Lee Pro1000 reloader impressions

08 February 2003, 04:39

<bigcountry>

Ok from a decent experienced single stage reloader like myself, here are my impressions of this press. Got a Pro1000 loader free or loan with dies bullets and all. Can't beat it. First off, I wouldn't call this thing a beginner reloader. Even from my standpoint, it should have someone behind the lever that knows a little about powder, etc.

Sizing/Depriming: Setup was no problem, just follow the directions. ONly issue I see is when doing the whole operation, of sizing/deprime, charging/flaring, seating, sometimes when putting the lever back up, I would pull out the piston. I just couldn't seem to get the hex screw tight enought. This only happened once or twice. But can see this to be a problem when I start loading 44 mag with long cases.

Priming: If done conscienely and carefully, no problem. Got to keep tray full to push the new one in place. Had a few problems where I had to stop the operation and get one that was cockeyed unstuck. Really need a mechanism that will stop the primers if need be so you can troubleshoot or just check your priming before charging if it just didn't feel right.

Charging: This surprised me. I looked up HP-38 on the charts and used the disk for 5gr for 9mm luger. I tested out 10 loads on the scale it read 4.9gr all 10 times. Very accurate. Unique was another story. But within .5gr

Flaring: No brainer. It flared

Seating/Crimping: With these Lee dies and the rubber gasket, adjusting was tough with out the turret spinning on you. Finally got it right. What I suggest is when you get it right, tighten down good and just use that turret for that caliber. My seating for 100 rounds was 1.123" to 1.129". Pretty consistent.

Press: Not as well constructed as my Rockchucker, but probably not made for rifles. Also wasn't as smooth but alot of stuff going on at once. Very difficult to change calibers or shell holders. Even more difficult for changing from like 9mm Luger to 44 mag.

For autos, this is the trick. I don't know for my 44 mags. I take alot of pride in my target Unique 44Mag loads and like to trim/deburr and clean out the primer pockets. Just not convienent with the Lee press. Maybe use my rockchucker to size/deprime/prime, and trim and deburr separately. Then use the Lee Pro1000 to load and seat.

08 February 2003, 19:13

JerryO

quote:
Originally posted by bigcountry:
Ok from a decent experienced single stage reloader like myself, here are my impressions of this press. Got a Pro1000 loader free or loan with dies bullets and all. Can't beat it. First off, I wouldn't call this thing a beginner reloader. Even from my standpoint, it should have someone behind the lever that knows a little about powder, etc.

Yep, Though this is probaly true of all reloading and particularly every progressive.

Being a mechinist would be nice to.

quote:

Sizing/Depriming: Setup was no problem, just follow the directions. Only issue I see is when doing the whole operation, of sizing/deprime, charging/flaring, seating, sometimes when putting the lever back up, I would pull out the piston. I just couldn't seem to get the hex screw tight enought. This only happened once or twice. But can see this to be a problem when I start loading 44 mag with long cases.

Never heard of this before. Perhaps wipeing the oil off the post on the top of the ram will help. I would be tempted to use a little locktite if it came off for me, but that might make lifting the shellplate carrier off.

quote:

Priming: If done conscienely and carefully, no problem. Got to keep tray full to push the new one in place. Had a few problems where I had to stop the operation and get one that was cockeyed unstuck. Really need a mechanism that will stop the primers if need be so you can troubleshoot or just check your priming before charging if it just didn't feel right.

Didn't drill the hole in the tray, lid and trough yet did you?
I think the support for the tray that I described before does a lot to keep the primeing punch lined up with the primer pocket in the case.

The most common primeing problem is forgeting to push hard enough on the handle as the primers seat. I had a heck of a time getting the loads out of the press when I did this. I finally got out the dremel and removed the lip that caught the 1/2 seated primer. I know that there is a notch to allow the case with a 1/2 seated primer to come out, but I had a hard time useing it.

quote:

Charging: This surprised me. I looked up HP-38 on the charts and used the disk for 5gr for 9mm luger. I tested out 10 loads on the scale it read 4.9gr all 10 times. Very accurate. Unique was another story. But within .5gr

If you really want to use unique, do consider tapping the base of the powder measure 3 times for each load. You do rap the handle of you powder measure for your single stage, don't you?

I automated a single whop, but that isn't enough, it takes three.

quote:

Flaring: No brainer. It flared

Seating/Crimping: With these Lee dies and the rubber gasket, adjusting was tough with out the turret spinning on you. Finally got it right. What I suggest is when you get it right, tighten down good and just use that turret for that caliber. My seating for 100 rounds was 1.123" to 1.129". Pretty consistent.

Yep.

quote:

Press: Not as well constructed as my Rockchucker, but probably not made for rifles. Also wasn't as smooth but alot of stuff going on at once. Very difficult to change calibers or shell holders. Even more difficult for changing from like 9mm Luger to 44 mag.

It's intended to have a turret for each caliber. for instance a turret and die set for .38spec and another for .357. They do use the same shellplate and primer so all you do is lift off one turret and snap on the other, followed by transfering the powder measure. DO GET the swivel adapter that allows the powder measure to tighten without being turned.
You may get the powder measure update kit ($13.49 at midway), I did but find the swivel adapter the only thing in it that I can't do without. The update kit has been shipped standard with the pro1000 for years.

And as I have said so many times, DON"T REMOVE the SHELLPLATE CARRIER to change the shellplate. All you need to do (with the turret lifted off) is remove the eject wire (I leave it off and pick the cases out by hand), turn the index rod backward with a 1/4 inch wrench, then wiggle the shellplate up and out. The primer unit just lifts out and the other drops in at this point to change between large and small.

REALLY EASY!!!

quote:

For autos, this is the trick. I don't know for my 44 mags. I take alot of pride in my target Unique 44Mag loads and like to trim/deburr and clean out the primer pockets. Just not convienent with the Lee press. Maybe use my rockchucker to size/deprime/prime, and trim and deburr separately. Then use the Lee Pro1000 to load and seat.

This is rather a common conclusion for any progressive.

You have a good report, but there will be other problems.

Early on I ran into primer drawback (As I understood it, I realized I had always had it on my single stage, ie. irregular primer eject.). It seems to be related to old cases which have the primer pocket slightly closed from many rounds haveing been fired. The closeing of the entrance causes the primers to come out hard, which in turn caues the primers to stick on the deprimeing pin. As the pin withdraws from the case, the old primer is drawn back into the primerpocket. I was shocked to see dented primers in my reloads!

On this press, the slot in the ram for the primers to come down is long enough that I have had a primer get down between the ram and the base. This used to happen on my RCBSjr. My solution is to fill the bottom of the slot so that primers can't get down below the base casting. Just keeping the slot clean will help.

JerryO