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StarMetal
05-15-2006, 03:07 PM
What are you fellow's opinions on the Lyman and Redding turret presses? I'm talking about the current new ones. Don't mention a Lee because I'm totally not interested in theirs. On the older ones what do you all think of the older Lyman All Americans? I read some reviews about the new Lyman turrets on Midways site from buyer and there were a few that said the older ones were better and the new is cheaply made. No bad reviews at all on the Redding. There were some negative reviews on the RCBS turret though. I'm concidering a turret press.

Joe

jballs918
05-15-2006, 03:13 PM
whats so bad about the new lees. i was looking at one. maybe out a good idea.

azrednek
05-15-2006, 03:15 PM
I can't comment directly. A friend lost his older Lyman turret, leaving it behind in a divorce and an out of state move. He decided to buy a used one exactly like he had off of Ebay rather than get a new one after fooling with a new Lee.

9.3X62AL
05-15-2006, 03:23 PM
Joe--

I've used a "turret press" made by Ponsness-Warren since about 1998, and it has been flawless. The best $200 I ever spent on a reloading tool, bar none.

Instead of the turret head moving over a stationary ram, the shell holder is secured into a pivoting arm that moves into detent stops under the ten die holes in the stationary top turret. The top turret is removable if desired, and turret heads are available.

The pistol-sized machine I have is the P-200. There is also a five-station rifle machine that will take 375 H&H-length cartridges. They call their machines "semi-progressive". If you already have shell holders and dies for single stage reloading, you are in business--just add your powder measure to one of the die stations, and start making ammo.

www.reloaders.com

StarMetal
05-15-2006, 03:23 PM
I use some of the Lee products like some of their reloading dies and bullet moulds, but sorry, can't stomach their reloading presses.

Joe

azrednek
05-15-2006, 03:32 PM
The Lee presses are a good place to start reloading if bought in a kit, especially if money is tight. It will reload ammo but once you have been spoiled by another press there is no looking back.

StarMetal
05-15-2006, 03:39 PM
AZredneck,

I'm not a beginning reloader, been reloading for more then half a century. I have all the dies, scales, tumblers, etc. I don't need a kit and I'm not on a tight budget. I've used other friends progressive presses, etc. I just thought I'd like to get a turret press to speed my pistol round loading along a tad faster, not wanting a Dillion.

Joe

versifier
05-15-2006, 03:44 PM
Joe,
I had an older Lyman turret and loved it. I used it for almost a year, then I was forced to part with it in some hard times and have been kicking myself ever since. One of these days I'll see a good deal on one at a show when I actually have some cash and get it. I have never actually seen-to-touch-it Redding or RCBS models, nor the newer Lymans, but the one I had was very rugged and should be OK to buy used unless kept in a damp basement, etc., and that would be obvious on examination.

StarMetal
05-15-2006, 04:00 PM
Thanks Versifier, that's the kind of stuff I like to hear. I'm following a couple of them on some auction sites. I notice the older Lymans had a special shell holder. Fortunately the one on auction comes with alot of shell holder for it.

Joe

Doble Troble
05-15-2006, 04:11 PM
I've had a Lee turret press since 2000. Pistol ammo flies off of it and I load a lot of rifle ammo on it too. There've been a couple upgrades to it. The current priming system makes it really fast - just dump the primers in the flipper, flip, close the cover, press the button for each round and seat on the downstroke. Combined with an autodisk powder measure that adds powder during neck expansion, its a slick system that's cheap too (like me).

BruceB
05-15-2006, 04:13 PM
My Lyman All-American was bought new (by me) in 1967, and still does the vast majority of my loading, having already loaded hundreds of thousands of rounds. It's an excellent press with an outdated primer feed system.

The primer-feed tubes are made of thin brass which offers practically zero protection in the case of a detonation in the system, so I just abandoned it altogether. It's no problem to manually place the primer in the punch, as there's plenty of room even for large hands. Also, the press has no provision for catching spent primers when they're de-capped. I simply catch them in my open hand under the shellholder platform and drop them into the waste barrel under the bench in front of me. No problem.

The A-A has only four stations in the turret, but I consider this to be an advantage for someone who USES the turret feature as a turret, as I do, and not just as a place to store die sets! I set up with the sizer at Stn1, the expander die at Stn 2, the powder measure (screwed right into a die hole) at Stn 3, and the seater die at Stn 4.

An empty case starts at Stn 1 (where else????) and then is processed through all the other stations before another case is touched. This means that, once I pick up an empty, it is completely loaded before leaving the press. The turret is rotated for each function as the case is loaded. I may take the case out of the shellholder to check the charge, or to add dacron, but basically, each case in turn is processed to the finished-load stage before starting on the next one. This is why only four holes make life easier for me....I'm not forever clicking the turret past empty die holes to get back to Stn 1 to begin loading the next round. There are a few times when one more station would be nice, but I'm 99% happy with it as-is.

