Lee Pro 1000?

[AWA]

I am thinking about getting into reloading for 44 mag. 40 S&W, and 38 special. Been looking at the Lee Pro 1000. Is says that you have to use CCI or Winchester primers. What about the press? Anyone have any problems with them? What about CCI or Winchester primers. Any thoughts would be helpful.
Thanks.

 

[Bello]

I recommend the lee classic turret press skip the 1000, trust me you won't regret it

 

[Engineer1911]

NO!

Don't buy a Lee progressive press unless you enjoy adjusting even more than reloading.

I've been Smurfed, it's Dillon for me. New or used has the same lifetime parts warranty except the Dillon 1050.

 

[forestswin]

I started reloading earlier this year on a Lee 1000. I spent more time "tuning it up" then actual reloading. I even had a little book on how to trouble shoot the Lee 1000. It didn't index correctly - sometimes I had to spin it manually, sometimes it would crunch the cases when expanding and seat the primers sideways - just a whole bunch of problems- if one station was working another wouldn't - too much going on and mostly, incorrectly at the same time.

I finally just operated it one stage at a time and indexed it around the other stations until the round came off. Kind of a big hassle.

I ended up going with a Hornady Single stage press. It makes reloading much more enjoyable when the equipment works properly.

 

[mosquito]

I am thinking about getting into reloading for 44 mag. 40 S&W, and 38 special. Been looking at the Lee Pro 1000. Is says that you have to use CCI or Winchester primers. What about the press? Anyone have any problems with them? What about CCI or Winchester primers. Any thoughts would be helpful.
Thanks.

Forget it! Get a Dillon. Buy it right the first time, and you will have it FOREVER! The Lee 1000 is a terrible press. 2 of my buddies have their better one and it is a good press BUT, they changed the powder hoppers and linkages to make it work better. JUST GET A DILLON!

 

[Maximumbob54]

The Lee Classic Turret is the best thing Lee has ever invented. You will not go wrong if you start with one.

 

[iouri]

Forget it! Get a Dillon. Buy it right the first time, and you will have it FOREVER!

Honestly I agree with that but don't forget that Dillon is in different price range. I went Dillon route, though Costed me like $550 for press set of 38/357 dies, 4 pack of tubes and primer tray. Lee Pro 1000 is about 1/3 of that price ? So far I didn't have any hiccups with my blue press, just read manual, watched few youtube videos on setup and it just works

 

[AWA]

I see that MIDWAY usa has two different kits for the lee 4 hole. an Auto index value kit and an auto index deluxe kit. Which is better? Is the deluxe worth the money?

 

[tomuchiron]

lee presses

I bought 2 factory reconditioned 1000's last christmas. from lee's web sight @ 125.00 ea. pretty cheap to get into reloading. . Lee wasn't much help with the problems. I think the shell plate or frame is bent on the 45acp.. ...... the 9mm press crunches primers alot and powder charges aren't consistant. . But i'm getting to old for 5 or 6 strokes per shell so I'll stay with 1 stroke, 1 reload, most of the time.
Michael.
PS You had better have good mechanical abilities.

 

[stevehenry1]

I agree with the others-GET the Turret/ auto indexing. I have a Pro 1000 and NEVER got it to work properly. I bought a used Lee turret press and then bought the Auto Index upgrade ( it was an OLD press!) BIG IMPROVEMENT. The Pro was Extremely Finicky, the Turret was much simpler and more reliable. I load .45 ACP, .45 Colt and .38 Special. Swapping turret heads makes it EASY to switch.

 

[Argonnakid]

Have had a 1000 for alittle over a year now, and yes I had kinks to work out when I first got it. Not too bad really. I was crushing cases when trying to seat bullets. Got it figured out and that press now runs like a top.

 

[Bello]

I see that MIDWAY usa has two different kits for the lee 4 hole. an Auto index value kit and an auto index deluxe kit. Which is better? Is the deluxe worth the money?

Skip the auto deluxe kit, pick up the lee classic cast turret press, get the kit if they have one. Or get a dillon. I use two xl650's

 

[125JHP]

I just found my old Lee1000 and thought about setting it up for 38 Spl, but now I recall all the adjusting I had to do to get it working right and have decided to sell it instead. Once they are running they work fine but as soon as you change something, like setting up for another caliber, then the fiddling with it takes a while before your back to production.

 

[kenjen]

have 2 pro 1000 been using them since 1990 loaded 1000's of 9mm, 38's, 357, 45acp and 44mags. sure i had trouble from time to time but i was always able to work out the problems and keep reloading. i do load all of my "special" loads for hunting on a lee single stage, but all of my "plinking" loads come from the pro 1000. never used the turret press but heard good things about it.

