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The biggest problem with Lee products are the very terse instructions. However, everything they have written is important. You must do what they say and never assume that you either don't need to read the instructions or think that a step is unimportant or simply too boring to do. The problem I have with the Pro 1000, if I considered buying one, is that it is only a 3-hole. Before I left the single-stage presses about 30 years ago, I waited for a 5-station press. I was always happy with my Hornady and consider the L-N-L to be nearly perfect (but, it isn't a 1050, so I now have 3 1050s and my son has my L-N-L). The Perfect Powder Measure looks like a POS, but if you follow the directions, it performs perfectly. I have one for charging my .223 rounds (a progressive is not the ideal press for fiddling with rifle cases). I have to disassemble and adjust tension if I use a very fine grain powder. What Lee needs to do is hire a pro to write their instruction pamphlets. Even the LoadMaster (?) instructions are too brief and the photos aren't clear enough. However, if you follow the instructions, go slow, disassemble plastic parts and remove any flashing or burrs and chamfer any sharp edges, and never force anything, you can have a press that works quite well. However, you are not paying for the over-building of the other presses and you will find things that need adjustment. However, do you expect a $230 press to be the equal of a $386 Hornady in ease of use or of a $545 Dillon 650? For the money saved, you will have to accept that you will need to fiddle a bit more and watch things a bit more carefully. Also, for all progressive presses, cleanliness is a requirement of proper function.

I had that problem and thought that the cause was the dent in the frame from the punch was keeping the punch from being able to go all way up. Placed a thin shim there and it did nothing. Tried tightening up the shellplate, and that cured the problem. Found that after a couple of years, the shellplate bolt was loosening up slightly after the initial adjustment. Placed a little Lock-Tite (Blue?) on the bolt and tightened it up. There is now some residual Lock-Tite on the bolt and in the ram threads so the bolt doesn't loosen up, even after many unbolt/bolt cycles. The older version of the Hornady, before the L-N-L, had a lock washer that prevented this. That model, however, was much more sensitive to the adjustment of the bolt tension to the shellplate.

Your gun's barrel is your friend. A case gauge can't tell you if the round will fit your magazine or feed and chamber in you gun. use your barrel and always make up a couple of inert dummy rounds to check the rounds fit and function in your gun. Not even sure what you are worried about. Personally, I am wondering if you simply don't feel confident with used and should really have bought new? You got a great press at a great price and I wouldn't sell anything until you really know what you need and don't need. The 1050 is very sensitive to cleanliness and powder spills. If you spill any powder, don't take any short cuts. Stop, remove all cases from shellholder, and brush off all powder. If you suspect powder has gotten under the shellplate, remove toolhead, remove shellplate, and clean everything. One area where "crap" collects is the ball bearing that indexes the shellplate. Keep this and the spring and hole clean. Never force anything. If something hangs up the press, stop, remove one case at a time until you find the cause. If none of the cases are causing the problem, check the primer slide. About the only problem I have had is the slider not going all the way forward and I need to adjust the primer actuator lever to line up properly. Never loosen the bolt holding the actuator lever assembly to the primer safety tube. Be sure that the slider moves easily along the "track" with no hang-ups. Read the tips and tricks in the Dillon press forums here.

For applications of Solo 1000, which I would have assumed is too fast for the .40S&W, I would also look at Accurate Nitro 100 and VV N310. They are all very fast powders.

I show 3.8gn as 0.1gn under starting load. Should work fine. Please note that the COL (OAL) shown in reloading manuals is the minimum they recommend. You, as the reloader, should aim for the longest COL that fits your magazine and feeds and chambers. With auto pistols, I keep the barrel with me to be sure that the rounds chamber freely. I also make up 1 or 2 dummy rounds (no primer or powder) for each bullet so I can function test in the gun and have a standard that I know worked before to re-set the seating depth and crimp. Attached is a compilation of loads from various manuals. Take note of the lowest starting loads and the lowest maximum loads and the COLs listed. 9x19 Bullet Weight Powder Weight Velocity Start/Max Power Factor COL Speer L-RN 125 Universal 3.9 899 Start 112 1.130 L-RN 124 Universal 4.1 1022 127 1.150 LCN 125 Universal 4.3 1096 Max 137 1.125 Speer L-RN 125 Universal 4.3 991 Max 124 1.130 .45ACP Bullet Weight Powder Weight Velocity Start/Max Power Factor COL L-RN 230 Universal 4.5 703 Start 162 1.200 swaged L-RN 230 Universal 5.2 748 Start 172 1.270 swaged L-RN 230 Universal 5.2 750 Start 173 L-RN 230 Universal 5.4 857 Max 197 1.200 swaged L-RN 230 Universal 5.5 837 Max 193 1.270 L-RN 230 Universal 5.6 0 1.271 swaged L-RN 230 Universal 6.2 900 Max 207

On my Super 1050 I use a Hornady New Dimension Titanium Nitride sizing die and it gets within a 0.05" of the extractor groove. The only problem I have had is that a case with a bulge will sometimes form a "sliver" of raised brass in a curve that looks like it was the unsupported part of the case from a plastic gun. I throw those away.