The A-A was made for the "J"-type shellholders, which are now obsolete. These shellholders often show up on Ebay, so it's not a fatal flaw. Also, Lyman makes an adaptor for using today's standard RCBS/Pacific type shellholders. NOTE that to use this adaptor, you MUST have what's called the "Special-T" priming punch, since the original priming post won't work. Both adaptor and priming punch are available direct from Lyman for less than $20 total.

I even mounted a second A-A for handloading in Der Schuetzenwagen, but due to its mounting method the headroom was insufficient. I sold it to a friend and replaced it on Der 'wagen's bench with a Spar-T turret press.

Do I like turrets? Hell no, I LOVE 'em. I have yet to see a Lee press worthy of my houseroom. I do hear good things about their new "Classic"(?)cast-iron turret press, though.

sundog
05-15-2006, 04:21 PM
Joe, I prep my handgun brass on my RC, prime with my RCBS hand primer and store the prepped and primed brass until I need to load it. Just about every bit of handgun brass I assemble is done on one of two Lee turrets, and they make just fine ammo for my purposes. One is a 3-holer and one is a 4-holer. I suppose if I shot alot more handgun ammo, especially something of a venue like IPSC or IDA, I would get something 'mo betta', but this works for me. Very economical, especially considering one of them was not bought new. The other is one of the very few reloading equipment items I ever purchased new. Been using them for years, and the only thing I do not like about them is the priming system. sundog

Swagerman
05-15-2006, 04:23 PM
I've got to cast my vote on what I've known and used.

As to Lyman, the older All American turret model far outclasses the newer Lyman turret. The older AA was bigger and stronger, and the newer model has a pitiful linkage system though it seems to satisfy some.

The only Lee press I've ever bought was the Classic model that is not turret. It is a fine unit and even use it for swaging with a slight aulteration on the shellholder being shortend.

The Lyman AA presses are bringing premo prices on the ebay auctions, so, try and find one from putting out an ad for one.

Mine cost me about $125 by the time the mail man dropped it off from Canada.

I find I use this press more than anyother on my benches, so it must be the best I've got. It looks and works like new but is probably over 40 years old.


Jim

floodgate
05-15-2006, 05:19 PM
Thanks Versifier, that's the kind of stuff I like to hear. I'm following a couple of them on some auction sites. I notice the older Lymans had a special shell holder. Fortunately the one on auction comes with alot of shell holder for it.

Joe

Joe:

The special "J" shell-holders for the older Lyman All-American, Tru-Line Jr. and other presses of the 1950's are plentiful on the used market - Randy Davis of "The 310 Shop" usually has the commoner ones in stock, and they use the same ID numbers for various calibers as the current Lyman "X" shellholders. Lyman makes a "conversion" part that lets you use the standard RCBS-type shell-holders (Cat. No. 7095762 @ $9.95), and - if you like to prime in the press - a "Special-T" priming punch (#7095763 @ $7.25) that fits that setup - Randy stocks these, too. The only problem is that there have been some variations over the years in placement of the set-screw seat that retains the "J" shell-holders and the adapter, and the set-screw is a bit less resistant to pulling on a stuck case than the T-slot arrangement.

One warning: left in a dark drawer, the "J's" tend to multiply like cockroaches, and I've got about three dozen now, almost all slightly different as to set-screw placement, finish, overall length, etc. I guess they don't breed true....

Doug

StarMetal
05-15-2006, 05:24 PM
Bruce, Doug, Jim.....good stuff. Jim one of the negative reviews from a buger in Midways site was indeed the linkage was bad on the new Lyman turret press. Bruce you bring up a good poing about those six hole turrets...man you would be spinning that turret around too much. Doug I'm sure you're right those J shellholders aren't a problem to get. In fact there's no doubt I could turn one on my lathe, the hard part being cutting the slot in it. I'm sure Buckshot could come up with an easy solution to that.
Thanks guys.

Joe

Cayoot
05-15-2006, 05:40 PM
Bruce you bring up a good poing about those six hole turrets...man you would be spinning that turret around too much. Joe

Joe,
I use the RCBS turrent. It has 6 stations. I really like it. I have several turrents. I keep either 2 handgun die sets or 3 rifles on each turrent. No excessive turning, just click it back 2 clicks after seating the handgun boolit (or 1 click after seating the rifle boolit). I have some colored tape that seperates the calibers just because I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer and once I tried to resize .45 Colt brass in a .41 mag die. If course, nothing dangerous there, but it did suprise me. I guess my mind was wandering a bit. Now however, I have the bright colors seperating the calibers and I have no such problems.

I really like the primer system in the RCBS turrent and the press is big and bullet proof.

I would strongly suggest that you consider them too.

I have 4 presses set up, a Hornady LNL Progressive, the RCBS Turrent, a RCBS single stage and the Lee turrent. Each has their individual advantages, but if I could only have one, it would be my RCBS turrent, no question about it.

floodgate
05-15-2006, 05:53 PM
Joe (and anyone else gioing for a Lyman All-American Turret press):

As Bruce B mentioned, there is no provision for catching spent primers in the AA-T; further, if you don't like to prime in the press, and leave the "T" priming punch out, the fired primers can drop down through the priming punch seat in the base, which is bored right through into the main operating handle bearing. Primer residue can really gum things up, and you'd have to take the linkage completely apart to clean it out. Fortunately, the "fix" is stone simple: take a short 1/4" machine screw and drop the threaded end into the hole to plug it.