 

[blujax01]

Lots of good advice here, AWA. Decades of experience in the above posts.
A $200 progressive press is asking for trouble.
There's a reason that the other progressives out there: (Hornady LnL AP ~ $400, RCBS 2000 ~ $500, Dillon XL650 ~ AnArmAndALeg) begin at 2X that amount.

 

[David Sinko]

My Pro 1000 was nothing but trouble. It was satisfactory for the first couple thousand of .38 Special I loaded but then developed problems with the priming and auto index that I couldn't fix. It seems that the plastic parts (especially the gears for the auto index) eventually wear to the point of no return. I believe any turret press with a manual index will be better than a Pro 1000. I now use two Dillon progressive presses and they are worth the extra money.

Lee makes some great dies and tools like case trimmers that are inexpensive and a great bargain but their progressive presses are to be avoided like the Plague.

Dave Sinko

 

[mstuhr]

Nylon ratchet

That nylon ratchet at the heart of the 1000 is part of maintaining a Pro 1000. Most last longer than a couple thousand rounds.
A sturdy, rock solid bench makes them run a lot smoother too.
Keep them clean, oiled and tuned.
The spring on the side that pushes the case into the shell plate needs to push the case in tight to the shell plate.
Watch the primer feed and thump the tray from time to time.
If you see that the 1000 has everything flowing and not interrupt the flow of powder or primers you can make a lot of ammo fast.
Learn to feel. You can tell what is happening by feel and know when something is amiss. Did I say learn to feel? Can't stress that enough.
My old .45 machine holds component for 80 rounds. When everything is in tune you can empty it in about four minutes.
I have three on the bench .45, .38/.357 and 9mm and have used one of them since the 80's.
The last one I traded from a guy who hated it. He said it was apiece of junk. It works just fine.
I can't say they are always trouble free but nothing happens that takes long to cure. Even a rebuild is no big deal. I get along with them and wouldn't take a new Square deal for any of them.
The more money you spend the better equipment you get from Dillon. Great stuff, but I don't see the need as I get along with the Lees quite well.
If you take the time to learn and understand a 1000 they can be good equipment.
Hope this helps
Mike

 

[Bib]

That nylon ratchet at the heart of the 1000 is part of maintaining a Pro 1000. Most last longer than a couple thousand rounds.
A sturdy, rock solid bench makes them run a lot smoother too.
Keep them clean, oiled and tuned.
The spring on the side that pushes the case into the shell plate needs to push the case in tight to the shell plate.
Watch the primer feed and thump the tray from time to time.
If you see that the 1000 has everything flowing and not interrupt the flow of powder or primers you can make a lot of ammo fast.
Learn to feel. You can tell what is happening by feel and know when something is amiss. Did I say learn to feel? Can't stress that enough.
My old .45 machine holds component for 80 rounds. When everything is in tune you can empty it in about four minutes.
I have three on the bench .45, .38/.357 and 9mm and have used one of them since the 80's.
The last one I traded from a guy who hated it. He said it was apiece of junk. It works just fine.
I can't say they are always trouble free but nothing happens that takes long to cure. Even a rebuild is no big deal. I get along with them and wouldn't take a new Square deal for any of them.
The more money you spend the better equipment you get from Dillon. Great stuff, but I don't see the need as I get along with the Lees quite well.
If you take the time to learn and understand a 1000 they can be good equipment.
Hope this helps
Mike

THIS! I have two Pro 1000s......got one free and one for cheap from people who couldn't get them to run. They demand your attention 100% but once you figure them out they work fine. If you can afford a Dillon, go for it. If you're not at all mechanically inclined, avoid the Pro 1000.

 

[Skip Sackett]

There is only one relationship that is supposed to last a lifetime, marriage and, you have to remember, you are not married to whatever press you do buy. They can be sold or junked without eternal effect!

All kidding aside, someone asked me if I had ever bought a bad press. My answer was, no, never have. Why? Well, I make evaluations of the equipment I buy, anything I buy, on the soundness of their design, like from an engineering standpoint. The ones that I deemed of poor design or ones that had engineering shortfalls, stayed on the shelf, hence, I have never bought a bad press.

I have a Lee Classic Cast Turret Press, the wife bought it for me as a Christmas gift and it has worked very well for me. The auto index ratchet is pretty lame but, I don't use it like that anyway, I use mine as a single stage that has all of the dies set up in one toolhead. I use it for load development and for those rounds that have to be done one at a time for best results.

The Dillons are the backbone of my reloading room. I have 2 XL650s, and RL450B that is partially converted, 3 Square Deal Bs (two are at children's houses that reload).

