Lee Loadmaster or something else

[DDustin]

I have some extra money and have decided to look into messing with/ improving my loading setup. I have a Loadmaster progressive with the Lee Perfect Powder meausure. I've previously done only rifle on it but recently started doing .45 and soon 9mm. I've read that the perfect powder measure isn't the best for pistol and, while I've gotten it to work, it does seem to have some inconsistencies and it's super powder sensitive, which is slowing me down.

My question is should I stick with this set up, switch the pm or use something else completely for pistol?

Also I use station 1 for depriming and resizing but I know most do case prep separate. How do most people with a progressive handle it?

Lastly what setup should I get for my more precision rounds. The Loadmaster has a lot of inconsistency in just about every stage. It's fine for my bulk hoser stage ammo but for my expensive longer range ammo I'd like a little more precision. How do most set this up?

Also I'm not sure a Dillon progressive is in my budget yet otherwise I would already have one.

Thanks

Dustin

[agalindo]

Back when the lee pro 1000 kit - with dies ran about 120.00 I bought one and if you're used to lee "quirks" the pro 1000 is really good for pistol rounds. I used it for 9mm, and .40 and did many many thousands if not tens of thousands of round on it.

Did switch to a Dillon 650 last year and by far that would be the way to go beat any lee. I kick myself for not buying one sooner.

Forgot to mention I do also have a load master and have never used it for pistol just rifle.

Edited January 22, 2014 by agalindo

[ZackJones]

Ditch the Perfect powder measure for pistol and go with the powder measure with the discs. They work great as long as they have a pre-cut hole that throws the amount of powder you want. If there's not a pre-cut hole that works you can buy a spare disk for $5.00 and open it up with a round file until you get the throw you want.

[ak_tech]

I have only had the Dillon 650 but couldn't emagin there being anything better. Except maybe a 1050 . Everyone I know who has started with another brand has eventually ended up with a Dillon.

[dave33]

Check out mikesreloadingbench.com. This guy has designed a bunch of little things for the loadmaster press that make it way better. I currently load on a pro 1000 and this guy has me wanting to buy a loadmaster and do all his mods, they look to make the loadmaster as good as it ever will be.

Oh yeah, definately get the pro auto disc powder measure. It's not perfect but works really well and is very consistent.

[Brassaholic13]

Had a Loadmaster... It went back after the first week of use. What a POS.

Got a Lock-N-Load. Had it for a year, and got tired of tinkering with Hornady's poor engineering.

Have a Dillon 650. Worked right out of the box.

Buy once, cry once. Would have been hundreds of dollars ahead had I just got the 650 to begin with.

[98sr20ve]

For Lee you want the Pro Auto Disc. Get the pro. DO NOT use the adjustable charge bar for light loads of Titegroup or other low volume powders.

[andrewst359]

I had the lee loadmaster. Now a Dillon 550. I'll never go back again

[levellinebrad]

I have the load master with the discs. I have to say that the throws are very consistent. The only downside is that you have to make changes in powder in .2gr increments unless you customize the discs, I also had inconsistencies in my oal after awhile. I am talking about differences of .020 which is not acceptable. I reset my dies and tried numerous fixes. I finally changed my tumbling media and added more nufinish. (I add nufinish at every tumble now) which had not been changed in a year. I tumbled the sizing die and cleaned it with alcohol. This helped a lot. I also picked up a tin of redding resizing wax. When I am loading my cases, I rub my finger through the tin and then rub my finger against my thumb before I load the cases. My oal's are now no more than .002 variance with a very rare .005. The machine runs so much smother now as well. I guess you have to ask yourself, do you want to spend $600-$700 on a 650 or would you prefer to spend that money on primers, powders, and bullets. It is all in what you can afford. I would love to try out a Dillon 650 but I just can't justify the expense when my $225 Loadmaster is pumping out a consistent quality product.

[NuJudge]

I run a Loadmaster, using pre-sized and primed brass. Using mixed brass, one has a high likelyhood of running into primer crimped brass, and other problems such as .45 brass with off-size primers. I am happy with what I have.

I do really like the ability to disassemble Dillon Seater dies without losing adjustment. I cast my own bullets, and a lot of them are lubed using the Lee Liquid Alox system. The lube build up is substantial, resulting in incrementally deeper seating with time.

[singlestackman]

Dillon, Dillon, Dillon.

Cry once, not every time you pull the handle.

[GJGary]

I also have a load master for my 9mm needs which is 1400/month and did the YouTube tune ups and have not looked back. I case headstamp for the crimped primer and one shot the cases. I find OAL issues to do with dies and the first and last few out of the run.

The pro disk is the way to go unless you throw a LNL or uniflow on top.

I got started on a pro 1000 for 9mm and retired the press after 75+k.

Rifle or anything else goes through the classic turret.

[flyingrhino]

For a dedicated progressive pistol machine for a small investment you can't beat the Dillon Square Deal B. If it's in the budget the 650 is a sweet machine. I have them both and would part with neither. I do the high volume stuff on the 650 because it has the bullet feeder and the case feeder. For the stuff I don't shoot as much of I use my SDB.

