Load-Master, following Lee's Setup
Posted: 30 Apr 2018 05:31
On another popular Load-Master forum, one of the many "fixes" is increasing the specified torque on the draw bolt head at the bottom of the yoke. I did that on my 45 Auto press on last year's run as I was having a tough time with the entire operation related to shell plate indexing and rotation. It would lock up without warning. I would need to look at the torque the forum suggested, but I set it and here is the result.
![Image](http://www.ranchdogoutdoors.com/Reloading/LoadMaster/images/yoke_overtorqued.jpg)
The yoke has been flexed, and the carrier bolt hole is out of round. Luckily, I had a short run of 45 Auto last winter and wanted to investigate this further as I ready to run another lot of ammunition. Also lucky, the ram and its passageway through the frame and carrier are fine, they mic out round, so the yoke took the effect of not following Lee's recommendation of 11.6 foot/pounds (139 inch/pounds). I ordered a new yoke from Lee online yesterday.
This Load-Master had been loading 44 Mag along with some 45 Colt for about 20 years when I switched it over to the semi-auto cartridge last year, and I could not figure why it went to pot. So this weekend, I switched it back to the 44 Mag shell plate with the other work I was doing; installing the Auto Drum and improving the case feeder mounting. Even with the bent yoke, it cycled as smooth as glass. So I pulled the shell plate and measured it out. It ends up the height of the new plate is .020" more than the 44 Mag and all the others I have. This is the center height, the total thickness of the plate at the pins or rachet. The 45 Auto plate is the new design with the rachet instead of the pins. With the additional .020" of metal, there is no way it can rotate freely in the carrier and also explains why I also had such a tough time installing the case ejector on top of the plate. I will call for a replacement this morning.
My Golden Load-Master Rule has become to follow Lee's instructions to the letter. My Load-Master life has become so much better. My single mod is to bevel every primer pocket that passes through the press, a one-time operation for the life of the case. I actually started doing this on my turret press when I started using the Safety Prime. I never could feel how rough primer pockets were with the hand tools but that feel translating up through pressure on the ram was quite noticeable.
![Image](http://www.ranchdogoutdoors.com/Reloading/LoadMaster/images/yoke_overtorqued.jpg)
The yoke has been flexed, and the carrier bolt hole is out of round. Luckily, I had a short run of 45 Auto last winter and wanted to investigate this further as I ready to run another lot of ammunition. Also lucky, the ram and its passageway through the frame and carrier are fine, they mic out round, so the yoke took the effect of not following Lee's recommendation of 11.6 foot/pounds (139 inch/pounds). I ordered a new yoke from Lee online yesterday.
This Load-Master had been loading 44 Mag along with some 45 Colt for about 20 years when I switched it over to the semi-auto cartridge last year, and I could not figure why it went to pot. So this weekend, I switched it back to the 44 Mag shell plate with the other work I was doing; installing the Auto Drum and improving the case feeder mounting. Even with the bent yoke, it cycled as smooth as glass. So I pulled the shell plate and measured it out. It ends up the height of the new plate is .020" more than the 44 Mag and all the others I have. This is the center height, the total thickness of the plate at the pins or rachet. The 45 Auto plate is the new design with the rachet instead of the pins. With the additional .020" of metal, there is no way it can rotate freely in the carrier and also explains why I also had such a tough time installing the case ejector on top of the plate. I will call for a replacement this morning.
My Golden Load-Master Rule has become to follow Lee's instructions to the letter. My Load-Master life has become so much better. My single mod is to bevel every primer pocket that passes through the press, a one-time operation for the life of the case. I actually started doing this on my turret press when I started using the Safety Prime. I never could feel how rough primer pockets were with the hand tools but that feel translating up through pressure on the ram was quite noticeable.