Why *NOT* the Lee Pro 1000??

Blarneystone · November 4, 2001, 12:51 PM

Hi all,

From a guy on a very tight budget, I've been reading in catalogs ect. about the Lee Pro 1000. From the ads, it looks like 1 stop shopping. "Drop in a bullet, pull the lever, and a round will drop out!"

I just got a gift of $100 and it's just about enough to buy the thing. I'd be using it for 38special and 357 magnums. Who uses this press? Why don't more people?

I agree, I'd love to have the Dillon 550, but at $400+ just to get started, there is no way I could convince my accountant (wife) I need one.

Anyway, what are the general thoughts on the Lee Pro 1000? Any other recommendations for a good $125 - $150 press/kit?

Thanks to all!
Brad

Jeeper · November 4, 2001, 03:11 PM

You could always try and find a used 550. even if it is rusted solid they will replace everything on it for free. Dillon is the best..Period. You will be much happier in the long run with a Dillon. Save up for it or buy used.

Steve Smith · November 4, 2001, 04:35 PM

I'm sure that folks are just waiting for me to chime in here. There are, for some reason, a lot of Lee Pro (slow) 1000 users here. Must be some kind of Lee vortex happening. You might have the same good luck as many here have, or more likely, you'll have the same bad luck as I and many, many others have. The priming system bites. Teh happy owners say "It works as long as you keep it full" Well, I don't like the idea of having to stop every 10 or 20 primers to top it off. My Dillon works 'till I run out, thank you. The priming system is DANGEROUS. The primer about to be seated has no controls over it, so it can land on the punch sideways, upside down, off to one side, you name it, and get crushed (or go off!) when you try to seat it...all with 100 primer buddies right next to it with no guard! My Dillion has a double metal encased tube, about 2" from the primer being pressed into the case, and has a cup that contains the primer, so it doesn't get a catty-whampus crooked. The lid to the Slow 1000 primer tray wears quickly, and pretty soon the lid won't stay on well, so you have primers running for their lives all over your bench. The case feeder isok when working, but if not it can be a PITA. I don't see how placing a case into my Dillon one at a time is any slower than this POS. The collator supposedly helps speed up the loading oc cases. The stock powder measure is a joke. You get maybe two applicable loads per powder with their auto-disk system...wow. There goes any experimentation. You can upgrade this to an adjustable charge bar, but it wil of course cost you. There's no provision for the punched out spent primers...you'll either have to make a hole in your bench to allow the primers to fall through into a recepticle, or take the press off the bench once every 200 rounds or so to clear them out. Nice, huh? A real press will take account for this. The Lee Slow 1000 has a one or two year warrantee (I've forgotten now), and the service is less than stellar for sure. My Dillon has a lifetime "no BS" warrantee, and they mean it! Any thing goes wrong, even if it's your fault, and the part is on it's way, free of charge.

Why I have such a grudge against the Lee Slow 1000:
My wife bought the press for me as a Christmas present on our first "married" Christmas. We'd gotten the iead that it was a good press from a local friend. I struggled with the thing for over two months, and called the factory repeatedly. Nothing they advised every seemed to help for more than about 30 rounds. Only a few times did I get more than 20 rounds through it without a malfunction. The priming system was at fault over 95% of the time...the rest worked ok. I spoke to my frind who'd recommended the press and he said, "Oh! I forgot to tell you! I never use that priming system..it sucks!" Turns out, he runs every case through the first stage to deprime and size, then primes every case with a hand priming tool, and then runs the cases through the powder and crimp/seat stations in the press again. How the **** is this supposed to be "fast" doing it that way?

Luckily, I sold my Slow 1000 for $85 on Ebay and bought a Dillon 550B. Since then, angels sing every time I need to make some rounds.

I know you said you can't afford a Dillon right now...that's fine. I have some suggestions, though:

1. Buy the Dillon AT500. It's turret press that can be converted to a 550B when you have more dough. Look for used even..the warrantee is still good!

