WidowsSon683 Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 Does anyone have any experience with this press. Is it reliable, sturdy and everything. Is it worth dropping the $300 bucks on. Now i know alot of people are Dillon fans, but i just cant afford their prices right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raymond1975 Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 I had a dillon 550 and 2 Lee pro1000 ik have sold the dillon because i like the lee pro1000 better for 9mm and 38super. I was looking to for a loadmaster 2extra stages because i like the lee better then the dillon faster and schaeper. I loving to read the reactions here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WidowsSon683 Posted February 11, 2013 Author Share Posted February 11, 2013 Don't use my info seeking post to start an argument. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zanthor Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 I bought a Lee Loadmaster in May of last year and loaded about 5,000 rounds on it. I had a number of issues, the most common were with the priming system and the second most common were indexing issues. All said and done I could load reliable ammo on the Lee Loadmaster and it was an exceptional value and the savings let me shoot all season long. That said, for every hour of loading I would spend 15 minutes tinkering to keep it running, and this would often come in the form of 1-hour of tinkering/troubleshooting before 3 hours of actual loading. My life is too busy to keep tinkering on that level, and my financial situation allowed me to pick up an XL650 setup this year. I have heard from many users that the Lee product line peaks with the Pro 1000 and that the Loadmaster has more problems. I do not regret buying the Lee, this is partly because I sold it for a profit last week, but mostly because the economical price point got me into reloading nearly a year early, and allowed me to shoot way more last year than I could have possibly shot without hand loads! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rstandley Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 I have been using Loadmasters for 8 years now. Once you learn the in's and outs of the system it is relable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GmanCdp Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 most importantly...get the strongest bench as possible..solid..the most solid one you can build or support..did i mention it has to be solid?? I've loaded around 65 k 45acp on one ..sent it back had it refurbished once,never did like the priming system,, go here and research the loadmaster.. http://loadmastervideos.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COF Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 The priming system was the biggest gripe I had with with mine. Constantly having to replace the slide because a primer caught on it and ripped it. I ended up modifying my powder measure to use the Dillon powder alarm because when it was running with the bullet feeder and the case feeder, I'd be cranking along and all of a sudden realize I was out of powder When you've got a container with a couple hundred rounds in it, it's no fun going through and pulling the bullets just to find out where you ran out of powder! DOH! When everything was running I could crank out 400-500 rounds out of it in an hour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WidowsSon683 Posted February 16, 2013 Author Share Posted February 16, 2013 Has anyone figured out a fix for the primer problem? Or is the solution to just have plenty of primer chutes on hand? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zanthor Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 Has anyone figured out a fix for the primer problem? Or is the solution to just have plenty of primer chutes on hand? The last run of brass I did on my Loadmaster was about 550 pieces through the decap and prime stages. Out of those 500 I had 2 fail to seat the primer, and those ended up being small pistol primer brass I had missed in my sorting. The fix? Lee had sent me a new primer feed assembly at the end of last summer that I hadn't tested out yet. The biggest problem I had with my press was indexing, Around piece number 540 in the above run I started having indexing problems. Another hour of futzing about with the indexing to prime 10 more pieces of brass and I was done with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Smith Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 (edited) There are some setup and tuning videos on YouTube that will help. The two biggest things, and this goes for every press made, are: --Work at a steady even pace. Don't go too fast, and pay attention to everything you do. --Never force anything. Ever. Under any circumstances. I mean it!!! If it doesn't feel right, STOP and look and proceed with caution. I was never thrilled with the case feed on the LoadMaster (particularly compared to the Lee 100) so I disengaged the auto-feed rod and just slid the pusher by hand. This worked better for me and was my first real clue that what I really wanted was a manual index system rather than having everything automated. That's the main reason that I switched to the Dillon 550. As to the primer system - I really am not sure why this thing is so glitchy, but I did find that having some extra parts on hand and keeping everything clean was wise. Edited February 18, 2013 by Graham Smith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerritm Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 I have one and use it for my 9mm loads. Same experience as most, takes time to set up and fine tune, but once it is going it works very well. Only thing I have found with my primer feed was that because it was plastic if I tighten the 2 small screws that hold the parts of the feed ramp together too tight it tends to squeeze the primers/feed arm and cause them to misfeed. I found loosening the screws slightly and keeping it clean helps. Still have the occasional crooked or upside down primer, but does work better. gerritm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glynnm45 Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 