Loading Real BP with a LEE Load Master/Pro 1000

[Two-Bits]

Any BP shooters use a LEE Load Master or Pro 1000 to reload their .38-40 or .44-40 ammo?  Only interested in those two calibers.  How well does it work?  Does the bullet feeder (with lubed bullets) and case feeder work?  I don't have one yet, but I've been thinking about it.  I currently use LEE's 4-Hole Turret press.  AND NO, I do not and will not use the primer attachment.  I use a single stage press with the Auto Prime II.  Works great.

I know, I know, some will say get the BLUE machine or the GREEN machine or something else.  Lee has always worked for me and I'm cheap

[will52100]

I've got one and it works, but you have to hold it's little hand.  I did reload close to 10,000 round of differant calibers with black powder.   I get moved in my new house and a decent bench made I may set it up for one caliber and leave it.  It's got a single stage beat hands down for production, but can be agrivating at times.

A better option for me is Lee's 4 hole cast turret press.  Takes standard shell holders that come with the dies, is simple and rugged and can handle rifle length cases.  You can get the auto prime and auto powder measure for it but I haven't bother yet.

I do the vast majority of reloading with black powder.

[fourfingersofdeath]

I haven't loaded BP on my 1000s yet, but Darstardly Dan does and uses the Auto Disk powder measure. I have three at the moment and load 38Specials on one, 9mm and 38 Super on the other and 44Special and 45 Colt on the other. I have recently also bought a Classic Turret press and will use it for 44/40s when I get a powder through die. I mounted the Classic yesterday and haven't had a chance to load on it yet. It sure does look good though. I expect it will be really good. I will use it to load my 45/70s as well. It will earn it's keep and save me a lot of brass handling on the Rockchucker.

I don't know what the problem is with the primer feed, I have found it less troublesome than the tube feeds generally, but as mentioned previously, you have to hold it's hand a bit. I have found that as long as I don't let the primers run towards dry in the primer slide. I let it go, keeping an eye on it and as soon as I see the primers drop below the square tube where the tray fits, I stop and refill. I then block the tray with a pencil, insert it fully onto the slide and remove the pencil, allowing the primers to drop into the slide. They usually need a bit of tap to get them started properly. One thing I do like is that with trail boss (and black no doubt) I can see the powder in the case after charging.

I always stop at the same point everytime so there is no confusion, no matter who is there or what is happening, I stop when I have a case charged and a boolit placed in the mouth of the case.

I don't know how the bullet feeder will go with the sticky BP lubes.

Good luck ( I wrote Goos luck first time round ) and let us know how you go.

I'll be loading some BP as soon as I get more suitable bullets.

[Cuts Crooked]

<snip>

I don't know how the bullet feeder will go with the sticky BP lubes.

Goos luck and let us know how you go. <snip>

Now that's funny right there! I don' care who ya are! 

(sorry FFD, I jist couldn't resist...My Bad!)

[Dick Dastardly]

My 44 Mag main match bp ammo all gets loaded on the LEE Pro 1000.  Keep it clean, I use compressed air to blow it out, and the primer feed works fine.  I never bothered with the bullet feeder.  I lube/size my Big Lube® bullets and put them into the trays my sawbones throws out.  They come to him filled with blood sample tubes and I have him save them for me.  They hold 50 bullets each.  After I fill one I place a clip board over it and invert it.  Presto pronto I've got 50 lube sized bullets standing in neat rows and ranks.  I pick them up with a little needle nose pliars and put them on top of a charged bullet one by each.

Stopping in the same place with a bullet set over a charged bullet also works for me.  It also keeps the powder dry.

Keeping the primer tray full when the first empty spot shows in the primer channel below the tray is one way to keep the primer feed running the way it's supposed to.  When I fill the hopper/flipper disk I use a small wire tie to keep the primers from running out while I insert it into the slot.  Then I pull the wire tie out and I'm good to go.  This way I can load 100 large pistol primers at a time easily.  YES, tap that primer feed and keep an eye on it.  If the primers hang up and don't go down the channel you will have problems.  Simply tap it a couple of times if you see a gap in the primer feed cue.  There's a probe on the primer system that rides up and down one column on the press.  There's a notch in the column that "shakes" the primer feeder both going and coming.  Usually that's enough viberation but I keep an eye on it and give it a tap now and then just for good measure.

The Auto Disk thru the die does all my bp powder feeding chores.  It's a good outfit.  LEE says not to use it with Holy Black cuz of lawyers.  I do it at my own risk.  If any of you choose to use this system, you're on your own.  No one is going to absolve you of your responsibility or risk.  Don't smoke in your loading area.

Hope that helps.

DD-DLoS

[Tequila Jim]

I also use the Pro1000 for reloading BP. I prime off the machine, use the auto disk powder measure like DD.
Load 45 Colt & 45 Scofield, works for me. Regards, TJ

As a side note I figuered a way to use the adjustable discs as double discs.

[Two-Bits]

Thanks all!  Anyone use the case feeder with .38-40?

[fourfingersofdeath]

As a side note I figuered a way to use the adjustable discs as double discs.

Care to share that one with us?

[Tequila Jim]

Of course, the two little legs that ride in the grooves, work on one of the charge bars with a small file. Just take a little
off the inside of the legs until it will fit on top of another charge bar. The one I did almost snaps onto the outher bar.
I hope this makes sense. Regards, TJ

[whitesquirrel44]

I have the Lee Load Master.  The 38-40 and 44-40 won't work in the large case feeder.  Even 45 colts get stuck in the tubes from time to time.  The case feeder is simple enough to make a single tube feeder but I can't find a transparent tube locally.  I searched my local hardware stores and Hobby Lobby with no luck.  The best I found was a semi-transparent pipe in 5/8".  At least I think it was 5/8".  I have 600 44-40's ready to load once I resolve this issue.

I have never loaded with black powder, so I can't help you there.  However, if you don't have a progressive press and you're looking to buy a Lee, I can tell you, you're going to hate their primer feeders.  I don't know about the Pro-1000, but the Load Master I have, after recommended fine tuning, still misfeeds about 5 per 100.  Only one out of 600 45 colts came out up-side-down, and 27 were crushed sideways, and that's better than it used to be.  Another problem with the Load Master is that it primes on the up-stroke.  The problem occurs when a tall case is getting crimped, the press may not go all the way to the top of the stroke do to the friction in the crimp die which means the primer doesn't go all the way in.  I have several primers not seated flush in that batch of 45 colts.  I'm reseating them with my hand primer, which makes me little nervious to be pushing on the primer of a loaded round.

You talked me into it, I'm hand primmimg the rest of my 45 colts.

I can also tell you that the residue from spent primer, decapped in the first station, get all over the primming rod on the second station.  Loading some 44 mags with Federal primers, I noticed that several primers were slightly dented from that residue.  I cleaned the top of the primming rod every 50 cases but should have done it more often.  I never had that problem with CCI or Winchester primers.  What I do, and what I've read others do, is decap and resize all my casing at one time, with no other stations.  Then I'll trim if needed and clean the primer pockets.  Hand prime when fed up.  Then after cleanng the press, I run the preped cases through again to complete the process.  I think it's still faster than a single stage.

I found your thread looking for info on the Lee Load Master primer feeder.  Sorry for being so long winded.

[Two-Bits]

whitesquirrel44:
Thanks for the info.  Have you used the bullet feeder?

Anyone out there use the bullet feeder with lubed Black Powder bullets?