Unboxing Lee Auto Breech Lock Pro - User Review / Discussion < No Bashing >

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LiveLife

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Bds can you start another thread for anyone that’s got one. I’d love to hear about the new press. Since it’s so new, it would be nice to hear about initial reactions, what they’re like out of the box
Pro 4000 or Auto Breech Lock Pro is becoming a highly anticipated 4 station progressive press for Lee Precision.

As Hokie_PhD posted, I agree that an "Unboxing" thread on Pro 4000 is definitely warranted as many are curious to find out how it operates and Pro 4000 owners/users can network to share not just the excitement of the new press but to share their experience/impression of the new press.

I started a new support thread for strictly technical problems / solutions (proven working solutions) to keep focus on helping Pro 4000 users experiencing issues - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...ch-lock-pro-support-thread-no-bashing.835405/

So here is "No speculation" discussion thread for Pro 4000.

And to THR members not fond of Lee products, I politely ask you refrain from bashing.

Thank you in advance.
 
Mine was sitting on the porch today when I got home from work. I had bought a Lee mounting plate for it.
Unboxed the press and was bolting it to the plate, when I realized that the carriage bolts, or at least one is too long. So the set up is on hold until I get shorter bolts.
At least it got unboxed. :)
 
I bought a Dremel just to cut off bolts that are to long:)
Well not really but it comes in handy for that.
At least I can fix the ones that are to long.
.....got 3 need 4, trip to hardware store for one bolt because all the others are to short......rrrrr

Can't wait to here how the press works for you.
 
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To bash a press one doesn’t have (or had) is like a child saying they don’t like steak (because they never had a bite of one).

Hopefully your “steak” is better than the one GWS had recently, and still chewing on. Keep us posted.
 
Does anyone have experience with the Lee Bullet feeder that is applicable to this press? Are there other bullet feeders that would be a feasible alternative?
 
Just got mine out of the box. My first impression is that it is very small but it feels quite sturdy. The die head is cast aluminum but basically everything else cast steel. And when I say cast steel I mean cast steel, not cast iron. The plastic cover you see on the top of the carrier is just a thin nylon cover on a cast steel carrier. The only functional purpose of the cover is to act as the shell feeder slide and act as a bearing surface between the carrier and the shellplate and it bears no force. The bottom of the brass is completely supported by the shellplate and will not touch the plastic. The shellplate does float vertically on a steel shaft that it threads onto so under sizing force it will sandwich the plastic cover between the carrier and the shellplate. Given the area of the shellplate I do not see this being a problem. The shellplate is actually machined steel, I was expecting aluminum. The shell feeder cycles smoothly and the press indexes very positively. The indexing is performed very similarly to the turret press. There is a friction bushing that rides up and down the index shaft and engages a splined cone to index the shellplate. I expect this to be a wear item that Lee will probably provide for free or for a few cents.

Off to go try it out. One thing I already found out is it will jam up if you raise the press about and inch and bring it back down requiring you to notch the shell plate over with your finger to get it back in time. I don't think this will be a problem in use, just thought I would mention it. Any pic requests?
 
Off to go try it out. One thing I already found out is it will jam up if you raise the press about and inch and bring it back down requiring you to notch the shell plate over with your finger to get it back in time. I don't think this will be a problem in use, just thought I would mention it. Any pic requests?

Just like the LCT, that indexing rod and the small plastic bushing are probably not happy being short stroked.

Dave
 
Off to go try it out. One thing I already found out is it will jam up if you raise the press about and inch and bring it back down requiring you to notch the shell plate over with your finger to get it back in time. I don't think this will be a problem in use, just thought I would mention it. Any pic requests?

The same as when you buy a gun. It never happened unless you show pictures.

This is just my comment to start watching this thread. For the price it looks like I will be skipping the turret and go straight to a progressive press.
 
Well I got it set up and ran about 150 rounds of 9mm through it. I had to modify my plate mount to get it mounted on the bench. I use the Lee bench plate so that I can swap between my turret and single stage. I mounted the plate about a half inch from the bench edge which was too far away to allow the auto breechlock to mount so I had to redrill the holes. I took my 9mm dies out of my turret and set them up. Clearance is tight to adjust the dies but no different than the turret. I did not setup the case feeder yet so I was dropping the cases in the top and letting the slider push them into the shellplate.

So far I'm not 100% sold. Everything has worked perfectly except I have not gotten used to the safety prime. I have the safety prime down pat from using it on the turret but so far have really struggled with it on this press. I loaded 200 rounds on my turret last week and did not drop one single primer but I was dropping them left and right on this new press. The primer arm just doesn't sit still for you to drop the primer in. Mabey its just getting used to it with the left hand instead of the right. If you didn't like it on the turret you won't like it on this. I had ordered a new safety prime kit which now comes with the new white flip over primer trays which are garbage. I couldn't make that one work at all so I used the old style round one from my turret. Which worked much better but still not up to my standards.

