JavaScript is disabled
Our website requires JavaScript to function properly. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser settings before proceeding.
Can't say I have any real experience with Lee presses though I do own a small one. I've always gravitated towards RCBS, Dillon and Redding for the majority of my work.

Interested to hear how it works out for you if you decide to go that route!
 
Bought one as my first reloading press about 30 years ago. Still have it but haven't used it in probably 20 years , only because I switched to a single stage. Don't recall any major issues. Once set up and adjusted, I believe I could load 2-300rds/hr. Make sure you use a full stroke on the handle every time or you could end up with a high primer.
 
I bought a used one and mostly put it to work making 9mm. I use a hand primer to preprime my brass and use the three stages as powder feed, bullet seat and crimp.
I've got a bullet feeder but have never tried it. I use the case collator and it really speeds things up. It has its quirks but makes decent ammo.
Sized and deprimed 1100 brass today and will do the same tomorrow. I've only loaded about 5000 rounds so far so can't speak to the longevity.
 
I have owned 3 Pro 1000s as well as some other progressive machines. I recommend you get a Lee Auto Breech Lock Pro instead. With 4 die stations instead instead of 3 it will allow you to seat and crimp in 2 steps.
 
I have a Lee pro 1000 in .357 mag. I bought it new about 7 years ago and have loaded 7k rounds on it. Durability has been excellent; not one part has broken. My biggest issue is that I could never get my auto case feed to work. Also, if the primer tray gets low, there's not enough tension to properly set the next primer and it will jam.

Overall, I like the machine and it's definitely worth the price.
 
I have owned 3 Pro 1000s as well as some other progressive machines. I recommend you get a Lee Auto Breech Lock Pro instead. With 4 die stations instead instead of 3 it will allow you to seat and crimp in 2 steps.

I do that on my pro1000 because like others have mentioned, I deprime and prime off press. Less mess.;)

OP, I have mine set up for 300BLK but it went
T U, after I repair it I will set it up for 40S&W and I'll definitely get the bullet feeder.:s0143::s0143::s0143:

Let us know how it works out for you.;)
 
Last Edited:
Hard pass. I had a Pro 1000 25 or so years ago
The case feeder constantly came apart , the primer feed was sticky and unreliable and the case feeder broke within a month.
The device had some really good ideas but they were so cheaply made that it failed.
I've been a Dillon guy ever since.
 
I got one last year from a member on here. Set it up and ran some 9mm.

I agree, the primer feeder was flakey and i kept having issues/problems with it. I never did try setting up the case feeder. I just put one case at a time and pulled the handle.

It was still A LOT faster the one-at-a-time on the Rock Chucker. Will i use it again? Yup!
 
I have had one for 30+ years and have maybe 50K rounds through it. It has its limitations, but as others have said, much faster than a single stage and relatively easy to use.
  • Biggest issue is the primer feed mechanism. It is much better with the new style triangular primer tray, but still not perfect. I find that it works much better with large primers, though most of my loading has been with small (9mm) primers. I get maybe 1 or 2 failures per hundred - either no primer or primer sideways. The primer feeder is not prone to lighting off the tube as with some designs.
  • I haven't any issues with the case feeder except that sometimes the cases go down the tube upside down and need to be manually flipped before pulling the handle. This occurs maybe 1'20 cases which still yields a speed improvement over manual insertion.
  • The auto index feature is a significant advantage over its lower cost competitors. With only 3 positions, bullet seating/crimp requires careful set up.
  • I load mostly rimless ammo, so use a taper crimp die and it works fine. I load flake powder exclusively, as it won't run out the primer hole and fowl the press if a primer fails to seat or goes in sideways.
  • I select a load/powder configuration that keeps the case fill under 75% full to avoid powder spillage during indexing.
  • The Pro 1000 is very forgiving if you have any type of cartridge issue or when finishing up. You can run one cartridge at a time or run any position empty without issue. The primer doesn't feed unless a case passes the trip gate, and powder doesn't dump unless a case is in position.
For a cheapie press it works pretty well. If I could find a decent source for primers and powder I might switch to Dillon or Hornady, but as it is, the Lee makes a lot more sense until things settle down.
 
