# What's the difference between these Lee loaders?



## prof_fate (Jan 2, 2012)

The Lee classic turret press kit or the Lee Pro 1000?

I have the Lee 2012 catalog and can't tell one from the other ... the best I can gather reading between the lines is the classic turret can do all rifle/pistol and the pro 1000 is pistol only and maybe faster...

If the goal is to load 9 or 45 pistol for combat/IDPA which is the better choice? I have a 30-30 and might like to try some reloading of it but it's not a top priority at this point.


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## bruce333 (Sep 1, 2006)

The pro 1000 is a progressive loader. The shell plate holds 3 shells and turns with the upstroke of the handle. Once the shell plate is full you get 1 finished round with each stroke of the handle.

The Classic Turret holds one case at a time and turns the die holder. So for each round you pull the handle 4 times.

Ran a search on Youtube for the 2 presses and you can see how they differ.


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## prof_fate (Jan 2, 2012)

Thank you, those videos are very helpful!
I think the 1000 is the one I want now that I've seen them in action. I'll not be reloading enough rifle to justify the extra time the turret will eat up on pistol cartridges.

Now to decide 9 or 45...cabela's is having a sale fir a couple more days.


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## twomode (Jun 7, 2009)

Couple things. I started with a classic turret and am reloading .223 with it now. Works great and I load everthing I shoot now. There is a learning curve associated with reloading, and IMO it's a steeper curve with a progressive. The turret might be a better choice while you learn the important stuff with reloading. I have a 1000 that I bought used and I'm having a few difficulties because it was complete, but never used because it wasn't set up correctly. Took a while to figure that out. I don't know if this is fast or slow, I average 150 rds per hour loading pistol on the turret. 

As for which caliber first, Lee includes one set of dies (your choice) with their kit. The 3 die kit does not include the factory crimp die, you'll want one. I'd start with .45, as they're more expensive to buy per box. Might as well save more money sooner. Good luck, we'll need a bench report!

I'm glad I got started, I really enjoy the hobby, I hope you do too.


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## prof_fate (Jan 2, 2012)

Well, I ordered an XDm9 comp model pistol so that means I need 9mm reloading gear.

Talking with a local IDPA shooter he says just get a LoadMaster and be done with it. Not that much more money and it's faster and more versatile as it can do pistol or rifle. He does warn that you have to be mechanically inclined, which I am having spent 15 years as a car, bike and boat mechanic. Plus he's local and owns one - I can get help if needed.

Since the pistol ate up my whole budget and we leave for vacation tomorrow and it's the slow season for my biz it will prolly be march before i think I'll be able to get into reloading. Fortunately part of my vaca will be spent at my brother in laws and he reloads with a dillon so we'll have some time to chat. The competitions here start in April so I should have enough time to figure it out and work on some loads that work in my gun.

While 9mm is cheaper than 45 to shoot, on the negative side the savings won't be as great so it may take a couple of years to pay for itself as I'm figuring I'll have $500 to $600 in gear and supplies. That of course depends on how much I shoot, or if my wife decides to take up competition. I work from home and seem to have lost all control of my 'free time' over the past few years starting my business so it really hinges on whether I have the self discipline to get out of the office and go play!


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## tom1911sigfreak (Dec 10, 2011)

Check this site out they are where I got my lee reloader and all lee stuff best prices i've seen out there fsreloading.com good luck! PS if you have a harbor freight close by and get the 20% coupons you can pick up a tumbler for $44 I've had mine running all weekend long. for $10 you can get a 2year replacement contract.


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## prof_fate (Jan 2, 2012)

Great info.
I"m still torn...and thinking. No big rush (or money...) to make a move yet. Was at cabela's today and saw a lyman 5 position progressive, a bit more money though. 

Is any style of press any more 'accurate' than another in the end result? Accurate as in the ammo it puts out. I would think a progressive would, once set up, eliminate a lot of the human error that a 'simpler' press/system, but if you make an error you'd have 100 bad shells in no time at all.


