Thinking about a new press.

trixter · September 17, 2014, 10:01 AM

I have a single stage (RCBS A2) and a Lee Reloader, and a Lee Classic Cast Turret press, and I love them all, however I am looking at the Lee Pro 1000 to load 223/556 that I shoot in a bolt rifle, and looking for comments from actual owner/users for your likes and dislikes. I know there are other presses out there, but this is the one I have chosen.

Thanks

mikld · September 17, 2014, 11:20 AM

Hmmm, you've made yer choice, are adamant about answers only from experience with a specific press? Jes wondering why? If you get bad reports are you gonna sell yer press and get another?

g.willikers · September 17, 2014, 11:50 AM

There's plenty of youtube videos on them.
One maybe potential problem is with the primer feed arrangement.
On your Turret model, the primers are fed to the shell plate independently of the primer tray.
With the 1000, the primer tray, feed and shell plate are connected all in a line.
There is supposedly a danger of all of them going off if one does.
And the tray is aimed right at you.
So it might require an additional step of priming cases off the press, especially for 556 cases that might have had crimped primers.
The 1000 is also limited to only three die positions.
Might be a problem if you ever would want to use it for rounds that would require a fourth die, or attachment.

F. Guffey · September 17, 2014, 02:27 PM

I was not looking for another press, or scale, or powder measure etc. 1,200 pounds of components, tools and everything else related to what I do. And now? everything I own is going to have to get used to getting closer. The wall is already 3 foot away and as high as it can get, problems did not start until I started encroaching. She wants her space back and no, she does not want her own personal press, bench and supporting tools.

F. Guffey

lee n. field · September 17, 2014, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Lee Classic Cast Turret press, and I love them all, however I am looking at the Lee Pro 1000 to load 223/556 that I shoot in a bolt rifle, and looking for comments from actual owner/users for your likes and dislikes

I own both. I haven't used the Pro 1000 since I got the Classic Turret.

The Classic Turret is much less aggravating to use.

Details? OK:

The Classic Turret has a 4 position rotor. For pistol rounds, this lets you use a separate crimping die. In my personal reloading, I have to run some different rounds through a Lee Factory Crimp die for them to feed reliably in particular guns.

You might think the progressive would make for faster reloading. In fact, you will spend significant amounts of time tweaking the Pro 1000 to get priming to work right.

Smoke & Recoil · September 17, 2014, 02:46 PM

My input...I've used four (4) Lee Pro 1000's, all mounted to my bench
at the same time, 9mm, .357, .38 spl, .44 mag, I enjoyed them all and
had them dialed in great. They were just to fast for me, I enjoy reloading
to much to just watch the completed cartridges drop out so fast. I switched
over to the Lee Classic Turret to slow things down for more enjoyment
of the hobby. Just in passing, I bought all my Pro 1000's while they were
still only priced at $129.00.

Clark · September 17, 2014, 04:36 PM

I own a lot of presses and use few of them.
I own a lot of shirts and wear few of them.
You kind of have to find out what fits you.

LE-28 · September 18, 2014, 11:45 AM

I've been using a pro1000 for over 25years and have had love and hate relationships with it. I will tell you this. As long as you don't prime your shells on it you will enjoy it.

I bought an extra turret for it and resize, de-prime, and neck size in one pass, clean cases, then neck size/ charge powder, and seat in another pass. With this process the pro1000 is a pleasure to run.

If you try to prime with it, well it may work for a little while than every time you get it dialed in and finish a batch, you will find that the next time you try to run it, you have to go through the same frustration all over again.

If you prime off the press in a separate step, it will run forever. I haven't even used the spare parts (plastic gears and such) after all these years and I tortured this press through my own frustration of trying to prime cases with it for about 10 years on and off. Like I said above, don't prime on it and you'll live longer without all that stress.

Lost Sheep · September 18, 2014, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikld

Hmmm, you've made yer choice, are adamant about answers only from experience with a specific press? Jes wondering why? If you get bad reports are you gonna sell yer press and get another?

Mikld, the OP was pretty clear that he was "looking at a Pro-1000", indicating to me that he had not bought it yet.

Lost Sheep

Lost Sheep · September 18, 2014, 09:47 PM

The Pro-1000 takes more care than some, mostly because it is a progressive and they simply take more care. Partly because of the primer feed, spent primer handling, the fact that it is a three-station press (which allows no station for a powder check die or for separating the seating and crimping acts).

But it can serve well if you do your part.

Having said that, I am one who started with a single stage press, acquired two Pro-1000 presses and then moved "up" to a Classic Turret, becoming much happier for the change.

