Buying the Lee Loadmaster

[1nickatnite1]

Hi Guys,

I was considering the Pro 1000 but the consensus seems to be the extra space with the loadmaster is worth it. I found the press here at Widener's and looks to be a great price:

http://www.wideners.com/itemdetail.cfm?item_id=7497&dir=210|212|237|1011

Problem is, I'm not sure what else I need to purchase to complete the set up. The product description isn't as detailed as Id like so I'm hoping some calgunner has already bought this and can help me fill in the holes.

I should mention I already own a Lee 50th anniversary single stage kit and while its been great for what it is, I don't want to spend 5 hours to load 300 rounds of .45acp anymore. I'd also like to load 9mm and 38/357. I have all the dies already, just unsure what else I need to get to swap calibers on the loadmaster.

Many thanks in advance!

PS. I read up a lot of reviews of the loadmaster and am aware of the potential problems but I just can't justify spending 3-4 times more on a dillon setup based on the amount I shoot, so please don't respond with "buy a dillon".

[Bill Steele]

Hi Guys,

I was considering the Pro 1000 but the consensus seems to be the extra space with the loadmaster is worth it. I found the press here at Widener's and looks to be a great price:

http://www.wideners.com/itemdetail.cfm?item_id=7497&dir=210|212|237|1011

Problem is, I'm not sure what else I need to purchase to complete the set up. The product description isn't as detailed as Id like so I'm hoping some calgunner has already bought this and can help me fill in the holes.

I should mention I already own a Lee 50th anniversary single stage kit and while its been great for what it is, I don't want to spend 5 hours to load 300 rounds of .45acp anymore. I'd also like to load 9mm and 38/357. I have all the dies already, just unsure what else I need to get to swap calibers on the loadmaster.

Many thanks in advance!

PS. I read up a lot of reviews of the loadmaster and am aware of the potential problems but I just can't justify spending 3-4 times more on a dillon setup based on the amount I shoot, so please don't respond with "buy a dillon".

OK, I won't say "get a Dillon"

Have you considered a Lee Classic Turret? You can produce upwards of 250 an hour (by some accounts, I averaged more like 200 an hour on mine). But those are very trouble free rounds. The volume a progressive can produce is greatly affected by how trouble free it runs. That is why people pay a premium for progressive presses like Dillon and Hornaday.

The Lee Classic Turret runs trouble free and is extremely inexpensive to buy, just a thought.

Have fun, Good luck.

[Flyin Brian]

I'd suggest calling Widener's and asking for clarification on the item description, it sure sounds like it does not include the powder measure or the case feeder.

I know of another site and this place is one of the absolute lowest priced dealers for Lee products. FS Reloading is actually in the same town as the Lee factory, so they are a Master Dealer and sell at very good prices. They are showing the Load Master for $219.00 including the set of 4 dies, powder measure, loaded round catcher tray, etc. I think that's a better deal than the wideners.

http://fsreloading.com/lee-precision/lee-presses/lee-load-master/

[1nickatnite1]

OK, I won't say "get a Dillon"

Have you considered a Lee Classic Turret? You can produce upwards of 250 an hour (by some accounts, I averaged more like 200 an hour on mine). But those are very trouble free rounds. The volume a progressive can produce is greatly affected by how trouble free it runs. That is why people pay a premium for progressive presses like Dillon and Hornaday.

The Lee Classic Turret runs trouble free and is extremely inexpensive to buy, just a thought.

Have fun, Good luck.

I didnt realize the turret press was capable of doing 250 an hour...that's definitely an option for me since my normal range trip is about 300 rounds of 45 and 300 of 9mm. I'm looking to add a 357 magnum revolver but can't imagine shooting more than 100 or so per session. Thanks again!

[1nickatnite1]

I'd suggest calling Widener's and asking for clarification on the item description, it sure sounds like it does not include the powder measure or the case feeder.

I know of another site and this place is one of the absolute lowest priced dealers for Lee products. FS Reloading is actually in the same town as the Lee factory, so they are a Master Dealer and sell at very good prices. They are showing the Load Master for $219.00 including the set of 4 dies, powder measure, loaded round catcher tray, etc. I think that's a better deal than the wideners.

http://fsreloading.com/lee-precision...e-load-master/

Thanks for the link! That's definitely a great price and I can save some confusion.

[Cowboy T]

I also own a Lee Classic Turret Press, and for the life of me, I don't know how people are getting rates like 200+ rounds/hour on them. I typically get about 120/hour when doing .45 Colt, and that's with a powder measure. I think I'll post a thread asking this question, because I'd really like to know.

That said, +1 to the recommendation for the LCTP. Even if you get 120 rounds/hour like I do, they're trouble-free rounds.

Now...having used the Pro 1000 quite extensively, I can tell you that if you're doing handgun rounds, yes, that's really all the press you need. The Load-Master's good, and you wouldn't be "wrong" to get one. *All* progressive presses have their quirks, and Lee's presses are no exception. Learn the press, and you'll be banging out well over 300 rounds/hour, as measured over an actual, full 60 minutes (not just over 5 minutes and multiplied by 12, that's cheating), and those rounds will be top-notch, as well.