Bruce inspired me to get my AA-T, which lives next to my Rockchucker - and I've got a spare in its original box with all the primer feed parts stashed in the storage shed. Then there are all those pesky little "J" shell-holders: "Gidouta here! Scram!! (I use the conversion kit from Lyman.)

Doug

Char-Gar
05-15-2006, 05:58 PM
I have a Redding in regular use on my bench. A first class piece of equipment and about about four years of use, I have not found a fault. I can highly recommend it for those looking for a turrent press.

DLCTEX
05-15-2006, 06:27 PM
I have a Lyman turret press, the T MAG Press, not the Tmag II, that is currently broken. I was resizing some 243 cases that required the thoulder to be set back a little, so was putting extra pressure on it, and broke the bolt that holds the turret. I ordered one from Lyman $4.00+ $4.00 S&H, but recieved one for a TMag II which is different. I am going to repair it and sell it, as I bought a Lee classic turret and love it. I have used it to form some cases from some 30-06 LC brass and it sailed through as easily as with my RCBS Rockchucker. The option for auto advance and the primer dispenser are a joy. The ejected primer disposal is great too! It has a 1 1/8" ram and the lever stays in position wherever I stop it. The base is cast iron, and the alloy for the turret is said to have a higher tinsel stength than cast iron. I don't detect any tipping of the turret(Lyman had lots), but if there was some, you could add a few inches of spring(part of a 1911 recoil spring) to lift the turret into contact withe retaining lugs at the top of the stroke. Extra turrets can be had for $8-12 and the press is under $80 at Midway. Whats not to love?

BruceB
05-15-2006, 06:31 PM
AAAAGGGHHHH!! SPELLING POLICE!!!!! OVER HERE!!!! QUIIIIICK!!!

I have a fair tolerance for almost any slippages in grammar, spelling, etc, but THIS one has bothered me for years, and it's very common. Gentlemen, PLEASE take pity on an older feller's good humor, and make note of the following (say after me):

"There IS NO, repeat, NO "N" in the word "T-U-R-R-E-T", turret, turret, turret....

NO "N" in "turret".

(whew) That feels better.... Have pity, guys!

j4570
05-15-2006, 06:44 PM
I had a Lyman T-Mag II since 1995.

I asked my dad for an RCBS Rockchucker for Christmas last year. Reason was I was doing a lot of caseforming, and the turret does shake a little shile doing that.

however, the T-Mag case formed with ease even with the turret rocking. A LEE (which my father owns) does not have near the compound linkage. The Lyman is truly ambidextrious. I actually like the Lyman a little better as there is no bar in front of the shellholder than the single stage RCBS. I wish had room for it along with the Dillon and Rockchucker, but I really don't do much single stage anymore.

I can't speak for other turrets, except an old Lyman (from the 60's?) that was my father that used the small dies, and it doesn't have that much leverage either.

I really like the T-Mag II, but I loaned it to my father until further notice (as he really commented how nice it was while visiting, he preferred it over his LEE turret, RCBS Jr, and his Old Pacific (which he is very partial to) due to linkage and ergonomics (he used the word "feel"))

No comments on the Redding or RCBS, as I haven't owned them.

Jason

Cayoot
05-15-2006, 06:47 PM
AAAAGGGHHHH!! SPELLING POLICE!!!!! OVER HERE!!!! QUIIIIICK!!!

I have a fair tolerance for almost any slippages in grammar, spelling, etc, but THIS one has bothered me for years, and it's very common. Gentlemen, PLEASE take pity on an older feller's good humor, and make note of the following (say after me):

"There IS NO, repeat, NO "N" in the word "T-U-R-R-E-T", turret, turret, turret....

NO "N" in "turret".

(whew) That feels better.... Have pity, guys!

Sory Bruce...I didn't meen too misspell turrent

BruceB
05-15-2006, 07:20 PM
Heh, heh, heh..... I wuz gonna ask you if it was a loose translation from Yooper, but I've seen it from a lot more places than just the UP, so I knew that couldn't be the cause.

Not really a biggie, anyway, and I'm not all THAT worried about it.

nvbirdman
05-15-2006, 08:05 PM
I think Cayoot meant to spell turrnet press because you have to turn it.

DaveInFloweryBranchGA
05-15-2006, 08:50 PM
Starmetal,

If you're interested, I have a Lyman turret press (orange) that I'd picked up from a buddy, cleaned up, lubed, painted black and used for a little bit. I'd be glad to sell it to you for $45.00 plus shipping to your local.

