lee loadmaster

[gotglock?]

i am looking into getting a loadmaster. i will mainly be loading 9mm, i know most say dillon is the best but at half the cost is a lee that bad? looks to have good volume and seems the be thier best press. just looking to hear some feedback either way before i buy. dillon 550 is about 400.00 with no dies, can have a loadmaster to my door for about 250.00. for cranking out 9mm only it makes sence to me. what do you guys think?

[Mikeb]

I have a loadmaster and have had pretty good results. The weak point is the primer feed. There is a resevior and trough and a little slider. If the trough gets powder or dirt in it the slider can get fouled and then munched by the pin that sets the primer. Get a few extras of both these parts and you will be prepared. Keep it clean and you wont need them. But it's good to have them anyway. Other than that it is a fine press and will make all the ammo you can shoot .
take care
Mike

[pisarski]

i have a loadmaster and a pro 1000 and they work fine but you have to keep them clean or you will have primer feed problems

[otteray]

Before using my Pro 1000, I first deprime with a single stage press, tumble, clean the primer pockets and then prime with a RCBS priming tool.
This gives me an opportunity to measure the cases, too, if needed, after Full Length resizing.

While using the Pro, I have the sizing/depriming die removed; so, it's 1st, powder drop/flair; 2nd, bullet seat; and 3rd, the factory crimp die (when needed) with each pull of the handle.
My Pro is at least 20 year old or so; and needs all the help it can get!
But, even the way I use it is faster than single stage reloading.

If I ever want to reload at a fast and frantic pace, I'll definitely buy the Dillon.

[cornflake]

Here are some information you can use....

Load Master Information Site.

http://loadmastervideos.com/

And a guy that bought all three Dillon, Hornady, Lee LoadMaster and wrote a 13 pages reports comparing the three.

http://www.comrace.ca/cmfiles/dillonLeeHornadyComparison.pdf

[FieldsofFire]

I'm satisfied with my Loadmaster but I am a beginner. There are certain things about it that I think aren't perfect systems, like the priming system and the powder system, but I haven't seen in-detail how other manufacturers' presses do it yet, so I can't really comment. What others say about it is true, if you spend the quality time setting it up and getting it dialed in right, it will run smoothly. I can't emphasize that enough. Mine took a lot of fidgeting and fine adjusting to get it to run smoothly on all stations. As a beginner press, I think it's a great deal, I may move on to a Dillon later down the road though.

If you can get one from Midway with the kit pre-setup for 9mm, I think it's a good deal. Don't forget to order a 9mm Lee factory crimp die with it and have it shipped under one order. The stock die set that comes with it in the kit is only a 3-die set.

[huesos]

loadmaster

If you listen to oteray above you will be on the right track. I would modify this to say " size and deprime on a single stage press". I even do this on a 650. The only press I have seen that does not require this is the 1050. The mechanical leverage and weight of the head/base make sizing on the press feasable but only just.

[FieldsofFire]

I agree, if I have any problems with my Loadmaster, it is related to either the resizing/decapping die or priming assembly. The auto primer system is not a perfect design by any means, but runs like butter when it's right. The powder/bullet seat/FCD stations are butter smooth all the time.