Lee Pro 1000 indexing/priming problem

[AussieShooter]

I'm having problems reloading with a Lee Pro 1000 progressive press. (Before people chime in with advice to scrap it and get a Dillon, a single stage press, etc, etc... I'd like to say that these notions have already occurred to me... several times...)

Today, I've successfully reloaded 61 rounds but I've got 7 primers tipped sideways. I think that a 10% failure rate is unacceptable.

I think that it's an indexing problem - it seems to me that the priming pin is coming up (with a primer on it) before the shell plate has rotated fully and the primer is getting knocked sideways by hitting the shell plate as it turns. In other words, instead of the primer coming up into the pocket in the base of the cartridge, it is hitting the shell plate because the indexing is out.

Can anyone tell me how to solve this problem? The manual that comes with the press talks about zero adjustment for shell plate indexing by turning the phillips head screw underneath the shell plate carrier. I haven't had much luck following their procedure, and they actually say that it should only need to be done once.

It seems to me that this is a persistent problem. Every time I get the press working properly, it eventually goes to heck, sooner or later. The nylon bushing in the shell plate carrier has just been replaced, so I can't put it down to wear on this component.

Yes, I have posted on this forum before regarding my Lee Pro 1000 woes. This time, I think that I've narrowed it down to a specific issue. I'd like to say to anyone considering buying this press: don't.

 

[marlin1881]

I don't know how many 10s of thousands of rounds I've loaded on my LoadMaster. But, you are right in that this press is finicky and can take some work to keep running. When I see my primers out of alignment, it is usually because the die holder (turret) is loose. I check that for each of the 4 tubes of cases in the auto feeder. Actually, I check all of the components for each tube of brass. Also, there are 2 sizes of stems that raise the primer; i.e. large and small. The entire primer assembly needs to be changed for each of large and small.

 

[gmaske]

As an ex-owner of two Pro 1000's I'll see if I can help a bit. As was mentioned earlier, make sure that everything is tight. There are some excellent videos on the Lee site so check them out also. The discription on the shell plate timing adjustment is somewhat wanting in the insructions.
Most of my priming issues came from powder getting in the priming works. As standard practice before or during loading I'd blow it out and give it the eye ball check for any powder on or around the primer seating punch. Mine always worked great when it was clean. Like I said I owned two. I got tired of worrying about all the adjustments while trying to keep track of what I was loading. I bought a Lee Classic Turret and am really happy. Don't get me wrong. The Pro, when set up right, would flat put out the ammo.

 

[2Late45]

Try this link, it has some info for the Pro-1000 as well as the Load-master.
http://loadmastervideos.com

Once there, you can check-out the LEE site and thier videos as well.

It will also help if you slow down a little. Just a slight pause as the empty brass enters the priming stage is often all it takes. But you do have to keep the primer cup free of powder, and the primer feed chute full.

 

[revhigh]

Scrap it .... get a Hornady ....

REV

 

[marlin1881]

Rev, I understand your point, and I'd like to do something like Hornady or Dillon. But, the investment I have in my Loadmaster trumps the idea of scrapping it. The primer system is probably the weakest link in the Lee setup. But, the Lee case feeder is so simple and works so well, that this trumps a lot of features in other progressive loaders. I'm mechanically inclined, so I'm going to keep my Loadmaster. JMO...

Marlin

 

[bub]

Scrap it .... get a Hornady ....

REV

Sing it, revhigh, sing it! (This coming from someone who used a Pro 1000 for YEARS, then switched to a Hornady LNL AP and, therefore, knows of what he speaks.)

AussieShooter, I used to have these problems occasionally with my Pro 1000. It worked OK for years but, as was stated above, is quirky at best. Best remedy I found was this.

1. Disassemble the carrier for the shellplate and clean it REAL WELL! Powder has a tendency to collect under the shellplate and REALLY gums up the works. Also clean the plunger that actually primes the case and it's recess. Powder has a tendency to fall into this recess and the recess that holds the ball bearing that locks the shellplate into it's proper position and it also gums up the works.

2. While the carrier is disassembled, disassemble the primer feeder chute (unless Lee had made changes, it should just pop in half) and clean it REAL WELL with something like denatured alcohol or an alcohol IV prep wipe, something that will remove any oils or residues but won't harm the plastic. MAKE SURE it is REAL CLEAN! I have heard of rubbing inside the chute with Armor All or something similar to provide a little slickness, but I don't know if any residue might contaminate the primers. I do know that, when the mags start getting sticky in my Glocks, I wipe the inside of the mag well and the mag bodies with Armor All, let it sit a few minutes, then wipe off the remaining Armor All and this has worked real well for me for years.

