First impressions of the Pro1000

[HankRearden]

I just received a pro100 I purchased used. I got it all set up,shell plate changed and indexed properly. Im trying to load some 9 mm luger with it.
SO far case feeder is fantastic. I was concerned it looked kind of hokey. Press is easy to understand and use.
Here is the big "BUT" I cant get the priming system to work reliably at all. I started with an empty turret and fed cases one at a time. I indexed everything perfectly and primed a dozen cases flawlessly. Then I added the case feeder and dies and primed another half dozen. Then I added the powder measurer and the first case through didn't prime. Here a primer had turned sideways and blocked the rest. I remedied than and form there it was just ore trouble. Sideways primers,primer pin not dropping far enough to have a primer slide onto it. Primers binding up the indexing.
I worked on it,cleaned it ran a pencil over the inside of the trough for a little lubricant,called it bad names and then caressed it gently. Still unreliable. SO I walked away and went to bed. I woke up today fresh and excited to tinker with t some more. After another hour of rechecking,re-tweaking and re-cleaning it is still only good for two or three in a row. Then the primers turn on edge. I walked away and primed 500 cases with my ergo prime. Thinking now that I was calm and content with a fresh perspective I would attempt to figure it out again. Another our later I'm posting here.
So first impressions.
Press is pretty cool.
I like the steel linkage,especially considering I broke the aluminum linkage on my challenger twice before Lee upgraded it.
I hate the handle. Despite the 5/16 bolt being tighter than it should be it still wants to twist.I wish it had a handle like the aluminum one in my turret press that can index in a bunch more locations also.
With priming off the press I'm honestly not sure it will save any time over the auto index turret press I had set up with the RCBS bullet feed die and a marginally reliable safety prime.
If the primer feed worked this thing would be great. I could load a tone of rounds in a hurry and then factory crimp them on the challenger.
Fit and finish actually seems a step above my four hole turret press. Not unlike the difference between the six cavity molds and the two cavity.
Also the rotating of the shell holder causes spillage out of my cases which are loaded pretty full with 7 grains of blue dot.

I'm on the fence about buying the bullet feeder. I really want it, but if it is as reliable as the primer feed it will just be a waste of cash.

I'm mildly disappointed currently but If i get this primer feed to work and get a working bullet feed Ill be thrilled.

[Ranch Dog]

Thank you for your detailed report!



I'm going to sound like a broken record, just as in my Load-Master posts but I firmly believe that the key to positive, progressive primer seating is not necessarily in the press but in prepping the pocket. I believe that using an appropriate reamer which bevels the out edge of the pocket is everything. The tool on the left is the reamer; this is a one-time thing for the brass.



I'm running three Load-Masters; one from the late '90s and two for the last 8 to 10 years. They have given me fits with priming until in desperation I tried looking at the primer pockets themselves. I had gotten to the point that I was going to get rid of all three presses if I had to prime off the press. I've been doing the pocket work for a month or so, loaded well over a thousand rounds, and not had one back or sideways primer. I've done nothing else to my presses other than set them up per the instructions. I do run the sizing die with the decapper pin removed at the priming station.

I'm also using the bullet feeders and haven't had any problems since I realized that the success of this device is tied to the previous stage, case expansion. That is the key if you are using a current production bullet feeder assembly with the external springs. After studying this in depth, I ordered a custom Powder Through Expander die from Lee as the 5° flare was not being delivered by the factory die as the die body was too long.. Problem solved, and one Load-Master is spitting out little 32 Auto cartridges without my fingers touching anything but the handle.

[HankRearden]

Thanks for the tips on which tools for the primer pocket. I read your loadmaster threads through a couple times and have been reading every loadmaster and pro100 thread here for a couple weeks. Using the lessons gleaned form those threads I was anal in chamfering all my primer pockets but admittedly with two different tools. I'm not sure that would help the current problems as primers flip on their sides before the case gets there.
I'm going to load up the 500 I have primed by hand and then Ill be out of bullets until I cast some so then Ill work on the primer feed again. I haven't given yup yet but patience is a virtue and I've never been called virtuous.
I did order the bullet feeder setup and I'm excited to get it. I've been watching dozens of youtube videos on potential tweaks if it has problems.
I also wish I could get a slightly deeper and wider flare on the case mouth. I tried a 38 special expander plug but it is too short to work in the die. I was hoping to just find a different expander that would drop in the die. Or even one that is longer as it would be easy to shorten. I wonder if the 9 largo or 38 super expander plugs would be any better?

