Pro 1000 Progressive Die seating strategy

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ForneyRider

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I bought the Pro 1000 Progressive kit for .41 Magnum.

What is a good method for seating/adjusting the dies?

I have viewed the videos on Lee site several times.

What gaps should there be between the bottom of the dies and the shellplate? Shouldn't the gaps all be the same? Should I measure, or go with "feel"?

I have had good luck de-capping the cases. I then put the old primers in the primer tray and practices priming. That works pretty good.

Right now, getting the expansion right and the bullet seat and crimp are the big issues.

I also bought the Lee Deluxe rifle dies for Rem. 7mm Mag. I guess these don't work on this press. Maybe Lee single stage is next purchase.

What is difference between turret and progressive?

Here are my supplies:

Winchester fire formed brass.
Federal large magnum pistol match primers.
Nosler 210gr JHP.
H110 powder.

I plan on using the powder measure hole to yield 19.2gr (1.26CC) of H110. And progressing up to 20.7gr(1.36CC).

Reloading tables I have looked at say up to 21gr of H110 with 210gr JHP.

I've crushed a few cases and smushes some bullets in the case practicing with no primer or powder.

I shoot the 210gr Remington JSP's now. They are pretty stout. Also have some Winchester 170 Silver Points which are very mild.

These go in my Ruger BlackHawk New Model with Burris 4x on top of B-Square mount.
 
Pro 1000 is for handgun only, so you should pick up a single stage for the rifle ammo.

If you follow the instructions for the dies, you should be good to go. The gaps between the dies and base will be different. I have found that when I have reloaded 41 mag on my 1000, I usually adjust the expansion die by setting it flush against the shell plate and reversing about 3/4 turn instead of a full turn and then locking the die down. Same for the seating/crimp die, but this needs to be adjusted for the bullet you're using (less crimp for lead/plated bullets). I always take a marker and mark the die/lock/turret so I can see if the die works loose while working the press. Same for the seating knob and die body so I can adjust the depth if I want.
 
(Speaking from all of two weeks experience with one, so take it for what it's worth.)

Shouldn't the gaps all be the same?
Click to expand...

Why? The dies are doing different things.

When I moved my .40 dies over to the Pro 1000 I adjusted per the instructions, and had no problem whatsoever.

have had good luck de-capping the cases. I then put the old primers in the primer tray and practices priming.
Click to expand...

Ahhhh! Why?

I also bought the Lee Deluxe rifle dies for Rem. 7mm Mag. I guess these don't work on this press.
Click to expand...

Press is too short for anything but .223 or 7.62x39, is my understanding. Not really intended for rifle.

If Lee modifies their current Classic Turret into a progressive (hopefully with a different priming system), that looks like it would be big enough for large rifle.

I've crushed a few cases and smushes some bullets in the case practicing with no primer or powder.
Click to expand...

Me to, crushed a case good once, had things get stuck a couple times. In my case it's usually when a case don't quite get into the shellplate right, at the sizing die. One of the things to watch during the reloading cycle.

Basically, if it doesn't move right, don't force it. Stop and find out why, and fix it.

Another quick hint on priming: on the upstroke, if you watch the primer feed you can see the whole stack of primers advance when the front primer moves into position. If that doesn't happen, you've got a problem. Stop, find out why and fix it. Also, for the last half inch or so of lever motion on the upstroke, you should be able to feel the primer seating.

.41 Magnum, huh? Cool.
 
Much Thanks!

I need to get some lube and have some patience to get the dies adjusted right.

Digression:
Yes. .41 magnum. Hand me down from dear old dad. He bought it for bear hunting backup to his .375H&H.

I don't like the Pachmayr grips. I need to get some Hogues with.

I really like the ballistics of the .41. But, I am better shot with S&W 629 than the Blackhawk. I am hoping to get better. I may look into the S&W .41 magnum models. But can't beat the price for the Blackhawk!
 
One last tip--I have found that if I got my Sizing / Decapping die set properly per the Lee instructions, then the other Lee settings will 'fall into place.'

To recap the sizer die setup:

1. Back out the die a bit from the turret. Be sure NO OTHER dies contact as well.
2. Put the ram, c/w shell plate Up to max stroke.
3. Screw the die down to 'firm contact' with the shell plate.
4. Back the ram down, and then
5. screw the die down another 1/4 turn and lock it down.

Now move on to the 2nd and 3rd dies--like Philbo, I like to start with the PTED (powder-through expanding die) backed out about 3/4 turn, and then adjust to get the mouth expansion I like.

The seater-crimper die will take a bit more fiddling to adjust properly, simply because it is doing the two steps at the same time. The Lee instructions are good for this one, too--follow them, but be sure you have previously adjusted the other two dies to your satisfaction.

Finally, like Philbo says, put those index marks on your dies and seater--it will save you time fixing things if the dies get loose, or whatever.

For your rifle reloading, look at getting either the Classic Cast (single) or the Classic Cast Turret.

You'll find Lee owners in this forum try to be a helpful bunch--so for any other questions, ask away.

Jim H.


2.
 
Long time user of the Lee 1000! Good machine but not foolproof!
Once you get the dies adjusted, don't remove them from the shellholder. Get a new shellholder for each caliber, and leave the dies in it.
 
I use the 1000 for .223 only . I run all my cases through using only the sizing die. then tumble. Trim if needed then Hand Prime then back in the 1000 for powder and bullet.
works fine for me.
so I have no seating strategy as I am always removing either the sizing or seating die.
reload6.jpg
 
Another quick tip: spray air (like you use for blasting crap out of computers) can get primers out of the chute (baggie over the end to catch them, of course), and don't forget to turn the powder reservoir to the off position before removing the powder measure. :banghead: DOH!
 
