Just order a load master today

[rtracy2001]

Are you running a lee universal decapping die with the pin removed in station 2 to help keep the case centered. Everything I have read say this is the best to do.

For rifle calibers (223 mostly) I use an RCBS lube/decapping die in station 1 and the standard Lee sizing die with the decapping pin cut off in station 2. For straight wall pistol cases, I use the universal decapping die in station 1 and the carbide pistol sizing die with the decapper removed in station 2.

[will52100]

Or if you hate your loadmaster PM and sell it to me. I can use another.

[chrisstophere]

For rifle calibers (223 mostly) I use an RCBS lube/decapping die in station 1 and the standard Lee sizing die with the decapping pin cut off in station 2. For straight wall pistol cases, I use the universal decapping die in station 1 and the carbide pistol sizing die with the decapper removed in station 2.

I do this as well and it worked surprisingly well and the die was on clearance at Midway to boot. I didn't like having to recharge the die every so often with no indicator but that's a small price to pay for the convenience.

[will52100]

Never had to do that, I resize and deprime on station one, nothing on station two. This is with both presses, with either large or small pistol primers. I can see where it would help with a slight miss alignment, but I guess I've gotten lucky. Also I hand deprime before tumbling. Since I shoot black powder a lot, and wet tumble wether it's smokeless or black powder, and use stainless media, it cleans the primer pocket and makes drying easier and faster. I think that's one thing that helps, no primer crud getting into the action. One issue I had with the pro-1000 is that it's overly complicated, the LM is just a push rod and spring, easy to pop apart and clean as well. I started hand depriming after I had a couple of failure to fires, popped the primers out and the pocket was full of gunk. This was after wet tumbling black power cases.

What do you mean by "recharge the die every so often"?

[chrisstophere]

What do you mean by "recharge the die every so often"?

When resizing rifle rounds on the loadmaster using the RCBS lube die, it needs to be refilled every so many rounds, like 75 or so I think.

[will52100]

Ahh, I got you, never used one, but then I reload rifle rounds on the turret press or single stage.

[kryogen]

I tested all the things. new primer chute, die or no die in station 2. Fails way too often to prime. I just don't trust it anymore.

[rtracy2001]

I tested all the things. new primer chute, die or no die in station 2. Fails way too often to prime. I just don't trust it anymore.

Well, if you want to get rid of it, let us know.

[rancher5]

I tested all the things. new primer chute, die or no die in station 2. Fails way too often to prime. I just don't trust it anymore.

Need to use Universal deprimer die in 1, use sizing die in 2 it also helps in alignment of primers period, also watch some very easy fixes make priming successful, I loaded over 17,000 rounds since May this year on my LM,only cartridge that's "could " be challenging is 9mn,which is 15,000 of what I reloaded, yes had issues at beginning and middle now, I've have a good feel for LM, it's a keeper around here,u can get it to work,Reloading 40 call also small primers,I've never had any issues as long as you keep primers full.IMOP

Never had to do that, I resize and deprime on station one, nothing on station two. This is with both presses, with either large or small pistol primers. I can see where it would help with a slight miss alignment, but I guess I've gotten lucky. Also I hand deprime before tumbling. Since I shoot black powder a lot, and wet tumble wether it's smokeless or black powder, and use stainless media, it cleans the primer pocket and makes drying easier and faster. I think that's one thing that helps, no primer crud getting into the action. One issue I had with the pro-1000 is that it's overly complicated, the LM is just a push rod and spring, easy to pop apart and clean as well. I started hand depriming after I had a couple of failure to fires, popped the primers out and the pocket was full of gunk. This was after wet tumbling black power cases.

What do you mean by "recharge the die every so often"?

[will52100]

Not sure what your issue is, what caliber were you trying to reload? I did a quick count, and on my first LM I've reloaded over 5 thousand rounds of 45 colt and 45 ACP, not sure how many more, about equally split between the acp and colt. Of course that's all large pistol primer. I've since swapped it to small pistol primer and the new one is running the old large primer system. The small pistol I'm only about 900 rounds into it. The only issue I've had is the power through die will crush the case lip if I'm not dead on index, it's 38 long colt heel base ammo and I use a 9mm size die, so it's kind finicky to start with.

