Lee Progressive 1000 for .223

[fwpart]

Trying to reload and properly understand the measurements for the Lee Progressive 1000 reloader. Need to load 23 grains for a .223 round with a 55 grain Hornady bullet. How many cubic centimeters is 23 grains of Alliants AR-Comp Powder? Cant find this info on Alliant's website and becoming frustrated. Trying to figure out which bushing or bushings to use to get 23 grains so I can use the press as designed. Don't worry, I'll test and test some more until I know it's accurate but would appreciate someone throwing me a bone on this one!

Thanks
Fletcher

 

[BradMacc82]

Best way to find out. Use a spent casing with a spent primer still in it and throw the charge into it, empty the charge into your scale, and adjust your disk(s) till you get to where you want to be.

My log books have all my combo's for the powder and charge weights I use, so all I have to do is look it up, and throw a few just to verify it's correct.

ETA: I use a Pro1000 for my .223, 300BLK, and .45ACP loads. It took a fair amount of time to get everything where I wanted it. So make sure to write stuff down for easy reference in the future.

 

[mch28]

Did you get the double disk kit? It's almost required for the .223 loads. There's a couple powders that might work with the single disk, but it's easier to get it correct with the double disks.

 

[mike_in_md]

Best way to find out. Use a spent casing with a spent primer still in it and throw the charge into it, empty the charge into your scale, and adjust your disk(s) till you get to where you want to be.

My log books have all my combo's for the powder and charge weights I use, so all I have to do is look it up, and throw a few just to verify it's correct.

This.

 

[Jolt]

The pamphlet I got with my Lee powder measure lists Alliant AR-Comp has a volume measure density of 0.0753 per cc. That multiplied times the number of grains you want to load will give you the volume in cc.
Hope this helps

 

[fwpart]

I do have the double disk kit

 

[fwpart]

So I'm figuring the max load is 25.6 grains for a 55gr bullet. I'm thinking back that off 10% and bring it to 23 grains which equates to 1.73 cc. Do you feel this is an appropriate and safe way to go? Thank you for your assistance! My Lee instructions and matrix's don't include alliant ar-comp. I'm new and learning as I go. Want avoid learning the hard and painful way!

 

[iggy]

So I'm figuring the max load is 25.6 grains for a 55gr bullet. I'm thinking back that off 10% and bring it to 23 grains which equates to 1.73 cc. Do you feel this is an appropriate and safe way to go? Thank you for your assistance! My Lee instructions and matrix's don't include alliant ar-comp. I'm new and learning as I go. Want avoid learning the hard and painful way!

Go to the powder website and see if you can get actual data for that powder. If you can't I'd hold off on guessing. Try calling Maryland Reload R. I am sure Bob could help you figure it out.

 

[fwpart]

The max load on Aliiant's Website is 25.6 grains for the 55 grain bullet, that's where I got that number from. Thanks for the tip!

 

[Winterborn]

I have the double disk kit as well, and the included table doesn't have some of the newer powders (such as AR Comp and CFE 223).

I did a trial and error type of thing, in which I picked a setting, threw the charge, then weighed the charge and adjusted the disks until I got the load I wanted consistantly. Write it down and you've got your settings for your powder. The only problem is that you are stuck with the pre-formed disk bushings and while you can get close to a specific load, you cannot adjust it past that point.

The Lee adjustable charge bar would probably be the way to go for this, its on Midway for like 9 bucks.

I did this for CFE 223 when I was using the double disk for that, it worked fine.

 

[fwpart]

Ok , so I got my powder measurements figured out. Set up my press, set all my dies, lubbed cases. Casing either bind in depriming die or my brass gets crushed by the powder die. I'm frustrated with this thing and have lost patience. I live in Newark, DE. Anyone live close and willing to get me on my feet and reloading? I'll buy beer and pay for dinner! Wanna learn and learn best by seeing and asking questions than any book or wesite. Anyone wanna hang out for a bit and share your knowledge? Again, beer and steak dinner sound good? Thanks in advance!

 

[mike_in_md]

Maybe your dies are not adjusted properly

 

[Winterborn]

Ok , so I got my powder measurements figured out. Set up my press, set all my dies, lubbed cases. Casing either bind in depriming die or my brass gets crushed by the powder die. I'm frustrated with this thing and have lost patience. I live in Newark, DE. Anyone live close and willing to get me on my feet and reloading? I'll buy beer and pay for dinner! Wanna learn and learn best by seeing and asking questions than any book or wesite. Anyone wanna hang out for a bit and share your knowledge? Again, beer and steak dinner sound good? Thanks in advance!

I'm about an hour away, maybe next weekend I can cone up and help you.

Pm me Friday if you are still having trouble.

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 2

 

[Klunatic]

I am also dipping into reloading. I just purchased a Lee progresive Loadmaster with .223 setup. It comes with the de-priming/sizing die, primer station, powder station (with double disk), bullet seating and crimp dies. My real concern in this process is the COL after sizing.

What are peoples experience with the sizing die and case length with the progressive press? I have read that most don't experience and issue when reloading .223. Would appreciate any reports on reloading .223, .300 and .308 in the loadmaster progressive.

 

[Jaybeez]

I have the double disk kit as well, and the included table doesn't have some of the newer powders (such as AR Comp and CFE 223).

