Make a Good Progressive Press Better: Lee Precision Six Pack Pro

I recently acquired a Lee Precision Six Pack Pro progressive press. Eventually, I will write a series of articles that revolve around this interesting press to follow the initial review. This second article concerns accessories for your new Lee press. You know, whiz-bangs and golly-thumpers that make it better.

OK, let’s get somewhat serious. Just how can you make it better? It’s already pretty good, as it comes from the factory. It even comes with a case feeder, something that no other press comes with (as far as I know), for the base price. This press allows folks on a budget to get into true progressive reloading… a complete cartridge with each handle pull once the shell plate is fully loaded.

Live Inventory Price Checker

	Six Pack Pro Reloading Press - Six Pack Pro Press Kit Reloading Press (Press Only)	Brownells.com	$ 279.99
	Lee Precision, Inc. Six Pack Pro 6000 .380 ACP Progressive Press Kit	Palmetto State Armory	$ 554.99 $ 426.99
	Lee Precision, Inc. Six Pack Pro 6000 .44 Special Progressive Press Kit	Palmetto State Armory	$ 554.99 $ 426.99
	Lee Precision, Inc. Six Pack Pro 6000 .45 Colt Progressive Press Kit	Palmetto State Armory	$ 554.99 $ 426.99

Lee Precision Six Pack Pro Press

Lee’s newest progressive press, the Six Pack Pro 6000, is well-engineered. It uses a six-station tool head that allows you to use a four-die set plus, say, a powder cop die and a bullet feeder… both are viable additions to this press, as we’ll see. These two items can speed up your production, as can the other items discussed below.

The press kit comes from the factory with an auto powder measure, priming system, case feeder, a set of dies for one caliber, and a bin to catch your loaded rounds. It uses the Lee bushing system… you screw your dies into the bushings and adjust them on the press. Once set, a quarter-turn is all it takes to insert or remove a die from the shell head. That allows you to change calibers pretty quickly. The tool head is not removable… I think Lee went this way with it instead of having removable tool heads for caliber changes as a cost-saving measure. You do not have to buy a new tool head to change calibers, as you do with some other brands of presses.

This makes it easy and cheap to change calibers. All you need to buy is a new shell plate and dies. The press comes with both large and small primer inserts for the priming bar, and the case feeder features an insert that you can move to change between large and small cases. It’s pretty well thought out.

But… It Can Be Better

As Is said, it comes fairly complete but there are always additions you can buy that will help it work even better. Here are some ideas that I came up with, after using the press and watching videos of other users online. Of course, these are just my ideas… there are other add-ons you can add, but these will do for a start. So, what are they? Let’s look at them.

Roller Handle

The handle that comes with the press from the factory uses a nicely-finished wood ball on the end. Mine came off, so I epoxied it back on. The roller handle is similar to what comes on the Lee turret press, which I also own but it has a nice wood handle, not rubber. I thought I’d get off cheaply by swapping the handles, but the turret press is older and its handle is of a smaller diameter than the Six Pack Pro’s. That means the turret’s roller would work on the progressive press but not vice versa. The progressive’s handle doesn’t fit in the turret press handle slot. So, I ordered one. I think you’ll be glad that you ordered this more ergonomic handle.

Lee Inline Bullet Feeder

This tube-feed device will drop a bullet with each handle pull onto the neck of the case below it. It is caliber-specific. I received one as a gift, and it helps speed things up. Just make sure to order the correct diameter:

Lee Case Collator

The case collator attaches to the top of your case feeder tubes. It has five holes that go over the tubes. Dump your cases into it, and gently shake the tubes. The cases align and drop into the tubes. This is the easy (and cheap) way to fill your case feeder tubes. I have an electric case feeder on top of my Dillon press. It works very well but is not cheap. The Lee method works. You just have to do a little more work to get the cases fed. Granted, the Dillon feeder will accept a couple of hundred cases, depending on caliber, and drops them automatically and the Lee won’t do that, but refilling it is pretty easy.

Hornady Powder Cop Die

One thing that can happen on a progressive press, probably even more so than on other types, is that the powder either doesn’t drop into the case or it double-charges. This is due to the powder measure’s auto-drop feature not activating properly… you need to keep an eye on it. I’ve had both of those things happen but luckily caught it. This die is simple in concept… it goes in the tool head right after your powder measure/expander die. It’s got a central floating rod, marked with a movable O-ring that sits on the powder after it’s dumped into the case. The O-ring around the rod is your measurement line and can be adjusted for any load level.

Screw it into a bushing and adjust it by moving the die up or down until the rod bottom pad contacts the powder in the charged case. Now, every time you dump the powder charge into a case, you’ll know by the rod’s position if the powder level is where it should be. If it’s low, the rod won’t come up very high and the O-ring won’t be visible. If there’s too much powder, the rod will lift higher and the ring will be very noticeable.  As I said, it’s simple but it works. There are more expensive battery-operated warning dies out there that beep but this low-tech version works. You just have to watch it.

Lee Bench Plate

This plate mounts to your bench and allows you to swap out presses quickly and easily. If you own more than one Lee press, this would be a good addition to your setup. Even if you only own one press, mounting it is easier.

Extra Shell Plate and Bushings 

If you’re loading more than one caliber on the Six Pack Pro, you’ll need more die bushings and shell plates. The bushings are sold in 4-packs. Although technically not accessories, if you are going to load more than one caliber, you’ll need them. There are 19 shell plates shown on the Lee site, but some can be used for multiple calibers. The plate shown above works for .380, .223, and .222. That kills two birds with one stone for me.

That’s about it for the accessories I added to my Six Pack Pro. One accessory I didn’t order but have experience with is an LED press light. This KMS Squared product attaches LED lights to the bottom of the tool head and lights up the operation. I’ve used them before, and they work.

As with any improvements or additions to the reloading process, you can expect accurate, faster reloading. The powder cop die alone may save you heartache if it prevents an incorrect powder charge from dropping. Bullet feeders always speed things up, with you not having to grab a bullet and set it on the case. The other add-ons simply help things work more efficiently.

Conclusion

The Lee Six Pack Pro is a well-designed machine, but as with any machine, it can be made better by adding a few simple pieces of equipment. It is a versatile press… for instance, you can turn it into a single-stage press by removing its index rod … and it is certainly affordable. If you are considering adding a progressive press to your loading bench, you might want to check it out. The Dillon is a great press, but there are plenty of times that I head to the Lee. It just plain works and the additions listed here will help it work even better. If you want to step your reloading game up a notch, you might want to give the Six Pack Pro a look. And don’t forget to personalize it the way you want it with some accessories… that will help you up your game!

About Mike Hardesty

With experience spanning over 45 years, Mike Hardesty has long enjoyed shooting and reloading. An inveterate reloader, he casts bullets and reloads for a diverse array of firearms, each handled with long-practiced precision. Living in rural Indiana, his homestead boasts a personal 100-yard range where he shares his love for guns to his four sons, their wives, and eleven grandchildren. As a recognized author, his writings have been featured in notable platforms like Sniper Country, Bear Creek Arsenal Blog, Pew Pew Tactical, TTAG, Dillon Precision’s Blue Press, and Gun Made, revealing his ongoing passion for firearms at the age of 72.