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## twomode (Jun 7, 2009)

Prof fate, the best press is the one you like. There are several and they each have their disciples. I have Lee and it works. I'm now moving through my .380 loads on my Lee turret. I have heard more than once that Dillon's lifetime warranty is bulletproof. 

As for accuracy, I'm willing to bet most brands are close to each other and depends on how well you set it up, and produce it. When you go to make your first batch, you'll probably find it takes awhile to get to actual production due to careful set up and learning your way around. That's probably true no matter what you choose. HTH. Good luck.


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## prof_fate (Jan 2, 2012)

Looked over the dillon products and the 550 is 'the' press to have apparently, but the square deal one (does only pistol, their proprietary dies) gets rave rave rave reviews. Not that anyone says bad things about any company, but most things i've read about lee come with an asterisk attached.. The square deal b (and dillon in general) never has anything like that attached to it - oh, perhaps a mention about them being pricey is all.

This I think is harder than choosing a gun!


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## twomode (Jun 7, 2009)

Well I can see you're paying attention! I think one of the reasons I chose the Lee turret was through another forum many swore by them. At least as many as swore at them. It's the most affordable, simple way to get started, and I feel I learned the most about the "mechanics" of reloading while still producing 150 rds per hour. Checking your ammo throughout the initial setup and production is important as is periodically checking for consistency throughout a run. 

The .380 run I'm doing now is the first in that caliber. So there was a setup curve, then trial functions. Once set I've now got 750 rds to make. Based on my past experience the first one will be just like the last all at a substantial savings. If you pick up the Lee Reloading book the author Richard Lee makes a pretty convincing argument for his simple to set up and operate, value priced products, and the how and the why. It's also a data book which you'll need a few of. Maybe a call to your list of possibles like Lee, Dillon, Lyman etc and talking to those folks yourself will help you decide.


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## prof_fate (Jan 2, 2012)

Of course I want a do it all machine that costs $100 and will do 1000 rounds an hour...but alas, we all want too much for too little.

My time has value - and I have too little of it. I'm also not great at working a production line - so if I have to load to shoot for cost/accuracy reasons I'll do it, but I dont' want to spend any more time doing it than necessary. So a progressive is the way I have to go, I"m sure.

The dilllon 1050 is awesome - but very pricey, the 650 and even 550 are still pricey. They seem like good choices if I end up shooting a whole lot (not sure how much I'll shoot quite yet) or need to reload a wide variety of guns including rifles. At this time 9mm is the only cartridge and I may add 45 or 38 at some point down the line. Unless I compete in multiple calibers and need thousands of rounds of each the best option, economically, is to change calibers on one loader.

The loadmaster is $400ish and the square D seems comparable in what it does and runs maybe $100 more all told. The dillon seems to be easier to set up (a consideration for a newbie like me) and less finicky to use - time and frustration saver. Those things seem to be worth the $100, and from all I've heard should I decide to upgrade or sell it the Dillon would be the easier to unload, sorry, no pun intended.

Should I really shoot a ton then I'll probably want one of the big dillons anyway - seems to make sense to start there and stay with one brand just to keep things simple, even though little to nothing of the square d will work with their bigger presses.


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## tom1911sigfreak (Dec 10, 2011)

I really like my lee classic as i'm just getting into the reloading and its easy to use and you really can't get ahead of yourself. Also I like the fact for around $40 I can get an extra head and dies for another caliper and takes 30 seconds to change. I've got $260.00 into getting started thats the press,dies,digital hornady scale,micrometer,tumbler,media,auto disc powder charger, riser, primer feeder. I need to get the reload book as my old reload book a friend gave me is a bit dated but still has lots of info. If you have a local indoor range ask them if they sell there brass I have one I just called and they are a great buch of guys. They let me fish out all the .45 brass from 88 pounds (yikes took me an hour) the only charged me $4.00! I got home and counted 362 pieces! I went back the next day and just dumped 10 pounds in a box! $20.00 got me lots of brass! good luck! Shop around that fsreloading has good prices on the press and lee stuff fast shipping too and natches too!


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