Are you going to be doing rifle rounds? That's the chief justification that I hear for getting a Load-Master over a Pro 1000. If you are, then I'd suggest a combination of the Pro 1000 for your handgun rounds, and the Classic Turret Press for your rifle rounds. This is a tag-team that's hard to beat.

[Cowboy T]

The Lee Classic Turret runs trouble free and is extremely inexpensive to buy, just a thought.

It's also extremely inexpensive to maintain and do cartridge changes on. Basically, you swap the turret and the shell holder, and if appropriate, the primer size. The entire operation takes just under a minute and a half, worst-case, and the financial outlay is a $12 turret and (if you don't have 'em already) a $30 set of dies. That's $42. If you use the Safety Prime system--which you should--then be sure to get the version that includes both primer sizes.

[bonzaiii]

I have the Loadmaster and the Turret, the Loadmaster is absolutely faster if you dont mind having to go back a pull bullets from the ones that the primer did not seat on, the Turret is slower but I have almost no problems with it, and can knock out about 200 in an hour without really pushing it.

[Bill Steele]

I didnt realize the turret press was capable of doing 250 an hour...that's definitely an option for me since my normal range trip is about 300 rounds of 45 and 300 of 9mm. I'm looking to add a 357 magnum revolver but can't imagine shooting more than 100 or so per session. Thanks again!

I guess I better clarify what I posted, I have read on these threads guys getting 250/hour out of their Classic Turret. I haven't. A lot depends on what you are loading, how frequently you check your powder drop accuracy, issues with cases (large/small primer .45ACP), etc. etc. BTW, the people that posted 250 are credible people on these forums, so I expect that were being honest (and very fast).

If I was loading 200gr LSWC's in for my .45ACP's, I might only get 120-150 an hour, as I chamber checked each and every round. On the other hand, if I was loading plated/jacketed bullets where I knew I was not going to run into chambering problems with my most finicky guns, then 200/hour was attainable with a familiar load.

The very cool thing about the fixed cavity of the Auto Disk/Auto Disk Pro powder drop you will be using (on any of the Lee presses you are considering), the "dialing in" of the powder weight takes no time as they throw a fixed amount and are very consistent with most pistol powders. Once you get a load you like, you check the drop once at the beginning to verify weight (and make certain you got the right cavity in the drop) and once when you are done with your batch (In 15K rounds I never found a single case where my powder drops varied with my Auto Disks during a run, but it still is a good idea to verify at the end). On my Dillon, before I got my Uniquetek Micrometer powder bar adjustor, I could spend 10 minutes dialing in and verifying a new loads drop.

As I said before, if you run into glitches with a progressive, your hourly output falls off a cliff. Honestly, if you are going to go progressive, I think there are better choices.

[GSwain]

One thing I have found with my loadmaster is get a 6 pack of PC duster cans to go with it. Every 100 rounds or so i blow out the shell plate, primer feed assembly, anywhere that looks dirty. After an appropriate lubing, mine is running better than it ever has using this method. Hard to go wrong here imho. If you are going to load other calbers, the only thing you need is a turret head, shell plate, and dies. pistol dies come with a powder through expander usually, if you are loading cast boolits you will want a case expanding die though. Make sure to get a couple of replacement primer assembly parts, you'll probably eat one while figuring out the quirks of the press. Overall, i have probably 10k through my loadmaster so far of various things, and its run great.

[klewan]

That's the basic machine from Widener's, it's cheaper to get one that is set up from the factory with the caliber of your choice. That runs about $220, includes the shellplate, turret, dies, primer feed, case feeder, powder measure. I've been buying most of my Lee stuff from F&M reloading in Ohio, last 18 years. They are consistently cheaper than anybody else I've been able to find. Their shipping charge is a flat $10 up to about $200, and small additional amounts when you get to $300 and more.

Only downside to F&M is it can take a while, couple of weeks, to get everything. I don't think they have a million dollar inventory, so they order from Lee and you have to wait until that appears. And Lee is a couple of weeks behind on orders.....Everybody wants to get their gun stuff before the real craziness this fall.

Other thing about the LM, there is a lot of stuff happening at one time. Dillion 550, you have to insert case and bullet, turn the shellplate, and work the lever. The press only primes and drops powder. Fully equipped LM everything is done by the press except pumping the lever. So once you get all the devices loaded, you just pump the handle and watch all the reservoirs of components.

Remember, by definition half the population is below average in mechanical ability and reasoning.
When I used to work on cars for a living I would see all the screw ups from people in the lower half of mechanical ability. Made a lot of money fixing all that.

Same thing with the LM, people that have to constantly remind themselves; "Right tighty, lefty loosey", shouldn't be using something as complicated as a LM, that's why the 550 is so popular, you don't have to be to be above average in mechanical reasoning to use it. Get to the 650 and 1050, you have to be above average in mechanical reasoning, like with the LM.

[1nickatnite1]

Thanks for the tips everyone! I think I'm going to go with the Loadmaster for the speed and ability to load rifle rounds. I don't reload rifle right now but would like to load .308 in the future so I think this is a worthwhile investment. I'm definitely keeping my lee single stage for sentimental reasons and load experimentation.