Dave

dragonrider
05-15-2006, 09:04 PM
I have an older Lyman T-Mag, Made a slight alterration to it to minimize the rocking of the turret. Worked well, didn't affect rotating the turret at all. I would have to say you can't go wrong if you got one.

omgb
05-15-2006, 10:07 PM
I have a 2 year-old Redding Turret press and love it. I also have a Hornady Progressive and an RCBS RockChucker. The Redding has tons of clearance for extra long cartridges such as the 45-110. It is built like a tank and the primer mechanism is excellent. Ditto the Hornady. However, the Hornady is built for volume where as the Redding is built for strength. I seriously doubt that it gives up any practical strength over the Rockchucker. I once upon a time had a Lee Pro 1000. Ahem, never again. However, I have loads of other Lee products and have no bone to pick with them. But that press was a real dissapointment. Buy the Redding. You wont be sorry. The spent primer system is excellent, tool heads are available, it holds what, eight dies. Standard shell holders. It's a no brainer in my opinion.

Blueknight2520
05-15-2006, 11:43 PM
What are you fellow's opinions on the Lyman and Redding turret presses? I'm talking about the current new ones. Don't mention a Lee because I'm totally not interested in theirs. On the older ones what do you all think of the older Lyman All Americans? I read some reviews about the new Lyman turrets on Midways site from buyer and there were a few that said the older ones were better and the new is cheaply made. No bad reviews at all on the Redding. There were some negative reviews on the RCBS turret though. I'm concidering a turret press.

Joe


The older lyman turret preses flex to much for my liking. I have had some consintrisity problems in a cupple i used in the past.
The Redding Turret preses are exelent. have used 3 diferent one over the years.

The PW P-200 like Deputy AL is exelent on handguns also.

If your interested i have a P-200 for sale thats in exelent shape that ill take 150.00 for. I also have a Redding T-6 turret press in nice shape I'll take $175.00 + shiping for.

send me a private msg if your interested.

Dale53
05-16-2006, 01:16 AM
I have several turret presses. I have used a Lee Turret for many years and recently converted it to a 4 holer - good upgrade. This is an excellent piece of equipment and I often use it to load at the range (great for working up a load with minimum of time and effort). I have a Lee Pro 1000 dedicated to .32 magnum and it has cranked out thousands of rounds.

I use my Lyman T-Mag II for my BPCR rounds (40/65. 45/70, and 45/90). I sold an earlier T-Mag. The II represents a serious improvement for me (the turret is better supported).

Of course, I have an RCBS Rockchucker for case forming and various other chores where I need a "hell for strong" single stage press (wad cutting, for instance).

When I need a true volume press, I use the standard of the industry, the Dillon 550B.

I like each and every one of these presses. They all have a permanent place in my tool arsenal.

Dale53

August
05-16-2006, 01:51 AM
I have a Dillon SDB for pumping out CAS/SASS ammo. I got a Redding t-7 about a year ago to speed up load development for BPCR, 45-70 shooting. Believe it, or not, I have needed every one of those seven holes and could have used one more. 1)Universal Deprime, 2) Neck Size, 3) FL size, 4) Expander, 5) Powder Compression, 6) Hornady Seater, 7) Taper Crimp Lyman. The eighth hole would have housed my other Hornady Seater for LeverAction loads/crimps.

The priming system on the T-7 is very elegant. I no longer have to crawl around on the floor looking for spent primers like I have for decades with my RCBS.

The only problem I ran into with the T-7 is that the Redding primer ram is a larger diameter than my old RCBS shell holder would accomodate. So, had to either switch the ram -- which I did initially -- or, get a Redding shell holder.

The t-7 has made my world a lot less complicated and has greatly enhanced my ability to quickly develop loads.

DLCTEX
05-16-2006, 07:01 AM
Thanks Bruce, for calling in the spelling cops on "turrent". I've been seeing that spelling on Ebay a lot and it's been like fingernails on a blackboard to me. My teenager wants to know what "fingernails on blackboard" means. Wow! These late in life kids can sure make you feel old.

rbstern
05-16-2006, 10:37 AM
I use some of the Lee products like some of their reloading dies and bullet moulds, but sorry, can't stomach their reloading presses.

Joe

Joe, I understand your perspective is based on past experience, but user reports suggest the new Lee turret press may be the best turret press on the market at the moment, at any price. Why rule it out?

StarMetal
05-16-2006, 10:43 AM
Well, hard to put into words. Kinda like say I'm use to Mercedes and Ford comes along and says "this here Ford is a better car then that Mercedes". I just don't care for Lee presses. Besides I can get a used Lyman cheaper...and basically all I'm wanting to do is just load pistol ammo. I'm sure the new Lee's work fine.

Joe

BruceB
05-16-2006, 02:16 PM
Gents, good day to y'all!

It's surprising to me that nobody commented on my "way of doin' it" with the turret press. Also, no one else has admitted to doing the same thing, or anything like it.