The only way you can get leading with Precision bullets is if you are damaging the coating during bullet seating or crimping. I have heard some people confuse the Moly-Kote residue for leading. Use a kinetic bullet puller and see if your coating is damaged. I use Precision bullets and have no loading or Moly residue. If leading, either use some Chore Boy copper mesh over a brush or get an Outer's Foul-Out. Determine where you are damaging the coating.

The variable costs (bullets, powder, primers) are where you save money. Even buying new cases generally works out as less expensive as all but the cheap stuff. The question is whether the pleasure you get out of reloading and knowing that you have developed your own load for your gun will cover the fixed costs of the equipment. I made up an Excel spreadsheet a few months ago where I compared costs of good ammunition, cheap ammunition, and reloading with good components. .38 Special 148gn Wadcutter S&B 148gn L-HBWC $360/1000 36¢/round Remington virgin brass $302.99/2000 15¢/case Remington 148gn L-HBWC $114.99/2000 6¢/bullet Remington 1 1/2 small pistol primer $30.49/1000 3¢/primer Winchester 231 powder (2.9gn powder) $131.99/8lb 0.71¢/round Total per virgin round reloaded 24.7¢/round Total with used brass 10¢/round 9mm Luger 115gn JHP American Eagle 115gn JHP $289/1000 29¢/round Brown Bear (steel case) 115gn JHP $94.95/500 19¢/round Starline virgin brass 129.99/1000 13¢/case Remington 115gn JHP $191.99/2000 10¢/bullet Remington 1 1/2 small pistol primer $30.49/1000 3¢/primer Winchester 231 powder (5.0gn powder) 131.99/8lb 1.2¢/round Total per virgin round reloaded 27.2¢/round Total with used brass 14.2¢/round .45ACP 185gn JHP Remington 185gn JHP $49.95/50 $1.00/round Wolf Gold 185gn JHP $26.95/50 54¢/round Starline virgin brass $159.99/1000 16¢/case Remington 185gn JHP $366.99/2000 18.4¢/bullet Remington 2 1/2 large pistol primer $30.49/1000 3¢/primer Winchester 231 powder (5.5gn powder) 131.99/8lb 1.3¢/round Total per virgin round reloaded 38.7¢/round Total with used brass 22.7¢/round

Abnormal caution is called paranoia. Personally, I think the powder should be sent to me for proper disposal, generally at about 6.0gn at a time...

If you use a beam balance, you should always remove the beam if balance is not is use. Also, I always prefer to keep the balance off the bench so it does not suffer from the vibrations of press usage. I have my original Ainsworth electronic from the late '70s still working. I like my little Lyman 1000 XP. Nothing beats my RCBS ChargeMaster, though.

In my Dillon powder measure and in my RCBS ChargeMaster, TiteGroup clings to all surfaces. This hasn't effected the charge dispensed, but it has certainly made cleaning out the measure more difficult. I have also noticed that it has a tendency to clump a bit. I could certainly see where a different lot could cause problems. So far, I haven't found any reason to move to it over AA2, AA5, and 231/HP38.

Why would any one WANT a shorter COL (OAL) than what works and functions just fine. COL is one of the factors that the reloader has control over to make ammunition that works best in their guns.

Maybe I'm crazy, but I never saw anything wrong with an empty lube groove. It seems to make no difference reloading the bullet and it reduces the contact surface area of the bullet. My only "concern" would be that if I have a choice between cast and swaged, I tend to expect the swaged to be more uniform and potentially more accurate. However, as I said, the cast bullet with less bearing surface area may produce slightly higher velocity for the same charge weight. I have shot lead for several decades and never noticed much smoke—then I started to shot .40 and there was a fair amount of smoke. My 9x19, 9x21, .38Super, and .45ACP lead bullets with LLA don't smoke much, but the .40S&W with 155gn LSWC and LLA sure does smoke.

I have 5 Dillon powder measure and they have all worked just fine with True Blue. So far, I have had no problem with powder leaks.

True Blue meters just fine in my 1050 powder measures. What exactly are you concerned with?

Does any body know why Hornady makes 121gn and 125gn HAP bullets? Since I don't compete, it seems silly to me to have two different bullets that, as far as I can see, are virtually interchangeable.

If you have any problems, and you shouldn't, get a Redding Profile Crimp for any roll crimp needs. Accuracy of my .38 Special loads was noticeably improved over the Dillon, RCBS, and Hornady dies. The only that was close was the Lee FCD. If you have any factory ammunition, use that to establish your crimp rather than trial-and-error (particularly if you load 148gn L-HBWCs).

have you laid it on a flat surface to be sure it isn't warped? Have you inspected each of the case stations for damage or warp? Improper adjustment of the swaging station can put a lot of force on the shellplate.

Has any one tried to adapt the Lee case collator/feeder or their bullet feeder to the 1050? I am really getting tired of the case feeder hanging up (either the case doesn't drop through—and that turns off the unit—or the case drops through and the micro-switch stays off). I have had it in to Dillon a couple of times, and think that even a more manual method would be better than this. Also, some adaptation of the bullet feeder looks like a real winner, but I have little ability to design and make stuff on my own.