I have been unimpressed with Lee as a brand. They give you great "value" as in, extra stuff the other brands don't at a lower price but.... There's a reason it's lower priced. My equipment is made up of Lee, Redding, RCBS, Dillon, Hornady and Lyman. Spend the money and buy something green, you won't regret it.
 
Had one in the '90's, loaded a lot of 9mm on it never any thing else. Fing powder measure was a POS. Always carried a range rod when I hit the range.

I see they have added a chain now to keep the powder measure from hanging up. Cheaply made (and priced) when it started falling apart I splurged on a Dillon 650 with all the bells and whistles for pistol reloading. Incredible press if you can justify it.

I now shoot less and am quite content with a Dillon square deal for 9mm and 38 / 357. Not quite as fast as the Lee 1000 however I have a lot more faith in it and I find the color more soothing. I do sometimes wish it had a case feeder however.

It seems like Lee has some great design engineers that are hamstrung by accountants that all there products must meet a low price point. Would love to see some of their products manufactured by one of the other industry leaders.
 
OK, let's cut to the chase, I've owned or used every Lee press, except for the Cast Classics, and every one of them has been light-weight low-quality pot metal junk. Period. I have never seen ANY Lee press that can load 200 rounds an hour, and that is the first claim that one can that I've seen as well. I am NOT saying it isn't possible, but most users admit to 50/60 rds an hour, if they are lucky. That's why I bought a Dillon. My Lee Load (of something all right) Master was more like one shootable round every 30 minutes. That's why I bought a Dillon. Lee repair is worse than computer repair. That is why I bought a Dillon. I do not like endless tinkering, rebuilding, "quirks", etc. I expect a new item to work out of the box properly. Lee presses don't. That is why I bought a Dillon.

I keep hearing of a working Lee Loadmaster (yeah, it is a LOAD OF SOMETHING alright!) and after going to gun shows all over the US I have yet to see the 8th marvel of the world, one that could load five rounds in a row without a hitch, or load ONE round all the way around properly for that matter. EVER. They may be out there, but I have never been blessed with seeing it in person, just hearing of them, much like Big Foot and the Easter Bunny (both of which have more "proof" that they exist than a working Lee Loadmaster).

Go to the various Lee fanboy sites and see what they say. They are merciless and they LIKE Lee junk! Most of the reviews seem to start with "I bought a new Lee (POS) press/Perfect Powder measure/scale/whatever, and it was junk/broke/warped/unusable. Sent it back to Lee, they refused to even look at it, put it in another box and sent it back, broken/jammed/twisted/whatever with a note that I bought junk, what did I expect? And no, it isn't covered by the warranty. Go away." After 30 hours of rebuilding, reworking, machining parts, custom fitting and welding, I loaded my first round of ammo with it! Then it broke again." That is why I bought a Dillon.

Yes Lee makes some great stuff, dies, hand primer seater, Liquid Alox (which is just Z-Bart and available off Ebay MUCH cheaper), Modern Reloading manual (which I rewrote for Dickie Lee and got zero credit for, after he whines in the book about sending some guy a letter and the guy using the data and not giving Dickie credit), and yes, some junk (everything else). I don't like junk, that is why I bought a Dillon.
 
OK, let's cut to the chase, I've owned or used every Lee press, except for the Cast Classics, and every one of them has been light-weight low-quality pot metal junk. Period. I have never seen ANY Lee press that can load 200 rounds an hour, and that is the first claim that one can that I've seen as well. I am NOT saying it isn't possible, but most users admit to 50/60 rds an hour, if they are lucky. That's why I bought a Dillon. My Lee Load (of something all right) Master was more like one shootable round every 30 minutes. That's why I bought a Dillon. Lee repair is worse than computer repair. That is why I bought a Dillon. I do not like endless tinkering, rebuilding, "quirks", etc. I expect a new item to work out of the box properly. Lee presses don't. That is why I bought a Dillon.

I keep hearing of a working Lee Loadmaster (yeah, it is a LOAD OF SOMETHING alright!) and after going to gun shows all over the US I have yet to see the 8th marvel of the world, one that could load five rounds in a row without a hitch, or load ONE round all the way around properly for that matter. EVER. They may be out there, but I have never been blessed with seeing it in person, just hearing of them, much like Big Foot and the Easter Bunny (both of which have more "proof" that they exist than a working Lee Loadmaster).

