Lee Pro 6000 Press

[tigerpan]

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

My friend have the master press, the primer system is Flicker. He end up getting a RCBs hand primed. I had square deal, Lee classic turrets and Dillon 450. and now only have hornady ap press. I think classic turrets worth every penny.
And hornady is good because you can DIY for brass feeder and bullet feeder

[9mmepiphany]

I think classic turrets worth every penny.

I learned to reload on a Classic Turret. The priming drove me crazy and put me off Lee progressive presses until the Pro-6k

And hornady is good because you can DIY for brass feeder and bullet feeder

I like the 3D bullet feed better than the 3D case feed. The case collator is fine, but the feed takes up a lot of room and makes handfeeding, when you only want to do a few cases, problematic

[Cowboy T]

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?

I've got the grey primer shuttle. Again, the more I use it, the more reliable it's been getting. I'm really liking this press.

[9mmepiphany]

I've got the grey primer shuttle.

That means you have the updated spring too...less likely to kink or get caught on the tabs of the shuttle guide

[Cowboy T]

Just did a few hundred this afternoon. You know, for Christmas. :-) Took me about an hour. ZERO priming problems this time, and the only reason I stopped is because I ran out of bullets. Time to cast some more!

I'm really liking this press so far.

[wannabefree]

Santa came through and I spent a few hours with initial setup of my pro 6000. I got the kit for 38/357 and a separate shell plate for 9mm. I also got an rcbs lockout die. I ran some test case through the de-capping and sizing dies. It all seemed to run pretty smooth until I setup my powder drop and rcbs lockout die. I had to remove the Lockout die for testing because it does what its supposed to do and locks out the press if you don't have powder in the case DUH.
Today I am hoping to do a few actual test rounds with powder,primer and bullets. Its a lot more complicated than using my Lee Classic Turret but not impossible if you just take your time setting everything up.
I am not really sure what generating of updates mine has because it was purchased a few weeks ago and I am just now setting it up. I guess I will just take it slow and see if any issues pop up as I go. So far I am really excited to get started.

[bigbossman]

Just did a few hundred this afternoon. You know, for Christmas. :-) Took me about an hour. ZERO priming problems this time, and the only reason I stopped is because I ran out of bullets. Time to cast some more!

I'm really liking this press so far.

If I were to enter the reloading arena now, it would be the press I would probably buy.

The only reason I don't buy one now (or have a Dillon, for that matter) is because I have three Pro 1000's that have been working wonderfully for the past couple of decades.

No reason to "upgrade".

[eaglemike]

Lee has been the beat deal for the money for a long time. I've owned most of them, and got heavy into the Loadmaster when they first came out. I have a couple of the very early version so the carrier easily loses rotation. They gave me info to send them back. they'll work fine - but now I'd like to have the 6000.
I spoke with Richard Lee on the phone a couple of times long ago. He was interested in what I had questions about, didn't just blow me off. Nice experience.

[9mmepiphany]

Its a lot more complicated than using my Lee Classic Turret but not impossible if you just take your time setting everything up.

It shouldn't be more complicated. The dies are set up just like on the turret. After initial setup, you can run just one case through it to check function and it will work just like the turret

I am not really sure what generating of updates mine has because it was purchased a few weeks ago and I am just now setting it up.

The thing to look for is the color of the primer slide and case head ring. Then seeing if the primer ram shaft is straight or contoured

[Cowboy T]

If I were to enter the reloading arena now, it would be the press I would probably buy.

The only reason I don't buy one now (or have a Dillon, for that matter) is because I have three Pro 1000's that have been working wonderfully for the past couple of decades.

No reason to "upgrade".

For my revolver cartridges, I agree. My twin Pro 1000's--one for small primer cartridges, one for large primer cartridges--will be remaining firmly bolted to my bench and getting used as often as needed.

The Pro 6000 really was intended as an upgrade for my Load-Master. I did get the LM to where its weakest link, the priming system, is pretty reliable, but the Pro 6000 looks like it's even better. With the LM, I've found that, with the priming system mod that I made, I can *safely* do between 200 and 250 rounds/hour. That really isn't bad, and it's obviously a major upgrade over single-stage or turret press reloading. The Pro 6000, though, looks like it'll get me considerably faster than that, with a pretty darn well-designed priming system. I don't know what I'll do with the LM now; probably will figure that out later.

What may be getting an upgrade, though, is my little $30 Lee Reloader Press, now they've come out with the APP (Automatic Processing Press). Nothing wrong with my Lee Reloader Press; it continues to work great. It's just that the APP looks like a major superset of any single-station press out there, and for resizing my cast boolits, according to several YouTube videos that I've seen of it in action, this looks like it would be a *MAJOR* time saver.

[bigbossman]

For my revolver cartridges, I agree. My twin Pro 1000's--one for small primer cartridges, one for large primer cartridges--will be remaining firmly bolted to my bench and getting used as often as needed.

That's the thing with the Pro 1000, it really is a pistol press (I load all my rifle rounds on a RockChucker). The only other weakness is the powder disks - if you stack them, you're going to get powder leaks. As long as you stick to using a single disk (and that is not a problem with any pistol round I've loaded for), the press is awesome. I still regularly use the first one I bought way back in the early 90's for $104 delivered and ready to load .45acp. Incredible bang for the buck.

As an aside - I uses a Lee Breech-lock press as a priming press in conjunction with a (discontinued) Lee Auto Prime 2 press mounted priming tool for my rifle brass, and it works great.

I have no doubt the 6000 is a nice press, and so far the user reviews bears this out.

[Cowboy T]

It was actually time to clean the large-primer Pro 1000 this evening after work. Primers were ending up sideways; that's the sign. It's back to proper operation now. And, as you said, it rocks. The small-primer Pro 1000 will be getting the same treatment probably this week.

Lee has discontinued all of the Auto-Prime based tools due, according to them, to primers generally getting more sensitive, like the Federal primers. They should adapt the Pro 6000's priming system to the Pro 1000 and Pro 4000. It's actually rather nice, with all the benefits of the PEZ-dispenser-type Safety Prime, with the speed of the original Pro 1000's Auto-Prime.

I do stack the disks for my .45 Colt Magnum loading using Alliant 2400 powder. This powder is a fine-grained powder, and there's a very small amount of leakage, but it's nothing bothersome. Now, WC820 with its really fine particles, that's another matter. :-) I'm going to spend some quality time with the Auto-Drum Powder Measure and get to know it. Perhaps it fixes that leakage issue.

For rifle rounds, I generally use the Classic Turret Press. The Perfect Powder Measure is adaptable to press automation, and it does pretty well. I'm hoping the Auto-Drum Powder Measure will be as good.

[TomReloaded]

The auto drum is fantastic. You can get exactly the charge you want, swap drums easily, and lose the leaks.

You can also swap the old large red powder hopper on it. The new clear bottle is tiny.

[9mmepiphany]

You can also swap the old large red powder hopper on it. The new clear bottle is tiny.

First you have to be able to find some.

An internet search showed that prices range from $4 to $16. I'm more tempted to get a Pyrex one from Dramworx...which will hold a pound of powder

[bigbossman]

The auto drum is fantastic. You can get exactly the charge you want, swap drums easily, and lose the leaks.

You can also swap the old large red powder hopper on it. The new clear bottle is tiny.

I'm still using the old round red and gray rectangular powder hoppers. That Auto Drum looks like a nice upgrade, thanks!