2. Buy a Lyman turret press. I use one for weird "tests" and to crush walnut hulls to get to the goody. Even when you buy a Dillon, you'll have a use for a good turret press. It'll be about 75% faster than a single stage, if not much more. Again, look fior used equipment. Ebay rocks.

Keep in touch and let us know what you decide!

bluetoe · November 4, 2001, 05:56 PM

The Pro 1000 is a good introductory progressive press. A friend of mine has one that he uses all the time. Then I got mine two years ago, I love it! I had a few problems getting it to index correctly and working the bugs out of the primer system, but a little tweaking was all that was necessary. Other than that, no problem!

The cool thing about the Pro 1000 is that it uses standard dies. Lee sells them for about $20.00 at Midway. If you don't have Lee, you can use Lyman, RCBS, or whatever brand as long as they're standard. If you go to gun shows you might be able to find used dies real cheap. Just recently I found a set of .44 mag and .308 dies both for $25.00!

I'm not sure but I think Dillon presses require Dillon dies only. Those cost like $50.00.

Good luck!

bfox · November 4, 2001, 06:01 PM

I have one,I like it now.
At first it ticked me off alot
but I am to blame for most things.
The primer trough needs to stay full.
For along time I just tapped it to keep it full.
Finally bent the wire that shakes it to make
better contact.
Powder measure works great.
I got the adjustable charge bar only 8 bucks.
It took a little to get used to but if I can use it anyone can.
Some day I am going to get a Dillon but for
the money the pro 1000 has been great.
Good Luck Bill

slickpuppy · November 4, 2001, 06:22 PM

bluetoe,
The Dillon Square Deal uses special dies. The other Dillon presses take any manufacturers' dies.

Steve Smith · November 4, 2001, 06:54 PM

Correct. The SDB is the ONLY Dillon press that takes special dies.

November 4, 2001, 12:51 PM	#1
Blarneystone Senior Member Join Date: July 27, 2001 Posts: 152	*Why NOT* the Lee Pro 1000??** Hi all, From a guy on a very tight budget, I've been reading in catalogs ect. about the Lee Pro 1000. From the ads, it looks like 1 stop shopping. "Drop in a bullet, pull the lever, and a round will drop out!" I just got a gift of $100 and it's just about enough to buy the thing. I'd be using it for 38special and 357 magnums. Who uses this press? Why don't more people? I agree, I'd love to have the Dillon 550, but at $400+ just to get started, there is no way I could convince my accountant (wife) I need one. Anyway, what are the general thoughts on the Lee Pro 1000? Any other recommendations for a good $125 - $150 press/kit? Thanks to all! Brad