Other than that it worked good. The case slider worked flawlessly. The spent primers collect neatly in the tube. One thing I do like alot is this has alot more leverage to seat primers than the turret does. It takes much less effort. The press handle has a very long stroke and I'm also not sure I like the curved handle on the arm. Its pretty flimsy and twists a little when you actuate it. I will probably put a straight handle with a ball on it and bend it back toward the bench a bit so the handle doesn't travel so far down.

I will need to try it with a bigger case and will need to make the primer system work. If it worked as good as the turret it would be a slam dunk. I am also going to buy a bullet feeder kit to try.

B26CD086-4337-463D-9AB7-B90D7FAFC32E.jpg

F337C2C5-574C-4680-B3D2-0A3B14E3AE1D.jpg
 
I would be hand priming in advance, so the priming system is of no concern for me. I do wish the seating of the bullet was forward where I could easily look into each case as I seated a primer. Other than that, it looks like a nice little press.
 
I would be hand priming in advance, so the priming system is of no concern for me. I do wish the seating of the bullet was forward where I could easily look into each case as I seated a primer. Other than that, it looks like a nice little press.

It does not index until pretty late in the stroke so its not difficult to see the powder in the case as it comes out of the drop.
 
I think this design is better than the indexing turret press designs that have been so successful for LEE.

I shoot revolver so my brass never gets filled with sand, etc. So I process my brass before I clean it. This press will work great for processing brass before cleaning. You just drop in the case and you can size, deprime and use a LEE universal expander with a NOE insert on a progressive press.

I inspect my brass and hand seat primers. Then I have containers of brass ready to go. Yes, it is a step that is not required on a progressive press but I like knowing they have been inspected ad not just dumped into a feed hopper. Hand priming is also good exercise for your hands as you can switch hands every 50 cases.

So with brass deprimed & sized I have a die position open. On my LEE CCT I feed powder in station 1 use a Hornady bullet feed die in station 2. This press seems like it will do that as well. I can also visually inspect for a powder charge as the case will be upfront after being filled with powder in station 1.

Or install a Powder Check die and use the LEE Bullet feeder...

I think I like this press and am loosing reasons not to get one !
 
I think this design is better than the indexing turret press designs that have been so successful for LEE.

I shoot revolver so my brass never gets filled with sand, etc. So I process my brass before I clean it. This press will work great for processing brass before cleaning. You just drop in the case and you can size, deprime and use a LEE universal expander with a NOE insert on a progressive press.

I inspect my brass and hand seat primers. Then I have containers of brass ready to go. Yes, it is a step that is not required on a progressive press but I like knowing they have been inspected ad not just dumped into a feed hopper. Hand priming is also good exercise for your hands as you can switch hands every 50 cases.

So with brass deprimed & sized I have a die position open. On my LEE CCT I feed powder in station 1 use a Hornady bullet feed die in station 2. This press seems like it will do that as well. I can also visually inspect for a powder charge as the case will be upfront after being filled with powder in station 1.

Or install a Powder Check die and use the LEE Bullet feeder...

I think I like this press and am loosing reasons not to get one !

It will work really well for the way you are doing it since your taking the priming out of the equation.

I tumble my brass with primers still in them and I want a loaded round for every pull of the handle so I'm still not sure this is going to be the best for me. Will need to load a few hundered more to see if I can get in the groove with it. I'm guessing even with no bullet feeder it's probably about twice as fast as the turret for me and I think that will improve significantly with the bullet feeder and case collator.
 
after watching the titan video, I like the looks of it. I've got a lee single stage, and a turret, and a dillon 650, so I'm not going to buy one, but I like it. Looks like it's colsest competitors are the pro1000, dillon square deal or maybe the 550.
I wish it would load a longer cartridge. But if I wasn't loading anything bigger than 223 and handgun, and didn't already have other presses, this might have filled both roles. Assuming it performs long term, it looks like a press I could recommend.

I like that lee finally gave up on the loadmaster style flat priming tray. Other than not working, it was a brilliant idea............I wish it has worked. Every time I fill a primer tube I wish it had worked........
 
Well I loaded another 450 rounds tonight after the chitlins went to bed. The press works perfectly. The primer feed stinks. I mean it really really stinks. And this is coming from someone who loves the safety prime on my turret.

I loaded a few just to test different techniques of pushing the primer arm and then timed some batches of 100. The case feeder tubes hold 95 9mm cases so I loaded till it was empty, put 5 extra cases in and finished them all through. The first 100 rounds took 18:30 and I dropped at least 12 primers on the floor. This was using the old style round black primer tray. The time included picking up the primers off the floor, hand feeding them in, and fiddling with the angle of the primer dispenser. For the next 100 rounds I tried a different technique of holding the primer dispensor in with my thumb so that the arm meets it. This seemed to work better but I still dropped 9 on the floor. Time was 14:30.

After this I did some more testing and fiddling and decided to chamfer the cup of the primer arm to help guide the primer in. I also decided to try a hybrid of the old and new primer dispensers. After analyzing it a bit I found many of the dropped primers were because the spring was too weak on the old style actuator thus causing it to actuate before it was actually over the primer arm and dropping the primer early. The old style dispensor uses a very weak square shaped spring but the new head uses a stronger coil spring. So I took the head off the new dispenser and put it on the much better older style tray and feed tube.

