Anyone Seen This Before?

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fatstreet1

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About 25 yrs ago I got this in a trade. It was set up for 9mm and I didn't own a 9mm. So I never used it. Back then, looking stuff up on the Internet was not a real option. Back then I recognized the rotating shell plate system as that from the Pro 1000 and left it at that. Fast forward 25 years and I recently bought my first 9mm and would like to load some ammo. But when I started looking at YouTube videos on setting up and tuning the Pro 1000, what I'm seeing doesn't look like what I have. What I have looks like a Challenger press with some sort of Pro 1000 conversion, only I can't find any information on any such conversion. I'm going to set it up and use it like any other Pro 1000, but was just wondering if anyone else had seen or used this type of setup. Thanks for looking and for any insight.
 

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Your very interesting arrangement may have nothing to do with Lee.
It might be one of the many reloading accessories and inventions that have come down the pike over the years.
The original source might be long gone and forgotten.
But let us know what you find out.
It's definitely neat, whoever made it.
 
appears to be a "piggy back" conversion on a single stage press. Contact LEE, it may, or may not have come from them at some time.
 
Shenna9220 and 44 AMP, I'll send something to Lee and see if they had anything to do with this conversion or maybe know who did. But I think g.willikers is probably right about it coming from some small aftermarket company that no longer exists. I would think if Lee made it that I would see more of them. But I haven't found anything at all on the web, which leads me to believe that not very many were made. Of note is that it uses the standard Auto Disk Powder Measure, as opposed to the usual "Pro" Auto Disk system with the chain and lever arm, etc. Personally I consider that to be a plus even though I've never used the "Pro" powder measure. It just seems simpler to not have to mess with the linkage on the "Pro" system - not sure about which, if either, is more accurate.

Either way, I'll be using this setup to load 9mm now and 45acp in the future. But it's definitely different, and a bit of a conversation piece. Thanks for the replies.
 
It was a Pro-1000 like conversion for the Challenger press, but can be made to work with several other presses (non-Lee, as well).

Lee called it the "Automator" conversion kit.


According to the internet: Only produced between 1989 and very early 1991, due to low sales. No parts availability, other than what interchanges with other presses still in production. But Lee still had a few leftover, NOS kits on the shelves as late as 2013! :eek:
 
I would feel confident in saying that few have as much hands-on experience with a Pro-1000 over the last 7-8 years as I have. (most don't have near as much patience hahaha :D) I'm pretty familiar with them.

Everything from the rusty three upright poles and up is Pro-1000. The curved, dished out aluminum fixture tying those three together is a part I do not recognize and the accessory ram that links between the original press ram and the top end is also unfamilar and indeed, it's a "2001" Challenger press underneath. The entire top-end is also rotated clockwise nearly 45 degrees from typical.

I'd want to clean that up and ensure it is timed or will time properly. If you think you kind of like how it works and it seems like a setup you could learn to enjoy... I would recommend buying a -NEW- Pro-1000 while these relics are still being produced and offered for sale. A new one comes with a whole new set of dies in any caliber you choose and you can have it shipped to your door for under $200.

Full disclosure: my process and the one I am comfortable with does NOT allow for this press to handle my powder and for the most part, I also don't allow it to seat and crimp my bullets. This is my own hybrid system and I use a Pro-1000 as a high volume brass prep machine. Mine deprimes, resizes, primes and flares case mouths. For this job it works extremely well and the REAL reason I do it (obviously for the speed it allows me) is because I do well more than a dozen calibers on a shoestring budget.

I am familiar enough with a Pro-1000 to claim significantly over 100,000 rounds with one... and given this experience, I would personally NEVER recommend that someone use one to handle powder and bullet seating. Would it work, can it work? Sure it could. But this is no Dillon or Hornady progressive press here. It's not even close.

As a brass prep machine, mine is a MONSTER. I am currently lagging here in 2017 with only 3,800 loaded this year, but I am finding my groove again. ;)
 
BINGO!! Once you type in a good search phrase - like "LEE Automator" - you get somewhere. I was trying "Lee Pro 1000 conversion" and getting nowhere. Thanks FrankenMauser! Even found a YouTube video - https://youtu.be/T_nQqk71rOk It definitely needs a good cleaning. It was much nicer when I got it, but 25 years in storage has taken its toll.

And Sevens, you've already loaded more this year than I do in 2 years. This unique little system should work just fine though for my modest needs.
 
Thanks FrankenMauser.
It's a Franken monster.
It jerks, it wobbles but, it's alive, it's alive.
Kind of neat, though.
It should serve you well, faststreet.
But watch it closely and don't let it go doing anything on it's own.
 
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