Yeah, I've got an opinion... buy the Lee turret press. Use Lee dies, they mate with the shell holders and eliminate the play. With the Lee dies you don't back off the sizing die or any other odd adjustment... just mate it to the shell holder.

 

Ranch Dog,
Thanks for the support. The salesman reminded me a little of "Booger" from Revenge of the Nerds. 'Nuff said.

Now I just have to find the dealer with the best price. I'm browsing MidwayUSA, Graf & Sons (in my home county here), and Natchez Shooting Supplies.

 

"The salesman reminded me a little of "Booger" from Revenge of the Nerds. 'Nuff said."

There is waaaay less markup in the Lee stuff.

Dave 8)

 

check out these two sites: they have great prices and great shipping.

fmreloading.com/home.html
wideners.com/about.cfm

 

I've been using one for about 6 months now, works great. The vertical movement bothered me a bit at first, but it doesn't seem to hurt anything and makes very consistent ammo!! I load for a bunch of calibers with it, love it!!

Tim

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=0000690064

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=0000690269

http://www.surplusrifle.com/reviews2006/leeturretpress/index.asp

http://www.realguns.com/archives/122.htm

 

I've seen prices slightly lower than MidwayUSA.com, but they have great selection cheap shipping (at least to me), and they have great inventory.

http://midwayusa.com

 

Also look at Boses Guns. Robert and Melissa are some great people working hard to give shooters good prices and service.

Boses Guns 4-hole Turret Kit

 

The opinions expressed here so far are pretty convincing. My only last question on this subject is the two offerings from Lee. They offer a standard 4 hole turret and a "classic" 4 hole turret. Most of the differences are in the base and operating arm/linkage. I am curious how different the primer catchers are. Looking on the Lee website it looks like the classic model has a tube that allows you to place a can or bucket below the press table. The standard must catch the primers in some area at the bottom of the press base.

Do I see this clearly and does it matter operationally? If the primers get caught in some sort of sump in the base does it get full quickly?

 

You saw it right. Get the Classic. It's stronger and has a far better primer disposal system. The earlier turret press misses a few spent primers and you have to turn the whole thing upside down and shake it to get rid of the primers it catches. It does hold a fair number of spent primers, over a thousand.

 

I recently got the classic 4-hole Lee turret. I started with a RCBS Rockchucker Supreme. I really like the turret system. I do both rifle (single stage) and pistol (indexed - similar to progressive), and really love the system. For really cranking out the ammo, indexed rocks!

I read the Lee Turret article at RealGuns.com first and got the deluxe add-ons that Joe recommends. The priming system is well worth it, and for indexed, the better powder charger is great.

I'm up to 4 turrets now - no hassle caliber changes!

Here are some videos of the Lee Turret at work

http://leeprecision.com/html/HelpVideos/video.html

 

You can drill a hole in the bench under the old style to let the primers fall into a trash can placed beneath. The newer version has a tube so you can route the spent primers in a trash can.

I have both the old style and the classic cast. The old style is a progressive and I'm not in the habit of measuring runout on .45 ACP's, but I just did some of what I call careful, "match" quality loading of cast bullets for my .25-20 on the newer Classic Cast, which of course has the revolving turret with "play", as you call it.

Runout is one and a half thousandths, and most of that I suspect is in the cast bullet. That will shoot as well as the gun is capable of shooting lead bullets. Jacketed are even less. Jacketed .25-20's will do one quarter inch groups at fifty yards on demand with the bullets the gun favors. Since the .25-20 is shot in volumes that make it more comparable to a pistol cartridge, the newer turret press is the best thing since sliced bread for me-good production rate, good ammunition.

I haven't seen anyone that has badmouthed the newer turret press if they have used it at all. They're just speculating if they haven't, just like your salesman was. Incidentally, all turret presses have this misalignment, including the RCBS. Their version tilts backward slightly when under load, stopped by a post in back that supports the turret, but has some built in clearance to let the turret revolve-thus the tilting. It's just the nature of the beast. Some have noted the Lee turret may have less likelihood of alignment problems because of the smaller radius of its design-whether true or not I dunno, as I haven't measured the runout of an RCBS turret. The Lee turret is a semi-progressive and capable of higher production rates that the RCBS turret. Both are good tools with that difference between them. The Lee is more quickly adjustable from caliber to caliber. I have some experience with the RCBS style, but my "conventional" RCBS type turret is a Lyman T-Mag.

 

Classic Turret Press Kit

I am also a big fan of the Lee Turret Press. I bought one of the three hole press kits years ago and started reloading for my 357 Mag with it and have since moved on to loading 30-30 and 45-70 on it. When you consider the price, features, and yes quality I don't think it can be beat. I received my Cablea's Shooting Catalog the other day and I see they are selling the Classic Turret in a kit now. Here is a link to it at Cabela's.
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...yText=21-6337&N=4887&Ntk=Products&Ntx=mode+matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=21-6337&noImage=0
Cary

 

Here is a really easy fix for those #+!<"*^* spent primers. I had one of those plastic bin trays, used the ban saw to cut it down, punched a hole in the tray where it would line up with the tapped hole on my Classic, notched the tray where the primers drop when decapping and wala!

Never a primer hits the floor in my shop...ever. I WILL have a RED tray one day though. :lol:

Dave 8)

 

This is a whole lot better than driving around St Louis asking salesmen for information.

35Remington,
My only, and hopefully last, question is if the bench can be drilled to allow the primers to fall through the mounting base why would I want the Classic instead of standard one? The classic looks a bit sturdier and already has the primer drop tube feature, but I am starting reloading so I could punch a hole in the bench if I wanted. Do you think the Classic is worth the extra $47 from Cabelas?