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Got the dies to work for me. I went back and reviewed the video several times.

The crimp doesn't look quite tight. I need to take a caliper to it and measure.

I made 5 rounds. These are my first, so I need to test them out before going any further.

I ended up breaking the chain several times. I went to Lowe's and got some more in the fan section.

Really have to make sure to follow through the entire range of the lever to get the primer to sit.

If these work, I will make 100 more. If they don't, call me lefty, or One-Eyed Jack.

I may look into getting some 170gr and see if I can get .357 velocities.
 
I adjust my sizing/decapping die so that it almost bottoms out on the shellplate with the ram all the way up. The powder-through-expander, I set it up without the powder measure and cycle cases through until it bells the case just enough to sit a new bullet in the case smoothly. The seater/crimper, I unscrew the seater and remove it, then adjust the die until it just barely brings the case mouth back straight on a belled case from the expander. Then set a finished, loaded factory round in the station, screw down the seater until it just touches the projectile with ram all the way up. Once that is all cool, I can go back and adjust the amount of crimp with fine adjustments to the die. Remember that when you tighten the die to increase crimp you are also decreasing the OAL of the loaded round, because as the die screws down the seater also gets lower. If you want 1/4 turn of the die more crimp you need 1/4 turn less on the seater to keep everything the same.
 
Love my Pro1000. I got tired of fiddling with the Lee seating/crimp die. Always something that "just wasn't right". Picked up the Factory crimp die for those die sets that I didn't have one for. Now only buy the Lee 4 die sets. Hornady Lock Rings simplifies things too.

Richard
 
Love my Pro1000. I got tired of fiddling with the Lee seating/crimp die. Always something that "just wasn't right". Picked up the Factory crimp die for those die sets that I didn't have one for. Now only buy the Lee 4 die sets. Hornady Lock Rings simplifies things too.

Richard
Click to expand...

Are there 4 position shell plates for Pro 1000? I've only seen the 3.

I've shot a small handful of .41 mag's reloaded through Lee Pro 1000 setup with Lee dies and they haven't had any issues with the crimp. But the bullet seating depth is not consistent from the eye-ball, but I am using mixed brass and haven't been lubing.
 
Are there 4 position shell plates for Pro 1000? I've only seen the 3.

The Pro 1000 is only a 3 station press.

I've shot a small handful of .41 mag's reloaded through Lee Pro 1000 setup with Lee dies and they haven't had any issues with the crimp. But the bullet seating depth is not consistent from the eye-ball, but I am using mixed brass and haven't been lubing.

You might want to check the OAL with a set of calipers to be sure.

Richard
 
I have been using the last station just as a seating die, and then running the rounds through a single stage press with the FCD.

I don't know that it is any more accurate or not. The FCD makes a prettier crimp though.
 
Are there 4 position shell plates for Pro 1000? I've only seen the 3
Click to expand...

Don't they sell four hole conversions now for the Pro 1000?

I see bundles of the three hole setups on ebay saying they "upgraded".

Justin
 
No Sir.

Sure would be nice if Lee would find a way to convert the Pro 1000 to a 4 hole press.



I tried the seating and crimping in one operation but it didn't work well for me.

That's why I purchase the hornady lock rings. Once I adjust the dies on a turret, I lock the rings down on the dies. To use my FCD, I just spin the dies out of the turret after a RUN of bullets, spin the FCD into the last station and run the bullets through one more time. Goes pretty quick.

Regards,
Richard
 
I think the 5 die Lee Classic Turret press is 80$.

Turret can handle the longer rifle cases whereas the Pro 1000 cannot.

Shellholder for Pro 1000 is 38$.
New 3-die turret is 8$.

I like the idea of just putting the FC die on a single stage.

I don't use a crimp die for my Rem. .41 Magnum loads. Not even with full house loads. (1.46cc hole ~22.3 grains H110 with 210JHP). Haven't been able to measure any movement.

Going back to 1.26cc hole and see if my accuracy gets back to normal. ROFL.

Having too much fun. Works great when I do my part.
 
Now that I have adjusted the dies, from scratch, several times, it's no big deal. I am only reloading one cartridge, so I can survive the occasional re-adjustment.

If I were loading several pistol types, I would go with the more expensive turret presses and get extra turrets.

I've crushed a few cases and deformed some bullets. But making good ammo overrall.

Thanks ya'll!
 
I made another post about .22-250. I guess I can reload this cartridge with Pro 1000 using #2 (.45ACP and .308 Win) shellplate. We have a lot of coyotes to clean out. ;)

I'll run the Varmint cases through to resize with some lube and then back through to load.

I haven't had any issues with not crimping the .41 magnum. I've fired over 100 handloads in the last month and not one issue of the bullet moving in my Ruger Blackhawk. I measured several before and after. Eyeballed even more.
Of course I am using the cannelure.

The Winchester and Remington brass are definitely different as far as where the cannelure shows up in regards to the case.

And I definitely loaded these boys up. I used the 22.3gr (1.64cc) hole. Interestingly, when I backed off the powder load with the next smaller hole, I had more unburned powder. But the 19.9 gr load(1.26cc) hole, I had no unburned powder.

If the Pro 1000 can do all these cartridges, then all that gets left out of my family's arsenal is the 8mm Mauser, 375H&H, and Rem 7mm mag.
 
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