I did a trial and error type of thing, in which I picked a setting, threw the charge, then weighed the charge and adjusted the disks until I got the load I wanted consistantly. Write it down and you've got your settings for your powder. The only problem is that you are stuck with the pre-formed disk bushings and while you can get close to a specific load, you cannot adjust it past that point.

The Lee adjustable charge bar would probably be the way to go for this, its on Midway for like 9 bucks.

I did this for CFE 223 when I was using the double disk for that, it worked fine.

the adjustable charge bar needs to modified a little to throw charges near max in .223

 

[sxs]

FWIW, I, too, have a Lee Pro 1000 and have used it for .223. I bought this unit years ago because I got it so cheap from someone who was a friend and figured I would have more use for it than he. It's a bit finicky, however, and I find it doesn't always throw very accurate charges (+ or - 0.3 gr - worse with extruded powders). Don't get me wrong...it's fine for plinking loads, but when I want something better, I use my single stage press and because I can more easily weigh each charge, I can get well within 0.1 gr. You can weigh each load on your Lee Pro 10000, but it's kind'a awkward. By better controlling my charge weight for my reloads, I get significantly better accuracy on all my .223's (mini-14, T/C Contender Super-14, and Rem 700 V). Also, with 0.3 gr variance, I wouldn't push the uppermost limits of loading data (I rarely push maximums for most loads any...I look for accuracy...not hot loads). BTW, the Lee does it's best using spherical or flake powders (and frankly the RCBS powder thrower is more consistant with these powders as well). With the RCBS single stage press, I throw a load that will be pretty close with my thrower, then bring my charge up to the desired load with a powder trickler. As others have pointed out, you'll almost certainly need the double disk which, btw, also allows not only larger charges for .223 and some magnums, but also a bit more flexibility with low - medium charges for pistol. regarding case crushing, it's likely either a die or timing problem. The expander die has to be adjusted not only to ensure an (reasonably) accurate throw, but you also have to be careful the expander doesn't go too deep in the case mouth or else you may either split the case mouth or crush the case. Also, make sure your cases are well lubed. One last thing, if after adjustment your case mouths as inconsistantly flared, you may have to trim your brass. In other words, you could have your dies adjusted appropriately for one case, but the nest one might be a fraction too long. This will cause too much case mouth expansion and could even cause the same splits or case crushing that an improperly adjusted dies does. One last thing to consider: Lee Pro 1000 is also pretty finicky about timing and it can get out of adjustment fairly easy. This will also crush case abeit the case will most often be crushed too one side.

 

[FlatsFlite]

I am also dipping into reloading. I just purchased a Lee progresive Loadmaster with .223 setup. It comes with the de-priming/sizing die, primer station, powder station (with double disk), bullet seating and crimp dies. My real concern in this process is the COL after sizing.

What are peoples experience with the sizing die and case length with the progressive press? I have read that most don't experience and issue when reloading .223. Would appreciate any reports on reloading .223, .300 and .308 in the loadmaster progressive.

Measure and sort your brass before going progressive. In my experience the gun in which the round is fired in, stretches the brass more than a full length reloading die. Take a .223 bolt gun and a 5.56 semi-auto. Nine times out of 10,, the brass out of the bolt gun will be close to 1.75" after the first (1st) firing. The one out of the 5.56 chamber will be closer to 1.77" (at least in my two rifles). That said, I can get one or two reloads for a bolt gun before I have to trim. In my AR, I have to trim every time.

If you shoot bolt action, neck size your brass. If you shoot semi auto in bulk, buy a trim station.

 

[Klunatic]

Measure and sort your brass before going progressive. In my experience the gun in which the round is fired in, stretches the brass more than a full length reloading die. Take a .223 bolt gun and a 5.56 semi-auto. Nine times out of 10,, the brass out of the bolt gun will be close to 1.75" after the first (1st) firing. The one out of the 5.56 chamber will be closer to 1.77" (at least in my two rifles). That said, I can get one or two reloads for a bolt gun before I have to trim. In my AR, I have to trim every time.

If you shoot bolt action, neck size your brass. If you shoot semi auto in bulk, buy a trim station.

Thanks for the info. I am shooting AR and I did pick up a Lyman trim station with drill arbor.

 

[Knuc]

I am having trouble with my Lee 1000 with the primer station. It is intermittently putting the primers in sideways when I try to run a batch. But if I run 1 piece of brass through all three stations by its self it seems fine. I have taken the carrier assembly apart to see if anything was jammed in it and cleaned it up and are still having the problem. Any suggestions?

 

[photoracer]

I originally got my Lee Pro 1000 to load 9x23mm ammo. It was a learning experience for the first time reloader. But it did not take me that long to turn out decent ammo for my raceguns. However because I did not feel like messing with my press to convert it to a rifle caliber I use a single stage press for every caliber that I don't do massive quantities of, like .41 Mag or rifle calibers. Then I use a hand primer. On the Pro 1000 keeping the primer tray and chute properly running is one of its main issues. You need to be able to tell from when the newly deprimed and sized case trips the primer release mechanism that a primer has actually been seated on the seating column. You should see the column of primers shift down one and be able to feel, on the stroke of the press lever, that you are infact seating a primer correctly. Being somewhat anal about it I also want to be able to see the case with the powder in it as it goes to the bullet seating station to make sure the powder level is where it should be. In my case it means running the press slightly slower, but I get perfect rounds every time. To that with rifle rounds you need to add lubing the cases (I don't do that for pistol ammo, I just use carbide dies), trimming the cases, and if you are smart annealing the cases also.