tightgroup tiger
Member
I bought this press last week from Midsouth Shooter's Supply and got it set up and used it for the first time today.
I'm not comparing this press to my LNL-AP, just giving a quick run down on what my first impressions of it are compared to my 27 year old Pro1000 it replaced. I quit running that press years ago and only de-prime on it now.
This little ABLP press runs very well. I am surprised. No drama like the old style Pro1000.
I bought this press for second progressive to load one of my pistol calibers on.
The first thing I did was to saw 4" off the end of the handle to shorten up the handle stroke. I felt like I was reaching half ways to the floor to top the press out. Slide it down in the assy and the end hit the cabinet.
I also had to move the screw that attaches the case shuttle actuator spring back one hole to make it clear the case better from the feeder.
The case feeder and powder measure were off my 27 year old Pro1000. I cleaned out the powder measure and brushed out the tubes on it and it worked great.
The case feeder off my Pro1000 was the only thing that cause me any issues on this press. I remember it working better on the Pro 1000 so I will have to fill the case feeder with empties with no dies and just cycle them through to do some fine tuning on it.
Die bushings: Those breech lock bushings are hard to get ahold of while setting up dies.
It came with 3 normal breech lock bushings and one clamp ring type which has a lot taller knurled collar on it. I can see why other users recommend getting 3 more of the clamp ring type.
Seating bullets on this thing is a breeze, their was a video I remember seeing on YouTube showing someone struggling to reach behind it to set a bullet in the case. Setting bullets in the cases on this press it no harder than any other press. It is easier than the Pro 1000 to me.
It is a sweet running little press and made me 50 rounds of perfect looking ammunition.
It's fun to run and I'm really glad I bought it to take the place of my Pro1000.
These are plated bullets so I only straighten out the flare, no roll crimp.
Resizing was done with a Redding Dual Ring die I already had. Notice the lack of the hour glass shape. (That die cost as much as this press!) I used it on my Hornady before I got this one.
I noticed the finished round comes out of the press and into the hopper from the back.
My Hornady AP side dumps into the bin and will fill it right up but I put a steel plate on the front of my bench years ago and hang that bin on it instead of the press. That rotates the bin 90 deg.
The ABLP sends it down a water slide from the back, into the back of the bin and right out the front onto the floor on several occasions.
I'll have to put a front on the bin to keep the finished rounds in there.
The OAL stayed with in .002" so I was really happy with that. Haven't tried it with lead bullets yet. I was seating and crimping in two different steps. My 3 station pro1000 never allowed me to do that.
I did not prime on this press, I didn't buy the safety prime for it when I bought the press, I can see that priming system slowing the press down over using pre primed cases. I'll buy it on my next purchase though, along with a .41 mag shell plate.
I have no idea what the Safety Prime system is like to use on this press but without it the press is so easy to use.
I only loaded 50 rounds on it so far but what an improvement over my old evil 3 station Pro1000.
SO FAR!, I'm very happy with this press, especially with 4 stations instead of three.
I'm not comparing this press to my LNL-AP, just giving a quick run down on what my first impressions of it are compared to my 27 year old Pro1000 it replaced. I quit running that press years ago and only de-prime on it now.
This little ABLP press runs very well. I am surprised. No drama like the old style Pro1000.
I bought this press for second progressive to load one of my pistol calibers on.
The first thing I did was to saw 4" off the end of the handle to shorten up the handle stroke. I felt like I was reaching half ways to the floor to top the press out. Slide it down in the assy and the end hit the cabinet.
I also had to move the screw that attaches the case shuttle actuator spring back one hole to make it clear the case better from the feeder.
The case feeder and powder measure were off my 27 year old Pro1000. I cleaned out the powder measure and brushed out the tubes on it and it worked great.
The case feeder off my Pro1000 was the only thing that cause me any issues on this press. I remember it working better on the Pro 1000 so I will have to fill the case feeder with empties with no dies and just cycle them through to do some fine tuning on it.
Die bushings: Those breech lock bushings are hard to get ahold of while setting up dies.
It came with 3 normal breech lock bushings and one clamp ring type which has a lot taller knurled collar on it. I can see why other users recommend getting 3 more of the clamp ring type.
Seating bullets on this thing is a breeze, their was a video I remember seeing on YouTube showing someone struggling to reach behind it to set a bullet in the case. Setting bullets in the cases on this press it no harder than any other press. It is easier than the Pro 1000 to me.
It is a sweet running little press and made me 50 rounds of perfect looking ammunition.
It's fun to run and I'm really glad I bought it to take the place of my Pro1000.
These are plated bullets so I only straighten out the flare, no roll crimp.
Resizing was done with a Redding Dual Ring die I already had. Notice the lack of the hour glass shape. (That die cost as much as this press!) I used it on my Hornady before I got this one.
I noticed the finished round comes out of the press and into the hopper from the back.
My Hornady AP side dumps into the bin and will fill it right up but I put a steel plate on the front of my bench years ago and hang that bin on it instead of the press. That rotates the bin 90 deg.
The ABLP sends it down a water slide from the back, into the back of the bin and right out the front onto the floor on several occasions.
I'll have to put a front on the bin to keep the finished rounds in there.
The OAL stayed with in .002" so I was really happy with that. Haven't tried it with lead bullets yet. I was seating and crimping in two different steps. My 3 station pro1000 never allowed me to do that.
I did not prime on this press, I didn't buy the safety prime for it when I bought the press, I can see that priming system slowing the press down over using pre primed cases. I'll buy it on my next purchase though, along with a .41 mag shell plate.
I have no idea what the Safety Prime system is like to use on this press but without it the press is so easy to use.
I only loaded 50 rounds on it so far but what an improvement over my old evil 3 station Pro1000.
SO FAR!, I'm very happy with this press, especially with 4 stations instead of three.