Go to the various Lee fanboy sites and see what they say. They are merciless and they LIKE Lee junk! Most of the reviews seem to start with "I bought a new Lee (POS) press/Perfect Powder measure/scale/whatever, and it was junk/broke/warped/unusable. Sent it back to Lee, they refused to even look at it, put it in another box and sent it back, broken/jammed/twisted/whatever with a note that I bought junk, what did I expect? And no, it isn't covered by the warranty. Go away." After 30 hours of rebuilding, reworking, machining parts, custom fitting and welding, I loaded my first round of ammo with it! Then it broke again." That is why I bought a Dillon.

Yes Lee makes some great stuff, dies, hand primer seater, Liquid Alox (which is just Z-Bart and available off Ebay MUCH cheaper), Modern Reloading manual (which I rewrote for Dickie Lee and got zero credit for, after he whines in the book about sending some guy a letter and the guy using the data and not giving Dickie credit), and yes, some junk (everything else). I don't like junk, that is why I bought a Dillon.
NOT a debate
Just a real "cut to the chase" (no bloviating)

Mentioning ebay because you did
Went to ebay and searched Z-Bart and got nothing..added words like lube/wax/bullet lube, still nothing :s0153:
While at ebay I searched Dillon press parts and got a page or so of "fix-it"/add-on parts :s0131:
Dillon press parts | eBay
So Dillon users are tweeking/mod'ing their stuff too.

Here's a forum dedicated to Dillon fan boy "problems" at a place that sells Dillon stuff :eek:
Dillon Precision Reloading Equipment - Brian Enos's Forums... Maku mozo!

Ever watch any youtube vids of Lee presses?
I know they are posted by Lee fan boys and probably all photo shopped to look like the presses are running flawlessly:s0092:.
Lee Pro 1000 reviews - YouTube
And the Loadmaster you trashed:
Lee loadmaster reviews - YouTube

Lee sells more stuff than all other companies COMBINED.

Priming is the biggest "problem" talked about for ALL presses, including Dillon, not just Lee.
Pre-priming has become the norm for many reloaders not just because it is more consistent.
Because it keeps all the de-priming smooge/crimped pockets that cause problems off the progressive press.

A few progressive presses on MY shelf, waiting for a turn on the bench.
PStorageS.jpg
Nothing blue though:s0153:
:D
 
Last Edited:
I've loaded around 14-15k 9mm on my Lee Loadmaster. The priming problems have been worked out. Most problems are caused by Berdan primed cases or self inflicted and not the fault of the press. With the case feeder, I can easily do 2-300 rounds per hour if I have the extra primer trays loaded. Could do quite a bit more but I stop and measure OAL and powder weights fairly often. I also look in every case to verify powder drop on every round since I use quite a bit if Titegroup. I now have the drum powder drop and it's extremely accurate.

I hear a lot of people complaining about Lee presses from 20 years ago but not current users. It just works.
 
I easily run 200 rounds a minute on the Pro 1000, watching powder drop, hand loading cases. I can do 300 with the case feeder. Just depends on how many rounds I intend to load as to whether I use the feeder or not. As stated previously stated, I have around 50K rounds through it and still running. There is some wear around the lower hinge pin, which I will weld up and redrill at some point, but it still works fine, so not a priority. One of the things I like best is how easy it is to deal with an empty position. I had a Ponsness Warren shot shell reloader. It was a fabulous machine, but when you had an issue (which wasn't often), it was a monster to clear.

The Lee is far from bullet proof, but I don't read that any of them are. If I start shooting a lot more, I might pop for a Dillon or a Lock and Load. I have never used either, but reviews are at least mostly positive.
 
Go blue. They essentially don't devalue, good manufacture support, good aftermarket upgrades. There is a reason 90% of national and serious competitors use blue for volume reloading.

Lee sells more than others because they are initial low cost. When you look at life cost, blue is the cheapest. After using it for five years you can sell it for about what you paid for it.
 

Upcoming Events

Tillamook Gun & Knife Show
Tillamook, OR
"The Original" Kalispell Gun Show
Kalispell, MT
Teen Rifle 1 Class
Springfield, OR
Kids Firearm Safety 2 Class
Springfield, OR

New Resource Reviews

New Classified Ads

Back Top