I never got used to trying to monitor multiple simultaneous operations, so part of my change from the Pro-1000s to the Turret is personal style. After a loading session with a Pro-1000, I was a nervous wreck. With the Classic Turret, I am as refreshed and relaxed as I was when I started. And my throughput did not suffer a bit. Where I had multiple pauses and stops on the Pro-1000, the Classic Turret was trouble-free.

Caliber swaps (without changing primer size) on either are not much of a problem, but changing primer sizes on the Pro-1000 is why I opted for two (plus, the guy offering a trade had two available).

If I did 500 rounds at a time, I would definitely be in the market for a progressive, but I don't, so I'm not. If I were, I would check out the Lee Loadmaster, or bite the bullet and go for the Hornady or a Dillon.

For a more complete picture, check out this thread.

Lee Pro 1000 Solutions < No Bashing > - THR

Good luck

Lost Sheep

Worc · September 19, 2014, 01:28 PM

I just got into reloading and it's on the 9mm. I picked up the Lee pro 1000 and so far so good. I did replace the powder chain right off the bat with a spring and made a little metal clip that locks the turret in place. I've not had one primer feed issue and it seems to work pretty well. I don't try to pump out as many as fast as I can though. I was going to buy a bullet feeder, but I've gotten in a habit of looking in the case before I place the bullet on the case. It's a good habit to have though. Now that I loaded over 500 rounds, my speed has increased.

The powder feed does drop consistent charges. I weigh the first three when I first load up the press to run a batch and then around every other 24th load when the shell tube runs empty. The one thing it does not allow for is fine tuning of powder drops. I saw somewhere where they were using a little larger size and riilling a hole in through the side. Then threading in a set screw and then making adjustments by turning the set screw in or out of the hole. I'll more than likely do this as I try different powders and need/want more adjustment than what the factory disks provide.

I don’t have mine mounted on a bench. I made a bracket out of scrap metal that can go in a vice or in my case a Jawhorse. I drilled and threaded holes in the bracket so I can bolt the press down to it. I cut a triangle hole in the bracket under the press and welded to pieces of angle iron on each side of the hole. The allows me to slide an old plastic screw container that has edges under to catch the old primers.

Here are some pictures of my bracket.

September 17, 2014, 10:01 AM	#1
trixter Member Join Date: February 27, 2011 Location: Where E. Pine St. crosses I-5 Posts: 51	Thinking about a new press. I have a single stage (RCBS A2) and a Lee Reloader, and a Lee Classic Cast Turret press, and I love them all, however I am looking at the Lee Pro 1000 to load 223/556 that I shoot in a bolt rifle, and looking for comments from actual owner/users for your likes and dislikes. I know there are other presses out there, but this is the one I have chosen. Thanks

September 17, 2014, 11:20 AM	#2
mikld Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2009 Location: Southern Oregon! Posts: 2,891	Hmmm, you've made yer choice, are adamant about answers only from experience with a specific press? Jes wondering why? If you get bad reports are you gonna sell yer press and get another? __________________ My Anchor is holding fast! I've learned how to stand on my own two knees...

September 17, 2014, 11:50 AM	#3
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 10,442	There's plenty of youtube videos on them. One maybe potential problem is with the primer feed arrangement. On your Turret model, the primers are fed to the shell plate independently of the primer tray. With the 1000, the primer tray, feed and shell plate are connected all in a line. There is supposedly a danger of all of them going off if one does. And the tray is aimed right at you. So it might require an additional step of priming cases off the press, especially for 556 cases that might have had crimped primers. The 1000 is also limited to only three die positions. Might be a problem if you ever would want to use it for rounds that would require a fourth die, or attachment. __________________ Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez: “Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”

September 17, 2014, 02:46 PM	#6
Smoke & Recoil Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: East shore of Lake Michigan. Posts: 714	Pro 1000 vs. My input...I've used four (4) Lee Pro 1000's, all mounted to my bench at the same time, 9mm, .357, .38 spl, .44 mag, I enjoyed them all and had them dialed in great. They were just to fast for me, I enjoy reloading to much to just watch the completed cartridges drop out so fast. I switched over to the Lee Classic Turret to slow things down for more enjoyment of the hobby. Just in passing, I bought all my Pro 1000's while they were still only priced at $129.00.

