Should I upgrade from Lee classic turret press to Lee Pro 1000 or not?

[Bossloper]

I am all set up for loading on my Lee classic four hole turret press. I have eight turrets, each with its own dies, crimp die and powder measure, and ready to load with minimal modifications required for loading a different bullet or changing the powder weight. I manually cycle the press and it has worked for me just fine, as I do not crank out 1ooo's of rounds in a sitting. I did some horse trading with a guy and as part of our deal I acquired a Lee Pro 1000 set up to load 9mm and 45acp with shell plate carriers for each. But it also comes with the case feeder, extra shell plates for 45 Colt/44mag/44spl & 38spl/357mag as well as the large and small primer feed and some extra parts. My question is whether to keep my classic turret set up, or switch over to the Lee 1000? I guess I am looking for the pros & cons and difficulties associated with switching dies & shell plates on the 1000. Is the amount of ammo I can load with the 1000 worth the extra effort when switching calibers as compared to the simplicity of just changing a turret and shell holder and being ready to load another caliber. Thanks.

[congacox]

Keep both.  If you shoot 45ACP that is a good one to reload on the 1000 Pro.  I stopped fighting with the case feed and primer system and clean and hand prime my 45 cases.  Then just set the case and bullets by hand as I crank out ammo.

sc

[Steve P]

Dont get rid of the turret press.  When the 1000 gives you fits, you will want to load on something else.

Steve

[JustaShooter]

For sure there is a learning curve with the 1000, just as there is with any progressive press.  Once you get the hang of it, switching from one caliber to another only takes a couple of minutes if you have a turret for each set of dies and a full carrier and shell plate assembly for each cartridge type.

I'd suggest you keep both, and use the 1000 for the cartridges I have full setups for and the Classic for everything else.  I've got a similar setup, but instead of the Classic I have an RCBS Rock Chucker.  I use the 1000 for all of my handgun cartridges and the RCBS for rifle - not that the 1000 can't do rifle cartridges, but I don't load as many and I'm looking for as much accuracy as I can get with them.

Of course, I don't have the problems with the 1000 that some others seem to have.  If set up right, it works just fine.  If set up wrong, it'll give you fits - just like any other mechanical device.

Just a Shooter

[dpe.ahoy]

I agree there is a learning curve.  It took me awhile to get the hang of my 1000.  Even then I would get an occasional jam, probably me that did it.  If yer not crankin out lots of rounds, what you are using will work for ya.  If you have one caliber you use more than any other, try setting that one up on the Pro 1000.  Start off slow and make sure you move the handle ALL the way up and down.  DP

[Steve P]

The Pro 1000 can resize brass faster than any press I have ever used.  You can go thru 100s of brass in just a few minutes.

As to the powder measures...and priming.......I will leave with my first statement.  The Pro 1000 is great for sizing pistol brass. 

Steve

[Lloyd Smale]

id sell the 1000 for what i could get and buy some powder and primers. Youll save yourself many headaches and youll probably do it after a few months of sturggling anyway. Lee makes some inovative products but there progressive presses arent one of them.

[Dezynco]

I havn't used either one, but I thought about purchasing one or the other.  From all my research, I gather that the Turret is one of the best presses for the money, but the Pro1000 is one of the worst.  Apparently it can be a little finicky.

[MO]

Apparently it can be a little finicky.

A 'little' may be an understatement.  I've had nothing but aggravation with the primer feed and am going to begin priming by hand - which really defeats the purpose of a progressive press, in my opinion.

[james25889]

I got rid of 2 pro 1000's because of the aggrevation of the primer feed system and bought a dillon 550 never regretted that decision.

[yukondog]

I started out with the Lee aniversary kit about 20 yrs. ago then bought the 1000 now I'm back to the singel stage press and useing parts from the pro 1000 on the single stage, now the pro 1000 has enough dust bilt up on it you could plant something in it.

[Bossloper]

Well, I set it up, fidgeted with it more than I wanted to, and then sold it. I loaded a few rounds with it, but I definitely couldn't get the primer feed working consistently, and if I'm going to continue hand priming, and hand feeding brass, I didn't think it was really better than my classic turret, and the system I have down. But in the deal I did get five additional Lee powder dispensers, so now all of my die sets have their own powder dispenser which will be nice. Thanks for all of the insight.