[Ranch Dog]

I'm not sure that would help the current problems as primers flip on their sides before the case gets there.

I somehow missed that info so yeah, that is a different issue if they are upset before the case gets there.

I did order the bullet feeder setup and I'm excited to get it. I've been watching dozens of youtube videos on potential tweaks if it has problems.

I have three bullet feeders up and running without any tweaks. In fact, I've stopped watching and reading fixes as I think that has caused me to have more problems that were present with the presses. I don't fix or adjust anything now until I have run the press based on Lee's instructions. All three of my presses ended up not needing anything. I had to undo all the "fixes" I had done over the years.

I also wish I could get a slightly deeper and wider flare on the case mouth. I tried a 38 special expander plug but it is too short to work in the die. I was hoping to just find a different expander that would drop in the die. Or even one that is longer as it would be easy to shorten. I wonder if the 9 largo or 38 super expander plugs would be any better?

It comes to a question of whether it is the die length or the expander length. If your cases are shorter than spec, the issue will be the die length. Lee will shorten your die for $10. They will also do a custom expander for $10. The best thing to do is call Lee and as for Jim and layout the problem you are experiencing.

[horseman]

Is it possible you're using the LARGE primer feed instead of the SMALL one ? Not sure how a primer can "flip" inside the chute. If it's happening as the primer is being moved on the the priming pin I'd say the pin is a bit to high and the primer "hits" the edge of the pin and then flips either on it's side or all the way over depending on the speed of operation. Just my WAG as it's been a long time since I used a Pro 1000, but I do know the "only" priming problems I ever had with them is a primer not feeding at all due to lack of enough primers in the trough. I never had much luck with the bullet feeders, although Ranch Dog's are going great. Could be that Lee has made some improvements over the years since I last tried one. That also was a long time ago, close to 20 years. I personally wouldn't mind picking up just a bare 1000 just to use as a dedicated decapping machine.

[HankRearden]

It comes to a question of whether it is the die length or the expander length. If your cases are shorter than spec, the issue will be the die length. Lee will shorten your die for $10. They will also do a custom expander for $10. The best thing to do is call Lee and as for Jim and layout the problem you are experiencing.

Oh I didn't realize it would be so affordable. Thank you for the tip. I just ordered a 357 mag piece to try in the 9 luger die. If that doesn't do the trick Ill definitely look at something custom. I really love how affordable yet still usable LEE stuff is. In a past life I was aprofessional mechanic and while I had my share of snap on tools I loved Sunex stuff. It is similar to Lee in that it is very affordable yet high quality.(most of it)

Is it possible you're using the LARGE primer feed instead of the SMALL one ? Not sure how a primer can "flip" inside the chute. If it's happening as the primer is being moved on the the priming pin I'd say the pin is a bit to high and the primer "hits" the edge of the pin and then flips either on it's side or all the way over depending on the speed of operation.

That is the 64 million dollar question and I had not considered it. This press was set up for 38 special when I bought it very well may be. As I don't load 38 special Im not sure what size primer it was set up for. I'll measure the pin.

[horseman]

38 Spl takes small primers so that probably isn't the issue. UNLESS the previous owner didn't know which priming system he had. I'd check just to be sure. Remove the top part of the trough and manually try to feed primers to the pin and see if all is smooth. Like I mentioned before, it's been a long time since I used a 1000 so it's all a bit "fuzzy" to me on the operation. Hope you get it figured out.

[HankRearden]

I'm not sold that the press is entirely at fault. I did have some sharp edges in the trough binding up primers. I removed them with a dremel and they slide down the trough much more reliably.
But I'm spewing so much blue dot out of every case as it spins that it is getting in everything. I pulled the shell plate off and the primer pin out and it was all full of blue dot.Which kept it from dropping down as far.
I need to figure out a different load and then try the primer set up again.

[Ranch Dog]

I've never used the 1000 but there is a large & small primer trough. The Load-Master are color coded but this Lee image doesn't look like the 1000's throughs are. The B is large and the C is small. The base part number is TR2164 with the letter suffix.



I wonder if the letter might be stamped on the trough? 38 Spl uses the small pistol you think it would be right.

[horseman]

You say you're loading 9mm using Blue Dot powder. Do you have any other powder(s) on hand? Blue Dot is a good powder for some calibers for sure, but a bit slow for the 9. There are a lot of good powder choices for loading 9mm ( I can think of 5 right off the top of my head) so tell us what else you have (if any) or what type selections your LGS may have. (a good selection or not much in stock). May be able to eliminate that powder spillage as the case rotates with a different choice.