Thinking of buying a Lee Pro 1000

[cgreth]

Make sure that you get the carbide pistol dies.   Not sure if they make those and the plain steel ones - used to be two kinds.   you definitely want the carbide ones.

Also strongly suggest the lee bulge buster kit - for anyone using any press that takes standard sized dies.   It uses the body of the Lee crimp (?) die to allow you to make sure that none of your cases are out of spec.   Do this after you clean your cases prior to reloading.   I bought the die it needs when i bought the bulge buster kit.   I HATE readjusting dies if I don't have to...    I have both the Lee system and the RCBS version.  I prefer the lee.   Seems more positive while pushing thru.   They both work well, I just prefer the feel of the Lee system.

I clean the cases.
Fill half a gallon freezer ziploc bag with cleaned brass.   Give it a several squirts of Hornady case lube.  Seal the bag and shake well.   All the cases get a thin even coating of lube.   Then empty out the cases on paper towels and allow to dry.
Makes going thru the bulge buster and the reloading dies a breeze.   I follow this process for my 9mm's - they really need this since they are a tapered cartridge and my .45 acp's.   Everything just runs smoother and takes a lot less effort when resizing the cases.

Things for the LCT.

The rubber tubing for the spent primers kept missing my bucket.   I ended up getting a baby food jar and drilling a hole in the lid the same size as the OD of the tube.   I then inserted the tube in the lid pushed it in around 3 inches.  wrapped a rubber band tightly around the tube that was inserted - about 1 inch from the end, pulled the lid down on top of the rubber band and then screwed the lid back on the jar.   It worked perfectly and I never had to chase spent primers ever again.   I've done basically the same thing with my after market spent primer tube for the Dillon 650.

I bought the strong mount from inline fabrications.   Worked very well and raised my press about 9 inches off the table.   If your table is taller, maybe you don't need this one.   I was hunching over mine before getting the strong mount.
Ergo reloading handle from inline fabrications.    After an hour or two using the wooden ball on the stock Lee handle I would tend to end up with blisters or hot spots on my hand.   The ergo handle is free spinning and really does feel better.   I did use the stock handle for years and years.   Once I found the ergo handle I never looked back.

Lee adjustable charge bar for the auto disk powder charging system.   This beats switching out the disks for different powder measures.   Mount the auto disk powder system on your tool head (will need a powder spacer).   

Get a couple of these from Lee - Square Ratchet.   SKU: TF3567   they are fifty cents each.   Manually spinning your turret with the gear in the wrong place will break it in a heart beat, or it will just plain wear out after several several thousand rounds.   Better to have one when you need it than to not have one when you need it.

Good Luck with the LCT!

[Pumpkinheaver]

At one point I had two Lee 100's a Dillon SDB a 550 and my old Rockchucker on my bench. Got rid of them all except the Rockchucker. I enjoy handloading ammunition and don't mind the slower round per hour of production I get doing it single stage.

[Dave84]

What do you guys recommend for 180 grain and 200 grain projectiles? I've learned that most of you prefer cci primers and starline brass but I'm not sure what to get for the bullets.

[The_Shadow]

Depends on what you want to shoot?  FMJ is good for target work, JHP good for defense or hunting uses.

[cgreth]

RMR Bullets (Rocky Mountain Reloading) usually has a very decent price on copper plated 10mm bullets.   If I remember right they have a heavily plated option that is practically the same as a jacketed bullet.   With plated bullets, just don't exceed 1500 fps muzzle velocity.   I've seen this warning several places over the years.   I'm guessing they fear that over 1500 fps, that the plating will get peeled off the bullet.
They also offer pulled bullets.   I believe they usually have pulled Federal HST's.

Bayou Bullets has several nice polymer coated options available.   

Both places periodically offer sales and/or free shipping.

[tommac919]

What do you guys recommend for 180 grain and 200 grain projectiles? I've learned that most of you prefer cci primers and starline brass but I'm not sure what to get for the bullets.

For target and normal shooting, Xtreme heavy plated 180 fn 180gr with 10.4gr BDot
XTPs in 180 and 200 with my same Blue Dot load for most else

( *** 200gr and 10.4 BD is over book, test in your gun, be safe and work loads up ***)

[Dave84]

Thanks for the great info. I'm pretty much just loading for the range although if I get it down very well I may load xtp's for defense. I plan on starting light and then working my way up on loads.

[Soulezoo]

I am a little late to this thread...

I have a mid 80's Lee 1000. I also have a Lyman turret, a Dillon 550 and 650. I started reloading in late 70's on a rockchucker for a .25-06.

I personally knew Fred Huntington and wouldn't buy RCBS to this day (even though he's long passed), just because he was such an a-hole.

I've had a lot of luck reloading with the 1000. But it's only 9mm target loads when I really want volume.  10mm I use the Dillon 650. The 550 gets 5.56. The Lyman everything else.

The Lee 1000 is not the best built. The nylon gears aren't great and it can be finicky. When it's on, it's great. When not... well, you do have to closely monitor each station with each pull. The dies are just fine. I have no hesitation with them. There are drawbacks to the 1000. However,  it does provide one an entrance into volume reloading at a cost none can match. I bought mine for less than $200. Of course,  that was over 35 years ago. But, it still cranks out 9mmm on the original set of carbide dies!