Help me please before I smash this thing

[trfcrugby]

I bought a Lee Pro 1000 press this week. Let me just say that their instructions are the WORST I have ever seen with any product, especially one that could potentially kill you if screwed up.

I am having two major issues. First, on the step where the press dumps in the powder, it is smashing the top of the cases. There has to be some adjustment, but the instructions say nothing about it.

Second problem is on stage 3, adding the bullet. I can't seem to get it to crimp the case tight enough to hold the bullet. If it holds the bullet, it smashes the brass slightly just around the should. I've been making minute adjustments to this thing for an hour now and wasted about 50 cases, primers and bullets.

I am about to smash the damn thing, and call their customer support to gripe about the poor instructions.

Please advise.

Thanks.

[Mud]

Sounds like your dies are threaded down too far. Pull your dies off of the press, then pull the arm down to simulate the sizing operation, then screw your sizing die all the way down till it hits the shell holder, then thread the charging die down all the way then back off shell holder 1 1/2 turns (I think). The Seating die should also be 1 complete turn off of the shell holder. Sorry, forget what the crimp die is. See if this helps, I don't own the 1000, but I have a Loadmaster among my 3 progressives.

[JHC]

If the cases are getting smashed the powder/expander die is set too deep, as for the bullet seating there are 2 adjustments to be made on that die. The first being set by how far the die is screwed into the turret, this will determine your crimp. The second adjustment is set by the knob which will controll your bullet seating depth. When I was first setting up my Loadmaster I found some videos on youtube to be helpfull.

Lee's instructions do suck, but don't give up yet, you'll get there

Edit: Lee has some videos on their website that may help as well http://www.leeprecision.com/html/HelpVideos/video.html

[.22guy]

Lee's instructions leave a lot to be desired. I like their dies and presses, a lot, but their powder scale is a POS. Richard Lee, take note.

[50ae]

Hmm, you could have listened to all my rantings about what a POS the thing is but you bought it. Start saving money for a Dillon now because you'll be buying one eventually.

[Jicko]

Just return it !!

Lee.... *sigh*.....

If you dun wanna spend the $$ for Dillon's, go for Hornady L'N'L... and if you don't even spend that... then, just go with RCBS single stages....

[jumbopanda]

All you need is this:

http://www.leeprecision.com/html/catalog/cleeloader.html

Demonstration:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98I1i8Toj8E

[psriley]

Don't know about the 1000, but I bought a Loadmaster. After a couple of hours of struggling with it, it became pretty apparent why it was so cost-competitive compared to other progressive type presses. In particular, I had trouble with: pretty much everything associated with the casefeed assembly (you have to lubricate it with motor oil), the cheapo plastic parts that index the primers, and, most notably, the ram that indexes the shellplate. I'm pretty adept with machinery in general, but I couldn't get this thing to index properly for more than a few rounds. I didn't have too many issues with the powder system, once I bailed on the ball-chain return and substituted a little bungie cord.

Bottom line is that the die adjustment advice and videos linked above will help you with your current problem. However, I wouldn't be a bit surprised if once you got your dies adjusted properly, you started running into more issues, due to under-designing and under-spec'ing of the product. You probably don't want to hear this, but if you are set on a progressive press, almost any other brand will serve you better.

This is where I pile on for the Dillon 650 XL. After fighting with the Lee product, the Dillon was truly a pleasure. Yes, it costs a bit more, but in the few weeks I've had it, I've made 2000+ rounds of 45 acp and 1000+ rounds of .223 Rem. Yes, you will still encounter some snags that need to be worked through (I think that's the nature of any progressive press), but generally they have nothing to do with the design or build quality of the press.

[Gunsrruss]

I never could get my Lee to work right...

I use it as a single stage press I use a Pact Powder dispenser and scale, and I hand prime my brass so I can see if I have high primers before I load up the round First thing to go on the Lee was the plastic priming tool then the rotation device. All of it crap It does work well as a single stage press. That's the only thing that has kept it out of the trash

[ETD1010]

Lee's instructions leave a lot to be desired. I like their dies and presses, a lot, but their powder scale is a POS. Richard Lee, take note.

I've had a powder scale of theirs for over 7 years. . . I've had zero problems and think it works just fine.

[.22guy]

Some people like it and some people don't. Mine will just not work right. And I've had very experienced reloaders try to get it to work and just doesn't seem to want to work. I have a Hornady scale now and it works great.

[T-Bear]

Sounds to me this is your first time reloading. It's not the presses fault but the lack of instructions that came with it. I would suggest that you give LEE a phone call so they may help you through the process of setting it up.
But if I were you I would hold onto that press and resort to buying a used or new single stage.The single stage press will have you using more fundamental steps with your loading habits. Loading habits- those are the things that you will incorporate into your handling of the powder, primers, bullets, for your safety and also producing safe, reliable ammunition. It will be slower- no doubt, but you will learn the safe way.

[trfcrugby]

I finally got it to work, about 30 smashed or mangled cases later.

I replaced the Lee depriming die with a RCBS one, and it works great now. I am still alive after shooting off 80 rounds, so that must mean something.

[50ae]

Are you sure it wasn't the Die all along?