To answer the most common question so far, I still have the lock rings on top of the dies because I need to use them with my Loadmaster until I get a large primer 10mm plate for the 6pack. This way they wont get lost in the clutter
VERY nice, timely, and USEFUL description/demonstration of the Lee Precision Pro 6000 Six Pack reloader. Nothing I've seen online (or for that matter in any publications, even on Lee's website) has any decent description or demonstration of what you've done. It's unique. Thank you. Although I have NO business or professional relationship with Lee (I'm only a recreational reloader), I have been a HEAVY user of their products since the mid-1970s, and even had a few (telephone) conversations with Richard Lee himself. Unfortunately, they were way too short. Anyway, you mentioned no other shellplates other than for 10 mm. Curious. The only Pro 6000 Lee shipped to me was also in 10 mm (the die set that came was labelled 40 S&W), and was sold as "blemished" (it was, but is eminently useable). But out of the box, my teenage son & I set-up the press in under HALF an HOUR. This was very unlike any of Lee's other progressive, or even their simpler turret presses. For that matter, I'm not shy to mention that my Dillon 550 (purchased in the early 1990s for more than this press' CURRENT price), took longer, too, had markedly fewer features, and NO automatic advance. I think Lee has a real winner. Lastly, although the communications/ads I've seen from Lee says the Pro 6000's commercial debut has now been delayed to October, 2022, if you wish to order additional shellplates, MidwayUSA (in Columbia, MO) seems to have a number of them already in stock as of Friday 9-16-2022. I think they're also offering free shipping for $49 purchases for a while. Since I have multiple calibers coming to me already on order from Lee, I think I'll wait, but you might wish to go this route to further your demonstrations. You've really done a nice job. Please keep-it-up!
Thank you for your feedback. I had actually bought the press as the 9mm kit (that's all that was in stock at the time) but the shell plate is the 19S, which is the same as 40s&w (or in my case 10mm SPP). More plates are for sure on the to-do list. I was amazed at how it was pretty much ready to just slap on the dies and go straight out of the box. Did they also notify you about the slide hold down attachment?
@@r.l.5526 Yes. They are ALWAYS real professionals, & emailed me about the bowing of the primer sliders about 5 days after we received the press, but we had not noticed that problem yet. Lee always takes ownership of ANY identified problem & corrects them. They furthermore notified me that replacement/fix parts are on the way. Without a doubt, the EASIEST set-up of any progressive press (the hardest part of implementing such a press) that I've EVER seen. And I've been reloading since 1974.
I've never used a turret, my first was the Loadmaster (despite everyone telling me to buy blue) just because I felt that the time/effort ratio was worth the extra bit for progressive. Glad I did it and will be sticking with progressives with no regrets, and dont see myself wanting to replace this one any time soon. If you shoot pistol it's a massive quality of Life improvement
For an initial impression it is A LOT more reliable than the loadmaster's. It pulls back unused primers each time so it doesn't jam up on them like the LM does. I am still working on testing out a few things with it which will (hopefully) be covered in my next one dedicated to the priming system
I try to not be biased.... much..... But I see no reason to spend more on any other color progressive press on the market when this one beat my expectations like it has. After I hit order I had the typical "buyers remorse" next day regrets since I didn't really NEED to replace my loadmaster, but a month later I am glad that I did. It really is a great product and as cool as it would be to get kickbacks for saying so, I don't
@@r.l.5526 thank you for your input . I was looking at a Dillon and a frankford . But can’t bring my self to spend that kind of money. I have the loadmaster . And I have to say . it works great. So I will get the six pack when it comes in . Thank you
I ordered one last night, I'm excited to get it set up and chooching, I've already got 7 pounds of Alliant Green Dot and 2000 primers to get started. I'm kind of curious if my powder is going to meter well though, it's a flake shotgun powder so we'll see if I get consistent weights with that powder measure system on the press. I was ecstatic when I learned Green Dot can also be used in several pistol cartridges, being able to load shotgun and pistol with the same powder is _awesome._
@@r.l.5526 Yeah I've heard Blue Dot is a great magnum powder since it has a slower burn rate, Green Dot is just a tad bit faster than Blue Dot, it's great for 12 gauge which is why I had 7 pounds on hand, it was a lucky coincidence that it can be loaded in 9mm and some other cartridges (.45 auto, 7.62x39, 30-30, and a couple others), it sure made me happy not having to buy more powder on top of primers and all the other bits and pieces for my Lee Pro Six Pack, versatility is always something I appreciate. I've loaded 12 gauge with Blue Dot before but that's about it, how much are you loading in your 10mm? I know most BD loads require a heavier charge versus something like GD, at least for 12 gauge anyways. I've loaded 1-1/8oz slugs with 28 grains of GD and 50 grains of BD, both reached nearly the same velocity but the BD definitely had the smoother recoil impulse, I liked it but it just used too much powder per shot to be economical for what I was using it for, but I'm sure it's a different story in pistol loads.
