Admitting that I cannot make my Load Master work

[r1200r]

I never even tried priming on my LM when i purchased it due to all the issues I had read about.

Priming on a LM is very reliable -- I've done about 300 rounds so far. Not one priming problem -- providing that the brass was de-primed completely first and primers were still in the primer tray. Those stories you read will never go away -- but your old, ineffective priming parts can & will! What I discovered is that Lee is solving problems and making improvements all the time. If you call them, they will send you new priming parts for free -- you just pay shipping. I had read all sorts of videos where you had to take your priming system apart and file away rough edges and flash -- NOT true anymore.

This has been my experience as well, with the exception that I've done a few thousand rounds. I also use the loadmaster to prime my .30-30 case's. The only priming issue's I've had are of my own making. I have had some issue with COAL, however nothing has been outside an acceptable variance. I would second tkart's recommendation on the new priming system parts it's worth a try. As for MM's modifications, I like the idea of the drilled and tapped travel stops for the die holder, thinking of getting a couple of those done to see if I can improve my COAL.

[Ranch Dog]

Priming on a LM is very reliable -- I've done about 300 rounds so far. Not one priming problem -- providing that the brass was de-primed completely first and primers were still in the primer tray. Those stories you read will never go away -- but your old, ineffective priming parts can & will! What I discovered is that Lee is solving problems and making improvements all the time. If you call them, they will send you new priming parts for free -- you just pay shipping. I had read all sorts of videos where you had to take your priming system apart and file away rough edges and flash -- NOT true anymore.

As the OP I guess I ought to weigh in. My LMs are of varying age with the oldest being purchased in 1997. The one thing they have in common is that they all have new priming systems that were updated late last spring. I have been tinkering with the three presses through all three generations of priming systems.

My time available for various activities has changed quite a bit since last spring and normally I would have been reloading pistol ammunition through our long deer season that extends from November all the way through January. During this period I did not have the time to reload nor did I have the time to cast the bullets that I use for my pistol shooting. So the presses sat idle and probably will remain so until November. I would like to get to the press I bought the aftermarket parts for but the block of time I would like to have has not presented itself for the project. There is no sense in starting something that I would have to start again two to three months later.

I do have time for handloading but it is all directed to the various rifle cartridges, 21 in all, that I shoot and having the necessary stock of ammunition for our extended hunting season. One of these is my Ruger Mini 30 that is waiting to be fed and that hopefully will be eventually loaded on my 45 Auto Load Master. I have been eyeballing that press but back to that time thing to do it.

[horseman]

I never even tried priming on my LM when i purchased it due to all the issues I had read about.

Priming on a LM is very reliable -- I've done about 300 rounds so far. Not one priming problem -- providing that the brass was de-primed completely first and primers were still in the primer tray. Those stories you read will never go away -- but your old, ineffective priming parts can & will! What I discovered is that Lee is solving problems and making improvements all the time. If you call them, they will send you new priming parts for free -- you just pay shipping. I had read all sorts of videos where you had to take your priming system apart and file away rough edges and flash -- NOT true anymore.

It's really good to hear of some who have had no issues with their LM"s..also 300 rounds isn't much of a "long term review" but note worthy none the less. The "stories" about the priming issues are for a fact very real and I have a few of them myself. ONE of my presses (I've owned 5, currently have two) worked pretty well without any help other than the standard flash and rough edge removal you mention. The others were "modded" per many suggestions, and "fixes" found on the Load master Zone where I've been a member for years. A very helpful site with good folks (as here) with a lot of good help (if needed) from some very experienced LM users. The two Load Master presses I now own have "after market" parts from Mike's Reloading Bench, run great, work great with good priming now....not before. So Kudos for you and your press, glad you got a good one. Some have not been so fortunate.

[Deleted User 1445]

I never even tried priming on my LM when i purchased it due to all the issues I had read about.

Priming on a LM is very reliable -- I've done about 300 rounds so far. Not one priming problem -- providing that the brass was de-primed completely first and primers were still in the primer tray. Those stories you read will never go away -- but your old, ineffective priming parts can & will! What I discovered is that Lee is solving problems and making improvements all the time. If you call them, they will send you new priming parts for free -- you just pay shipping. I had read all sorts of videos where you had to take your priming system apart and file away rough edges and flash -- NOT true anymore.

It's really good to hear of some who have had no issues with their LM"s..also 300 rounds isn't much of a "long term review" but note worthy none the less. The "stories" about the priming issues are for a fact very real and I have a few of them myself. ONE of my presses (I've owned 5, currently have two) worked pretty well without any help other than the standard flash and rough edge removal you mention. The others were "modded" per many suggestions, and "fixes" found on the Load master Zone where I've been a member for years. A very helpful site with good folks (as here) with a lot of good help (if needed) from some very experienced LM users. The two Load Master presses I now own have "after market" parts from Mike's Reloading Bench, run great, work great with good priming now....not before. So Kudos for you and your press, glad you got a good one. Some have not been so fortunate.

I would like those of you who are having priming issues to please stipulate your die arrangement. I have a Lee Universal Decapping Die (this is an extra part not included even in the 4-die sets) in Station 1; and the resizing die with decapper removed in Station 2. There are videos on YT that explain how the resizing operation gets that case precisely aligned for priming. So please weigh in!

[horseman]

I would like those of you who are having priming issues to please stipulate your die arrangement. I have a Lee Universal Decapping Die (this is an extra part not included even in the 4-die sets) in Station 1; and the resizing die with decapper removed in Station 2. There are videos on YT that explain how the resizing operation gets that case precisely aligned for priming. So please weigh in!