November 4, 2001, 04:35 PM	#3
Steve Smith Senior Member Join Date: December 9, 1999 Posts: 4,131	I'm sure that folks are just waiting for me to chime in here. There are, for some reason, a lot of Lee Pro (slow) 1000 users here. Must be some kind of Lee vortex happening. You might have the same good luck as many here have, or more likely, you'll have the same bad luck as I and many, many others have. The priming system bites. Teh happy owners say "It works as long as you keep it full" Well, I don't like the idea of having to stop every 10 or 20 primers to top it off. My Dillon works 'till I run out, thank you. The priming system is DANGEROUS. The primer about to be seated has no controls over it, so it can land on the punch sideways, upside down, off to one side, you name it, and get crushed (or go off!) when you try to seat it...all with 100 primer buddies right next to it with no guard! My Dillion has a double metal encased tube, about 2" from the primer being pressed into the case, and has a cup that contains the primer, so it doesn't get a catty-whampus crooked. The lid to the Slow 1000 primer tray wears quickly, and pretty soon the lid won't stay on well, so you have primers running for their lives all over your bench. The case feeder isok when working, but if not it can be a PITA. I don't see how placing a case into my Dillon one at a time is any slower than this POS. The collator supposedly helps speed up the loading oc cases. The stock powder measure is a joke. You get maybe two applicable loads per powder with their auto-disk system...wow. There goes any experimentation. You can upgrade this to an adjustable charge bar, but it wil of course cost you. There's no provision for the punched out spent primers...you'll either have to make a hole in your bench to allow the primers to fall through into a recepticle, or take the press off the bench once every 200 rounds or so to clear them out. Nice, huh? A real press will take account for this. The Lee Slow 1000 has a one or two year warrantee (I've forgotten now), and the service is less than stellar for sure. My Dillon has a lifetime "no BS" warrantee, and they mean it! Any thing goes wrong, even if it's your fault, and the part is on it's way, free of charge. Why I have such a grudge against the Lee Slow 1000: My wife bought the press for me as a Christmas present on our first "married" Christmas. We'd gotten the iead that it was a good press from a local friend. I struggled with the thing for over two months, and called the factory repeatedly. Nothing they advised every seemed to help for more than about 30 rounds. Only a few times did I get more than 20 rounds through it without a malfunction. The priming system was at fault over 95% of the time...the rest worked ok. I spoke to my frind who'd recommended the press and he said, "Oh! I forgot to tell you! I never use that priming system..it sucks!" Turns out, he runs every case through the first stage to deprime and size, then primes every case with a hand priming tool, and then runs the cases through the powder and crimp/seat stations in the press again. How the **** is this supposed to be "fast" doing it that way? Luckily, I sold my Slow 1000 for $85 on Ebay and bought a Dillon 550B. Since then, angels sing every time I need to make some rounds. I know you said you can't afford a Dillon right now...that's fine. I have some suggestions, though: 1. Buy the Dillon AT500. It's turret press that can be converted to a 550B when you have more dough. Look for used even..the warrantee is still good! 2. Buy a Lyman turret press. I use one for weird "tests" and to crush walnut hulls to get to the goody. Even when you buy a Dillon, you'll have a use for a good turret press. It'll be about 75% faster than a single stage, if not much more. Again, look fior used equipment. Ebay rocks. Keep in touch and let us know what you decide! __________________ Favor the X. Steve Smith NRA Life Member

November 4, 2001, 05:56 PM	#4
bluetoe Senior Member Join Date: September 5, 2001 Posts: 174	The Pro 1000 is a good introductory progressive press. A friend of mine has one that he uses all the time. Then I got mine two years ago, I love it! I had a few problems getting it to index correctly and working the bugs out of the primer system, but a little tweaking was all that was necessary. Other than that, no problem! The cool thing about the Pro 1000 is that it uses standard dies. Lee sells them for about $20.00 at Midway. If you don't have Lee, you can use Lyman, RCBS, or whatever brand as long as they're standard. If you go to gun shows you might be able to find used dies real cheap. Just recently I found a set of .44 mag and .308 dies both for $25.00! I'm not sure but I think Dillon presses require Dillon dies only. Those cost like $50.00. Good luck! __________________ I hate bigots, they're all the same

November 4, 2001, 06:54 PM	#7
Steve Smith Senior Member Join Date: December 9, 1999 Posts: 4,131	Correct. The SDB is the ONLY Dillon press that takes special dies. __________________ Favor the X. Steve Smith NRA Life Member

November 4, 2001, 03:11 PM	#2
Jeeper Senior Member Join Date: November 1, 2001 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 777	You could always try and find a used 550. even if it is rusted solid they will replace everything on it for free. Dillon is the best..Period. You will be much happier in the long run with a Dillon. Save up for it or buy used.

November 4, 2001, 06:01 PM	#5
bfox Member Join Date: January 8, 2001 Location: Pittsburgh (plum)Pa. Posts: 95	I have one,I like it now. At first it ticked me off alot but I am to blame for most things. The primer trough needs to stay full. For along time I just tapped it to keep it full. Finally bent the wire that shakes it to make better contact. Powder measure works great. I got the adjustable charge bar only 8 bucks. It took a little to get used to but if I can use it anyone can. Some day I am going to get a Dillon but for the money the pro 1000 has been great. Good Luck Bill

November 4, 2001, 06:22 PM	#6
slickpuppy Senior Member Join Date: August 30, 1999 Posts: 928	bluetoe, The Dillon Square Deal uses special dies. The other Dillon presses take any manufacturers' dies.