All,

Well, I just got my Lee Pro 1000 press for reloading my .45acp. (Springfield 1911-A1)


I had about 15 or so sqibs while I was testing seating depths and getting it calibrated.

I found this site on the web which REALLY helped me get going fast.
http://www.geocities.com/leereloading/leepro1000.htm

The biggest thing is to get the primer tray full (~100 or so primers) before starting. And, get the bullet feeder setup as well.

I got 100rds finished in an hour after fussing with the calibration. Now, I think I can go through 200-300 rds in an hour no problem. Well worth the $125 from MidwayUSA.com

-Warlock

You need more .45 mags.

If you need mags, for the 1911  let me know I am working on a trade for 25 of them.
I'll let you know when the deal goes thru

You should have saved your pennies a lot longer and bought a Dillon.  You'd have had zero squibs and your load rate would be out the ceiling.

Sorry, but it's true!

CJ

I actually have 24 magazines for my 1911s. ;)
(they are on sale at MidwayUSA.com for 10/$45)

The reason for not going with a dillon was money.

One day, my Pro 1000 will end up on ebay or advertised here. But, so far, it has proven itself.

Like any piece of "rube-goldberg" machinery, it needs to be kept clean and very lightly oiled on the surfaces.

The Dillon I wanted is $680 with accessories. That is a bit of a stretch for my budget right now. Maybe next year.

But for now, the Pro 1000 is turning out fairly good, consistent ammo. I still have my Lee turret for making 9mm and 38/357magnum/357max rounds.

[I also love Lee dies...would not trade them for the world]

-Warlock

I actually have 24 magazines for my 1911s. ;)
(they are on sale at MidwayUSA.com for 10/$45)

The reason for not going with a dillon was money.

One day, my Pro 1000 will end up on ebay or advertised here. But, so far, it has proven itself.

Like any piece of "rube-goldberg" machinery, it needs to be kept clean and very lightly oiled on the surfaces.

The Dillon I wanted is $680 with accessories. That is a bit of a stretch for my budget right now. Maybe next year.

But for now, the Pro 1000 is turning out fairly good, consistent ammo. I still have my Lee turret for making 9mm and 38/357magnum/357max rounds.

[I also love Lee dies...would not trade them for the world]

-Warlock

Sounds like you are going for the XL650.  I have one of those.

It's a fine machine.  When you can swing the upgrade to the 650, you will not be disappointed.

I don't view the casefeeder system as an option. Unless you really LIKE stopping every ten rifle rounds to refill the case tube, that is...

When you buy a 650, budget for the casefeeder, beyond a doubt.  And make sure that your workbench is very strong and very rigid, because the 650 doesn't take well to being mounted on a flimsy surface.  The vibration screws things up. Specifically, the cases will fall over before they get into the shellplate.   A solid mount is essential.

Get a big handful of primer tubes, too.  Ten of each size you use, at a minimum, then you can load a thousand rounds without refilling any tubes, which is a minor pain.

I'd have to say that the faster the press, the more you'll want to accessorize it. The powder check system is something you'll want as an insurance measure when you're cranking out ammo too fast to visually check each round.

CJ

[I don't know why my previous post showed up twice]

The case feeder on the Pro 1000 is simple and elegant. I have 4 tubes that I can rotate through to keep things going.

the bullet feeder tube only holds ~20 bullets. Kind of a "bottle neck" to faster loading.

Again, keeping any progressive loader clean and oiled is VERY key to good/solid loading performance.

I think the Lee Powder Disk system is pretty slick, but, only works with non-stick type powders. (rifle powders for 30-06 have been known to cause problems)

Got a pic of your 650 you want to share?

-Warlock