Lee 6000 press

Tomme boy

Well-Known Member
Lee is coming out with a new 6 station progressive press. It looks like they combined a Auto breech lock pro, with a pro 1000 carrier. Supposed to have auto priming. Lees major downfall is their primer setup. Hopefully they changed some things. I have a awful amount of red in my loading room. Some of their stuff is actually decent. But the plastic needs to stop being used on wear items.

I hope they fix the alignment issues of the ABLP press to carry over to this press. I can't load 380 on mine as the cases can not be inserted far enough into the shell plate. You have to tip each case into the center to get them to go into the dies. After crushing about 25 cases trying different things to get them to align. I feel it may also be the shell plate may be too thick for the extractor grove on the 380 case. It does the same thing on a turret I have if I use a RCBS shell holder. But not with a Lee shell holder as the rear is relieved(scalloped?) more than just flat on top like the RCBS one.
 

Petrol & Powder

Well-Known Member
I'm not going to bash Lee products (they don't need any help damaging their reputation, they're doing fine on their own)

I own some Lee gear, but a progressive press is a significant outlay of cash, and not one I'm willing to take a big chance on. So, unless that Lee 6000 is so cheap that it's essentially disposable if it turns out to be junk, that's not a risk I'm willing to take.
 
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Red Bear

Member
I've never had anything but trouble with Lee priming equipment.
Enough said on that topic..........

Ben
i actually like lee products. i have an assortment of reloading products (rcbs hornady lyman). But use lee a lot . on scales i have pacific rcbs lyman bonazana and lee as well as several electric scales. the lee gets the most use its just easier to use. will admit i only like the lee old hand primer do not care for the lee press primers.
 
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Jeff H

NW Ohio
I saw the new press and thought they just keep getting farther and farther away from the stuff I like and use. I do not mess with any of the progressive equipment, regardless of manufacture, so my perspective is a bit different on LEE stuff.

I love my LEE stuff, especially my priming equipment...

BUT,

I have stuck with the basic stuff they absolutely excel at - an old 3-station turret press with ZERO "automatic" function to it, and my beloved and aging hand-primer with the ROUND primer tray.

I don't think there's enough of a market for the basic stuff I prefer any more, so I understand that they have to compete. I also believe they have been very innovative, but have fallen down on priming tools. I'm still using a discontinued model and have no desire to even bother with any of the newer ones.
 

Ian

Notorious member
I have had very good luck with Lee priming equipment, even the system on my Loadmaster has worked flawlessly (it's the latest, improved version).

What Lee really needed to do is make the Pro-4000 on the 6000 base and big ram system, and use 4-hole turrets and the square rod index system that has worked for decades on the Classic and small ram turret presses instead of the stupid flat rod and breech lock die head. The problem with the new sintered bases is they are flimsy and there's too much overhang behind the ram on anything more than 4 stations which causes flex that results in inconsistent seating depth and crimp pressure.
 

Petrol & Powder

Well-Known Member
BUT,

I have stuck with the basic stuff they absolutely excel at - an old 3-station turret press with ZERO "automatic" function to it, and my beloved and aging hand-primer with the ROUND primer tray.

I don't think there's enough of a market for the basic stuff I prefer any more, so I understand that they have to compete. I also believe they have been very innovative, but have fallen down on priming tools. I'm still using a discontinued model and have no desire to even bother with any of the newer ones.
You may have hit the topic square on the head - The portion of the market where Lee excels is at the lower end of the market (read that as less expensive) and not at the upper end of the market.
Their old and simple turret presses are loved by many and have a great following. Their Classic Cast single stage press is a good value. I use Lee products when they fit my needs and budget. They offer an alternative to higher priced products BUT there's a limit to that field.

I loved my old round-tray Lee hand priming tools until the cast zinc parts all broke. I cannibalized as many as I could to keep two (one large primer and one small primer) operational. Eventually I had to go with RCBS when I could get enough parts to keep them going. A friend had a Lee progressive press that was absolute junk. I will not risk my money on complex Lee products, that type of gear is not Lee's forte.


A progressive press? Sorry but that's outside of Lee's wheelhouse.
 

