Got a used LEE Loadmaster

Wreck-n-Crew · April 8, 2014, 07:38 PM

A deal popped up on one from a guy who was selling his Loadmaster. He was upgrading to a Dillon and need the cash to fund it. I was going to wait until money started flowing a little but I saved enough grabbing it now. It came with two powder dispensers and two turrets, all I need for now.

I have it partially set up and ran the few empty cases I had through I to make some 9mm dummy rounds. I never set the primer up, but I plan to this week sometime. Besides I ran low on powder and just found some the other day. Time to dig out the old Red Dot recipe I recon.

Can't say the timing wasn't good. I start back to work in a week and it is the busy season between working for someone else as well as my own little business. I won't have time to punch out as many rounds as I would like once I start back.

Not the best picture.

chiefr · April 8, 2014, 10:47 PM

There is a reason the person wanted to trade up to a Dillon. Good luck getting yours to work, you will need it.

totalloser · April 9, 2014, 12:40 AM

No luck involved. If something is not working correctly on the press, it is an adjustment or worn/damaged part-with the exception of one thing: small primer feed. If you have the old feed system GET RID OF IT. There is a new $12 update from Lee. The upgrade is black with a grey primer lever. The old one (or at least mine) is white with black primer lever.

Wolf primers can be problematic feeding due to friction in the feed trough, and stiff resistance to insertion- reset depth when switching, and graphite powder helps IMMENSELY in all primer feeds IME.

http://leeprecision.com/sm-lm-p-trough-assem-blk.html

Watch the turret lock knob, it tends to work loose. And pay attention to failures, there is always a reason if something isn't working properly. Also pay attention to the index ratchet- some dies will hit it if sizing in station 1. You can file it down to prevent this.

I have loaded tens of thousands of rounds on mine in both pistol and rifle. I wore out/damaged a few parts, and I would buy the press again. Even with the lame early primer setup.

If you have the large shell feeder and collator, don't bother with the small one unless you load smaller stuff than 9mm. I NEVER use the small one. The big one works fine for all for me and doesn't hang everything up if you have a stray .45 sneak in. You can also smear lube in the collator and the shells will pick up a little lube as they roll around up there. Dust, lint, and contaminants stick to it creating a fuzz that makes it work even better.

PS if you don't have the little catch tub for the finished cartridges, I'd get one on the way. Maybe two. Very handy to have.

CowTowner · April 9, 2014, 11:14 AM

Check the forums at http://loadmastervideos.com for lots of tweaks and mods for the LLM. You'll find lots of good information there.

Wreck-n-Crew · April 9, 2014, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Check the forums at http://loadmastervideos.com for lots of tweaks and mods for the LLM. You'll find lots of good information there.

Thanks. Some decent info there and it had a few of the mods already for the brass feed tubes and Turrets for more accurate seating depths . I cranked out a few I had primed up already (130). Ran like butter...very pleased. But I have yet to tackle the auto prime, that may be the tougher nut to crack from what I have read. I'll check the vids out on that before I get to priming. I might just run the de-prime/resize die with the auto-prime and prime a few to make sure it's smooth before powder and seating. If it goes well I will throw them in the turret manually at the powder station.

Quote:

If you have the old feed system GET RID OF IT. There is a new $12 update from Lee. The upgrade is black with a grey primer lever.

Yeah it's got the newer one. Thanks for the heads up!

Quote:

PS if you don't have the little catch tub for the finished cartridges, I'd get one on the way. Maybe two. Very handy to have.

I don't. I have managed to line little plastic tub up and it doesn't work well...lol. Had about %10 of the 130 rounds hit the floor. Definitely see that as a must have.

One good note is that I found some Red Dot powder (was dieting on three almost empty pounders) and it meters great. Had an old recipe around and used it after a few test rounds to be sure there were no typos...lol Man it metered well In all I tested 25 charges and all were dead on 4.3gr except 2 and they were .1gr off. Had a notation in the old recipe that "3.8gr test, 5 rounds, all cycled, load light" Wish I would have wrote more load data on 9mm FMJ's down so I would know what the max charge was....like an itch...just want to scratch it!

