New Lee ABLP for me!

[drband]

I do the same when using the ABLP, I say out loud with the ram up, "Prime, case." As I insert a primer and then put a case on the ramp. Ram down, i say, "Powder, Bullet," as I check my camera for powder in the case, then check for or add a bullet to the primed and charged case. Doing it this way ensures no missteps on my part. Even when adding both the case and the bullet manually, I average around 225 rounds per hour when loading 40S&W. Without rushing. It's a good safe way to load.

I'm curious, how do you verify powder charges? Do you have a powder cop die, or check every so many rounds, or just peek down into the shell? For me, I need to sit while I reload so I cannot peer into the case directly. I have a wireless WiFi "endoscope" camera pointed at the bullet drop station to verify it has a charge before I put a bullet on the flared case. I view it on an old cellphone that I keep at my reloading bench for this single purpose. That $18 endoscope from Amazon has paid for itself thousands of times now!

I will peek into each case after charging. On my turret press, I rigged a mirror so I could see in while I sit. I will probably do the same eventually.

Hey @Radom Guy , I’m ordering a couple of the top cover/ramp molded parts from Lee. My ramp has dings in it and the pusher hangs up some on it. I think I know enough now to keep a new one pristine. Your description of that problem was very helpful. In addition, I’ll add the tab mod to keep cases in place that @f.g showed in his improvements thread. Should make things go smoother!

Progress bit by bit!

 

[Radom Guy]

I will peek into each case after charging. On my turret press, I rigged a mirror so I could see in while I sit. I will probably do the same eventually.

Hey @Radom Guy , I’m ordering a couple of the top cover/ramp molded parts from Lee. My ramp has dings in it and the pusher hangs up some on it. I think I know enough now to keep a new one pristine. Your description of that problem was very helpful. In addition, I’ll add the tab mod to keep cases in place that @f.g showed in his improvements thread. Should make things go smoother!

Progress bit by bit!

I am glad to hear that I helped! My intention was to be informative and definitely not to be negative (I can't stand that). It's not easy to describe a frustrating problem like that and not sound negative, so I hope I succeeded in staying positive! Haha!

Enjoy the new press!

 

[WeekendReloader]

I will peek into each case after charging. On my turret press, I rigged a mirror so I could see in while I sit. I will probably do the same eventually.

Hey @Radom Guy , I’m ordering a couple of the top cover/ramp molded parts from Lee. My ramp has dings in it and the pusher hangs up some on it. I think I know enough now to keep a new one pristine. Your description of that problem was very helpful. In addition, I’ll add the tab mod to keep cases in place that @f.g showed in his improvements thread. Should make things go smoother!

Progress bit by bit!

I've seen where people used some JB Weld to fill in the dents/dings on the feed ramp, then sanded it smooth. Just a thought!

I use my ABLP in full manual mode, no feeders, manual powder drop, etc. It works quite well for me. I like it.

 

[drband]

I've seen where people used some JB Weld to fill in the dents/dings on the feed ramp, then sanded it smooth. Just a thought!

I use my ABLP in full manual mode, no feeders, manual powder drop, etc. It works quite well for me. I like it.

I’m sure it’s great! I will get there eventually.

The Lee AutoDrum works perfectly, so that’s one less thing to do. The Safety Prime is familiar to me from the LCT and works just as well here. I will get the case feed issue figured out! I need to get familiar enough. There’s a lot going on on a progressive!

 

[drband]

Ran about 50-60 rounds through the press yesterday.

Observations: priming works great but a little trickier to feel the primer seat to the bottom of the cup. Case feeder works well— I dinged the ramp on the press a little so now the pusher hangs up a little. I ordered a new carrier cover/case feed ramp from Lee to correct that. Plastic.

Lee does not charge for replacement parts, just pay shipping.

Seating and crimp work well. Output bin is perfectly placed. Sizing is fine. Takes a little more effort than on the LCT but it’s a non-issue.

I now know enough to prevent the dings on the case feed ramp. I will go slow and get the whole procedure ingrained.

Having gotten to a great familiarity with the LCT, I have to make myself go slow on the ABLP. Thing is—going really slow on the ABLP is faster than I loaded on the LCT!

My brain has to adjust to the number of things going on simultaneously on a progressive press. I had no idea of the cognitive demand. It will be easier when I reach the ingrained level.

 

[LiveLife]

It will be easier when I reach the ingrained level.

And it will be "smooth and automatic" as well.

Mantra often mentioned to new USPSA match shooters is, "Go slow ... Smooth is fast" when they ask how they could improve stage times. Once you are able to combine different steps into one smooth process without hesitation/slow down, then you can go as fast as you can - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/trigger-control.834737/page-2#post-11245640

 

[drband]

And it will be "smooth and automatic" as well.

Mantra often mentioned to new USPSA match shooters is, "Go slow ... Smooth is fast" when they ask how they could improve stage times. Once you are able to combine different steps into one smooth process without hesitation/slow down, then you can go as fast as you can - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/trigger-control.834737/page-2#post-11245640

I agree! Must force myself to do that because I had already reached that point on the LCT. The ABLP is NOT the LCT!

