Lee Pro 6000 Press

[9mmepiphany]

I did a search and couldn't find a thread about the new Lee Pro 6000, so I thought I'd put the info out

Lee recently introduced their new 6 station progressive press that is replacing the Lee LoadMaster, The ram linkage is that from their .50 BMG Classic Cast and is located under the sizing station to limit shell plate tilt.



The Pro 6000 press (with case feeder) is $239 at Titan Reloading and the Six Pack Pro (SPP) is $339. The SPP comes with a die set, primer slider, and matching shell plate in the caliber of your choice and also comes with an Autodrum powder measure. The press comes with dies mounted in Lee's Breech Lock bushings.

The biggest thing for me, besides the availability of 6 die stations, was that they now have a reliable primer feeding system which still uses their folding trays to avoid having to fill primer tubes. Loaded my first 100 rounds of .45ACP after setting the press up without any primer or case feeding issues.

This press is easily going to make the Dillon Square Deal redundant and will likely take a big bite out the Dillon's 650/750 market

Lee has been very responsive to user feedback when issues arise and have addressed them with updated parts for free. Up dates are on-going and other requested parts are being developed

[Oceanbob]

[tabascoz28]

Right? You can't see any of the grease, powder, grime in my reloading dungeon when it's all dark like that. Maybe in the future that might be something I might try to get to work but my turret and auto breech 4 stations work. With more stations I will have to start looking into auto bullet dropper and trimmer = more money...

[sghart]

Yep, I am looking at one of these. My Lee Classic Turret and my Lee Pro 4000 get a lot of use. But I have watched several videos on the new Pro 6000 and it looks promising.

If they have the priming station figured out then I will probably get one.

[9mmepiphany]

If they have the priming station figured out then I will probably get one.

The feed/shuttle is very reliable and the primer ram is now self-cleaning in case you drop powder on it, We tested it by pouring a mound of powder on the pin

[9mmepiphany]

Except it’s the wrong color……..��

"Old" Ford Motor Blue
DE 1621

[Cowboy T]

Funny you mention that...just a week and a half ago, I got my Pro 6000 press set up. Here is the press and its first output; the cartridge is .45 ACP.

Yes, the below rather large thumbnails are clickable for a larger version.



I had been considering the Pro 4000 press, which is basically just the Pro 1000, updated to have 4 stations instead of 3. This was important, because since I cast my own "boolits", even sizing my cast bullets first did not result in every round properly chambering in the guns. Most did, but not all; this included two 1911's, a Glock 21, Ruger SR45, and Springfield XD-s. Therefore, I need to use the Factory Crimp Die to post-size the finished round. This works very well to ensure proper chambering in any .45 ACP firearm. I know, some people don't care for the FCD...but it sure does work really well for me.

The output that you see above has already been tested in the above firearms. It worked *GREAT*. The primers are TulAmmo standard LPP's, the load is 5.4gr Titegroup under a 200gr LRNFP cast out of a Lee 6-cavity mould. The cases are assorted, mixed brass. All rounds fed and chambered perfectly.

The dies that you see in the above pics are as follows.

1.) decapping/resizing
2.) powder-through-expander and flaring
3.) RCBS "Powder Cop" die
4.) bullet seating
5.) Factory Crimp Die
6.) nothing at this time

The powder measure is the Lee Pro Auto-Disk Powder Measure with the so-called "infinitely adjustable" powder cavity insert. It does a fine job of consistent powder-drops, within 0.1 grain as measured by my RCBS 10-10 beam scale. The press comes with the Auto-Drum Powder Measure, but I had the Pro Auto-Disk Powder Measure already set up, so I just went ahead and used that. You use the same spring-loaded return on the Auto-Disk Powder Measure that you use with the Classic Turret Press.

The finished rounds plop very nicely right into the red tray at the front.

I'm still getting used to it and continuing to dial it in as I use it. The priming system in particular appears to require a bit of a "break-in" period of several hundred rounds. As I use it, it appears to get more reliable, which is a good thing. It's essentially a completely automated version of the Classic Turret Press's "Safety Prime" concept. I like it. Note that my Lee Pro 1000's both also needed a bit of dialing in to get reliable, so I expect this from any press, especially a progressive press. Initial indications are looking promising.

It also reminded me how quickly one can go through a box of primers with progressive presses...!

[9mmepiphany]

Here is the press and its first output; the cartridge is .45 ACP.

Very nice. I also started with .45ACP to see if the primer system would work better with LPP than SPP. The only LPP I had on hand were Federal Match and they fed very well. I've only loaded about 300 rounds so far

My set up is similar to yours:
1. Lee Sizing/Decapping die
2. Lyman M-die... like the "seat" that it provides to stabilize the bullet between stations
3. Lee Autodrum
4. Hornady Powder Cop
5. Lee Seating die
6. RCBS Crimp die

I'm waiting for Lee to offer their M-style powder through insert before I add their inline bullet feed in Station 4

The priming system in particular appears to require a bit of a "break-in" period of several hundred rounds. As I use it, it appears to get more reliable, which is a good thing. It's essentially a completely automated version of the Classic Turret Press's "Safety Prime" concept.

My primer feed seemed to work smoothly from the get go and I haven't added the upgraded shuttle or self-cleaning priming ram to it yet.

Do you have the black or grey primer shuttle?

[TomReloaded]

I have one with a Hornady bullet feeder and an automatic bullet collator.