Anyhow it fills the case up too. Heck it looks like the bullet may touch the powder when seated. I feel a new thread Query coming!

Wreck-n-Crew · April 9, 2014, 10:47 PM

Quote:

There is a reason the person wanted to trade up to a Dillon. Good luck getting yours to work, you will need it.

I have heard that too. Seems it takes a little mechanical inclination and ingenuity to get through the shortcomings and I am glad I brought a bag with me. Seeing how many have managed to make them work fine, I grabbed the bag of NAPA know how and jumped right in. If I can't be as successful with it I'll sell it and put the money towards a Dillon later. Then Jump on here and make a thread about it..

April 8, 2014, 07:38 PM	#1
Wreck-n-Crew Senior Member Join Date: March 8, 2013 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,820	Got a used LEE Loadmaster A deal popped up on one from a guy who was selling his Loadmaster. He was upgrading to a Dillon and need the cash to fund it. I was going to wait until money started flowing a little but I saved enough grabbing it now. It came with two powder dispensers and two turrets, all I need for now. I have it partially set up and ran the few empty cases I had through I to make some 9mm dummy rounds. I never set the primer up, but I plan to this week sometime. Besides I ran low on powder and just found some the other day. Time to dig out the old Red Dot recipe I recon. Can't say the timing wasn't good. I start back to work in a week and it is the busy season between working for someone else as well as my own little business. I won't have time to punch out as many rounds as I would like once I start back. Not the best picture. __________________ If you ever have to use a firearm, *you don't get to pick the scenario!*

April 9, 2014, 12:40 AM	#3
totalloser Senior Member Join Date: October 19, 2007 Location: Fort Bragg, CA Posts: 679	No luck involved. If something is not working correctly on the press, it is an adjustment or worn/damaged part-with the exception of one thing: small primer feed. If you have the old feed system GET RID OF IT. There is a new $12 update from Lee. The upgrade is black with a grey primer lever. The old one (or at least mine) is white with black primer lever. Wolf primers can be problematic feeding due to friction in the feed trough, and stiff resistance to insertion- reset depth when switching, and graphite powder helps IMMENSELY in all primer feeds IME. http://leeprecision.com/sm-lm-p-trough-assem-blk.html Watch the turret lock knob, it tends to work loose. And pay attention to failures, there is always a reason if something isn't working properly. Also pay attention to the index ratchet- some dies will hit it if sizing in station 1. You can file it down to prevent this. I have loaded tens of thousands of rounds on mine in both pistol and rifle. I wore out/damaged a few parts, and I would buy the press again. Even with the lame early primer setup. If you have the large shell feeder and collator, don't bother with the small one unless you load smaller stuff than 9mm. I NEVER use the small one. The big one works fine for all for me and doesn't hang everything up if you have a stray .45 sneak in. You can also smear lube in the collator and the shells will pick up a little lube as they roll around up there. Dust, lint, and contaminants stick to it creating a fuzz that makes it work even better. PS if you don't have the little catch tub for the finished cartridges, I'd get one on the way. Maybe two. Very handy to have. __________________ You only truly believe in freedom if you believe in the freedom of those you disagree. Last edited by totalloser; April 9, 2014 at 12:51 AM.

April 9, 2014, 11:14 AM	#4
CowTowner Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2007 Location: Cowtown of course! Posts: 1,747	Check the forums at http://loadmastervideos.com for lots of tweaks and mods for the LLM. You'll find lots of good information there. __________________ NRA Chief Range Safety Officer, Home Firearms Safety, Pistol and Rifle Instructor *“Today, we need a nation of Minutemen, citizens who are not only prepared to take arms, but citizens who regard the preservation of freedom as the basic purpose of their daily life......”* President John F. Kennedy

April 8, 2014, 10:47 PM	#2
chiefr Senior Member Join Date: January 27, 2010 Location: AR Posts: 1,401	There is a reason the person wanted to trade up to a Dillon. Good luck getting yours to work, you will need it.