The next round of 100 I still dropped I think 8 on the floor but it seemed less sensitive to how you pushed it. Time was 16:00. For the last set of 100 I decided to try a different primer. I was using S&B primers but switched over to winchester. This was a night and day difference. The feed felt much much better and I only dropped 4 on the floor. Time was 13:20.

This is still an unacceptable number of dropped primers but at least its progress. I will continue testing when I get some more bullets to load. If I can get this down to like 1 out of 100 falling on the floor I can live with that, but 4 out of 100 to me is unacceptable. And this was being very careful and deliberate paying close attention to how I met the primer arm with dispensor and exactly when to push. Unlike using this on my turret it is very very sensitive to how and when you push it. I will relay my experience to Lee so they know about it.

Also I can't figure out where in the heck they are coming from but mabey 1 or 2 out of 100 spent primers come shooting up out of the press during sizing and fall on the floor. I havn't figured out how this is even possible but I thought I would mention it.
 
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The die head is cast aluminum but basically everything else cast steel. And when I say cast steel I mean cast steel, not cast iron.

LOL

Overall all it seems like you're happy with your new press which is good!

I get the general impression that if the handloader is willing to prime off press then it might be a good choice for someone who wants an inexpensive dedicated press for a single caliber (handgun) short production runs.
 
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Also I can't figure out where in the heck they are coming from but mabey 1 or 2 out of 100 spent primers come shooting up out of the press during sizing and fall on the floor. I havn't figured out how this is even possible but I thought I would mention it.

Occasionally I'll get this on my LCT. The primer takes a sideways trajectory out of the case and makes it out through the little gap just under the shell holder.
 
The next round of 100 I still dropped I think 8 on the floor but it seemed less sensitive to how you pushed it. Time was 16:00. For the last set of 100 I decided to try a different primer. I was using S&B primers but switched over to winchester. This was a night and day difference. The feed felt much much better and I only dropped 4 on the floor. Time was 13:20.

Interesting about the primer difference. I have had the same experience on my LCT.

Got S&B primers on sale at Cabela's last year and am now back to Winchester. It is a big difference for me too.

Dave
 
Well I loaded another 450 rounds tonight after the chitlins went to bed. The press works perfectly. The primer feed stinks. I mean it really really stinks. And this is coming from someone who loves the safety prime on my turret.

I loaded a few just to test different techniques of pushing the primer arm and then timed some batches of 100. The case feeder tubes hold 95 9mm cases so I loaded till it was empty, put 5 extra cases in and finished them all through. The first 100 rounds took 18:30 and I dropped at least 12 primers on the floor. This was using the old style round black primer tray. The time included picking up the primers off the floor, hand feeding them in, and fiddling with the angle of the primer dispenser. For the next 100 rounds I tried a different technique of holding the primer dispensor in with my thumb so that the arm meets it. This seemed to work better but I still dropped 9 on the floor. Time was 14:30.

After this I did some more testing and fiddling and decided to chamfer the cup of the primer arm to help guide the primer in. I also decided to try a hybrid of the old and new primer dispensers. After analyzing it a bit I found many of the dropped primers were because the spring was too weak on the old style actuator thus causing it to actuate before it was actually over the primer arm and dropping the primer early. The old style dispensor uses a very weak square shaped spring but the new head uses a stronger coil spring. So I took the head off the new dispenser and put it on the much better older style tray and feed tube.

The next round of 100 I still dropped I think 8 on the floor but it seemed less sensitive to how you pushed it. Time was 16:00. For the last set of 100 I decided to try a different primer. I was using S&B primers but switched over to winchester. This was a night and day difference. The feed felt much much better and I only dropped 4 on the floor. Time was 13:20.

This is still an unacceptable number of dropped primers but at least its progress. I will continue testing when I get some more bullets to load. If I can get this down to like 1 out of 100 falling on the floor I can live with that, but 4 out of 100 to me is unacceptable. And this was being very careful and deliberate paying close attention to how I met the primer arm with dispensor and exactly when to push. Unlike using this on my turret it is very very sensitive to how and when you push it. I will relay my experience to Lee so they know about it.

Also I can't figure out where in the heck they are coming from but mabey 1 or 2 out of 100 spent primers come shooting up out of the press during sizing and fall on the floor. I havn't figured out how this is even possible but I thought I would mention it.
Thanks for posting your experience so far.
All I had time for was to set the #19 shell plate and 9mm sizing die. I ran a small hand full through the sizing die. Your right, the indexer doesn't like it if you try to lower the ram at mid-stroke.
Coming from a LCT user, I like the positive position pin, at least so far. :)
 
When I first got my LCT, I had issues with the Safety Prime also, but I remember watching a YT video or two about how to modify it to make it more reliable. I think I added a washer or two to raise up the mechanism or something...

What started out as a difficult task turned into one that was close to 100% reliable.
 
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