The time savings on a turret press are best realized by not handling the case umpteen times! My production rate runs around 150-200 rounds per hour with the Lyman turret without rushing things, and believe me, that is FAR ahead of what I was doing on a single-stage press before I bought the All-American. I'll repeat what I said elsewhere, too....As soon as my loading sequence starts on the turret press, I HAVE LOADED AMMUNITION COMING OFF THE PRESS! Be it five minutes or five hours, EVERY minute produces live, shootable ammo. Sitting down to a pile of 500 empty cases, and planning to handle each case individually four or five times through the various steps, is ludicrous, when twenty seconds in the press can finish each round! And, if an interruption should occur, I do NOT have a loading block full of charged cases, or a pile of primed/flared cases. Instead, I have AMMUNITION (and good ammunition at that, if'n I do say so myself). Another major time saver is the mounting of the powder measure right in the turret. Again, less time lost in handling each case.

There are some concessions made to production when I use my turret or Dillon 550B, including non-cleaning of primer pockets. Nor do I weigh-and-trickle powder charges. Nor do I compare charge levels in a whole block of cases. Nor do I check-weigh thrown charges very often, because, as mentioned, the measure adjustment is LOCKED far beyond just 'finger-tight' with a tool. When using powders which I know have tendencies to hang up in the measure, I will visually inspect each case after charging, and in the sole case of 4759, I place each charged case on the PACT scale to ensure that each charge is in the proper ballpark. I'll be glad to see the end of my 4759.....

Quite a few years ago, I proved to myself that much of the prep work that many handloaders perform is largely irrelevant unless one is in deadly-serious competition, and even then may be unnecessary. This is particularly true for handgun loads.

If using most ball powders, I just lock the measure's setting (as usual) with wrench or pliers, and drive on without fear.

Using all seven stations on the T-7....why have both a neck sizer AND a full-length sizer side-by-each in the turret??? Aaaahhh, I get it....you're just storing them there, and selecting which die you want to use at a particular time.

Somewhere back in the '60s or 70s, I read a column by Ed Matunas (later of Lyman) who recommended precisely the routine I follow with the turret, processing each case to competely loaded, before starting on the next one. I don't recall seeing another such recommendation in print in all the years since.

To those who presently own turret presses...have you EVER even tried such a method with your press, meaning clicking the turret around to each station until the case exits as a loaded round? If not, why not? And, if so, how did it work for you?

Having bought a capable machine, and paying good money for its abilities, WHY HAMSTRING IT???? I forever see gents who buy Dillon progressives, for example, telling how they SIZE off the press, and they PRIME off the press, or CHARGE CASES off the press......why on earth did they buy such a machine, if not to use its functions?

BTW, there are several All-American presses on Ebay right now. Use the search twords "lyman all-american" and they should come up.

Jeez.....maybe I should run a tutorial demo for the Nevada Shoot attendees, and try to spread the True Gospel of the Turret, According to BruceB!?!?!

Doble Troble
05-16-2006, 02:38 PM
The Lee has an indexing feature that makes the difference between a spent pistol case and a loaded round a simple matter of three or four pulls of the lever. No fuss, no muss.

Anything much bigger that a 223 and you have to take the indexing rod out. Not a big deal, but the auto-indexer really speeds things up.

Swagerman
05-16-2006, 03:05 PM
What I don't understand is why a present day Lyman II turret press owner thinks he's got a technology advantage in his design over the All American turret of yesteryear. I've owned and used both and really know that's not true.

The AA is much stronger in all respects, it is a sturdy built machine that has no slop in its linkage because it doesn't have linkage like the Lyman II press. It's shellholder is on a platform that is raised and lowered by a roller cam action, a really big roller cam...bigger than the C&H press.

Nor has it any weak 3/8 inch linkage pin. that is prone to bending or breaking from stress on case sizing or swaging. Been there done that, broke two linkage pins and bent a third one on a Lyman II. It got returned to where it came from for a refund.

The Redding T-7 is a well built unit, but I find I only need four die holes, I also find the cost is too much for a T-7 turret press. But that is just me.

Sorry to beat the drum so loud on the Lyman All American, but when something is really a bargain...its nice to pass news along to fellow loaders.

Jim :)

Dale53
05-16-2006, 03:11 PM
BruceB;
You mean that not everyone uses a turret press as a turret? That's a pretty expensive storage facility!!:mrgreen:

When I am going to only load a couple of hundred rounds, I use the Lee Turret (now, four holer). That is faster than setting the Dillon up. However, when I need to load thousands, I quite naturally use the Dillon 550B. Of course, if the Dillon is already set up for the caliber in question, then I would just use it. However, I load for many calibers and there is no tellin' what's in my Dillon at a particular time.

Then, of course, it the Schuetzen Rifle which I load one round at a time, on the bench while shooting.

The only time I weigh a powder charge, is when I am check weighing one of my measures. I use a powder measure for everything.

The only thing I weigh a lot of is rifle match bullets. I weigh them (cast, of course:) ). That's it! Life is just too short for weighing powder charges. I just use a powder, for each application, that measures well.

