Lee classic turret or pro 1000

[FP-74]

Hello,
a couple of years ago i had a Lee turret and had good luck with it loading 38 spec. traded in that gun and bought a 9MM so i Ebayed that press (DUMB)
now i got another 38 and want to reload again after buying "cheap" target loads at wally world for 25 bucks/100. i think i'm gonna buy another Lee but i'm asking for opinions if i should get the turret again or try the pro 1000?
i just plan on reloading 38s. the pro is less $ than turret and comes with dies (the turret doesn't). i know there are better presses out there and if i had lots of $ i'd run out and buy a dillon. but alas i don't.
Your opinion would be most helpful in my decision!
Thank you in advance for your time!
Gary

[hunter64]

Dillions are great they stand behind there equipment no questions asked but as you pointed out they are expensive. The weakest link in the pro 1000 is the priming system, once the bugs are worked out or avoided they work good. What happens is that if you don't pay attention to how many primers are in the feeder it will jam. You can put a couple of washers behind the back of the frame so the 1000 is leaning slightly forward and this greatly helps, polish the inside of the ramp with 600 grit wet or dry to make sure all the burs on the plastic have been removed and that the primers slide unobstructed. Or you can forget about the worry and just hand prime out of the machine like I do. I back the seating/crimper die out a couple of turns and with the press empty of primers and powder I load up the feed tubes with the brass and have at her. You can crank out alot of empties in short order. Once you are done with that then when I am watching TV I hand prime the brass with my RCBS hand primer, in an hour I can have alot of brass primed, enough to do me for about a month at the range. Now I load up the 1000 with powder and back the deprimer die out a couple of turns and re seat the seating die back in. I have changed the die holders on both dies to the RCBS ones that are locked so there is no movement. Start cranking and it just flies when you don't have to worry about primers and you will never have a jam.

Here is a cheap way to find out. Go to http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/cata...g/surplus.html and they have reconditioned ones for 96.00 . All they do is strip the machine and replace the guts with new parts, make sure that everything is working and sell it for cheap. If you try the machine and don't like it then sell it on ebay and you will get your money back, probably make money the way ebay stuff goes sometimes.

I have 4 Lee 1000's each one dedicated to one caliber, people think that I am nuts but I have bought all of them used for 60-80 bucks and try and get a caliber conversion for a Dillion for that much. I just unbolt the one that I want, mount it on the bench and away I go.

[314EPW]

Like yourself money was tight for me also.I got the 1000.I'm loading 45acp and have no problems.As stated above,the priming sys. has some bugs.But with time,you can get it to run smoothly.I'm not interested in cranking out 400 rounds per hour.400 a day is fine with me!I really enjoy it.When you have a problem just remember you only spent $150,not $600 and you will calm down!
Ed

[lonewolf5348]

I load the 45 with the lee 4 stage auto index press and seem not to have any problems so far:I think the only problem was the lee safety prime system was replaced at no charge from midway.
I run a box of 50 rounds without pushing in about 17 min:
I think the hole set-up ran $135.00

[FP-74]

thanks for your advice... so far the pro 1000 is looking like the one!

[CrustyFN]

I have never used a Pro 1000 but a friend has one and likes it. I own a Lee Classic Turret. I like the the four stations over the three in the pro because I like to crimp seperate with the FCD. I also like the spent primer disposal through the ram, it keeps my bench and floor very clean. The safety prime is also very reliable and easy to use. I have been using mine for a little over one year and haven't had any problems. Two hundred rounds per hour is fast enough for me.
Rusty

[mstuhr]

Hi,
I vote for the 1000. I'm with Crusty too and I like to seat and crimp in two operations so I dont crimp untill they are clear of the 1000 for Bullseye match ammo. I run them all through a crimp die in a single stage and it gives me a chance to inspect my match ammo.
Also one of the best things you can do to make a 1000 work for you is mount it on a heavy bench.
I have always liked the 1000's and they have been good presses.
Good luck
Mike

[frag]

I've been using the Lee turret press for years for 45, 38, 9mm and soon 357. No problems whatsoever.
I've been considering a Pro 1000 too, for loading 223. 90% of the reviews at Midway are positive.
I can't see spending 5 times as much on a Dillon considering the amount of ammo I go through.

[314EPW]

$20.00 off $200.00 purchase Friday the 23rd only!

[ludwig1138]

I use a Pro 1000 for loading 40 and 380. After some experience with the unit, I am very satisfied. Just don't try to "speed load" the machine and you'll be alright.

[dogfood]

the pro is less $ than turret and comes with dies (the turret doesn't)

This seems odd. Perhaps this is true when both presses are stripped down, but once you add the shell plate assembly to the Pro 1000, I have to believe it is more expensive. It certainly will be more expensive on the Pro to switch calibers, since all you need on the Turret is a different shell holder. Thoughts anyone?

