loadmaster decapping/casefeeder trouble

[Jc85]

woe is me.
if anyone read the thread "just purchased my first press." you know I recently bought a Lee Loadmaster and promptly broke my decapping pin the first time I did a decapping run. Contacted Lee and 3 days later received a replacement, (good cc).
Today I go to de-prime the rest of my stash and guess what, it broke again, but now I discovered why. Yes is a seating issue, yes it was from user negligence for careful watching, but YES it is a mechanical issue. I should start by saying I don't use the case feeder for production but I did use it for just decapping. My case feeder slider does not seat appropriately depending on the weight of the cases in the tube.. Different adjustments are needed for different amounts. 2 full tubes seat in the shell plate accordingly, the remaining few near the end do not and broke my decapping pin again.
Does anyone else experience this different slider arm setting for different weight? Could this be a feeder discrepancy or is this normal?
Thanks for reading
JC

 

[OKFC05]

Unfortunately, the penalty for saving money over the blue presses is the loadmaster demands more from the loader and is more picky. Not that you can't learn to deal with the issues, but I'm not surprised you have them. Many use them successfully. I've mentored many new reloaders, some of whom already bought loadmasters (didn't ask me first).

IMHO, the Lee Classic Turret is the best press Lee makes, and the loadmaster is the worst.

 

[Jc85]

blue flag waiver. I get what your saying tho and yes Ive came to terms with the finicky Lee LM. But when its not just finicky but breaking my newly replaced die's, that's what I have a problem with.

 

[OKFC05]

Well, you might try keep the feeders 1/4 full or more, or you might try Lee customer tech to see if they have a better idea for this issue.
The various auto feeds on it seem not to like to run all the way empty.

 

[Rule3]

I am not familiar with the Loadmaster but I am with the single stage breech lock and Classic turret an Lee dies.

If using Lee dies I do not understand how you are breaking a pin? They are designed to push up if too much resistance is encountered. Did you ask the folks at Lee. I can only see one breaking if it is down in a case holder (Hole) and then the press turns and shears it off. The pin length can be adjusted up or down just so enough is there to punch out the primer.

Hard to say without seeing it. Send a e mail and Bill or one of the techs can help you out as they are sometime hard to get on the phone.

 

[Jc85]

the first break was my error. the second one tho IDk. the case feeder didnt properly seat it in the case plate and as I raised the lever the case dented and ping went the pin. I shot them an e-mail and placed an order. I would like to try to get a new case feeder assembly. maybe something is fubared.

 

[Jc85]

Just got off the phone with Dave from Tech.
Didn't really have any ideas except maybe the peice was wearing. I asked him if it was normal to have different slider adjustments for different ammount of cases, he said No unless it was too heavy, might of been the case but he agreed that it was not normal especially for the smaller cases such as what im loading (9mm). He also said it was a "wearing" peice and to make sure it's properaly adjusted, if I discovered something wrong just drop it in the mail and they will send me out another one. Also advised me to drop my now 2 broken primer pin rods in the mail and Ill receive new ones. (not bad) so by the end of 2 weeks Ill have 4 new priming pin rods. I will have to say that I've spent more time fiddling with this "brand New" Lee LM then I would of liked and sorta leaves a bad taste in my mouth, Especially since I've only loaded 1 compleate round (just for testing sake) and deprimed not even 500. The first pin could of been avoided and I accept that, this second one just really threw me over the edge. but as the saying goes, "we live we learn, then get hugs." I think I could use a hug. Don't all line up at once now.

 

[kingranch]

Jc85:
make sure that you do the case feeder adjustments without turret head (die plate) or brass / case / magazine tubes installed. Just follow the manuals and you'll get it right and good. BTW, I am, too, puzzled about those broken pins!? You need to tell us more...you could be the very first person in the world that managed to do that trick!

 

[Jc85]

my initial set up is done correctly. It's just as the weight of the case feeder changes (when 5 or less cases are in the tube) the slider miss adjusts and causes improper seating.

the first time I broke a pin was completely my fault, a case got stuck in the re-sizer and I removed it improperly. The second time was my fault only in the sense I didn't catch it. I had 5 or fewer cases in the tube after a 2 tube cycle, went to index and the case was not seated fully in the case plate, hit the side of the die, snapped the pin and bent the case.

 

[papajohn428]

I've used a Lee Turret press for 30 years and still love it. Bought a Loadmaster and fought with it every day for two months, called Lee for fixes, suggestions, etc. I finally sent it back for a full refund. I don't miss it. Now I'm back on my antique 3-holder, and doing just fine. That press is over 702,000 rounds and looks like hell but it just keeps chugging along.

 

[Dan-the-man]

I took off the case feeder assembly and now feed my Load Master by hand. It solved my issues with the press. Smoother operation and 95% improved priming.