Dale53

JRR
05-16-2006, 03:25 PM
I have a Lyman Turret and am quite satisfied. I mounted a Dillon powder measure/belling/inside mouth unit for even more efficiancy. The only real slowdown is priming each case on the press. A RCBS hand held unit is much better.
Jeff

Bucks Owin
05-16-2006, 04:05 PM
FWIW, when I buy a turret press later this summer it'll be a Lee Classic Turret. For less than $80 they can't be beat! (And are probably a BETTER press than some in the $300 range IMO)

Dennis

StarMetal
05-16-2006, 04:05 PM
Bruce,

I intend to use the turret press just as you do. I'm going to load pistol rounds, 30 Luger, 9mm, 357mag, 45acp, and 45LC. Being I've been shooting up a lot of 30 Luger my Rockchucker is too slow.

Joe

StarMetal
05-16-2006, 04:22 PM
Gentlemen,

That newer Lyman Turret press that DaveInFloweryBranchGa speaks of, said it was orange when he first got it, but it takes the regular shellholder like most presses today use. We know the All Americans take those J shellholders. Is this press Dave have an upgrade from the All American, it wouldn't be that press Lyman calls the Spartan T which to me is a C single press with a turret on top. He's going to pm me a picture of this evening, but that's getting awful close to the time the auction I'm following for an All American is due to finish. If it's the Spartan Turret press I'm not interested. There is a picture of the Spartan Turret press in the Lyman Cast Reloading manual. Of course everything in there is piccture in black and white, so the press looks grey. Anyone know the history of the Lyman turret presses from the Jr, the All American on up?

Joe

j4570
05-16-2006, 04:41 PM
I did use my Lyman T-Mag II by rotating the turret until I got my Dillon 550. I quit using it that way, and mainly relegated it to case forming and loading some very odd calibers. It was like using a semi progressive. Lot faster than a single stage.

The T-Mag II seems to have a better linkage I think. Maybe I am confusing the Jr with the All-American Turret? Which one takes the small thread Lyman dies? That's the one I didn't like all that well. The T-mag II does have the pin at the back that supports the Turret, and it did help for the limited time I used it case forming. The pin is adjustable for clearance.

Jason

BruceB
05-16-2006, 05:29 PM
Yep, the Tru-Line Jr. uses the small-diameter Lyman dies, much like the 310 hand tool. The T-L Jr shares the "J" shellholder with the All American, a much heavier machine which takes standard 7/8"x14 dies.

The A-A also has an adjustable post at the rear for turret support, and it can be set so tightly that the turret can't rotate. In my use, I keep it set to the minimum clearance which allows smooth rotation, and accept a few thou of slack. Doesn't seem to harm anything.

One department where some newer turrets surpass the A-A is leverage. The A-A has no "compound leverage" at the end of the stroke, where some presses do greatly increase the mechanical advantage in the last bit of travel. Again, I haven't found this much of a problem, and if the going gets heavy, Mr. Rockchucker's right there to enforce my wishes...

The T-Mag and T-Mag II have no direct links to the A-A, except for their both being made by Lyman (No similarity, mechanically, is what I was trying to say.). I talked a friend into buying a T-Mag II at the start of his handloading career, and he still likes it a great deal after five years' use.

Joe, good luck to you with that bidding.

omgb
05-16-2006, 10:35 PM
When loading 45-90 BP rounds, I do prime separate from the press because I really do have to clean the primer pockets. But, after charging with powder, I neck size, flare, and seat each round while rotating the turret head over the case. I also have an RCBS casekicker set up so that when finished, it just kicks the case into the bin. I bought a turret press just so that I could load that way.

Urny
05-16-2006, 10:36 PM
I have Tru-Line Jr, T Mag, and Lee Classic Turret presses and use all three pretty much like BruceB does. The auto index feature of the Lee is removed and it is manually indexed, mostly because I don't trust it's indexing accuracy. All three of these presses are used for full length sizing of peestol cases but neck sizing only with bottleneck rifle cases. In truth, the only reason to use the Jr is because sometimes it just feels good to do things the old way, with old equipment. Sometimes I shape rifle stocks with a twin blade spokeshave for the same reason.

KCSO
05-16-2006, 10:43 PM
I have a Tru line jr and a Spart T along with a new Lee cast iron turret press. The new Lee has much more leverage than the older presses, but the old spar t did it all for many years, it just took a little more muscle. I just got an all american to add to my collection and it will be interesting to compare it to the spar t. I think that if you had a chance to try the new Lee you might change your mind. It sure is handy to switch calibers in like 30 seconds and be up and running. I saw a different press in a 1965 Gun Digest that I picked up the other day. This was a C-H that had a steel sliding bar that moved back and forth with the die set in it. Spare bars were offered for $3.50 each. If I could get my scanner to copy the ad I would post it as this was one heck of an idea. All steel and the dies were set in with as much support as an O press and the leverage of a rock chucker.

floodgate
05-17-2006, 01:22 AM
Joe:

I've just been researching the early Lyman bench presses, and they are a confusing lot; like: the Tru-Line Senior bears NO relation to the Tru-Line Junior, though they use somewhat similar "J" shell-holders. I've got about forty different versions of the "J's", and - quite apart from caliber - there are about a dozen DIFFERENT arrangents of set-screw holes, finishes, overall head diameters and lengths, etc., etc. Someone recently told me that there are collector(s) who specialize just in the varieties of the "J's"!

