Lee Pro 1000 Questions

greener · Post by **greener** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 8:41 am

After dithering for about a year on whether to buy and what type of reloading press, I bought a Lee Pro 1000. My son likes his Loadmaster and I figured the 1000 would be a compromise between price and my uses for a reloading press. Getting this thing up and going sure has been fun. Anyone know if a good set of instructions for this beast? Although I'm fast becoming one with Lee's videos, their instructions are not exactly the clearest I've seen, especially for someone who hasn't used this thing for years.

A couple of problems I've run into so far:
The powder measure seems to load light (~10% for Bullseye and ~20% for Unique). The el-cheapo scale seems to be reasonably accurate, it took the calibration weight and was very close to the weights of several bullets as a check (I know they vary some). The powder measure seems to be consistent, just consistently wrong. It's putting powder into the intended hole on the disk. I've thought about using volumetric dippers and a scale to get the right volume for each powder, checking them with the scale and then finding the right accudisk setting that gives me that weight. Is there a better way?

I haven't found any instructions for setting the decapper/sizer die. It seems to be working where it is. Is that the test?

I seem to be getting this thing going by guess and by golly. Since SWMBO has shown a distinct lack of interest in testing my first loads and keeps mentioning insurance and 100' landyards before I test them, I'd feel more comfortable if I had a clearer set of instructions.

jaeger45 · Post by **jaeger45** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 9:06 am

Have you tried getting help from their Customer Service? Those folks seem eager enough to help. When I asked about my problem with their powder measure which drips the flat powder flakes of W231 through its rotary wheel, they even sent me a new one when the problem persisted. (However. since the problem seems to be with the product itself, I just quit using the thang as a second unit- and stuck to my RCBS measure.)

greener · Post by **greener** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 1:10 pm

Plan to do that next week. The accudisk system seems to be nothing like the volumes they predict from the chart.

bearandoldman · Post by **bearandoldman** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 1:28 pm

greener wrote:Plan to do that next week. The accudisk system seems to be nothing like the volumes they predict from the chart.

Rob, I use a Lee perfect powder measure, very easy to set and seems to maintain it's setting as the scale check tells me. I use Alliant Green Dot or Alliant Unique for .45ACP load and a Lee 4 die set and a Lee cheaapo single stage press. Do not need a real hugh tech loader because I do not shoot enough to make it pay for itself.
By the way the Ke lTec seems to like its new home and the last time I looked it was laying on the top of the dresser with a smile on it's muzzle, loves it's new home I guess.

Post by **Bullseye** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 1:39 pm

When using the Lee disks, I use the chart to see which size cavity will give me the desired charge I want. Then I throw some test charges and measure each of them with my digital scale. I swap the cavities until I get the size that will allow the volume of powder I want. I never let my powder hopper get below half full to keep the charge consistency even. I randomly measure cases as I go along to see that I'm getting the same drop rate. Typically my charges are +/- .1 grain as long as my powder measure remains above the half full level. If I let the powder level drop then the charges vary considerably.

Each brand of powder seems to flow differently, so I experiment with the disk sizes until I get the load I want.

R,
Bullseye

bearandoldman · Post by **bearandoldman** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 1:53 pm

Bullseye wrote:When using the Lee disks, I use the chart to see which size cavity will give me the desired charge I want. Then I throw some test charges and measure each of them with my digital scale. I swap the cavities until I get the size that will allow the volume of powder I want. I never let my powder hopper get below half full to keep the charge consistency even. I randomly measure cases as I go along to see that I'm getting the same drop rate. Typically my charges are +/- .1 grain as long as my powder measure remains above the half full level. If I let the powder level drop then the charges vary considerably.

Each brand of powder seems to flow differently, so I experiment with the disk sizes until I get the load I want.
The powder bushings for a MEC shotshell loader will vary also from whaat the chart say, I just polish out a smaller one to make it drop the right chargerr a couple1/10th on a shotshell will not cause any problems ass we are dealing with much lower pressures.

R,
Bullseye

boomer47 · Post by **boomer47** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 4:47 pm

Len,
Whats with the Kel-Tec? I thought you were a bigger is better fan.
I have a Kel-Tec P-32,(Mommas gun) 2 P-3at's and a P-40 and think they are great little pistols.
On the Lee powder measure: I have used one for years and the only thing I find wrong is that it will not drop flake powder consistently. For some reason it drops "stick" powder more evenly, seems to cut the sticks even better with the plastic disks than my old Lyman measure does with a steel drum.
I have the double disk upgrade on mine and it throws a more accurate charge than the single disk setup. Why it does is beyond me.

bearandoldman · Post by **bearandoldman** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 5:27 pm

boomer47 wrote:Len,
Whats with the Kel-Tec? I thought you were a bigger is better fan.
I have a Kel-Tec P-32,(Mommas gun) 2 P-3at's and a P-40 and think they are great little pistols.
On the Lee powder measure: I have used one for years and the only thing I find wrong is that it will not drop flake powder consistently. For some reason it drops "stick" powder more evenly, seems to cut the sticks even better with the plastic disks than my old Lyman measure does with a steel drum.
I have the double disk upgrade on mine and it throws a more accurate charge than the single disk setup. Why it does is beyond me.

My range owner and mentor in self defense, says you can grab another gun under a stressful situation far quicker than you can o a reload and many other instrutoctor belive in the same thaing. The .380 is my second gun carried on the left sidee for when the stuff is really hitting the fan fasst.

greener · Post by **greener** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 7:08 pm

Bullseye wrote:When using the Lee disks, I use the chart to see which size cavity will give me the desired charge I want. Then I throw some test charges and measure each of them with my digital scale. I swap the cavities until I get the size that will allow the volume of powder I want. I never let my powder hopper get below half full to keep the charge consistency even. I randomly measure cases as I go along to see that I'm getting the same drop rate. Typically my charges are +/- .1 grain as long as my powder measure remains above the half full level. If I let the powder level drop then the charges vary considerably.

Each brand of powder seems to flow differently, so I experiment with the disk sizes until I get the load I want.

R,
Bullseye

Thanks,

I'll try the full hopper. Was loading with it about 1/3 full. Seemed to hold +/1 0.1 on 10 consecutive cases. Looks like they stayed about 0.2 grains under the desired load.

Post by **Bullseye** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 7:32 pm

When the powder drops below half the charges vary a lot more with the Lee powder system. Try to keep it half full or better. When finished, you can always remove the shell holder and tip the powder remaining in the reservoir back into the can for storage.

R,
Bullseye