Getting started in reloading, Lee Pro 1000?

G

goose_boy

New member
Hey guys, I've finally got my AR up and running after spending a year building it from scratch. Still working on the break in, it's been too freakin cold! Anyway, I need to start reloading badly. Between the AR which I'm sure will be a hungry beast to feed, and $1 a shot 22-250 rounds for a good accurate predator round, factory ammo needs to be a thing of the past for me.

I've been looking around for a couple months now, and thought I was set on the Lee anniversary kit. I came across the Lee Pro 1000 which Midway has with 2 dies in .223 for $170. I know there will probably be a few things a guy would like to upgrade, but I figure this will at least get me going, and allow me to put out rounds a little faster than a single stage. I know some guys say to start with a single stage, but I do believe I can use the Pro 1000 as a SS as well to get myself familiar and comfortable with the process. What do you guys think? I'd love to step up to a Hornady set-up or an RCBS, but I don't have the money to step up to that. Also, can anyone advise me on the dies that come with the Pro 1000? Should I look to upgrade from the Pacesetter dies it comes with?

Thanks for the help guys, I will be picking up a reloading manual this week and reading it cover to cover, anyone recommend a good one?
 
Nothing wrong with the 1000. I have 2 of them. I don't use them in the progressive mode. Just to much going on at one time. The best thing is the removable die turret. If you get extra turrets, you never have to take the dies out of them to change calibers. To use them in none progressive mode you just remove the spindle. takes about 5 seconds. Before I took the spindle out I loaded thousands of pistol rounds in progressive mode. You just have to pay real close attention to whats going on. When loading large rifle rounds (30-06 and such) you really need to use it in the none progressive mode.
 
I've used a three position Lee 1000 for many years for competition handgun loading...with great results... However, when I tried to adapt it for loading my .223/.204 rounds, it started crushing the case necks during the second stage (powder dump) and I never figured out how to get it to work effectively using the Lee parts for the .223/.204...

Now I prep all my brass up to the primers being set and store the brass until just before I need the rounds... Charging and bullet seating for my .223 and .204 is so fast on my single stage that the 1000 is still reserved for my handgun ammo, after I fine tune my loads using the single stage..

I load for four ARs with no problem using the single stage...It's just a matter of working out your system...
 
The only time I would use a progressive is for pistol and maybe plinking rounds for the AR!

I would stick to a single stage since you are shooting 2 rifles. I'm like Oldturtle and have loaded 1000's of rounds on a single stage and have no problems.
 
Ok guys I hear ya, I just want to ask a few questions since I'm trying to feel out what I really want (and don't really know due to lack of experience). So the progressive of the Lee Pro 1000 doesn't work well for rifle length cartridges, I can understand that. Would you guys recommend a turret press or just the old single stage? I have a semi plan - most all loads for the 22-250 will be purely accuracy rounds, for the AR I will want to load for speed but also accuracy. I might be making larger batches of "accurate plinking ammo", IE not doing all the accuracy tricks, but then maybe do 100rds of the most accurate ammo I can make for my zeroing and a season (hopefully half season) of yote hunting. Anyway, I'd like to be able to put out a decent RPH rate for the plinking rounds, and I may load for some pistol rounds, so what do you guys recommend? Oh, also I looked at the Lee 4 pos. turret, I was going to hand prime, size, charge, seat, then crimp. I believe that's the correct way for rounds that maybe be chambered/rechambered in a semi auto rifle. I hear so many things guys, help me out! Thanks!
 
The only thing that gets to me while reloading is unscrewing the dies and screwing in the next die. Like I said earlier, I have 2 and don't use one of them anymore. What the heck, I will send you my oldest one if you will pay shipping. It isn't pretty, but works just fine for rifles. I have lost or thrown out the spindle used for auto indexing, and threw away the powder drop, but it's yours if you want it. You will find that sitting at the bench is rewarding, not just in money but mentally.
 
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Wow... I love this place, and it's people like you that make it what it is. I'm going to have to take you up on that MGYSGT, you've just made a new reloader extremely happy! Many, many thanks! PM on the way.
 
Quote:I have a semi plan - most all loads for the 22-250 will be purely accuracy rounds, for the AR I will want to load for speed but also accuracy. I might be making larger batches of "accurate plinking ammo", IE not doing all the accuracy tricks, but then maybe do 100rds of the most accurate ammo I can make for my zeroing and a season (hopefully half season) of yote hunting. Anyway, I'd like to be able to put out a decent RPH rate for the plinking rounds
Since you have a Lee 1000 on the way from MGYSGT, take the money you were planning to spend on it, add a little and shop around for a Forster Co-Ax press and Benchrest dies for your rifles.. No fancy reloading tricks involved with them... Just simple brass prep and they will produce some very accurate rifle rounds...I found my Co-Ax at Natchez Shooters Supplies for about $260 a couple of years ago..

I load a lot of .204 and .223 on mine and very seldom have any issues with quality of rounds or accuracy (as long as I don't get distracted and forget to drop powder in a few in the loading block..
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). The dies give me rounds with little or no discernible runout and have proven to be very accurate...
 
I love how helpful this place is, I just have one more question and then I think the reloading books can solve the rest.. do you fellas recommend a factory crimp style die in the mix especially for the AR? I have heard some things about chambering and rechambering a round and knocking the bullet back into the casing, causing a bad deal malfunction. Here in Iowa, I might chamber, empty, and rechamber a round 5-6 times in an outing... I know I should rotate this round in the mag, but if I don't shoot in between outings there's a good possibility that round could see chambering several times. Since I plan on hand priming my prepped cases, should I set the Pro 1000 up to size, charge, then factory style crimp? Also I've heard some so so reviews on the Lee Autodisk charging system, is there a cost effective one that works with this press that is accurate? Thanks again guys!

PS - OT I already plan on setting up some substations eventually, and the Coax looks like a good place to start! I will keep that in mind as budget expands and hopefully space too, unfortunately I'm trapped in an apartment right now but hopefully buying a house in about 6 months.
 
Not enough recoil in the .223 to crimp. It will not hurt if you do so, long as the bullet has a cannalure, but not necessary. Don't crimp bullets not designed for it. Same applies for the 22-250. OT is on the money. The lee will load what you need very well, but there's nothing like a new press, except a new puppy.
 
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