Hey Guys,
After 8 excruciating hours, some time on the phone with Lee Precision, and a trip to the hardware store to buy more lamp chain (The powder chain that came with it lasted about 3 hours), I believe I have my Lee Pro 1000 set up to load 45 ACP with Ranier 230 Gr Plated round nose and 5.2 gr of Bullseye.
The light was too dim to get a good chrony other than 1 (877 fps), but all had consistent "felt" recoil and the GI Milspec function fine. I'll make 10 more in the morning and try to chronograph again tomorrow.
I've only used it one round at a time (25 rounds) and it seems to work fine. There is a lot going on so I'm a little nervous as I've been loading single stage for 8 years. If all goes well for the first 100 rounds or so I'll move into trying full progressive. I'm already more efficient one round at a time with this press.
After the nightmare of setting up 45 ACP I don't plan on switch calibers. I mostly shoot 45 ACP anyway. All the other calibers are still low enough volumes to go on the single stage.
I figured out how to clear the powder in the tube after the hopper is turned off by indexing a spent case through the stages without actually engaging each stage until I get to the powder thrower. Then I move the carrier up to engage the thrower, back down only just enough to clear the die without triggering indexing to the next stage, manually pull autodisk return lever down, then repeat 5-7 times. The result is a case filled almost to the rim with powder that I can dump back in the hopper and a mostly empty powder throwing system.
However, I'm wondering if there is a good way to clear the primers that are already in the primer feed ramp after I'm finished loading. I can't run them out loading as you need the ramp pretty much full for the priming mechanism to work. Should I just stick something thin down their and push them all to the top and let them spill into my hand or something. I try to avoid handling primers directly with my hands as the oils on your hands can cause them to fail. Or should I just leave the ones in the feed ramp there for my next loading session. If so how long is too long to leave them in the press like that.
Thanks in advance,
Mark
After 8 excruciating hours, some time on the phone with Lee Precision, and a trip to the hardware store to buy more lamp chain (The powder chain that came with it lasted about 3 hours), I believe I have my Lee Pro 1000 set up to load 45 ACP with Ranier 230 Gr Plated round nose and 5.2 gr of Bullseye.
The light was too dim to get a good chrony other than 1 (877 fps), but all had consistent "felt" recoil and the GI Milspec function fine. I'll make 10 more in the morning and try to chronograph again tomorrow.
I've only used it one round at a time (25 rounds) and it seems to work fine. There is a lot going on so I'm a little nervous as I've been loading single stage for 8 years. If all goes well for the first 100 rounds or so I'll move into trying full progressive. I'm already more efficient one round at a time with this press.
After the nightmare of setting up 45 ACP I don't plan on switch calibers. I mostly shoot 45 ACP anyway. All the other calibers are still low enough volumes to go on the single stage.
I figured out how to clear the powder in the tube after the hopper is turned off by indexing a spent case through the stages without actually engaging each stage until I get to the powder thrower. Then I move the carrier up to engage the thrower, back down only just enough to clear the die without triggering indexing to the next stage, manually pull autodisk return lever down, then repeat 5-7 times. The result is a case filled almost to the rim with powder that I can dump back in the hopper and a mostly empty powder throwing system.
However, I'm wondering if there is a good way to clear the primers that are already in the primer feed ramp after I'm finished loading. I can't run them out loading as you need the ramp pretty much full for the priming mechanism to work. Should I just stick something thin down their and push them all to the top and let them spill into my hand or something. I try to avoid handling primers directly with my hands as the oils on your hands can cause them to fail. Or should I just leave the ones in the feed ramp there for my next loading session. If so how long is too long to leave them in the press like that.
Thanks in advance,
Mark