Glaciers

Alaska Land of the Midnight Sun
Got to agree with Jeff H and to P&P’s point that LEE is best at the basics from what I see.
I use the Classic Cast Turret and a few other LEE items. It’s as fast as I need. I have a round hand primer tool that I don’t use anymore as the priming system on the CCT works perfectly. For anything else I use the RCBS bench mounted priming tool.
The only complaint I have with the Classic Cast is, at times a fifth position would be nice.
 

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
Seems some of you viewed my post stating that I didn't care for Lee priming equipment as an attempt to bash Lee. If that had been my goal, the post would have been MUCH longer. I have a lot of Lee dies and bullet moulds.

Ben
 

Glaciers

Alaska Land of the Midnight Sun
Myself I was just saying I don’t need anything fancier. I certainly have other brands of tools/equipment.
Never thought you were bashing anything. Simply thought you were making a comment.
Besides I have the round hand primer tool not the dreaded square one.
 

Petrol & Powder

Well-Known Member
Ben, I wasn't responding to you.

Just commenting in general that Lee has a place in the market, and I don't believe that place is in the upper end of the market.
Lee hits a low price point for simple devices, and they do that well,
Lee would not be my choice for a progressive press - Progressive presses are well outside of Lee's bailiwick.
 

Jeff H

NW Ohio
Seems some of you viewed my post stating that I didn't care for Lee priming equipment as an attempt to bash Lee. If that had been my goal, the post would have been MUCH longer. I have a lot of Lee dies and bullet moulds.

Ben
Nope, not my intent at all. If I gave that impression, please accept my apology, Ben.

If my comments don't mesh with what you said, then I said it wrong.

I am a LEE fan "to an extent," and have plenty of criticism for them myself, which wouldn't be relevant to the topic.

My point is that they DID priming well in the PAST, but I'm not to keen on what I've seen lately and that they DID "simple" very well.

Again, my apologies if I ran this off course with how I expressed myself.
 

Jeff H

NW Ohio
Ben, I wasn't responding to you.

Just commenting in general that Lee has a place in the market, and I don't believe that place is in the upper end of the market.
Lee hits a low price point for simple devices, and they do that well,
Lee would not be my choice for a progressive press - Progressive presses are well outside of Lee's bailiwick.

Agree with this and what @Glaciers said. That was my point and I felt it contributed to the general tone of the thread.

Again, if it looked like it was anything other than agreement or having added to the comments, I just said it wrong.
 

JonB

Halcyon member
Lee's safety prime (for their turret presses) works well for me.
Plastic...yep,
...and I've worn out a couple of them.
I've also replaced the chincy spring in them (when they break). I got a few factory replacement springs from Lee, but The springs I made myself worked better.
 

Missionary

Well-Known Member
Only Lee Priming system I have used is the round tray hand squeeze rig. Not sure how many thousands of primers it has done very well with. Still chugging away. But I do only gently squeeze it normally with just two fingers. If something needs more pressure it is usually a case out of position or has a crimp pocket I missed.
 

Petrol & Powder

Well-Known Member
I suspect many of the members on this forum have an extensive collection of tools. Reloading tools, carpentry tools, mechanic's tools, electrical tools, plumbing tools, etc. I know I've accumulated quite a few over the years and I don't think I'm alone in that regard.
I have some expensive, high-quality tools, I have some mid-grade tools and I have some downright cheap tools. Which grade I buy depends on a lot of factors. Reloading tools are no different in that arena. Sometimes you spend a lot, sometimes you spend a little. Those decisions are based on a lot of factors.


Lee reloading gear has its place and If I've offended anyone, my apologies.
I have some Lee equipment and I'm perfectly satisfied with it, BUT - there's a limit to what I'll acquire from Lee.
A Lee progressive press is outside my zone of what I deem acceptable for the money. If I'm spending hundreds of dollars for a progressive press that I will own and operate for decades - I'm not going to cut corners to save a few dollars up front. It just isn't worth it over the long run.
I do not have a good opinion of Lee progressive presses, perhaps that opinion in outdated. However, I am not willing to take that risk.
YMMV