Hello R.L I hope you are well and having a great time with your new press :-) It's been several days now since you acquired this press... Now that you know it "a little better", can you tell me what are your general impressions on the 6 pack pro ? - What do you think about the improvements sent by LEE precision ??? - Are you going to give us a new video of your new press soon ??? I thank you in advance for your answers. Sincerely Alias.G / f.g
Sorry for the late reply, didn't notice I had gotten logged out and wasn't seeing notices. I actually haven't used it much at all the last few weeks and haven't yet since installing the retaining ring. I only load as I need and still haven't even tested my initial batches. Between work and 4 kids range time is maybe one day every few months. Hoping to get out tomorrow. The first printed part (the slider bracket) is a night and day difference on dry runs though.
@@r.l.5526 😀 Thank you for your answer ...😀 I understand your priorities as well as your responsibilities !!!... Shooting and reloading remain a hobby :-) Kind regards f.g / Alias.G
Question: aside from raw materials, what else besides the press itself do i need to start reloading? can i get pre-"prepped" brass? EDIT: also, why are you not using the bullet feeder?
Yes you can buy "sized and deprimed" brass (although this is more expensive than cleaning your old brass) that you should be able to load directly into a press. Aside from the press, at the bare minimum you will need reloading dies, calipers for measuring your rounds, and at least one (preferably 2) reloading manuals from which to check load data. Also good to wear eye protection while you reload.
Oops, sorry mate, just saw the edit. I had finally gotten a Loadmaster bullet feeder about a month ago to give it a try myself but couldnt make it work. I will be getting the new Lee one eventually or make the printer go brrrrrt, but in the meantime I really only do small batches at a time anyway so it's not terribly inconvenient. When the video was made the 6 pack pro wasn't even in production release yet so there was no information out regarding compatibility or accessories so i just put it together and winged it
Your mileage may vary depending on how you do your setup but I have my seating die and sizing die both kissing the plate at full stroke so there is very little fluctuation. I am nowhere near being a precision shooter though so what is good enough for me may be night and day for the more discerning shooter
Just seeing this today.! So it's the Loadmaster/Classic Cast offspring, with updated function. How is the priming, on this new press, as the Loadmaster is very finicky and primes inconsistently, so much so, that I use the ACP prime.
The priming is wonky in concept but so far pretty reliable. Still has the good ol' "the last couple in the chute may need to be coaxed out" but at least it's FAR more visible than on the Loadmaster. I also appreciate that you dont have to disassemble the entire setup to change primer size
Great video. thank you. I'm just looking to start reloading and want to consider this press. It looks great, and for a great value. One question i have on it is it it can be set to do manual indexing? i'm not sure I would want to start to learn reloading on an auto progressive, but would love to have one that I can use as a single or manually index, then turn on the auto indexing as I learn more. Also, do you also load rifle on this press? Does it work well for that?
Yes, you can remove the index rod and manually index it if that's how you want to roll. So far I have only done 223 and 300bo on it for rifle but they worked great (remember to lube your cases properly)
@@r.l.5526 I've noticed that most others I talk to tend not to do rifle rounds on a progressive. It works well for you? What are your steps or workflow for rifle on this press? And does it work well when using it as a single/turret? I'm primarily interested in reloading rifle but want to do 9mm too.
