To get a LoadMaster working properly, there are a few things to consider that are inherent to the design of the press.
- Each die in each set needs to be set properly so that the work is completed at the very top of the stroke. This is more necessary with a Loadmaster than a Dillon because the Loadmaster primes on the upstroke and it is an adjustable setting. Consider that if you set a die too deeply to prevent the carrier from reaching the top, and then set the primer seating depth to properly seat primers with this die set, everything works fine. Then, you switch calibers and the next die set allows the carrier to go further up then your previously set primer system is now setting too deeply. All of the symptoms will show up by tilted primers, smashed primers, broken primer system parts, etc. In conclusion, all die sets should allow the carrier to go the top and have the work done at that location. If this is done, the primer system has to be set once and that's it.
- If the primer adjustment is set too deeply, what happens is that the primer slider has to try and place a primer up and on an already rising post. This results in damaged parts and mounds of frustration with the above symptoms. This is how to set it properly, but after doing so, operation has to be done in conjunction with #1. With no turret in the press, put a fired case (with spent primer in it) into station one and advance it to station #2. Be sure the primer seating depth bolt (on the left side of the press) is turned as high as it will go. When the carrier is at the top with the fired case in station #2, hold the handle down to keep the carrier at the top. With your left hand, push the primer rocker arm (the lever that the depth bolt pushes) down as far as it will go. This puts the priming plunger up tight against the bottom of the case. Turn the primer depth bolt down to meet this location (until it stops), lower the carrier and turn the bolt down further not quite a half turn more and secure it. Along with #1, you have just solved the priming problem that many complain about.
- Make sure the case retainers are set. Make sure they are snug and pushed inward. Then, run a case (without a turret in the press) through the press. As it, along with the shellplate, moves (donít use a slamming motion, but rather a smooth one) through, it will push the retainers out to the perfect setting and they will stay there. This is especially important for station #2 because this retainer is what holds the case in place during priming. Many use another die for alignment and that doesnít hurt but itís really not necessary. Consider that if the retainer is not holding the case in all the way, centrifugal force cases the case to move outward and then itís no longer centered for priming and problems occur.
- With the other points in place, be sure you are using full press strokes to the top and bottom. If you short stroke the press, the work on the cases are not completed and you would get squib loads because the dies are set properly per point #1. When you come to the bottom of the stroke, this is where the shell plate advances. Near the bottom, I don't slam the handle to the top, but rather move the handle in the same manner as I have. This results in a smooth index. One little thing I do is put a tiny bit of gun grease on the end of the primer flipper of the indexing rod and at the mating portion of the handle I also place just a little on the pullout rib of the press frame. This all helps indexing occur smoothly. I also wipe the index rod down and give it a light coat of oil when I change calibers.
- When setting the dies properly, you notice that the powder through expanding die is turned in to touch the shell holder and then backed out about a half turn. This is the proper setting and when the powder measure is placed on the die, ensures that you get a proper powder drop each time. To reset the measure, the chain is used and many find this setting troublesome and this baffles me because it takes about 5 seconds. With the carrier down, pull the chain (with the stop piece and buffer spring about 10 beads from one end) through the hole in the carrier and then through the outer hole in the powder measure and pull it taught. Raise the carrier slightly so that you can pull one more bead through the outer hole in the measure, then lower the carrier which places tension on the chain through the buffer spring on the bottom. Then, pull the other end of the chain through the inner hole in the powder measure to the point you almost hear a click. This ensures that the chain is secure in the powder measure holes. This is so easy that each time I finish a loading session, I raise the carrier and remove the chain from the powder measure and let in hang. That way, there is no tension on the powder measure when the press isnít being used. When I start loading, I spend the 5 seconds and set it again. Be sure the carrier is all the way down when you do this, or you will break the chain when bringing the carrier to the bottom.
- Be sure your press is mounted securely with the least movement (bounce) as possible. This is true for any press and not indicative of the Loadmaster. However, you'll find that things work much smoother when the work you do is transferred to where you want it to happen instead of a flexing press.
- The case feeder requires nothing special other than what is in the directions, however many don't realize that the crankslider adjustment should be done with one screw only. After setting it up with the feed rod per the instructions, tighten the top one as far as it will go without stripping it. The tension is adjusted with the bottom screw and it is turned in until the case slider is able to move a case from a fully stacked case tube into the shellplate carrier reliably. Adjust it tight enough for this to happen but not more than necessary. Another thing that helps is to put a little oil on the bottom of the feed ramp and then move the case slider back and forth (with an upward motion) because that is the area of the slider that has most contact with the feed ramp.
- Personally, I don't use the case feeder much only because I don't load more than about 50 to 100 at a time and it ís not worth setting it up. You can use it very reliably and with great throughput just by placing a case into station #1 and a bullet on the case. My throughput is about 900 rounds an hour this way. If you are doing several hundred, it ís worth setting up and when done properly, it works perfectly. The complexity of case after case going into the shellplate with each pull of the handle overwhelms some people and they lose track of what is going on.
- I would recommend starting by not using a case feeder and placing a single case on the press and working it all the way through. After you've done this a hundred times or so, you'll understand how the press works. Then, run a case through the system until it clears the priming station and start another one. After you've done that for a couple of hundred rounds (to get used to several things happening at once), you can start going full tilt by loading the cases each time. If your loading dictates the need, by all means hook up the casefeeder after you are used to everything else and then pump them out.
- There are videos on Lee's website that cover everything I've talked about here including the proper setting of each die. Most times, a picture is worth a thousand words and I recommend you view them to see how itís done. In my opinion, point #1 is very important because if not done properly, a snowball effect of other things not working will begin. http://leeprecision.com/load-master-help-videos.html