 

[drband]

I've seen where people used some JB Weld to fill in the dents/dings on the feed ramp, then sanded it smooth. Just a thought!

I use my ABLP in full manual mode, no feeders, manual powder drop, etc. It works quite well for me. I like it.

I may try the JBWeld on the part I take off the press!

 

[LiveLife]

I may try the JBWeld on the part I take off the press!

And many report using JB Weld is a "permanent" solution as harder cured JB Weld won't dent like the new plastic on replacement so you can really crank on the ram lever without worrying about denting the slide.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

One odd thing you want to watch if you use spray on wax type case lube, is it building up on the slide. If your cases start misbehaving on the ramp comeing out of the case feeder and on the way to the shell plate, give the ramp a good cleaning.
I get this on my ABLP and my Hornady progressive. You can't always see it on the ramp either. But when it starts I scrub the ramp off with a rag and the problem goes away. Some people blame feeder problems for this and it isn't the feeder.
Isn't this fun?

 

[drband]

One odd thing you want to watch if you use spray on wax type case lube, is it building up on the slide. If your cases start misbehaving on the ramp comeing out of the case feeder and on the way to the shell plate, give the ramp a good cleaning.
I get this on my ABLP and my Hornady progressive. You can't always see it on the ramp either. But when it starts I scrub the ramp off with a rag and the problem goes away. Some people blame feeder problems for this and it isn't the feeder.
Isn't this fun?

Great tip! I currently don’t use on 9mm but I plan on trying it on a batch to see the difference.

 

[drband]

And many report using JB Weld is a "permanent" solution as harder cured JB Weld won't dent like the new plastic on replacement so you can really crank on the ram lever without worrying about denting the slide.

That makes a lot of sense!! Will try it on the old part for sure.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

Buy the way, just wanted to ask about the pictures of the collator in one of your first posts, I noticed you have different calibers of cases in the collator at the same time.
The case feeder will never work correctly that way. That's not a good thing to do in any progressive press.
Maybe you just staged the picture to show the collator, but just wanted to mention that to you.

 

[drband]

Buy the way, just wanted to ask about the pictures of the collator in one of your first posts, I noticed you have different calibers of cases in the collator at the same time.
The case feeder will never work correctly that way. That's not a good thing to do in any progressive press.
Maybe you just staged the picture to show the collator, but just wanted to mention that to you.

All 9mm except for an errant .40 with a .380 nested inside. I guess that’s what you saw.

 

[drband]

And many report using JB Weld is a "permanent" solution as harder cured JB Weld won't dent like the new plastic on replacement so you can really crank on the ram lever without worrying about denting the slide.

Regular JBWELD or their PlasticWeld?

 

[LiveLife]

Regular JBWELD or their PlasticWeld?

Not sure ... I am guessing regular JB Weld which cures to almost metal-like hardness, which when sanded down smooth, would help with case sliding smoothly towards shellplate.

 

[drband]

Not sure ... I am guessing regular JB Weld which cures to almost metal-like hardness, which when sanded down smooth, would help with case sliding smoothly towards shellplate.

Agree— that sounds best.

 

[WeekendReloader]

Regular JBWELD or their PlasticWeld?

Regular JB Weld. The gray stuff cures hard.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

Keep us posted on how you like your new press. I think you'll like fine. Mine does a good job for me.

 

[drband]

Keep us posted on how you like your new press. I think you'll like fine. Mine does a good job for me.

So far, looking good. I’ll get the “operator” sorted out and I’ll be good to go!

 

[drband]

I just asked for a quote from a local 3-D print service for a case feeder mod that will prevent cases from slipping off the ramp and under the the tool head. Should also keep them right in place against the pusher block.

Thanks goes to @f.g for the CAD file!

 

[kcofohio]

Just like with use of "Z bar", rear hole was used to apply more force/tension on the case to fully insert into the shellplate. Try the slider with the screw in the forward hole to see if you experience any insertion into shellplate issue. If so, I would use the rear hole, which would apply more spring tension. (Note however, that all the stock photos I could find shows Lee using rear hole)


Good practice.

Mine is mounted in the rear hole.

It seems that I tried it in the forward hole and the slide didn't always insert the case into the shell plate. But I have only loaded 380s and 9s with mine.

 

[drband]

3-D printing company is printing a few of the case feed mod parts. I’ll post pics when I get them and also the carrier cover/ramp from Lee. No loading till I get the part from Lee.

 

[kmw1954]

A couple things I have implemented with my ABLP.

I do not use the Safety Prime. I also have an old Lee 3 hole turret press that cannot use the safety prime and have gotten pretty quick and reliable with hand feeding primers.

While loading 9mm and 380 I use the normal every day Lee 3 die, die sets, no crimp die. So I filled the extra hole with an RCBS Bullet feeder die and it fits in the 3rd hole with the seating die in the 4th hole. Works great and keeps me from reaching around the press to place bullets. Some day I may break down and buy a Mr Bullet Lil Bullet Feeder.

 

[f.g]

@kmw1954
Start using a bullet feeder and you won't be able to do without it