For the most part you're preaching to the choir. The Universal decap die in sta 1 and sizer in sta 2 has been used for several years in the many "fixes" tried in the effort to eliminate priming issues. Sometimes it works/helps, sometimes it doesn't. I've personally been working these presses since about 1999 and know them pretty darned well. Some here have been using them even longer. There are few, if any, mods, fixes, incantations and the burning of incense (along with quite a bit of some what dubious language) that I haven't tried/used in the ongoing saga of the LM's I've owned and now own. Just the "aligning" of the case to the primer seating pin doesn't help in the upside down and sideways primer issues. I believe that Mike's primer pin adjustment set screw is the best answer so far I've seen (and use) for those problems. I've not had either since having that work done to my carriers. It's also something that can be done fairly easily by any owner but I chose to have Mike do it along with the other "upgrades" to the carrier, primer arm and priming pin he offers. Like I said previously, It's always good to hear of owners that don't have issues with their presses, there are quite a lot of them, but some others aren't so fortunate. As far as die configuration on my presses, most of the time I have nothing in station two but on occasion (depending on caliber) I will use a different flare die, such as a Lyman M die or one of my cowboy die sets flare die for a "better" bullet fit with oversize cast bullets. I hope you have continuing good fortune with your press.

[Deleted User 1445]

As far as die configuration on my presses, most of the time I have nothing in station two but on occasion (depending on caliber) I will use a different flare die, such as a Lyman M die or one of my cowboy die sets flare die for a "better" bullet fit with oversize cast bullets. I hope you have continuing good fortune with your press.

So if you have nothing in Station #2, then you may expect to have primer issues and consequently need all those parts from Mike. Would it not be easier and less expensive to just get the Universal Decapping Die and be done with this? I mean, RanchDog posted this Topic: "I cannot make my LM work"; then you and/or he (apparently) cannot implement a simple, low-cost fix? I cannot account for what Lee may have done to even slightly change the Loadmaster since 1997, but I've just installed the latest Lee Priming parts, and everything is working fine, but not much history yet. My press is vintage ~2012, but I've just recently had the opportunity to set it up. I know that as we get older, changing the way things are done becomes more difficult. Is there some reason that I cannot see as to why you cannot resize in station #2? (I promise that absolutely no incantations or incense were used by me for my LM.)

[Ranch Dog]

Here is how I run mine when I'm priming on the press:

1. Universal Decapping die
2. Sizing Die with decapper removed
3. Powder Through Expander die
4. Bullet Seating die
5. Carbide Handgun Factory Crimp Die

I can assure you that I have spent thousands of hours trying to resolve the issues with my presses in the 18 years of ownership, I didn't count this year as I haven't used any of the three presses. In those hours, I have referenced every resource available.

tkarl, I'm glad your press is running fine but there are thousands if not ten's of thousands of others that have experienced similar issues with the Load Master no matter how lucky you have been. These issues have also been documented on every firearm and reloading forum on the internet. This isn't simply because we aren't holding our mouth right or have gotten too old to accept new ideas.

[GasGuzzler]

Yes, we get the idea.

[horseman]

So if you have nothing in Station #2, then you may expect to have primer issues and consequently need all those parts from Mike. Would it not be easier and less expensive to just get the Universal Decapping Die and be done with this? I mean, RanchDog posted this Topic: "I cannot make my LM work"; then you and/or he (apparently) cannot implement a simple, low-cost fix? I cannot account for what Lee may have done to even slightly change the Loadmaster since 1997, but I've just installed the latest Lee Priming parts, and everything is working fine, but not much history yet. My press is vintage ~2012, but I've just recently had the opportunity to set it up. I know that as we get older, changing the way things are done becomes more difficult. Is there some reason that I cannot see as to why you cannot resize in station #2? (I promise that absolutely no incantations or incense were used by me for my LM.)[/quote]
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To address the part about the changes Lee has made to the LM. In the beginning there was a big bang....oops, wrong story...o.k, the first change Lee made was the knurling of the ram. Early 90's. Then they added grease zerks with an oil port for the ram. Then............(years go by)............they started changing the priming parts because (I want to believe this is the reason anyway) that owners were complaining all over the internet (and to Lee) of what a piece of junk the priming system (and the press in general was) The "junk" statements about the press itself, other than the priming system was, IMO, just improper adjustments of the case feeder and indexing, but they can sometimes be a challenge. There were three different "new" priming versions I believe, the last of which is what we now have and it is a mild improvement. Although some think not. That's about it for changes to the press as far as I know. (Lee is convinced the press is an engineering marvel and needs no improvement). I do not agree.

The priming issues a lot of us had/have will not be eliminated by simply using a sizing die in station two. (As I previously stated, that doesn't help with upside down and sideways primers if someone is having that issue) Anyone who has bought and kept a LM for more than a month has tried that. For some it works, and as RD (and myself) stated, for many it doesn't....and while I am old and set in my ways, there isn't much I haven't tried with these presses. (including using a size die in station two) And the reason I no longer use a die in station two is because I no longer NEED one there (it didn't work anyway, hence the aftermarket parts). My two presses now work fine. (after the new parts were installed). I own a Universal decapping die, in fact I have two of them. I use them for de-priming all my fired cases before wet tumbling. That's kinda what that die was designed for, not for depriming on a LM so the sizing die could be used in station two for aligning cases so it would properly prime. Also, there is no reason not to use a size die in station two if you so want. It will not create any problems.......

[daboone]

Sorry I couldn't resist:

I had mine for 5 years then gave it to my SIL after rebuilding it with the new and improved parts and reading, rereading Loadmasterzone's info. Finally he gave it back and I sold it and never looked back. I loved it for the time spent tinkering and polishing and adding MM's parts and soul searching and rearranging dies and cursing. I finally came to the conclusion it was OK to blame the tool. Without the priming system it was a beautiful press. It's the only Lee product I've used that wasn't worth it.