Lee Loader

Well here's the first report on the new bench and I hope some of you have been following. Thought I would start a new post so as not to confuse the bench build post.

For now I have the bench set with the Auto Breech Lock Pro press and loaded up some 9mm Plated RN using both the case feeder and the RCBS Tube Bullet feeder. In all honesty I still do not have a lot of experience with this press or the arrangement. But I think I am finally developing a routine and learning how to use the Safety Prime System. Didn't set any speed records but didn't have any failures and only a couple missed primers. Seriously it took me about an hour to load up 50 rounds But again I was check weighing almost every round and still getting the feel for everything.

This new benchtop is at the same height as it was before with the Pro1000 on it. Well the new press is lower and the handle is in a different position than the Pro1000 and I may have to raise this up a few inches as the handle is very low at the bottom of the stroke. Before I make a change I will put the Pro1000 or the turret press on the bench and see how it feels.

Still the bench is rock solid the steel bench plate is holding the press firmly in place. While sitting at the bench I am able to clearly see into the case to verify a powder drop w/o having to wiggle around to look or bend over. The bin that the finished rounds are supposed to drop into, well I didn't use it. Instead I took a plastic lid from an ice cream bucket and slid it under the drop chute and it's being held in place with a very strong Rare Earth magnet. I only had 1 round bounce out and hit the floor.

So other than possibly having to raise the height of the benchtop I am very please with the results and am finally getting familiar with this new press. Now I really need to get out and burn some of this up so I can make more.

It sounds like you have done a great job. It will be interesting to see how or if you address the height differences between the two presses.

Congratulations 1954, now get busy running out of room

larryw wrote:Congratulations 1954, now get busy running out of room

I don't anticipate that happening any time soon. For one reason I only shoot and load for handguns so no need for a trim station. I do all my brass priming on the press so no need for a bench mounted priming tool. Lastly this bench has only one purpose for existence and that is to support a press and reload ammunition. No laundry, no carburetors, no parts cleaning pans. That all has it's own place, there is another bench right behind this one for all that Other Stuff.

Here is a picture of the bench after I was finished loading that first session.

Tonight I was able to C clamp the ABLP press to the bench right next to the Value Turret press to compare handle positions. When the handles are all the way to the bottom of their strokes the ABLP is 5" lower or closer to the floor than the Turret press handle.

I was also able to raise the ABLP 2" with a block and that seemed to help and make the press more comfortable but at the same time appears that will raise the Turret and Pro1000 to where it will make it more difficult to look into the charged cases.

So, a block just for the ABLP?

Sorry, the wood block was only used to raise and position the height of the press temporarily so I could see how it would react. For the ABLP it helped and didn't effect the sightline of looking into the cases and made it much more comfortable to reach the bottom of the stroke. It did drastically change the sightline on the turret press and made it harder to easily see into the charged cases.

So far I haven't decided on a course of action though I am now a bit discouraged by this development. I may just order an extra handle and take it to a buddy and see if he can heat it and bend it to a better position.