I just crank the handle and ammo pops out. No more pushing the dumb primer arm, no more hand feeding bullets.

There's an issue with the priming rod spring, but Lee already has updates. You can also slide a empty bic pen over the spring to prevent binding.

[wannabefree]

I have it on good account Santa is putting one of these under the tree this year. I can't wait to try it out, graduating from a Lee Classic turret which I still plan on keeping for riffle and one of loads. I have already watched a lot of U tube videos and following a big thread over on the High Roads reloading forum.
If this press lives up to its early reputation its going to be a major game changer for the competition. A lot of folks hate on Lee but I am not one of them. You have to give them credit for innovation and working to produce some of the best bang for the buck products.
Merry Christmas,

[TomReloaded]

The priming spring isn't zero-problems, so people are going to freak out that it binds occasionally, even though it's easily fixed and preventable. The dies absolutely must be set to level and stabilize the shell plate, which the directions won't exactly lead you to also, so some initial fiddling will turn off the impatient.

It *will* run like a Dillon 750 if you put some work into it. Straight out of the box, picky consumers who demand perfection from a $250 6 die press may have complaints.

I keep an eye on my spring and keep it lubed and in good order, and it just pumps out ammo.

[9mmepiphany]

The dies absolutely must be set to level and stabilize the shell plate, which the directions won't exactly lead you to also, so some initial fiddling will turn off the impatient.

Having the ram under Station 1...the Sizing die...makes it less an issue that on progressives with centrally located rams.

On a thread on The High Road's Relaoding subforum, the consistency of OAL has been amazing with both sorted and unsorted 9mm cases

It *will* run like a Dillon 750 if you put some work into it. Straight out of the box, picky consumers who demand perfection from a $250 6 die press may have complaints.

Having recently had a Dillon 750 on my bench, I found the Pro 6000 easier to set up...granted the 750 had more aftermarket add-ons and a out-of-spec shell plate.

What slowed me down was I kept expecting there to be more tuning needed. The other thing that slowed me down was how tightly spaced the dies were...but then my primary press is a Hornady LNL AP. The Lee Breech Lock bushings are also a bit slower to click into place than the Hornady LNL bushings

[9mmepiphany]

I have already watched a lot of U tube videos and following a big thread over on the High Roads reloading forum.

That is a great thread for owner or potential owners to really understand how the press is set up and how Lee has been responsive to feedback.

One of the members there have been asked by Lee to beta test upgrade for the Pro-6k and offer feedback and suggestions...he's testing to failure; or close enough.

If this press lives up to its early reputation its going to be a major game changer for the competition.

In it's current configuration and with all the upgrades being applied to production, I can't see any reason anyone would buy a Dillon Square Deal...other than to be able to say that they own "Blue"

With folks having to make more decisions based on cost/value, I think this press will start eating into the 750 market share...especially when you take into consideration the cost of caliber changes

[tigerpan]

Funny you mention that...just a week and a half ago, I got my Pro 6000 press set up. Here is the press and its first output; the cartridge is .45 ACP.

Yes, the below rather large thumbnails are clickable for a larger version.



I had been considering the Pro 4000 press, which is basically just the Pro 1000, updated to have 4 stations instead of 3. This was important, because since I cast my own "boolits", even sizing my cast bullets first did not result in every round properly chambering in the guns. Most did, but not all; this included two 1911's, a Glock 21, Ruger SR45, and Springfield XD-s. Therefore, I need to use the Factory Crimp Die to post-size the finished round. This works very well to ensure proper chambering in any .45 ACP firearm. I know, some people don't care for the FCD...but it sure does work really well for me.

The output that you see above has already been tested in the above firearms. It worked *GREAT*. The primers are TulAmmo standard LPP's, the load is 5.4gr Titegroup under a 200gr LRNFP cast out of a Lee 6-cavity mould. The cases are assorted, mixed brass. All rounds fed and chambered perfectly.

The dies that you see in the above pics are as follows.

1.) decapping/resizing
2.) powder-through-expander and flaring
3.) RCBS "Powder Cop" die
4.) bullet seating
5.) Factory Crimp Die
6.) nothing at this time

The powder measure is the Lee Pro Auto-Disk Powder Measure with the so-called "infinitely adjustable" powder cavity insert. It does a fine job of consistent powder-drops, within 0.1 grain as measured by my RCBS 10-10 beam scale. The press comes with the Auto-Drum Powder Measure, but I had the Pro Auto-Disk Powder Measure already set up, so I just went ahead and used that. You use the same spring-loaded return on the Auto-Disk Powder Measure that you use with the Classic Turret Press.

The finished rounds plop very nicely right into the red tray at the front.

I'm still getting used to it and continuing to dial it in as I use it. The priming system in particular appears to require a bit of a "break-in" period of several hundred rounds. As I use it, it appears to get more reliable, which is a good thing. It's essentially a completely automated version of the Classic Turret Press's "Safety Prime" concept. I like it. Note that my Lee Pro 1000's both also needed a bit of dialing in to get reliable, so I expect this from any press, especially a progressive press. Initial indications are looking promising.

It also reminded me how quickly one can go through a box of primers with progressive presses...!

All Lee desk auto I have leaking problems even with fine powders.

[9mmepiphany]

Most Lee progressive press have primer issues that all.

The only remaining "primer issue" is getting the last 3 primers to feed...as there isn't a column to push them through