Has anyone figured out a fix for the primer problem? Or is the solution to just have plenty of primer chutes on hand? The solution that works 100% is to NOT PRIME ON THE LOADMASTER, PERIOD. If you go to the Loadmastervideos.com site you will see that the #1 problem with the press is the priming. I had two LM's before I got a 650 and now the only problem I have is finding enough supplies to make ammo. I will say, that if the primer system was fixed, the LM would be well worth the money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProGunGuy Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 i have had one for years. load 40 and 9 out of it. like many have stated make sure that it is mounted on a sturdy bench. this goes for all of the presses. once the nuances are ironed out, it puts out good ammo quick. some don't like the case feeder, but i have had few problems with it. its as simple as it gets. there are lots of forums dedicated to it now. the suggestions on them work. If you are an impatient person that does not like to do thing mechanical, i would suggest you pass on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98sr20ve Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 If you want a challenge get a Lee product with any of their autopriming systems. They all have issues. Personally, having owned a LoadMaster and a Lee CLASSIC Turret, I would get the LCT and live with the slower advertised speed vs the hassel of the Lee Pro 1000 and the Load Master. Besides priming my LM was reliable. Priming was a nightmare. I dont abide issues while loading. It's a safety issue to constantly be fixing something. Makes me not trust my ammo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rstandley Posted March 14, 2013 Share Posted March 14, 2013 The biggest thing on the Loadmaster is to keep primers in the trough. If you loose sight of the primers, add more. Next, keep it clean. pull the shell holder and check the top of the primer for grease and dirt. The new style primer system is some what better that the old one, still not perfect. Some time the depriming pin will pull the old primer back up to the shell instead of dropping it into the old primer holder and you will get a condition of the system trying to install a new primer ontop of a old one, you can feel it, if you force it, it may set off the new primer. usually it will cause a problem with a malformed primer sticking in the area of the primer pin and screwing up the works. Over the years I have learned the right/wrong feel of the machine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babo_al Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 I think all depends on the number of rounds you plan to load , if is just about some occasional plinking one can deal with primmer issues and try to open up and remake the ones that come out without a primer or a bad seated primer on it.Is definitely not a press for the ones planning of loading 25 thousand or more rounds for year .The primmer system can hold about 3-4 thousand rounds before starting to give all kind of problems . The press looks sturdy but the plates that hold rounds on their position in the shell holders are kept in place with a screw not very firm and easy to strip the base if one try to tightened up .If these plates specially the ones holding the case above the primer station is loose is hard to align the case with the primer under and it will fail to install the new primer. I noticed also the primer system is held in place from the shell holder with a big nut in the center that uses a rubber ring friction to prevent it from coming loose.But as ones operates the press that nut comes loose anyway , primmer system comes loose , ...and is just a pain in the a... after that .I sold mine after dealing with it for 9 months and did never regret doing so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rstandley Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 I have also found a little blue locktite helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrewst359 Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Save up your money and buy a Dillon 550. I had a loadmaster and got tired of tinkering all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lc2hl Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 (edited) I use one. I load 9mm, 45 acp, 38 sp, 223, and 308 (both for semi rifles only). The advantages to a complete setup is the cost. The priming system sucks for rifle cartridges, and I prime off press for those. As far as handgun caliber goes, my press easily has over 50000 rounds loaded on it. Setup and maintenance are key. New primer trough after 5-6k loads as the plastic wears. Lots of lube before every loading session, keep it clean and take the time to index and set up the press correctly the first time. I used blue locktight to keep critical parts in check. I had an out of spec carrier when I got the press, and 20 minutes on the phone with Lee, they overnighted a new one to me free. I can switch calibers by changing shellplate, and lifting off the entire head (I have one dedicated for each caliber with dedicated powder measure), change the case feeder and if need be the primer trough. 5 minutes total an off and loading. All in all I have less than $650.00 into the setup and it works fine for now, I have no plans to change any time soon. Edited March 26, 2013 by lc2hl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fcernese Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 I have a loadmaster and I reload 45 ACP. Now maybe it's different because I'm using large primers, but I never have a problem with priming. I also use the bullet feeder. I can do a full run of 100 before having to stop and add more shells and bullets. That's about as many as my arm can take at once, plus it fills up my loaded round catcher. It's true, you need to take some time to get it setup correctly. This can drive you a little nutty, but once you get it and understand where the adjustments are, it runs like a champ. I would never spent twice as much to get a dillon. Frank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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