New Lee Progressive press coming out in April

[Clarke123]

Well, everything isn't all roses ... After processing 1k of small primer 38's, I was in the middle of processing 1k of large primer .45 ACP's when the press "died of acute constipation". While I dutifully emptied the dead primer catch tube before it filled, I noticed that the catch-tube was empty after processing for what seemed a long time. I emptied it and noticed that there were very few in it ...(?) I then pulled the shell plate and discovered that the primers were gathering under it and not going down the hollow ram ... which it turns out was jammed full of dead primers! I called Lee Precision and was told that I must disassemble the press and that apparently there was something in there amiss ... They offered to fix the press if I paid UPS to ship it to them.

Needless to say, I opted to call Midsouth who cheerfully agreed to send me a call-tag and they would replace the unit.

Disappointed? Yes! I believe the unit is going to be a winner ... once the kinks are ironed out.

BTW: If you get one, make certain that you carefully examine the dead primer pathway BEFORE it jams up ... No attempt that I made with a shop vacuum, bent coat-hangers, or otherwise seemed to unclog it!

More ... Later, once I get a replacement unit from Midsouth.

 

[rbstern]

Sorry to hear it. Perhaps we'll learn more about this issue if someone else encounters the same problem and does the tear down.

 

[Clarke123]

Well, everything isn't all roses ... After processing 1k of small primer 38's, I was in the middle of processing 1k of large primer .45 ACP's when the press "died of acute constipation". While I dutifully emptied the dead primer catch tube before it filled, I noticed that the catch-tube was empty after processing for what seemed a long time. I emptied it and noticed that there were very few in it ...(?) I then pulled the shell plate and discovered that the primers were gathering under it and not going down the hollow ram ... which it turns out was jammed full of dead primers! I called Lee Precision and was told that I must disassemble the press and that apparently there was something in there amiss ... They offered to fix the press if I paid UPS to ship it to them.

Needless to say, I opted to call Midsouth who cheerfully agreed to send me a call-tag and they would replace the unit.

Disappointed? Yes! I believe the unit is going to be a winner ... once the kinks are ironed out.

BTW: If you get one, make certain that you carefully examine the dead primer pathway BEFORE it jams up ... No attempt that I made with a shop vacuum, bent coat-hangers, or otherwise seemed to unclog it!

More ... Later, once I get a replacement unit from Midsouth.

Could be several things. Most likely it is residual oil/grease that attracted spent primer propellent. This, building up then a "clog" begins and grows until primers jam the shell plate ... Afterwards, attempts to "push it out" only worsened the situation ... until disassembly and "drilling it out" becomes necessary. The older Classic Turret Press uses a larger diameter ram with a larger pathway for spent primers ... and it does not have a curve in it for the catch-tube attachment ... They should have stuck with that design. Sometimes "Better is the enemy of Good-Enough".

My guess would be to run a coat-hanger sized wire (or a patch) through the ram of a new press; followed by a blast of Brake Cleaner before mounting and using the press. Also, watch the catch-tube and do not let it over-fill.

 

[Clarke123]

Received the replacement press from MidSouth (FAST turn-around too!)
Blew-out spent primer path with brake cleaner spray, followed by a doubled pipe cleaner.
Set up the press (takes but a FEW minutes) and processed decapping several hundred .45 ACP
cases with no spent primer path problems.

How does the press do with all of the dies installed and full-blown reloading?

Haven't tried this yet ... More later!

Oh, the Lee Case Feeder with Collator is really good!
Very, very few incidents of inverted cases ...
I am 3/4 the way through decapping a little over 4k of .45 ACP Cases, after doing the same to 1k of .38 Special Cases ...

 

[Nuke And Juke]

Sounds like time to go shooting!!!

Sent from my LGLS990 using Tapatalk

 

[Clarke123]

All isn't roses ... Here's a post that is tracking problems with this unit.

Bottom Line? Lee Customer Service "SUCKS" because Lee isn't standing behind defects in their products!

"Buyer Beware"

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...thread-no-bashing.835405/page-2#post-10878861

 

[rbstern]

All isn't roses ... Here's a post that is tracking problems with this unit.

Bottom Line? Lee Customer Service "SUCKS" because Lee isn't standing behind defects in their products!

"Buyer Beware"

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...thread-no-bashing.835405/page-2#post-10878861

I don't get the same read from that thread you do. Aside from your issues, most of the conversation is how the older version of the Safety Prime doesn't work with the new press. Would be good for Lee to highlight for people who are upgrading from a prior safety prime setup, but that's a minor issue.

What happened with the case feeder spring catch? You got through 4000 rounds and the spring wore out? How'd you do on the 4000 rounds to that point? Did the press work smoothly? Produce good ammo?

