Switching dies on a lee pro 1000 38 to 357

VINCENT1 · December 16, 2011, 11:43 AM

This will be my first progressive press. i have been reloading for over a year now using single stage presses. (multiple presses set up in an assembally line formation) i reload 38 special, and 357 mag only. so last night i purchased myself a lee pro 1000 in the 38 special form. the cust. rep at lee said this will also work for 357, but i will need to adjust the dies when switching back and forth. i expected this. but a person at the LGS told me i could do 2 things.

first. get a special set of washers that all i have to do is pull out the dies and install the washers under them inorder to "raise" the dies to the correct hights inorder to do 357. i've never heard of this before. does anyone know if this works? and are there special washers from lee? or can i just buy washers from ace hardware that are .XXX thick?

second. i can just get a second die holder plate and a second set of dies. guess i wont be using my RCBS carbide dies i have been using. never thought of the "pour through" fase of a progressive press. is this the way most people do it?

thanx in advance. i'm sure i will have more questions once it arrives and i begin set up. does anyopne have any specific you tube video, or threads i should look to?

vincent-

ScotchMan · December 16, 2011, 11:53 AM

I'd go with the second set of dies. And yes, most people use the pour-through powder measure (Lee Autodisk) with progressive presses; the whole point is to automate the process. Properly set up the only thing you should have to do is place a bullet on the primed, charged case.

Misssissippi Dave · December 16, 2011, 12:33 PM

One of the reasons I went with a Dillon 550 press was that I could easily remove the entire head where the dies and powder measure are mounted to make caliber changes easily.

If there is enough room to put double lock nuts on the dies, you could tighten them up to the point where they would stay at a preset adjustment. Then they could easily be removed and installed as needed as long as the wrench you use is thin enough to only go on the lower nut while not moving the upper one. It might be something to look into.

VINCENT1 · December 16, 2011, 12:49 PM

ok then, i found the 3 hole quick change turret, now i just need to determine which set of dies i need to get inorder to work with the pour through function. i guess since the dies to the 38 set up will also do 357, i can just get a second matching set, or i can get the 357 set. i will go look at my LGS to see if they have a used set. might save a few dollars. the washer idea seemed like a cheep way, but more work. might as well get the extra dies if i can just swap the turret

confirmed shooter · December 16, 2011, 01:01 PM

get the lee carbide die set -and the lee taperd crimp die - pour thru the expander die, then seat-crimp and shoot.

VINCENT1 · December 16, 2011, 04:11 PM

i found a brand new set of the carbide 357 dies on ebay for 24 dollars delivered, and a 3 hole turret for 11.49 deliverd. less then i could get either from my LGS. should be here same time as the press. i know what i'm doing next weekend. while the kids are playing with their toys...i will be too

ScotchMan · December 16, 2011, 04:32 PM

Reloading is fun. I started with a Pro 1000 and did not like it; too much going on, I'd fix one aspect and something else would break. I ended up sending the whole thing back and getting a Lee Classic Turret press; I am now much happier and reloading 3 calibers.

Hopefully it works out for you, my friend started on a Pro 1000 and loves it, so YMMV.

David Bachelder · December 16, 2011, 05:01 PM

Washers?

Yes, RCBS furnishes them with thier dies. They are .130 thick and have a 1" hole through the middle of them. I doub't if anything at the hardware store would work. You would need to call RCBS to get them (I think).

VINCENT1 · December 16, 2011, 05:57 PM

that might be why the guy at LGS told me about the washers. i told him i have been using RCBS dies in my single stage presses and it was pain to switch back and forth, especially when only doing 20 or less special rounds.

doesnt matter any more. i'll be all set reall soon. tyime to go home and unbox all the brass i've been storing

westy16925 · December 16, 2011, 08:45 PM

Redding also makes spacer washers. They also make them for .44spec/mag.

savagelover · December 16, 2011, 09:54 PM

any 1 inch flat washer will work for you...I used to do it myself and it worked very well.