If I had to do it all over again, I would start with the XL650. It is a bit harder to use as a single stage but the auto advance is a must for a progressive, in my opinion. The new to the lineup, Hornady Lock N Load AP is a great machine and I have heard great things on this forum about it. Might be another option for you.

Spend the money up front and you will never be sorry........

FWIW

 

[Cdog]

Learn the basics on something/anything other than a progressive.

In the right hands, the Pro 1000 can produce excellent ammo, but it ain't for any beginner.

They're inexpensive enough to buy multiples and leave them setup for one caliber.

I've had them and many other presses. There's no progressive that I can be satisfied with. I'm much too anal on what I consider proper case prep.

The Lee turret is a very solid press at a bargain price. I recommend using it as a manually indexed unit to get the basics down pat before adding automation to the process. CD

 

[harvo]

Get a turret, my 1000 is set up and left alone to crank out target .380 ammo. It's been a single stage press for the last several thousand rounds now.
Good luck!

 

[Wee Hooker]

I recommend the lee classic turret press skip the 1000, trust me you won't regret it

+1, I currently have two lee Classic Turrets. I used to own two Lee 1000's. While the 1000 is a decent machine, it takes some tweaking to keep it running good. The primer system in particular can be a PITA. IMHO, ANY progressive has too much going on at one time for the average beginner to learn properly and safely.
In my real life experience, the Classic Turret has near the speed of the 1000 at 150-200 rds/hr but is allot safer , controlled and easier to operate.
Search Lee Classic Turret here and you'll get allot more info.

p.s. Because the safety prime system used on the Turret isolates each primer at time of seating, there are no worries about primer softness. You can use any brand you like.

 

[AWA]

Thanks for the info. I am going to go with the Lee Classic turret. ( Getting one for christmas!!!!)

 

[cellllman]

I believe the Lee Classic Turret Press is a very good start for a beginner. I went straight to the pro 1000 and yes it takes some adjusting but I really liked it. But I did not trust it to primer my rounds so I did that separate. So, after many thousands of rounds on the 1000 I have turned to the classic. I love it! Even though it takes 4 pulls to make a round the priming tool is excellent and I actually save time now. It is very beefy and just feels good to use. With the ability to set your dies in their own turrets you can change calibers in seconds, change/reset your powder drop and go to work. One thing not mentioned is the Lee auto disk powder measure. I've got one on my classic and one on my 1000 and they work very well as long as you are not trying to produce match grade rounds. Good luck!

 

[Prof_Fate]

You can spend about $50 more and get a loadmaster (titanreloading.com is great).

Is it perfect? I've nothing to compare it to. To get the same thing in a dillon 650 costs $750 locally vs $215ish Presses - Lee Load Master - Lee Load Master Pistol Calibers - Lee Reloading Supplies | Reloading Equipment Lee Precision | Discount Reloading Supplies by Lee | Titan Reloading

Lots of help out there such as Lee Loadmaster Videos « Ultimate Reloader

If you are going to reload a lot, have the money, then consider a dillon.
How much is 'a lot'? Well, you can look at the money thing - if you save 10c a round the $500 difference will be paid back in 5,000 rounds. For some that's less than a year's shooting, for others it's 5 years of shooting or perhaps more.

If you really get into reloading you're likley to have multiple presses anyway - I have a single stage, a loadmaster and am thinking of a 650 for next year. Partly to see if the dillon is as good as they say, but also because I shoot 3 pistol calibers, 9mm a lot and 38 and 357 some (38 in pistol, target loads, 357 as light magnums in a rifle). I've also started reloading 30-06 and soon 30-30 and may get into 223 if the AR ban doesn't get enacted before I buy one (late next year at the soonest...so it's a crapshoot at best now).

My loadmaster works fine. If I go 'steady' I get 2 to 4% rejects due to primer issues (tipped primers). There is a cost to this issue - the primers of course and time to inspect and dissassemble the bad ammo. It's not bad though - the powder and bullet are reused and once I have 50 to deal with i take 15 minutes and take them apart.

Yes, i'd rather it not happen, but it is what it is. If i had to spend $500 more upfront I'd never have gotten into reloading. Remember you'll also have $300ish on top of the press for scale, components, books, inertia puller, dial caliper, etc.

And since you want to do 3 caibers add in 2 more dies, 2 tool head and 2 shell plates and probably a second case feeder (9 and 38 take diff ones I found out) and perhaps diff size primer feeds.

winchester are about 95% of the primers around here. Federal's are soft so lee for safety reasons rec against using them, but if you have a revolver with a light spring you may need to use them to be sure you get ignition. I've loaded some federal with out issue.