Lee LoadMaster

[noylj]

If I had the money, I would like to buy a LoadMaster just to play with. From comments on this and other forums, it seems almost like a kit, where you save money by having to do some work yourself to get 'er running right.

There are certainly enough videos and such and I wouldn't doubt if there was a user group and forum just for this one press.

I could never give up my 1050s, as I really like and use the six stations available for operator options, but that press just seems like a challenge. Being retired, I can enjoy a good challenge.

[madmantee]

Be careful...you will agitate the masses and cause a revolution.

I too have some time, but right now just need to get reloading. If I had more time I'd drop the $210.00 and set it up. You could prolly fix anything given time and a few resources. In fact, I nominate you to try one out and give us the honest thoughts on the whole deal. I mean, you can go to ultimatereloader.com and he blasts out ammo pretty good on his unit.

I dunno......................................

[mlmiller1]

I had a loadmaster for a while but had quite a bit of trouble with it.

Some other folks have had great success with their loadmasters. Many thousands of rounds loaded with minimum tweaking but again, there are the rest of us. Good luck!

MLM

Edited October 6, 2010 by mlmiller1

[Optimistix]

I also own a Pro 1000 and was about to ask the same questions about the Loadmaster when I came upon this thread. I have also heard that the load master is a b@stard to set up, but I was hoping that in 10 years, Lee would have been able to sotr out all the kinks and that one would be able to buy the press these days without any hassles afterwards ... I am in SOuth Africa and do not have the luxury of the factory being anywhere close to where I live

Noylj, I hope you don't mind if I ride along on your thread, but here are some additional questions I have:

I am however looking for a press with five or six stages to upgrade to so if the Loadmaster is not the answer, what do you recommend?

I used a Dillon 1050 I was storing for a friend of mine for about a year, and to be honest, I was getting a 1000 rounds out faster with my Pro 1000 than with the Dillon. Maybe it was me who did not know how to use the press to its potential, but in the time it took me to prep all the tubes and stuff for the Dillon, I already had 100 to 200 rounds in the box from my Lee.

And as far as all the safety gadgets are concerned, in over 10 years of shooting I never had any issues with either squib loads or double charges from my Lee.

So basically I am mlooking for a solid, no hassle press that can churn out large numbers of bullets in a reasonbly short time that will not brake the bank.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[mlmiller1]

I really enjoy my 650. It runs & runs & runs. I can walk out to my shop right now, drop in primers, brass, & powder & without hurrying at all, have 300rds in a half hour. Maybe that is fast, maybe not. Some folks get some incredible speeds or volume out of theirs but I prefer to just load at a consistent rate.

I believe the 1050 is fastest when used in a long loading session. Once you get it moving, that is when it makes some speed. At least that is what I hear, anyway.

Any new press you get will take sometime to get used to. At first your lee will be the faster press & who knows, maybe it always will be but I doubt it. However, the lee 1000 is pretty solid. I don't believe that Lee has done anything to the design of the loadmaster, they have only posted on their website how to fix the thing. ???? If they know it has a problem, they know how to fix it, why don't they do a redesign & get it right? I don't know.

MLM

[JFlowers]

I used a Lee LoadMaster for years. The press is built like a tank and is well-priced for a 5 hole progressive. The press's weakness is the primer feeder. If it gets off it tends to tear itself apart. Some tricks to make it work better.... mount the press solid, keep it lubed, and learn how the primer feed functions so you can keep it tuned.

I have always thought if Lee would bullet-proof the primer feeder they could really be a better player in the market.