Question about Lee Pro 1000 press

[Gunner3456]

I have a Lee Pro 1000 press which is rated up to .223, but is mostly for hand gun ammo. I do load .223 on it.

I would like to know if anyone has ever managed to load .243 in one of these presses. Can it be done? Any special tricks needed other than the dies?

I have a wonderful neighbor kid, 13 years old who does a lot of yard work for me. He did enough work for me already this year to buy himself a nice new Remington .243 rifle and scope. He LOVES to hunt. Money is an issue for him - his folks make him earn everything. I think that's good for him, but I'd like to get some empty cases and bullets (I have primers and powder) and load him up a couple of hundred rounds.

Any chance with this press? Maybe I'm due to pick up a used single stage press for larger rifle?

Thanks.

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[toys]

I have a Lee Pro 1000 press which is rated up to .223, but is mostly for hand gun ammo. I do load .223 on it.

I would like to know if anyone has ever managed to load .243 in one of these presses. Can it be done? Any special tricks needed other than the dies?

I have a wonderful neighbor kid, 13 years old who does a lot of yard work for me. He did enough work for me already this year to buy himself a nice new Remington .243 rifle and scope. He LOVES to hunt. Money is an issue for him - his folks make him earn everything. I think that's good for him, but I'd like to get some empty cases and bullets (I have primers and powder) and load him up a couple of hundred rounds.

Any chance with this press? Maybe I'm due to pick up a used single stage press for larger rifle?

Thanks.

maybe. do you feel lucky?

maybes are:

1. Shell plate. you would have to find an equivalent shell plate for the 243.

2. clearance between shell plate and dies. once you get your case primed/charged, you have to get that bullet in the case and have clearance under the seating die.

3. connection betwen shell plate carrier and ram. As you know the connection between the shell plate carrier and the ram is like a press fit/friction. if the friction in the sizing die is too much for the connection, you will pull the whole shell plate carrier from the ram. there isnt alot of force you can use to tighten the carrier to the ram since the carrier itself isnt made of steel but of an aluminum/zinc alloy.

4. charging. depending on the charge you will use for the 243, you the powder thrower may not have enough disks to give you the charge you need. if you had a stand alone or weighed each one by hand, then you could bypass it.

5. minor issue/point. im assuming the case feed wont work with the 243. it barely works with 223. i belive the longer the case, the less well it works. however, you can hand feed the cases.

thats all i could think of.

if you get an plain jane lee turret press, you will be albe to use the same turrets for both. i do. but you will need to readjust your dies when going from one press to the other. i would personally get the Lee classic turret press, but non of the parts would swap with my Lee turret/Pro 1000s.

 

[Gunner3456]

maybe. do you feel lucky?

maybes are:

1. Shell plate. you would have to find an equivalent shell plate for the 243.

2. clearance between shell plate and dies. once you get your case primed/charged, you have to get that bullet in the case and have clearance under the seating die.

3. connection betwen shell plate carrier and ram. As you know the connection between the shell plate carrier and the ram is like a press fit/friction. if the friction in the sizing die is too much for the connection, you will pull the whole shell plate carrier from the ram. there isnt alot of force you can use to tighten the carrier to the ram since the carrier itself isnt made of steel but of an aluminum/zinc alloy.

4. charging. depending on the charge you will use for the 243, you the powder thrower may not have enough disks to give you the charge you need. if you had a stand alone or weighed each one by hand, then you could bypass it.

5. minor issue/point. im assuming the case feed wont work with the 243. it barely works with 223. i belive the longer the case, the less well it works. however, you can hand feed the cases.

thats all i could think of.

if you get an plain jane lee turret press, you will be albe to use the same turrets for both. i do. but you will need to readjust your dies when going from one press to the other. i would personally get the Lee classic turret press, but non of the parts would swap with my Lee turret/Pro 1000s.

Thank you. When you say shell plate, is that different from what I call the shell holder - the one that comes with the dies? I think those might be standard with Lee presses because I get one with each set of dies??

 

[toys]

Thank you. When you say shell plate, is that different from what I call the shell holder - the one that comes with the dies? I think those might be standard with Lee presses because I get one with each set of dies??

Youre welcome.

Yes. But dont toss those away either. they come in handy for other presses and lees. Yes they do come with most of lee dies sets, but they wont work on your Pro1000.

On your Pro1000, the SHELL PLATE is the round disk w/3 notches the cases slide into and rotates. The SHELL PLATE CARRIER, this the whole assembly.

If you look on the SHELL PLATE, it will have a number stamped on it. look on the insructions that came with your press and you will see a list of calibers/shell plates.

you would have to find an equivalent SHELL PLATE for the 243 caliber. IE. 10mm & 40 S&W use the same shell holder/plate. i dont have my instuctions/books handy so you will need to look at a catalog or some other info. If you have the LEE reloading book, it may have all of the various shell plates/holders and calibers.

 

[Gunner3456]

OK, I understand. I have several shell plates and actually several shell plate carriers, as shown here.

<broken link removed>

I'm beginning to think I'll just pick up a single press like a Rockchucker or something for these odd tasks. ?? Maybe I'll pick up a separate powder measure too.

 

[toys]

OK, I understand. I have several shell plates and actually several shell plate carriers, as shown here.

<broken link removed>

I'm beginning to think I'll just pick up a single press like a Rockchucker or something for these odd tasks. ?? Maybe I'll pick up a separate powder measure too.

you could p/u a RCBS or whatever, but take a look at the Lee Turret press. the plain jane version. it will allow you to use the same turrets and you can load rilfe in it.