December 16, 2011, 11:43 AM	#1
VINCENT1 Member Join Date: December 16, 2011 Location: LAKE COUNTY FLORIDA Posts: 52	Switching dies on a lee pro 1000 38 to 357 This will be my first progressive press. i have been reloading for over a year now using single stage presses. (multiple presses set up in an assembally line formation) i reload 38 special, and 357 mag only. so last night i purchased myself a lee pro 1000 in the 38 special form. the cust. rep at lee said this will also work for 357, but i will need to adjust the dies when switching back and forth. i expected this. but a person at the LGS told me i could do 2 things. first. get a special set of washers that all i have to do is pull out the dies and install the washers under them inorder to "raise" the dies to the correct hights inorder to do 357. i've never heard of this before. does anyone know if this works? and are there special washers from lee? or can i just buy washers from ace hardware that are .XXX thick? second. i can just get a second die holder plate and a second set of dies. guess i wont be using my RCBS carbide dies i have been using. never thought of the "pour through" fase of a progressive press. is this the way most people do it? thanx in advance. i'm sure i will have more questions once it arrives and i begin set up. does anyopne have any specific you tube video, or threads i should look to? vincent-

December 16, 2011, 11:53 AM	#2
ScotchMan Senior Member Join Date: July 3, 2011 Posts: 1,368	I'd go with the second set of dies. And yes, most people use the pour-through powder measure (Lee Autodisk) with progressive presses; the whole point is to automate the process. Properly set up the only thing you should have to do is place a bullet on the primed, charged case.

December 16, 2011, 12:33 PM	#3
Misssissippi Dave Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2009 Posts: 1,411	One of the reasons I went with a Dillon 550 press was that I could easily remove the entire head where the dies and powder measure are mounted to make caliber changes easily. If there is enough room to put double lock nuts on the dies, you could tighten them up to the point where they would stay at a preset adjustment. Then they could easily be removed and installed as needed as long as the wrench you use is thin enough to only go on the lower nut while not moving the upper one. It might be something to look into.

December 16, 2011, 12:49 PM	#4
VINCENT1 Member Join Date: December 16, 2011 Location: LAKE COUNTY FLORIDA Posts: 52	ok then, i found the 3 hole quick change turret, now i just need to determine which set of dies i need to get inorder to work with the pour through function. i guess since the dies to the 38 set up will also do 357, i can just get a second matching set, or i can get the 357 set. i will go look at my LGS to see if they have a used set. might save a few dollars. the washer idea seemed like a cheep way, but more work. might as well get the extra dies if i can just swap the turret

December 16, 2011, 01:01 PM	#5
confirmed shooter Senior Member Join Date: August 8, 2009 Location: reno, Nv. Posts: 109	get the lee carbide die set -and the lee taperd crimp die - pour thru the expander die, then seat-crimp and shoot.

December 16, 2011, 04:11 PM	#6
VINCENT1 Member Join Date: December 16, 2011 Location: LAKE COUNTY FLORIDA Posts: 52	i found a brand new set of the carbide 357 dies on ebay for 24 dollars delivered, and a 3 hole turret for 11.49 deliverd. less then i could get either from my LGS. should be here same time as the press. i know what i'm doing next weekend. while the kids are playing with their toys...i will be too

December 16, 2011, 04:32 PM	#7
ScotchMan Senior Member Join Date: July 3, 2011 Posts: 1,368	Reloading is fun. I started with a Pro 1000 and did not like it; too much going on, I'd fix one aspect and something else would break. I ended up sending the whole thing back and getting a Lee Classic Turret press; I am now much happier and reloading 3 calibers. Hopefully it works out for you, my friend started on a Pro 1000 and loves it, so YMMV.

December 16, 2011, 05:01 PM	#8
David Bachelder Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2011 Location: Trinity, Texas Posts: 637	Washers? Yes, RCBS furnishes them with thier dies. They are .130 thick and have a 1" hole through the middle of them. I doub't if anything at the hardware store would work. You would need to call RCBS to get them (I think).

December 16, 2011, 05:57 PM	#9
VINCENT1 Member Join Date: December 16, 2011 Location: LAKE COUNTY FLORIDA Posts: 52	that might be why the guy at LGS told me about the washers. i told him i have been using RCBS dies in my single stage presses and it was pain to switch back and forth, especially when only doing 20 or less special rounds. doesnt matter any more. i'll be all set reall soon. tyime to go home and unbox all the brass i've been storing

December 16, 2011, 08:45 PM	#10
westy16925 Junior Member Join Date: August 19, 2011 Posts: 2	Redding also makes spacer washers. They also make them for .44spec/mag.

December 16, 2011, 09:54 PM	#11
savagelover Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2011 Location: Alpine,,NY Posts: 254	any 1 inch flat washer will work for you...I used to do it myself and it worked very well.