[Jmo2011]

You already have the loadmaster bought. You could add the auto disc, shell plate,and case feed very inexpensively and produce 350 to 400 rounds per hour easily. I have best results with a 4 die set and plated or jacketed bullets. Titan reloading usually has these parts available. YMMV

[Jmo2011]

You already have the loadmaster bought. You could add the auto disc, shell plate,and case feed very inexpensively and produce 350 to 400 rounds per hour easily. I have best results with a 4 die set and plated or jacketed bullets. Titan reloading usually has these parts available. YMMV

[garrysks]

I like Lee equipment- but not their progressives. Most of my dies are Lee. I have a Lee turret press that I've had since 1980 and loaded tons of ammo on. I sold my Pro 1000 and got a Dillon RL550B because I wanted to spend more time loading ammo and less time swearing.

[johnbu]

I recently bought a lee load master for.40. It's not perfect, but there have only been 2 cases out of 2200 with issues not directly caused by me. I ran out of powder because I turned it off but forgot to turn it back on. Then I got spray lube in the primer system. Don't do that!

Spending time figuring out the setup before doing it is needed. Watch videos and read posts helps.

Things that are critical

1,. Use a universal decap die in station 1, sizing die in station 2. That forces shell to be lined up dead nuts every time.

2. Loosen the bottom nut and align the turret so the priming pin is dead.nuts aligned to the shell plate

3. Use a factory crimp die in station 5

4. Mount to a veryvery sturdy table top. Mine is 1" solid aluminum plate.

5. Running the lee "bulge buster" on cases prior to reloading makes it much smoother operating.

6. Lube the die and keep them clean.

I will probably buy some of the upgraded parts from "magic mike". Supposedly his die carrier and stiffening plate make everything stiffer and that takes out play resulting in more uniform oal. Haven't yet as it's running good now (knock on wood)

I'm sure the Dillon is better, but I have $250 in the lee and can easily pop out 3-400 in 45-60 minutes. Just add cases, etc and crank, minor to no fiddling needed.

[Kaskillo]

Get a Dillon and you won't be sorry. It just work as intended. Dillon's CS is first class.

[BeerBaron]

I recently bought a lee load master for.40. It's not perfect, but there have only been 2 cases out of 2200 with issues not directly caused by me. I ran out of powder because I turned it off but forgot to turn it back on. Then I got spray lube in the primer system. Don't do that!

Spending time figuring out the setup before doing it is needed. Watch videos and read posts helps.

Things that are critical

1,. Use a universal decap die in station 1, sizing die in station 2. That forces shell to be lined up dead nuts every time.

2. Loosen the bottom nut and align the turret so the priming pin is dead.nuts aligned to the shell plate

3. Use a factory crimp die in station 5

4. Mount to a veryvery sturdy table top. Mine is 1" solid aluminum plate.

5. Running the lee "bulge buster" on cases prior to reloading makes it much smoother operating.

6. Lube the die and keep them clean.

I will probably buy some of the upgraded parts from "magic mike". Supposedly his die carrier and stiffening plate make everything stiffer and that takes out play resulting in more uniform oal. Haven't yet as it's running good now (knock on wood)

I'm sure the Dillon is better, but I have $250 in the lee and can easily pop out 3-400 in 45-60 minutes. Just add cases, etc and crank, minor to no fiddling needed.

I agree with everything you've posted.

I'm the same set-up, though I now run a sizing and deprime die in one, and a sizing die with no depriming pin in station 2. 3 is flare and powder (using the discs, tried the micrometer and it was crap), 4 is seat only and 5 is factory crimp die. mine is setup for 9mm.

mine cranks out around 300 a week. takes about 10-15min to run out 100 rounds including filling up primers and powder and cases into the case feeder.

case feeder works flawlessly. primer feeder works very well. maybe 1 or 2 flipped or missed primers in 500 rounds. that's with federal primers. with primers that are more uniform in shape that's cut down by half.

I've found I do need to nip up the bolt that holds the die turret every 40 rounds or so (no big deal, I usually check it as I rotate to a new case tube).

I mounted my lee to a piece of sleeper. it's about 3 inch thick and I then clamp that to my bench with F clamps.

I've used a dillon 650 and it's for sure better quality. but it has it's own quirks. I like the lee priming system better (if it were made of better quality parts it would be awesome). it's faster and easier to fill and I like priming on the down pull of the handle. I also like how it has primer seat depth adjustment.

I like that it includes a case feeder that is cheap and basic but works very well (maybe 1 flipped case in every 200, and that's throwing them in. going slow I hardly every get one). and that flipped case is easy to spot as it comes out.

the bullet feeder is a bit crap but it actually worked well with coated lead bullets that have a lube groove.

as I said, the dillon 650 is a great press but it also has it's quirks. and at nearly $1000 by the time you buy press, dies, case feeder, roller handle and strong mount it's a lot more money.

the lee just needs a little effort in the set-up.

on the other hand the lee pro1000 is absolute junk. 3 stations is not enough for a progressive press regardless of what you're loading on it.

if you want budget, precision, low volume rilfe, keep the loadmaster for pistol and get a lee classic turret press (4 station) for rifle. they are also great.