If it's giving you that much trouble, it might be a combination of things, might even be the main casting is off. More likely it's tolerance stacking. If it was giving me that much issues I'd likely order a new one or send my old primer system to Magic Mike. I've never used his service, never needed to, but have heard nothing but good about his mods. MM has pretty much done his best to make the LM comparable to the Dillon or other higher end presses, at least reliability and producing accurate ammo wise. Frankly though, first thing I'd do is send it back to Lee and let them check it out, might just be a bad press, or might just need a through tuning.

Word the wise though, any progressive press, wether blue, red, or green, requires set up and tuning and a bit of mechanical ability. The Lee just requires a bit more, but it's cheap enough I don't mind a few extra minutes to tune it. After years dealing with a cranky pro-1000, the LM is a dream. I've got no doubt the Dillon or Hornady would be an improvement, but I don't shoot THAT much, and reload for multiple calibers and like having multiple presses. I could have one Dillon, or 4 or more Lees.

[chrisstophere]

Word the wise though, any progressive press, wether blue, red, or green, requires set up and tuning and a bit of mechanical ability. The Lee just requires a bit more, but it's cheap enough I don't mind a few extra minutes to tune it. After years dealing with a cranky pro-1000, the LM is a dream. I've got no doubt the Dillon or Hornady would be an improvement, but I don't shoot THAT much, and reload for multiple calibers and like having multiple presses. I could have one Dillon, or 4 or more Lees.

I must've gotten lucky, my loadmaster has taken very little tuning to get small pistol to load correctly. This includes priming. Now for rifle, I prime off the press since I'm doing so much brass prep anyways. I've still only had minimal issues with small rifle on the loadmaster. This is all using the case feeder and the bullet feeder. That being said... I still want a xl650 one day, but that's cause I love gadgets and the bells and whistles that come with them.

[kryogen]

At this point I simply don't have time to mess around the priming system, been a fail since I got the press.... mostly 9mm.
Will just get a 650 one day that should fix it along with other issues.

[mgread]

I just got home. And the brown truck was pulling away and a nice new box was at my door. I can't wait. But I need to clean up the gun room before I can start.

[JeffG]

Good for you. Take your time, get it adjusted and lubed, dies adjusted right and have fun.

Just a thought, start without the case feeder, bullet feeder and FCD, placing the manually one at a time and running a single brass through all the stages while you get everything adjusted and can load rounds cleanly and without issue. Once you are comfortable with that and are positive you have all the kinks worked out, add the case feeder and get used to that, placing the bullets manually before layering on the bullet feeder. The FCD may or may not cause issues depending on whether or not you are using cast bullets and how big they need to be your your gun.

[mgread]

Good for you. Take your time, get it adjusted and lubed, dies adjusted right and have fun.

Just a thought, start without the case feeder, bullet feeder and FCD, placing the manually one at a time and running a single brass through all the stages while you get everything adjusted and can load rounds cleanly and without issue. Once you are comfortable with that and are positive you have all the kinks worked out, add the case feeder and get used to that, placing the bullets manually before layering on the bullet feeder. The FCD may or may not cause issues depending on whether or not you are using cast bullets and how big they need to be your your gun.

?? FCD???
i have a star size and have a new 356 die for it. I need to build a new heat plate to take the bullet feeder.
im going to start by loading 9mm bullets FMJ HP by hornady.

[VHoward]

The Lee factory crimp die will swage down the diameter of cast bullets. For 9mm, if you are looking for .355 to .356 size bullets, then you would be OK. For some 9mm like the Sig Sauer P320 I have requires a bullet sized to .3575 at a minimum and the FCD I "was" using was sizing the bullet down as it applied the crimp. After I switched to a Dillon crimp die for crimping, I no longer have that issue. I size my cast bullets to .358 in a star sizer.

You can test if you are having issues by loading a round all the way through the process. After you have run it through the FCD to apply the crimp, Pull the bullet and measure it to see if it is still the diameter you started with.

[mgread]

I will be use my HK usp compact.

[VHoward]

If you plan to shoot cast bullets through that, Have you slugged the barrel to see what diameter it really is?

[mgread]

If you plan to shoot cast bullets through that, Have you slugged the barrel to see what diameter it really is?

I have not. ? How would I ?

[VHoward]

Part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuNoo4m6jso
Part 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPHypjU5alQ

You want to find the diameter of the barrel so you can size your cast bullets properly. If your barrel slugs at .355 then size your cast bullet to .356. If slugged at .357, then size to .358. If you are sizing your cast bullets to a size too small for your barrel, then you will lead up your barrel and have accuracy issues. It is not pleasant to scrub lead out of a barrel.