Lee pro-1000 for .223?

steve1147 · March 26, 2011, 04:32 PM

Hi again,
I currently load 45acp, 38 spl, 357 mag, 9mm and 40sw on a pair of Lee Pro-1000 progressive presses. I also have two single stage presses I use now for lead hardness testing and FCD for my auto rounds. I have another thread on this site about how I'm planning to start reloading .223 Remington. Today I got a flyer from Midway with a Pro-1000 press for .223 for $149.00 with 2-die pacesetter set.
What do you think about this set-up? Guess I'd need to hand prime and charge first? I have no idea how a 2 die set would work. I assume I could use the third station for a FCD?
Is this something I should be interested in, or should I just buy all the other stuff and load single stage?
Thanks, Steve W.

**Unclenick** · March 26, 2011, 04:49 PM

Two die sets for bottleneck rifle rounds are possible because the recess created by the bottleneck allows the expander to be in the sizing die below the level of the neck without interference. You can't do that with a straight wall. However, you still need to get powder into the case, so your sizing die will be station one and the seating die station three, while station two will probably need to be the powder measure and some kind of dispensing funnel or a powder-through die. I don't know what they expect you to do about powder otherwise?

Personally, I do sizing on a single-stage press for rifle because I need to trim afterward and before loading, something that is rarely required for handgun cases. If I were to load rifle on a progressive on a regular basis, I would be using an RCBS X-die so I didn't have to trim again after the first time. X-dies require you to trim to the minimum length once (1.740" for .223 Rem or for 5.56×45 NATO), then a mandrel and stop in the die let it grow back to about 1.750" but no further in subsequent loading passes.

BDS-THR · March 26, 2011, 08:42 PM

I reload .223 this way on Pro 1000:

1. Deprime using Universal depriming die
2. Decrimp military crimp at primer pocket
3. Inspect case for thinning of wall at base - Toss case for recycle as necessary
4. Clean primer pocket if necessary
5. Tumble case with polish (use the right size tumbling media so as to not clog the primer flash hole or clear hole with depriming pin in step #6)
6. Full-length size case (I use a separate single stage press) - inspect case neck for splits
7. Trim case to length (I use Zip trim)
8. Deburr/chamfer cut case neck
9. Hand prime cases
10. Station #1 - Powder drop using rifle charging die with Pro Auto Disk (H335 meters very well in Pro Auto Disk)
11. Station #2 - Seat bullet with taper crimp
12. Station #3 - FCD if roll crimp desired at the bullet cannelure

dlb435 · March 26, 2011, 08:49 PM

i used my Lee Pro 1000 to load 223 rounds. I does work but is not as easy as the pistol rounds.

March 26, 2011, 04:32 PM	#1
steve1147 Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2009 Location: Valles Mines, Missouri Posts: 142	Lee pro-1000 for .223? Hi again, I currently load 45acp, 38 spl, 357 mag, 9mm and 40sw on a pair of Lee Pro-1000 progressive presses. I also have two single stage presses I use now for lead hardness testing and FCD for my auto rounds. I have another thread on this site about how I'm planning to start reloading .223 Remington. Today I got a flyer from Midway with a Pro-1000 press for .223 for $149.00 with 2-die pacesetter set. What do you think about this set-up? Guess I'd need to hand prime and charge first? I have no idea how a 2 die set would work. I assume I could use the third station for a FCD? Is this something I should be interested in, or should I just buy all the other stuff and load single stage? Thanks, Steve W. __________________ Circa 1964: Rocky to Bullwinkle: "But that trick never works!" But Bullwinkle tries it anyway...again and again

March 26, 2011, 04:49 PM	#2
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,063	Two die sets for bottleneck rifle rounds are possible because the recess created by the bottleneck allows the expander to be in the sizing die below the level of the neck without interference. You can't do that with a straight wall. However, you still need to get powder into the case, so your sizing die will be station one and the seating die station three, while station two will probably need to be the powder measure and some kind of dispensing funnel or a powder-through die. I don't know what they expect you to do about powder otherwise? Personally, I do sizing on a single-stage press for rifle because I need to trim afterward and before loading, something that is rarely required for handgun cases. If I were to load rifle on a progressive on a regular basis, I would be using an RCBS X-die so I didn't have to trim again after the first time. X-dies require you to trim to the minimum length once (1.740" for .223 Rem or for 5.56×45 NATO), then a mandrel and stop in the die let it grow back to about 1.750" but no further in subsequent loading passes. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

March 26, 2011, 08:42 PM	#3
BDS-THR Senior Member Join Date: June 12, 2010 Posts: 479	I reload .223 this way on Pro 1000: 1. Deprime using Universal depriming die 2. Decrimp military crimp at primer pocket 3. Inspect case for thinning of wall at base - Toss case for recycle as necessary 4. Clean primer pocket if necessary 5. Tumble case with polish (use the right size tumbling media so as to not clog the primer flash hole or clear hole with depriming pin in step #6) 6. Full-length size case (I use a separate single stage press) - inspect case neck for splits 7. Trim case to length (I use Zip trim) 8. Deburr/chamfer cut case neck 9. Hand prime cases 10. Station #1 - Powder drop using rifle charging die with Pro Auto Disk (H335 meters very well in Pro Auto Disk) 11. Station #2 - Seat bullet with taper crimp 12. Station #3 - FCD if roll crimp desired at the bullet cannelure

March 26, 2011, 08:49 PM	#4
dlb435 Senior Member Join Date: January 26, 2009 Posts: 654	i used my Lee Pro 1000 to load 223 rounds. I does work but is not as easy as the pistol rounds.