Want to buy a Lee Pro 1000 to load rifle and handgun rounds

[.45Kimber1911]

So I have been seriously contemplating getting into reloading due to the rising costs of ammo anymore. I have been looking at different manufacturer presses and watching all kinds of videos on Youtube to get people's reviews of the machines they are using. I know that some people hate the Lee Pro 1000 because it can be a difficult machine to set up at first, but I have also heard that once it is set, it runs like a champ.

I am looking to get one press to start off with and eventually may get a couple more depending on how much I find it to be a PITA to set up for different calibers. I plan to start loading .45 ACP, 9mmx19, and .223 Rem for starters. My question is, how much of a pain is it to switch from handgun loads to rifle loads with this press? Do I need to buy a bunch of different parts besides to dies? I haven't really seen to many videos with people loading .223 Rem with this press. Most of them are with the Lee Load Master or Classic Turret Press which seems to handle them just fine.

I'm looking to just order everything in one shot, so I want to be able to get up and running as soon as I unpack and set everything up. I really don't want to keep ordering parts because I forgot to get something in order to switch from handgun to rifle loads.

If there is anyone out there that is using a Lee Pro 1000 to do both rifle and handgun loads, I would really like to know how it is working out for you and what other little stuff I will need in order to switch back and forth.

[Nate7667]

The Pro 1000 works great for straight wall pistol cases and can work with 223/556 with some extra steps.

Straight wall pistol case, the Pro 1000 is an awesome bang for the buck.
Just watch your primer feed chute, pay attention to whats going on and you will be good to go.
You will need both small and large primer chutes, case tube, and case feeders, and shell plates. all 3 sizes for each caliber.
Im pretty sure the small case feeder will work for 9mm and 223. The primer chute deff will, small pistol and small rifle primers are the same size.

Swapping out calibers is only about a 15-20 min job from what i remember. I gave in and just bought another press. One for 9mm, one for 45ACP.

When reloading bottle neck rifle cases, 99% of the time you will end up having to trim your cases after full length sizing. So to do this with the Pro1K, you will need to:
Step 1: full length size only. trim cases if need be. What i did in the past was buy an extra die plate, i think they are like $4, and only installed the FL sizing die. The other 2 stations will be empty. I then ran all my 223 cases utilizing the case tubes and just running the press until i needed to reload the tubes.
Step 2: prime, charge, seat.
This is where i use the other die plate with only the charging die and seating die installed. Your first station will be empty.
*Caution here, the charging die i got from Lee had too large of a through hole for the powder. It measured .230-ish, so this caused a LOT of powder to spill everywhere. I called Lee and explained the issue, the sent me a new one, exactly the same. Called them again, they sent me another one, exactly the same. I liked the customer service and i got my parts very fast, but they could not grasp what was happening, so i made my own.

So i guess after all that rambling, i would personally say trying to load 223/556 on the Pro 1000 is not worth it to me. I stopped reloading 223/556 in bulk, i pretty much only shoot steel case or 5.45x39 surplus for the autos and only load precision for the bolt guns.
This is where the Dillon's shine with being able to get a trim head for the press and do everything at once.
If i every get back into reloading bulk brass rifle, i will upgrade.

[Neko456]

Your Pro 1000 trumps my Lee Turret but with this press in 2 hrs I can produce nearly 1500- 1000 rounds your Pro Lee should nearly double that.

But for long rifle rounds I use the Lee O press it handles everything longer them .223/5.56 the Turret can do the small rifle but for .308 and 30-06 I use the Lee O press and been pretty satisfied with the results. The O press entire setup is around $49 with scales and powder drop everything you need to keep cranking out ammo.

Have fun and good luck reloading its really a ballast! Excuse the pun.

[beex215]

that number is pretty darn high. you must be super fast to crank that many rounds, fastest ive done was 50ish in 5 minutes and that was just for 50.

the primer feed is the worst part about the machine. i disabled the case feeder detector and have primers to fall out regardless, if a case is there or not. ive found that stopped much of the headaches i received from the machine.

[Neko456]

I cheat and hand prime my brass then later load the powder and projectile so I don't march through the 4 step required as in the booklet. So this was a litle misleading in that I didn't include time to hand prime the brass, because its ready to go. I did't include tumbling time but most don't in the reloading process. I can turn out lots of ammo this way.

[knight0334]

The Pro-1000 will do .223 just fine, but if the cartridge is much longer there will be issues. Lee doesn't make many shell plates for the Pro-1000 and most are for handgun cartridges. The .223 and 7.62x39 are the only exceptions.

A shell plate for a .45acp should work for anything that has a .471-.473" rim diameter - like many rifle cartridges. But working limitation with the press, like rotation, may not allow anything longer than a .243/.308 length case. And those may be too long.

[Kramer]

that number is pretty darn high. you must be super fast to crank that many rounds, fastest ive done was 50ish in 5 minutes and that was just for 50.

Only 50 rounds in five minutes, that's 10 rounds per minute...too slow for a pro 1000 in my book!

I have been using the Pro 1000 since the late 1980s and i have two so I don't have to shift over for another caliber too soon. As mentioned above you must keep the primer through full or you will have priming issues.

I know that it is supposed to handle the 223 round, but I would never used it for that caliber.

[Jpcrazylegs]

There is too many things to watch on the pro 1000 to pump out more than 1000 rounds per hour. You have to feel the primers seating, shake the primer tray and almost let the machine sing to you. There are several quirks on the machine that you must pay attention to such as powder spilling on rounds while the round indexes, you have to put your finger over it before it goes into the last station. If the machine decides to throw powder, the primer feed mechanism is done for until a cleaning takes place because it gets under the shell plate and causes all sorts of havoc.

[jake1191]

If you want to make a lot of ammo get a progressive press. Otherwise pick up a turret press kit and get a feel for the LEE rhythm. I loved my turret press and could do substantial amounts of ammo at a time but now shooting increased so I got a progressive.