@@craigbrown1854 I wouldn't say I do much different. I give the brass a good wet tumble, rinse it in some filtered water (local hard water issues), let it dry under the sun, give it a bit of a lube, and send it through. When I am loading my cast i size/decap in 1, expand neck and prime in 2, powder drop in 3, projectile drop in 4, seat in 5, and crimp in 6
@@craigbrown1854 I should have specified that I pull them from my "within spec" pile that has already been trimmed enough times that it is close enough within spec for putting holes in paper, my bad
Great first video I just learned about the press because midsouth has it on sale. I'm currently running a pair of loadmasters. I'm hoping this will be less loadmaster. We're priming depths consistent? Also what did setup are you running? Last do you know if bullet feeder from Lee loadmaster works? Thanks in advance.
The priming depth is interesting to get used to. I am not a precision shooter so i just go for "bottomed out in the pocket" but i have had none sticking out proud yet (except for a hiccup in a crimped pocket that i didnt swage enough). The Lee bullet feeder SHOULD work (as much as it works for anything) but one of the benefits of 6 stations is that you can run a dedicated one with most setups as well. Coincidentally I am picking up a Lee one soon just to tinker with on this. I bought it as the 9mm setup and used it for that and 10mm so far. Trying 223 today
I hope Lee improved on their case feed system. My 4000 case feed is inconsistent, sometimes a case would drop sideways causing a jam. Good video. Thank you.
It's pretty much the same case feed system. I saw a vid last night of a modified one that uses a trap door at the top of the stroke to activate a single case drop. Will be looking into that for sure
Great video. I just placed an order for mine. By chance would you know how far down the bottom half of the press hangs from the edge of your workbench? I plan on mounting the press on the Lyman press stand since my bench has a drawer on the front and was hoping the press stand would clear the Pro 6000 from interfering with that drawer.
I can tell you that it for sure interferes with the drawers on my cheap HFT bench. If i raise to half stroke I can open the bottom, but the top drawer is useless. I'd estimate about 9", not including primer tube
I don't know how you we're able to make a video of this new product from lee when lee just announced it will be making these available to the public in October 2022 in addition even lee didn't make a demo video for their website?
Wouldn't it be something if they cleaned my video up and used it? Haha! I keep an eye on their factory seconds and blems so when this popped up I spent a whole 45 minutes arguing with myself before clicking the checkout button.
As RL states there were 72 of these Pro 6000s made available at a deep discount because the base finish was sub par. Well worth it. This is a beautiful press, very smooth and all steel frame and cast machined aluminum head. the riser base on the 1 1/8" ram is also steel, the progressive mechanism is aluminum. Mechanically is is a work of art, I love mine. I fitted the Lee bullet feeder which comes with fingers from .30 called to .45. My first batch will be either 45 ACP or .223. iI purchased the RCBS powder checker for this press and my Lee Classic Turret which is a real work horse. I love Lee's innovation and value. Hard to beat. add in a Lee APP and Lee ACP and you've got a round factory like no other.
Thank you for the kind words. I guess I set expectations a little high (even for myself) with follow-up video since I only go shooting a couple of times per year...
Sure! It may take a while though since one of 3 things has to happen first. Either I get more 10mm SPP brass, a new plate, or find a load for 9mm that I like enough to crank out a batch. Unless of course you meant knocking out some 30-40 Krag, which I have a love/rate relationship with loading for
No it was my bad, the shell plate had a little powder inside the lip from an earlier oopsie-poopsie. after the video i tore it all down and cleaned it out and cycled a dozen dummy rounds out of it with no hiccups
I've done some research and it turns out to be very common with the old breech lock pro (which is basically the same design): You can align the toolhead with the baseplate with some trick: fill all stations, then bring the ram to the top position (all cases inside the dies), loosen the toolhead, alignt it and re-tighten.
Stephanie with Lee's customer support indicated there is a small case retainer for the carrier being worked on. "This will help prevent case ejecting when utilizing cases 40 S&W and smaller."