I'll do this: e-mail me with a photo of the one you are bidding or negotiating on via <floodgate @ pacific.net> [omit spaces] and I'll try to advise you which you are looking at - but it may not be until tomorrow PM, as I have to go sight in my Finn M39 for this weekend's "Ol' Warhorse Shoot". If it turns out to be a Spartan or a Spar-T - Lyman's first "mainstream" bench presses using "standard" dies, shell-holders and priming systems - and you find yourself "stuck" with it, I MIGHT be willing to take it off your hands if we can work out a fair price. I need to add samples of each to my "study" collection. The Spar-T's I have seen are gray with a red turret; the All American Turret is all red and chromed steel; the base, shell-carrier and turret are aluminum, but are very well designed and stout enough for any realistic usage. The GOOD news is that there is an adapter available very cheap that will let you use RCBS type shell-holders, at only a slight loss in length of case it will accomodate.

Doug / floodgate

floodgate
05-17-2006, 01:29 AM
Bruce:

"The A-A also has an adjustable post at the rear for turret support, and it can be set so tightly that the turret can't rotate. In my use, I keep it set to the minimum clearance which allows smooth rotation, and accept a few thou of slack. Doesn't seem to harm "

I set my backup post so the turret would just rotate with some effort, and noted which die station was at front-center when it was tightest; I then stamped the face of the turret at that station with an "S" for "install F/L sizer here". Haven't used it enough yet to see if that holds up, but it looks good so far.

Doug

Doble Troble
05-17-2006, 10:32 AM
You do have to adjust the Lee auto index, but it's easy to do. Just hold the indexing rod with a wrench, and move the turret until it detents to the next station. There's a short video that shows the procedure on the Lee website.

Here's a link to the help video page (http://www.leeprecision.com/html/HelpVideos/video.html)

KCSO
05-17-2006, 11:46 AM
Floodgate
The main reason I bought the A/A was that it came with a complete set of shell holders including 458 Win Mag and 22 Hornet. I will share duplicates and oddballs.

azrednek
05-18-2006, 02:12 AM
Thanks Bruce, for calling in the spelling cops on "turrent". I've been seeing that spelling on Ebay a lot and it's been like fingernails on a blackboard to me. My teenager wants to know what "fingernails on blackboard" means. Wow! These late in life kids can sure make you feel old.
Mis-spelled words on Ebay can lead to some real bargains when nobody can find it in a search. I landed a deal on a pair of N-frame S&W grips listed as SW wood pistol handlers. I think he meant handles but the word grip wasn't listed anywhere in the auction and I got them for the $5 opening bid. Occasionally RBCS, Reding or or a few variations of the spelling of Hornady and Dillon keep competitive bidders away.

45nut
05-18-2006, 04:15 AM
I acquired my Lyman All-American from a friend of a friend in about 93,,at the bottom of a "box of reloading stuff".
Purchase price of "the box" was $50.00 and there was a well worn but serviceable Lyman 55 measure in that box as well that has been dropping charges accurately for me since. Some old Harvey Pro-Tec bullets were in that box,,lots of similar odds and ends of infinate interest to me as a mini-time capsule. My best gun related deal ever I am inclined to believe.
Since then I conservatively estimate it has assisted in the reloading of nearly 10k rounds of assorted cartridges,from the 38special and up to and including ammo for my 500 A Square. A "slight" wiggle in the bullet seating allows this,first tipping the bullet into the seating die as I slip the case rim into the shellholder,which by the way takes standard shellholders as I recieved it and knew nothing of the "J-type" requirements alluded to here.
A Deep Red and glorious machine if there ever was one. I have done case forming on my A/A without any chore as well,no shoulder heaving ,bust your elbow type gorilla type stuff since I learned of Imperial size wax. I have formed cases from 45-70 to 38-56 Win for my Model 1886 with nary a wobble resulting from such use as well as some wildcats such as 6.5-284's and 7mm-08 from 444 brass.
I recently was offered and subsequently purchased a Ponsness_Warren Metallic ten hole turret press from a member here. In my initial opening of the box I observed a lot of common features between the two and look forward to discussing the press with Al this weekend . I am very pleased in gathering the historic and quite serviceable machines of the past to complement my Dillon 550 and my Rockchucker on the benchtop. Turret and singles,progressives and even a Lee hand press all have fine points and sticky points,the best way to decide if you need the production numbers of the turrets and progressives is to delay loading ammunition for Winnemucca until the last two weeks and then try to catch up in what you think is appropriate for 30 guns. I guarantee that the turrets and progressives will become near and dear in no time. Now to find the old forgotten stash of WW's that a friend alluded to.................

BeeMan
05-18-2006, 10:57 AM
Skimming the thread, I've seen little mention of the RCBS turret press. I've had mine 1 year. Its a big productivity improvement over the old reloader special, when doing it the way Bruce B describes. Primer system setup wasn't perfect, but once aligned it works fine. The slight rocking of the turret under load doesn't seem to affect results, at least with my shooting skills.