 

[Clarke123]

I don't get the same read from that thread you do. Aside from your issues, most of the conversation is how the older version of the Safety Prime doesn't work with the new press. Would be good for Lee to highlight for people who are upgrading from a prior safety prime setup, but that's a minor issue.

What happened with the case feeder spring catch? You got through 4000 rounds and the spring wore out? How'd you do on the 4000 rounds to that point? Did the press work smoothly? Produce good ammo?

Sorry, but all of the 4000 rounds were de-priming only, with a universal De-Priming Die. There were no other dies on the press.
I will say that it is great as a de-priming tool ... Maybe that is all that it does?!

The spring is fine ... What happened to the case feeder spring catch: It is plastic and mounted on one of the support columns (replacement requires removal of all of the support columns). It now rotates on said column causing the spring to detach. Oh, and the issue on the safety-prime is that with the initial round of presses were shipped with the one that doesn't work ... thereby requiring you to replace it, at your cost for shipping (both ways) ... that includes ALL problems that you may encounter with the press (your's, there's and Acts of God ... Under Warranty / or Not). Shipping which is not cheap.

BTW: If you buy one of these presses, you may want to make certain that the right safety-prime system is included!

I am attempting to use the press without a die in Station #3 ... which appears to not indexing properly (chase hits dies instead of going into it). "Yes", I've tried a variety of cases and dies ... the problem appears to be with either the shell-pate or base-activator - not the indexing clutch disk. I have a trouble ticket out on this and will report what I find later.

 

[rbstern]

Sorry, but all of the 4000 rounds were de-priming only, with a universal De-Priming Die. There were no other dies on the press.
I will say that it is great as a de-priming tool ... Maybe that is all that it does?!

The spring is fine ... What happened to the case feeder spring catch: It is plastic and mounted on one of the support columns (replacement requires removal of all of the support columns). It now rotates on said column causing the spring to detach. Oh, and the issue on the safety-prime is that with the initial round of presses were shipped with the one that doesn't work ... thereby requiring you to replace it, at your cost for shipping (both ways) ... that includes ALL problems that you may encounter with the press (your's, there's and Acts of God ... Under Warranty / or Not). Shipping which is not cheap.

BTW: If you buy one of these presses, you may want to make certain that the right safety-prime system is included!

I am attempting to use the press without a die in Station #3 ... which appears to not indexing properly (chase hits dies instead of going into it). "Yes", I've tried a variety of cases and dies ... the problem appears to be with either the shell-pate or base-activator - not the indexing clutch disk. I have a trouble ticket out on this and will report what I find later.

Well, I appreciate you working through the bugs.

The shipping issue doesn't sound like Lee. I've never known them to not stand behind something that was their error, but I haven't talked to them in a number of years.

I'm still in transition to my new house, with no reloading bench setup at the moment (and it's killing me...I miss it!). I hope to get one of the new presses once my bench is set up again.

 

[Clarke123]

Sorry, but all of the 4000 rounds were de-priming only, with a universal De-Priming Die. There were no other dies on the press.
I will say that it is great as a de-priming tool ... Maybe that is all that it does?!

The spring is fine ... What happened to the case feeder spring catch: It is plastic and mounted on one of the support columns (replacement requires removal of all of the support columns). It now rotates on said column causing the spring to detach. Oh, and the issue on the safety-prime is that with the initial round of presses were shipped with the one that doesn't work ... thereby requiring you to replace it, at your cost for shipping (both ways) ... that includes ALL problems that you may encounter with the press (your's, there's and Acts of God ... Under Warranty / or Not). Shipping which is not cheap.

BTW: If you buy one of these presses, you may want to make certain that the right safety-prime system is included!

I am attempting to use the press without a die in Station #3 ... which appears to not indexing properly (chase hits dies instead of going into it). "Yes", I've tried a variety of cases and dies ... the problem appears to be with either the shell-pate or base-activator - not the indexing clutch disk. I have a trouble ticket out on this and will report what I find later.

Here's the response from Lee (I haven't done this yet, but will when I get time and let you know how it works):

Tighten up the two 9/16" nuts on the toggle linkage to remove any "wag" from the linkage. With the linkage tightened to eliminate any side to side slop, loosen the three allen bolts that retain the tool head, insert a case in station 3, and run it up into the die, adjust the top tool head, so it enters without hitting the die. This should be done on all four stations. Once everything is in alignment, tighten down three allen bolts, with provided allen wrench.

If this sounds intimidating, please send back press and we will make any necessary adjustments for you.

To remove a case from the shell plate, simply pull case outwards, the case retainer will open for you. (this to accomplish a periodic verification/check of powder weight)

Thanks,
Andy

Lee Precision, Inc.
4275 Highway U
Hartford, WI 53027
phone: 262-673-3075