Thanks R. L., great introductory video! Thanks for showing us. Looking forward to more updates on this machine and your overall thoughts. What were you using before this? Mike.
Before this I have been using a Loadmaster and a single stage Breech Lock challenger. Still hanging on to the latter but am trying to sell the LM to fund plates etc for this now
Wow! Hard to believe this is your first video, awesome job!! Did you get this when Lee released some "blemished" units a few weeks back? Wish I had taken them up on that offer. Sure looks like they fixed a lot of little things from the Loadmaster. I have "better" progressive presses but I always find myself keeping a Loadmaster bolted up and in use, mainly because of the shell case feed tubes that are just so handy. Can't wait to get my hands on one of these! Please make sure to tell Lee it is working great so they'll feel comfortable releasing it and can stop worrying about repeating the problems Richard Lee had when rolling out the Loadmaster way back when...
Thank you for the encouraging words. I finally got a new shellplate so am going to TRY some 223 on it today with a quick vid. I expect it will rip off the lips from the head like my loadmaster dead but we will see!
@@r.l.5526 I noticed that too. If there was a casing making its way to the priming station there wouldn't be a primer there. I suspect the last shell in the plate didn't have a primer. Can you confirm?
My best guess as of right now, since I havent been able to replicate it, is that it shook off. I noticed my mounts for the plate were loose and tightened them when I switched everything over to prep for 9mm. But since I havent been able to repeat it I cant say for sure
My best guess as of right now, since I havent been able to replicate it, is that it shook off. I noticed my mounts for the plate were loose and tightened them when I switched everything over to prep for 9mm. But since I havent been able to repeat it I cant say for sure
I can not speak for Lee, I am just your average Guy Nobody. I stumbled on it in their blem/closeouts when they were briefly listed due to factory dings/scratches in the base plate and jumped on it.
@@r.l.5526 @R. L. ahaha .. I tried too, but they preferred US guys rather than ship it around the world! Nice video.. hope to have one for testing and customizing asap!
I got mine and I just ran my first 150 through it. After the primer fix its running nice. I keep getting emails for other parts they are sending but so far I haven't needed them that I know of. I'm loading 223 on it now and so far I'm pretty pleased.
Heck yeah! I think I am up to 4 batches of post-purchase shipments from them now with another sent today. Their support team is ON IT. So glad I stayed team red for this purchase. I have only been loading for about a year and a half and by LM was my first press, followed by a challenger kit for large rifle rounds. 100% satisfied with all of my purchases
@@r.l.5526 This press is replacing my loadmaster and I have had it since I think 98' or real close to it. I have always used Lee presses, I cant see any reason to switch now.
@@firebladeflow they sent a new index rod and clutch disk due to a burr they discovered on the original run that was causing premature wear. I got the parts yesterday and installed them this morning
Copied from one of my earlier replies: It may take a while though since one of 3 things has to happen first. Either I get more 10mm SPP brass, a new plate, or find a load for 9mm that I like enough to crank out a batch. I only actually get a chance to hit the range MAYBE once a month or so. Lee is also sending me a couple more replacement parts to put in before any more get processed.
I have 125gr coated and cfe-p to work with. Starting at 4.5gr and going from there for casual plinking. I'm not a huge fan of the round, 10mm is my preferred all purpose.
Going to see how it does with lubed rifle rounds today. Keeping my expectations low on it though since I have not had progressive rifle ever go well for me. Stay tuned!
Thanks for the video. Why would I want to go out and spend up to $350 for this when my Loadmaster is doing the job okay? I'm not being sarcastic but want to know what's so great about it?
I can't say it's a major QoL upgrade, but opening a 6th station for a bullet feeder is nice, plus a more reliable primer feed. My loadmaster is still on standby until I get all the shell plates I need. But another thing to consider is that Lee is calling End of Life on the loadmaster and discontinuing it
I just started back reloading after 27 years! I saw lee was coming out with the 6000! I called when I heard it was coming out! They E mailed me they had some Factory seconds with some Blemishes on the base! 300.00! I started Reloading 1980! I just Purchased a Pristine R C B S 304 Dial O Grain Scale off E bay !
