I really don't care what press ya buy ... but in case anyone cares ... to my point 'bout the $160 fer the Lee ... vs. $400 fer a Hornady ... here's some food fer thought! ...

MidwayUSA ratings on Lee Pro 1000 setup for 9mm

MidwayUSA ratings on Hornady LNL-AP (
not set up for any caliber)
Ya also need to understand, once ya start handloading, it's entirely possible

ya may end up handloading more than one caliber!
The thing with progressive presses (
vs. turret 'er single-stage) is the "
shellplates" are proprietary!

... that's a very important point to consider! ... once ya start buyin' shellplates fer one press, if ya later decide to spend money on a different press, EVERY shellplate ya've bought thus far, is entirely useless ... on that new press! Yer choices are ... load some calibers (
that ya already bought shellplates fer) on the old press ... and ONLY load other calibers, on the new press! ... 'course, that makes it purdy tough to justify buyin' a new press!
Now, how much "
insurance" are ya willin' to pay ... so ya don't end up with a half-dozen 'er more shellplates ... fer a press ya don't like 'er want, no more?!
Also, what's the resale market like?! I've seen LNL-AP's go on here fer 'round $350! ... if ya catch a sale at Cabela's 'er MidwayUSA, ya can get it fer $375ish, brand new! ... AND ya get 500 free bullets back from Hornady!
Lee Pro 1000?! ... dunno if I've seen one up fer sale, here?! ... IIRC, Warner picked one up fer a few beads?!

What gets me is ... folks lookin' to handload have probly got $3,000+ in guns, already! ... and they'll probly STILL end up tradin' a few of them off, and buyin' new ones ... losin' hunderds more! Yet, a Hornady 'er Dillon press will easily last a lifetime! ... fer $400! ... would ya buy a pistol ... a very reputable, top of the line pistol ... that's basically guaranteed to run like new, fer the rest of yer life .... fer $400?!
'Nother point to consider ... the Lee 1000 is only a 3-hole press! ... that means ya GOTTA use "
powder-thru expander" dies ... AFAIK, only Lee makes 'em ... to work with their powder-measure ... on the Pro 1000! It also means, ya can never seat and crimp using two different dies! ... or a powder-cop! The Hornady's a 5-hole press! ... my powder measure is alone in one hole ... I can use any other 4-die set, I want (
'sept RCBS ... they're too wide fer the shellplates fer the crimp!) ... if I seat/crimp with one die, I've even got an open hole! ... and here's the neat part! ... a 5-hole press is no less efficient than a 3-hole press! ... once the shellplate's full, yer makin' a completed round fer EVERY pull of the lever!
If ya ever think ya wanna load up a few hunderd XTP's ... ya can easily deduct $100 (
est. $20/100 x 5) from the cost of the Hornady LNL-AP ... so now that $400 press is really $300! Ya, ya gotta buy a shellplate (
$20), and a set of dies (
$40) ... so now yer back up to $360!
Jest how bad do ya gotta save $200?!
... used to be, ya could use a Cabela's Visa, and if ya worked it right, ya'd get 'nother $75 off ... at the register!
... that might be down to like $50, anymore?!