September 17, 2014, 04:36 PM	#7
Clark Senior Member Join Date: December 4, 1999 Location: WA, the ever blue state Posts: 4,678	I own a lot of presses and use few of them. I own a lot of shirts and wear few of them. You kind of have to find out what fits you. __________________ The word 'forum" does not mean "not criticizing books." "Ad hominem fallacy" is not the same as point by point criticism of books. If you bought the book, and believe it all, it may FEEL like an ad hominem attack, but you might strive to accept other points of view may exist. Are we a nation of competing ideas, or a nation of forced conformity of thought?

September 17, 2014, 02:27 PM	#4
F. Guffey Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2008 Posts: 7,249	I was not looking for another press, or scale, or powder measure etc. 1,200 pounds of components, tools and everything else related to what I do. And now? everything I own is going to have to get used to getting closer. The wall is already 3 foot away and as high as it can get, problems did not start until I started encroaching. She wants her space back and no, she does not want her own personal press, bench and supporting tools. F. Guffey

September 18, 2014, 11:45 AM	#8
LE-28 Senior Member Join Date: September 24, 2012 Location: North Carolina Posts: 759	I've been using a pro1000 for over 25years and have had love and hate relationships with it. I will tell you this. As long as you don't prime your shells on it you will enjoy it. I bought an extra turret for it and resize, de-prime, and neck size in one pass, clean cases, then neck size/ charge powder, and seat in another pass. With this process the pro1000 is a pleasure to run. If you try to prime with it, well it may work for a little while than every time you get it dialed in and finish a batch, you will find that the next time you try to run it, you have to go through the same frustration all over again. If you prime off the press in a separate step, it will run forever. I haven't even used the spare parts (plastic gears and such) after all these years and I tortured this press through my own frustration of trying to prime cases with it for about 10 years on and off. Like I said above, don't prime on it and you'll live longer without all that stress. Last edited by LE-28; September 18, 2014 at 11:50 AM.

September 18, 2014, 09:47 PM	#10
Lost Sheep Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2009 Location: Anchorage Alaska Posts: 3,341	Thanks for asking our advice. The Pro-1000 takes more care than some, mostly because it is a progressive and they simply take more care. Partly because of the primer feed, spent primer handling, the fact that it is a three-station press (which allows no station for a powder check die or for separating the seating and crimping acts). But it can serve well if you do your part. Having said that, I am one who started with a single stage press, acquired two Pro-1000 presses and then moved "up" to a Classic Turret, becoming much happier for the change. I never got used to trying to monitor multiple simultaneous operations, so part of my change from the Pro-1000s to the Turret is personal style. After a loading session with a Pro-1000, I was a nervous wreck. With the Classic Turret, I am as refreshed and relaxed as I was when I started. And my throughput did not suffer a bit. Where I had multiple pauses and stops on the Pro-1000, the Classic Turret was trouble-free. Caliber swaps (without changing primer size) on either are not much of a problem, but changing primer sizes on the Pro-1000 is why I opted for two (plus, the guy offering a trade had two available). If I did 500 rounds at a time, I would definitely be in the market for a progressive, but I don't, so I'm not. If I were, I would check out the Lee Loadmaster, or bite the bullet and go for the Hornady or a Dillon. For a more complete picture, check out this thread. Lee Pro 1000 Solutions < No Bashing > - THR Good luck Lost Sheep

September 19, 2014, 01:28 PM	#11
Worc Senior Member Join Date: July 24, 2013 Location: Michigan Posts: 641	I just got into reloading and it's on the 9mm. I picked up the Lee pro 1000 and so far so good. I did replace the powder chain right off the bat with a spring and made a little metal clip that locks the turret in place. I've not had one primer feed issue and it seems to work pretty well. I don't try to pump out as many as fast as I can though. I was going to buy a bullet feeder, but I've gotten in a habit of looking in the case before I place the bullet on the case. It's a good habit to have though. Now that I loaded over 500 rounds, my speed has increased. The powder feed does drop consistent charges. I weigh the first three when I first load up the press to run a batch and then around every other 24th load when the shell tube runs empty. The one thing it does not allow for is fine tuning of powder drops. I saw somewhere where they were using a little larger size and riilling a hole in through the side. Then threading in a set screw and then making adjustments by turning the set screw in or out of the hole. I'll more than likely do this as I try different powders and need/want more adjustment than what the factory disks provide. I don’t have mine mounted on a bench. I made a bracket out of scrap metal that can go in a vice or in my case a Jawhorse. I drilled and threaded holes in the bracket so I can bolt the press down to it. I cut a triangle hole in the bracket under the press and welded to pieces of angle iron on each side of the hole. The allows me to slide an old plastic screw container that has edges under to catch the old primers. Here are some pictures of my bracket.