3. After reassembling the carrier and the press, use the screw to make sure the shellplate indexes properly. It can be a pain in the butt, but once set up, it should be good....for a while. Adjust it until the shellplate "clicks" into place at the bottom of the stroke and NO FURTHER! One of my biggest complaints about the Pro 1000 was the plastic parts and the tendency for the shellplate to get out of time. Get into the habit of hearing the shellplate "click" into place when it rotates. If it doesn't "click" and stop moving or moves after "clicking", it needs some adjustment.

4. Make sure the primer feed tray is full enough to keep the primer feed chute full. Along with cleaning the primer feed chute, this went the farthest towards getting rid of primer feed problems for me. As soon as the primer feed tray gets empty, IMMEDIATELY refill it, don't wait for the primer feed chute to start emptying. Since it relies on gravity to feed the primers, you want the weight of the primers in the full primer feed chute to reliably feed the primers to the seating plunger. I found that my problems were mostly that the primers weren't feeding all the way onto the plunger, resulting in tipped primers because the plunger was only bearing on about half the primer because they didn't feed all the way down.

I really, really urge you to upgrade. I put up with the Pro 1000 for years, because I couldn't afford to upgrade, though, so I know how you feel. The Pro 1000 worked OK for me and loaded decent enough ammo, but I just can't describe how much better the LNL AP, for example, is than the Pro 1000. It's like learning to drive on a Ford Pinto or AMC Pacer, then buying a Ferarri. The Pinto worked OK (most of the time) and got you there, but the Ferarri was SO FAR BEYOND the Pinto that you really can't even put it into words. Keep it up with the Pro 1000 and you should be OK, just learn it's quirks and know what to do when the press starts getting wonky and it will work out OK for you.

Bub

 

[marlin1881]

I keep my priming system clean and full, just as Bub has mentioned above. On my LoadMaster, I don't seem to have any issue with powder residue getting into the priming system. Not sure how that happens.

Marlin

 

[revhigh]

Rev, I understand your point, and I'd like to do something like Hornady or Dillon.

Hey Marlin !

Although I personally don't care for ANY of the LEE branded reloading equipment, it seems lots of people use it successfully. Me, I just want a press and dies that I can throw in the closet, get out, clamp it down, and go to town. I don't want to be fiddling and adjusting every 10 minutes to make it work. Anyone who would look at the construction of the LEE vs the Hornady knows of what I speak.

REloading with ANYTHING is better than buying factory ammo, so if someone wants to put up with the hassles ... hey ... go for it !

REV

 

[marlin1881]

Rev,

Yep, I agree. And, every time my Lee makes a funny noise, or crunches a primer sideways in the pocket, I have a quick heart-to-heart conversation with myself about why I haven't gone to Dillon or Hornady. But, then I fix it and life goes on. If I only didn't have so much invested in all the calibers I reload... And, I don't know of any reloading manufacturer that makes a simple and cost-effective case feeder, like Lee does. It works just oh-so-well. I looked at the case feeder on the Dillon at one time, and it's HUGE and costs a lot! Don't know if Hornady offers one or not. I'll run back out to their website and look again.

 

[revhigh]

Hornady DOES offer a case feeder, but I wouldn't want it. It's really no big deal for me to put a case on by hand. I always reload with a friend, so I put the case on and operate the handle, and he puts the bullet on and operates the powder drop. We can easily do 1000 rounds in 3 hours. Mine is the much older Hornady Pro-jector. It's easily loaded 250,000+ rounds. About 2 years ago I sent it back because it got out of time ... a screw came loose and I didn't realize it after about 15 years. Hornady TOTALLY rebuilt the press, replacing all parts that COULD be upgraded, sent me a few extra goodies, and charged me ..... ZERO. It cost me $30 in shipping (to them) to have a completely new press. Hornady has always been excellent for service. The only problem with Dillon, is that in order to have a press that does what the Hornady does in terms of auto indexing, you have to go to the 650, which costs about double what the Hornday does. PLUS, Hornady gives you about $300 in bullets if you buy the LNL-AP ... pretty good deal.

REV

 

[demo_slug]

I've had the similar symptom on pro1000. The leaf spring on one of the stations was binding. So my timing was great until I put brass thru it. The extra drag from the jammed leaf spring against the Brass would pull the index out of time.

I'm talking about the leaf spring that hold the brass in the shell plate. To get it to move freely, I bent it up and used a file to smooth the surface it had formed a burr on.

 

[marlin1881]

This Pro 1000 reloader seems to be quite a bit different than the LoadMaster. Just from the replies given, they're not that close in a lot of features.

I did find the case feeder on the Hornady website. $480!!!! And, you have to plug it in to 110 or 220!!! Seriously, the Lee case feeder is soooooo simple, and it works!