new tires on the trailer.

Vern

Made it to the show all 3 days, including my Sat AM shift. What fun that was! And yes, "retail therapy" did take place.

If you do pick up a Pro 1000, I'd recommend picking up two shellplate holders in addition to (of course) your various shellplates. The reason is that, while changing shellplates is easy, changing primer sizes in the shellplate holder on the Pro 1000 is a bit of a PITA. Much easier to have one shellplate holder set up for small primers, and another set up for large primers. Fortunately, they're typically only $40 at MidwayUSA.

Thanks for the info, but after a conversation yesterday with gunderwood I may now go for the bigger Lee Press. I have a Steyr M95 Carbine 8x56R and I just found out that Hornady sells the rounds for this and they have reloading materials for this shell to include a die set for the Lee presses so I will be looking at a press that will do the rifle as well as pistol. Back to the research.

Vern

In that case, head on over to the "Loadmaster Videos" Web site, www.loadmastervideos.com. The Load-Master can be a little tricky, from what I understand, but their videos show you how to make it purr.

Thanks I will

Vern