It looks like the standard kit that most dealers sell has the same contents as the Cabelas "exclusive" classic kit except for the press itself.

 

BFPGW,
If Cabela's is selling the Classic Turret Press in a kit then I suspect other suppliers can or soon will be able to get the kit. Ranch Dog mentioned Boses Guns as a source. I have also purchased from them several times and was satisfied with their prices and service. You may want to send them an email and see if they can get the same kit as Cabela's is selling and what their price would be. My three hole Lee Turret press works just fine but if I was to replace it I would probably get the Classic Turret. I just prefer things being built like a rock. I wish you the best in which ever press you get.
Cary

 

That sounds like a good idea Cary. My favorite place so far is MidwayUSA given their location within my business territory. I can pick things up there. I just sent their customer service an email with a link to Cabela's web page.

Jeff

 

The Classic Cast Turret is in my opinion the Cadi8llac of reloading presses. Bar none! I know, here come the rants from the Dillon boys. The lee can be used in auto index, single stage, caliber change, whatever in a matter of seconds. Sturdy as hell and worth the extra $40.

 

Since that is settled I have been browsing the web catalogs to try and determine which dies I should get by caliber. It looks like:

Rifle cartridges can't really be done with auto-index due to size or length. Subsequently, if I get the auto disk powder attachment what do I get for 30-30 and 45-70?

It looks like the rifles I should get the pacesetter dies and also the factory crimp die. Do I need the adapter for the auto disk too?

I plan to work my way into doing my pistol calibers starting with .357. After that I may also do 9mm and .45ACP. If I go with the high zoot classic with 4 hole turret I should be able to do these pretty fast and cheap after I get some experience. What dies do I get for these?

 

If you are talking about the Pro Auto disk look to get the double disk kit and a rifle die. I would also recommend the auto disk riser if you are using the safety prime so that the auto disk clears it. It is a pain without it. I just figured out I need to order one myself. Although technically you can use the power through expander die for 45/70 it has been causing me problems not expanding the shell enough to I am going to use the rifle die instead as I do for 30-30. Rifle can be done, it just needs a few more parts and sometimes double and triple charging.

 

That's what I thought I understood about the disks and safety prime. What is the die sequence on a turret model? My head is spinning from browsing the Lee site and trying to determine which dies overlap and which ones of the overlapping dies is the better to use if there is a decision to make.

Almost makes me think I should get one of those hand presses and get used to the process slowly before I jump into the turret style. Kind of makes me think I should get my feet wet with reloading 45-70 for a little while and avoid buying much now until I know what works well.

 

I am fairly new to process myself so I am learning as I go. Others can give you better advice than me but as for sequence on 45/70 with the auto disk:
1) sizing die which is the same die you prime it; 2) powder die (would recommend the rifle die if using the auto disk); 3) expander die; 4) bullet seating die. Optional at this point is the factory crimp die which means you would have to do this step last or size and prime all your rounds first.
If you are not using the auto disk the expander die is a a powder through die so you can use a funnel on top to load the powder and use only 4 dies with the factory crimp die.

There is no expander die for 30-30 so all 4 dies can be used.

 

BFPGW
I would advise that you start your reloading with one caliber and then once you get that down go to another. Which would you like to start with pistol or rifle cartridges? Which caliber of pistol or rifle? Jacketed or hard cast lead bullets? Jacketed bullets are easier to start with as they are more forgiving. With hard cast lead bullets bullet diameter, bullet alloy, and bullet speed are more critical. Decide on what you want to start with and we can go from there concerning what dies you want to get and other issues.
Cary

 

Right now I do pistol indexed, and rifle single stage. For rifle, I deprime/size (after cleaning, of course), expand the neck (45-70), and prime. Then I put them all into a loading block and charge the cases using my RCBS Uniflow. Then I can seat and crimp on the turret press.

For single stage work, the turret moves easily by hand. Lee doesn't make a flow-thru die for 35 Rem, so I had to resort to the loading block step. The advantage is that I can do larger charges (no need for the double disk).

 

BFPGW, i have the same delimma as you. i too want to get into reloading. i have visited many web sites and have even talked to Mary at Lee Reloading a few times trying to gather information. i'm having a tough time deciding between the Deluxe 4-hole turret and the Classic turret presses. The real basic difference in the two presses is that the Classic is cast iron vs. aluminum in the Deluxe. Otherwise the two presses pretty much perform the same functions. The Deluxe can be set up to progressively load rifle and pistol - all you have to do is add the safety primer system for $20. The best price I've found on the Deluxe kit is at Wideners.com @ $90. That's a very decent price for what you get. On the other hand, the Classic kit is about $60 more and for $60 I can make additional purchases, such as more 4-hole turrets, dies, etc. My gut feeling is that Classic is the best investment, but money does play a big part in the decision. I don't have the convenience of living close to a dealer, so I depend on a lot of what I read and see on this and other forums, which is a great way to learn from the "experience". I'm very seriously leaning towards the Deluxe 4-hole turret press kit, but I just don't know........The only thing I am certain of is that I'll purchase LEE for the buck.....

 

I would go as I did with the Classic Press. It is worth the extra in my book. I got mine through Graf & Sons, but I think Midway sells them also. I order most of my parts online. They deliver in 4-5 days at a reasonable cost. The Classic Press is much stronger than the Deluxe from what I have read. Using the interchangable turrets makes it pretty easy changing dies.