Hornady and Dillon don't come with case feeders and most folks are very happy with those presses. If you take the case feeder off of your Load Master I bet you'll be happier too.

I don't know how you're decapping,but I have a universal decapper in position one and the case forming die is in position two (with the decapping pin removed) over the priming station.

Dan

 

[tomjerry1]

The old saying, you get what you paid for, is in effect here. I went down the road that you are on, Lee acts like they never heard of this problem.

I actually popped a primer in the one I had, sent it back after that (the third time). The press spent more time in the mail than on my bench.

I spent more money and got a much better press, not as automated as the Lee, but it works. Oh, it is blue in color.

Lee actually suggested that I stop using the priming feature, as that is what "most" do. The question was then, if "most" don't use it, because it has a high failure rate, why is it sold?

 

[Maximumbob54]

I use the Lee Classic Turret and I love it. I know the OP is using the LoadMaster which is entirely different but I'm going to share how I managed through my own fault to find a way to break a decapping pin in a Lee die. I was trying to adjust the die in the turret and I wanted to use a wrench to add just a little torque to the rubber o ring and lock that die in place for a while. So I got the brainy idea of putting and empty in the shell holder and using it to hold the turret in place while I twist. It worked. And it sheared the pin right off. So my fault and I told them that when I ordered a new pin. They wanted to send me a free one since I had just bought the dies but I'm the dummy so the part wasn't bad, I was. So, yes, the Lee decapper isn't sailor proof… It can be broken through improper use. How a LoadMaster would break one I have no idea since I don't use one.

 

[Jc85]

Bill from tech sent me an e-mail talking about the "sweet spot" for the case feeder. Im half a mind to send it back

 

[dmar]

Bill from tech sent me an e-mail talking about the "sweet spot" for the case feeder. Im half a mind to send it back

Great idea, I think you're finally getting the picture here...

 

[dmar]

Bill from tech sent me an e-mail talking about the "sweet spot" for the case feeder. Im half a mind to send it back

Great idea, I think you're finally getting the picture here...

If you want a Lee, get the Classic Turret, nice press; very functional, good quality, and a great value. If you want a progressive, get a Hornady Lock n Load, or a Dillon, can't go wrong with either.

 

[dmar]

Bill from tech sent me an e-mail talking about the "sweet spot" for the case feeder. Im half a mind to send it back

Great idea, I think you're finally getting the picture here...

If you want a Lee, get the Classic Turret, nice press; very functional, good quality, and a great value. If you want a progressive, get a Hornady Lock n Load, or a Dillon, can't go wrong with either. I don't need to give you my two cents on the Load Master, do I...? Good luck with everything.

 

[1x2]

blue flag waiver...

That's hilarious .

...I think I could use a hug. Don't all line up at once now.

No hug, but in the face of annoyance and wasted time, I really applaud your attitude!

 

[shovelwrench]

One of the big problems with the case feeder is the amount of tension the plastic carriage has on the rod.

Heres how I fixed mine........

Remove the carriage, take a file or sandpaper and make the thicker half thinner, say .020"+. Drill the holes in the thicker piece out to the size of the thinner half(clearance drill for that particular screw size). Then, get longer screws and put nuts on them.

Now you have much better tension adjustment.

ALSO, use a good grease on that rod.

The whole assembly takes a little breaking in, BUT, both mine work nearly perfect with a misfeed only every couple hundred rounds or so. And in the end you got somethin the Blue boys don't.

One of the biggest things with any press is feel, and it takes a while to get it down, when you do, you feel a problem before it is a problem.

Another good problem solver is to get an extra sizing die body w/lock ring(no pin and collet) and put it in the open priming station in your turret, adjusted just like a regular sizing die. It give positive alignment at the priming station, but does add some weight to the pull. You can use a powder through die with no resistance, the alignment is'nt quite as good as a sizing die though.

Just watch when you return the lever, primers should drop in the veiwing slot, you should have powder in your case, and your fresh empty should be fully seated in the shell holder. Follow those three things and you'll eliminate most of your problems.

I also have a bullet feed set up on my .45, sit back and pull the lever.




I have two Loadmasters that run perfect 99% of the time, and at cost of one Blue press, I'm very happy.

 

[Roy W.]

Load Master

I have loaded over 50,000 rounds on my Lee Load Master. I agree, primer feed can be an issue, but a clean trough and a clean area where the primer punch is located can go a long ways in improving primer insertion. The turret indexing adjustment is also critical. If you don't understand this, go to the Lee site. I don't understand the case feeder problem. I even load 380's on mine and they will feed properly down to the last one. Getting used to the feel of what's happening will go a long way to trouble free service. To think that all you have to do is fill everything up and just pull the handle is a big misnomer.