You can use the 180gn load data for starting off. You can always use data from heavier but similar bullets (i.e., if you are shooing a pure copper bullet, you can't just use data for jacketed lead bullets). Isn't it nice when you get comments about powders you don't have? I don't show any loads for Solo 1000. m_deaner, on Indiana Gun Owners, shows the following: Bullet: 180gr Black Bullet International (Moly coated) Case: Mixed OAL: 1.125 Powder: 4.4gr Solo 1000 Primer: FSPM 1) 966.5 2) 959.5 3) 965.5 4) 957.5 5) 967.6 6) 978.3 7) 957.9 8) 970.4 9) 967.7 10) 961.6 High: 978.3 Low: 957.5 E.S.: 20.8 Ave.: 965.3 S.D.: 6.1 95%: 4.8 PF: 173.754 ---------------------------------------------------- Bullet: 220gr SnS Casting Lead Case: Mixed OAL: 1.13 Powder: 3.4gr Solo 1000 Primer: Wolf SPM 1) 791.4 2) 795.8 3) 778.7 4) 793 2 5) 783.6 6) 804.8 7) 789.1 8) 778.1 9) 800.2 10) 795.1 High: 804.8 Low: 778.1 E.S.: 26.7 Ave.: 791 S.D.: 8.3 95%: 6.6 PF: 174.02 ---------------------------------------------------- Bullet: 180gr Bayou Bullet Case: Mixed OAL: 1.125 Powder: 3.6gr Solo 1000 Primer: FSPM 1) 872.1 2) 866.9 3) 859.1 4) 863.8 5) 861.3 6) 870.7 7) 866.2 8) 870 9) 852.9 10) 865.9 High: 872.1 Low: 852.9 E.S.: 19.2 Ave.: 864.9 S.D.: 5.6 95%: 4.5 PF: 155.682 (minor load) ---------------------------------------------------- Bullet: 180gr Black Bullet International (Moly coated) Case: Mixed OAL: 1.125 Powder: 3.6gr Solo 1000 Primer: FSPM 1) 945.1* *(Suspected major PF load that got mixed in; removed from record & calcs) 2) 867.3 3) 872.1 4) 860.9 5) 864.8 6) 878.1 7) 869.7 8) 869.5 9) 873.8 10) 856.1 High: 878.10 Low: 856.10 E.S.: 22.00 Ave.: 868.03 S.D.: 6.71 95%: 19.00 PF: 156.25 Therefore, I can't help you. Solo 1000 is way too fast for most .40S&W applications. I would look to 231/HP38 or AA5 for target loads. For more powerful loads, look into Silhouette, True Blue, Power Pistol, AA7 and AA9. Go to Sportsman's Warehouse—they finally have some powders in.

This is the sum total of what I can find: Bullet Weight Powder Weight Velocity Start/Max JFP 190 Clays 4.3 878 Start JFP 190 Clays 5.6 1071 Max

The same ones are used in the 1050. I know I had powder funnels for all my calibers. Moved all my "stuff" to one area and all I have (where I thought I had several different powder funnels) are all just the generic expander funnel. Now I wonder if I was that crazy before or if the powder funnel elves switched them around. Has any one else had an infestation of powder funnel elves or is it just old age? I went visited the Dillon store to buy a powder funnel (Note: covered parking is employees only). Asked the guy behind the counter for a .32 caliber powder funnel. He pointed to a shelf with plastic funnels on the end of the row. Had to tell him, "No, I needed the Dillon powder-through expander powder funnel." I really think they need a better name...

Read "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Repair." I had a roommate in college whose father owned a printing press business. He always told stories about customers who would only use his "nuts and bolts" since they must have been specifically made for the presses. He sold 5 cent bolts for a dollar or more. Company I worked for put together kits of the tools needed for the end user. They were knowingly sold for several times what the tools were worth, but the customers wanted to be sure that they had "the right tools." Take the brass-colored part to Home Depot and find a clip that fits the hole.

My Lord, Safety glasses? How many times can so many mention the same thing. Why not a full face shield? It is a safety issue, but it is a private safety issue. There are a lot more hazards in the house that could use safety glasses than reloading. In 30+ years, I have had one (1) primer detonate when I didn't mean for it to. I had plenty of time to put on my safety glasses (replacing my prescription polycarbonate glasses with real safety glasses and then remove the primer. I slipped and the metal primer shuttle smashed into the primer. Nothing happened to me or the press, thankfully. I have read about people who have managed to blow up a whole column of primers. I really can't see any way in my reloading routine that could ever happen, but if it does, it will a rain of small and hot brass hitting my head and I would need a full face shield to really protect myself. Don't complain about the Nanny state when you sit back and nanny nag/complain. My main thought was how does she balance the beer bottle on her head and is she reading a magazine under the press?

You missed mine: throw them away. It isn't worth taking any risk with a bulged case. If I can see the bulge, it is way too large. When I sort and cull my brass, I look for the sign of the Glock and rotate the case to look for a bulge more than normal. Your poll really needs the "none of the above" selection.