Regardless, I have two Pro 1000's and one Lee turret. I use them both a bunch. Not to beat a dead horse, but the Pro 1000's primer feed system requires patience. As long as there are at least 15 or so primers in the system, it works OK. But if you want to run it dry, you have to manually move the primers down the chute. A pain? Yes. The end of the world? No.

Like others here, I like to seat and crimp in two steps. The 4-hole turret makes this convenient. On the Pro, I simply crimp on a single stage after the fact.

I am not a speed demon, nor do I want to be. Reloading is enjoyable for me. I'd like to keep it that way.

dogfood

[Wulfmann]

Is it possible to use the 1000 for 223 and put the crimp die in the number one position???
I realize I would have to do them in small groups that avoids number one on the first round.
Sounds odd but I prefer to de-prime and prime rifle brass by hand but crimp 223. While I swore I would not load it any more, well, you know what is happening with price and availability so was considering a cheap progressive.
I have 223 dies so if I bought a 45 1000 what would I need to do 223 with that one? What extra parts?

Wulfmann

[Phil_A]

I have the P1000 and the classic cast turret. If I had to choose one, the 4 stage classic turret is the easy choice because I load 7 different calibers including rifle. However I do have a P1000 that is primarily setup up for the 45 ACP and it works well once you know all the tricks. For 357 and 44mag cast reloads, I still go with the classic turret. I just have to have the 4th stage. - Phil

[dogfood]

Wulfmann:

I'm not sure I follow exactly what you are trying to do, but to answer the primary question - yes, you can use the Pro 1000 to load .223.

Are you looking to buy a Pro 1000 for .45 ACP ... and then add whatever you need to allow you to reload .223 as well? If so, and since you have dies already, you'll need a shell plate carrier for the .223. That will run you about $40 at MidwayUSA (many other places carry them, too).

You may also need and/or want a couple of other items, but respond back as to whether I am on the right track. No sense in me trying to give you help on a question you don't have.

dogfood

[Wulfmann]

You are on the right track.

What I am saying is I want to put the drop, seater and then crimp in sequence and with three positions I would have to put the crimp in number one as I am sure the drop is number two and can not change positions. I would place one primed case in number one, move it over to two, drop powder, before advancing place a primed case in one, move them one slot allowing the second to get powder as the first gets a bullet and seated.
As I add a third case to number three position I then move them which places the first case in the crimp position which I do while the others get their bullet seated and powder dropped, lift up, remove the completed round, add a new primed case and then move them all. Whew, thats a mouth full!!:barf:

But, if Lee has them at $96.00 complete and Midway wants $40.00 for just the tray I might buy a complete 45 and a complete 223 and sell the dies off the 223 for $15.00. That would make $81.00 for an entire unit compared to $40.00 for the one plate and have to change each time.

Makes sense??

Wulfmann

[dogfood]

Wulfmann:

OK, you didn't mention it, but I assume that the primed case has already been resized and the case lube has been removed (if necessary).

Your idea will work. However, it may be a little clumsy. First, you would need to remove the shell ejector (easy ... just a single screw). The clumsy part is that you would need to remove the crimped round out of the shell plate, after crimping in station #1, but before advancing to station #2. The station #2 position has a spring retainer that keeps the round in place. It is not designed to easily remove/insert cartridges (although it can be done). So you would be removing/adding cartridges mid-stroke, instead of at the completion of a stroke. The auto case feeder would be out of the question. But again, it's doable ... just clumsy.

An alternate method would be to change the die sequence. Because your cases are already primed, you can put the powder drop at station #1, the seating die at #2, and the crimp die at #3. You can also leave the auto ejector in this way, if you want. The only downside I see to this is that you are now seating bullets at station #2. I am right-handed, and I have become quite used to running the press lever with my right hand, and using my left hand to insert bullets. But you can switch the lever to the left-hand side, so that you would run the ram with your left, and insert bullets with your right. There may be a little bit of an access issue doing this - there is an extra support column on the right side of the press. But it certainly would work.

If it were me, I would just crimp in a separate operation on a single stage press. But I already have a single stage, and I don't mind the extra step, so this may not be what you want.

As far as the .45 conversion goes, since you want to use the powder drop, you would also need a rifle charging die to go to the .223. This comes with the the .223 set-up. You may also need a double-disk kit. Regardless, I agree that buying a 2nd set-up for the .223 is the way to go. It will more than pay off in convenience alone. I have two Pro 1000's - one for 9mm, one for .45 ACP - and it is much simpler than trying to swap back and forth, especially if you want to do it often.

dogfood