One unexpected benefit is teaching the kids about reloading is much easier when they see each step in order and then a finished round. They have each loaded a few rounds themselves, under close supervision.

BeeMan

StarMetal
05-22-2006, 04:58 PM
Gentlemen....I bought the Lyman press off DaveInFloweryBranchGa. It's practically brand new. It's the new press that Lyman is currently selling. I got it set up already and loaded some pistol rounds on it. After loading on a RCBS Junior and then/ present Rockucker, the Lyman Turret is strange to me. One thing weird is went the ram cams over, it drops back about 1/32 inch or more and then on the down stroke it raise to cam over and then down. Anyone notice that. On a Rockucker for example when it cames over it the force remains there until you make the downstroke. All in all much faster.

Thanks Dave

Joe

dragonrider
05-22-2006, 07:31 PM
Starmetal
Yes my Lyman T-Mag also cams in the manner you mention. I suspect they all do. I have been thinking of making some kind of a stop to prevent it, but I don't really find it that bothersome. The part that was bothersome was the way the turret would tilt in use. there was a space of .020" between the rear support rod and the turret. by removing .019" from the bottom of the turret and making a spacer for the top thus allowing the turret no space to rock.

9.3X62AL
05-22-2006, 11:55 PM
The P-W P-200 has a slight "cam-over" in its operation, too.

Lee
05-23-2006, 12:45 AM
DT mentioned the indexing adjustment on the Lee turret press. For those of you that have them(How could I have anything else with a name like "LEE"!:-D )

Scrape together a few bucks, go to the Lee site and order a few extra of the "3-hole" or "4-hole" indexing cams, and a couple of the cam followers(Ithink they call 'em)
0.50 for the cam
2.00 for the cam follower if I disremember correctly.

Best money ya'll ever spend. I just recently changed the cam on my 4-hole. You can't believe the difference it makes! Lube the sucker up real good when you install. Can't hurt, might help..........................Lee:)

j4570
05-23-2006, 06:05 AM
The support pin on the backside of a Lyman T-Mag II is adjustable to prevent the turret tilting. At least that's how I remember it.

Oh, don't let the ram get near the top of the stoke and drop the handle while you are holding a bullet to be seated. The Lyman will blackened your thumb mighty quick.

I think you have a good press, it's strong, and that cam over never bothered me. Actually, it seems near identical to my Rockchucker IV.

JW

dragonrider
05-23-2006, 07:52 AM
My T-mag is a first generation model do it don't have the adjustable pin, wish I had seen one before I machined my turret, perhaps I could have fashioned something like it.

quasi
05-23-2006, 07:46 PM
You guys are forgetting the best turret presses, by far, the Hollywood turrets. Both the 12 and 8 hole presses are great, the 8 hole Senior has the most leverage.

The 12 hole universal 3 would hold 12 dies, 4 shell holders and 4 priming rods all at once. They are all very pricey however.

I hate Lee stuff!

DaveInFloweryBranchGA
05-24-2006, 06:12 AM
Joe,

You're welcome and it sounds like you're happy with the press. I found the camming to be odd at first too, but got used to it and was able to adjust my stroke with the press so it did not came over. The only problem I ever had with that press was not getting my thumb out of the way when I was sizing a brass and mashed it. Didn't feel too good.

Regards,

Dave

j4570
05-25-2006, 05:03 PM
Dave,

sounds like we should make up a poster on how to avoid "Lyman T-Mag Thumb"

as mine got me too. It's easy to get rockin and rollin pretty fast with it.

Jason

RayinNH
06-10-2006, 10:24 PM
Over on http://www.surplusrifle.com (http://www.surplusrifle.com/) there is a review of the Lee Classic turret press. It gets a good review. It might be worth your while to read if contemplating the purchase of one...Ray

utk
06-11-2006, 05:52 AM
There is an even better 3-part review of the Lee Classic Turret press here:

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

In the archives of this site there is also a review of the RCBS Turret press, with an addendum in a later article about turret tilt (don't remember which one, though).
This is a very good site to bookmark as it is continously updated with interesting reading.
This Turret review is part of the "articles section":

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

See also his "commentary" articles:

http://www.realguns.com/Commentary/comparc.htm

utk
06-11-2006, 12:16 PM
A question to those who own a Lee Classic Turret press:

Is there any risk of deforming the locking lugs on the turret or turret ring from heavy sizing/reforming of cases?

After all, it's all aluminium, a soft metal.

Urban

MLR
06-11-2006, 06:52 PM
utk:

While I do believe some of these new turret presses are pretty strong, I have a Redding T-7, there are some things that still need a sturdy single station press.
I keep my 40 year old Rock Chucker set up for things like that.

Michael

DLCTEX
06-11-2006, 09:47 PM
The design of the press spreads the forces over several lugs with a reported higher shear stength than cast iron, the turret is the only part that is aluminum alloy, and is cheap to replace if it ever did have a problem.