Why not a new lee classic turret press?

[44minimum]

I've read almost nothing but good about a lee classic turret press and I kinda want one. Problem is, I'm using an almost new Lyman T MAG two turret press now but it looks like the lee would be quite a bit faster but I surely do not want a progressive. Help me talk myself out of this purchase.

[35remington]

At about eighty bucks for one you wouldn't exactly have buyer's remorse due to depleting your funds. The Lee has about twice the production speed of the Lyman.

I have both presses by Lyman and Lee and use both, but for number of rounds produced in the past few years the Lee is leaving the Lyman in the dust. That should tell you something. Right now if I had to get rid of one or the other the Lyman would go, but since it's paid for it's staying.

[Pepe Ray]

Correct me if I'mwrong but, it was my impression that the Lee Turret press could be had in either a progressive OR as a manual turret press. Not so???
Pepe Ray

[hpdrifter]

the classic turret is not a progressive, nor is it offered as a progressive. the old(aluminum) turret press is a base for the Lee Pro 1000.

the classic turret can be either an automatic index or a manual turn, i.e. single stage with just storage for the other dies of the set.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

The lee Turret press can function both as a semi-progressive or a manual press. This is done by de-activating the auto index feature/mechanism that advances the turret. It is a fast press and runs away from any press where you have to index the turret manually and it is also easier on your hands. What I have yet to figure out is why Lee did not make the press convertible to left hand use as was the case with its predecessor. That only involved moving the front strut and re- positioning the handle to the left side. It was no big deal to do either and would have made the press a breeze for the southpaws. There isn't much negative to say about the machine. Its a complete winner. One special feature is the speed with which a loader can change turrets going from one caliber to another-fast! If one needs to reload a lot of ammo quickly in a strong and well built press then then this rig is the way to go. LLS

[mooman76]

The Lee turret press is not really a progressive press. Some call it a semiprogressive. It is some wheres between a single stage and a true progresive. I have the old lee turret and I use it almost exclusively except for my real heavy work and like it fine. I took the piece out that amkes it turn and use it like a single stage.

[Rick N Bama]

35remington.....since I have neither the Lee, nor the Lyman turret press, will you please explain how the Lee is faster than the Lyman? Not doubting you at all, just very curious as to how that can be.

Sorry if this is considered a thread hijack.

Rick

[44minimum]

Well, I do not consider it a hijack but you guys are not telling me bad things about the lee. What I need is to be talked out of purchasing one of these presses, he he he, since I have a perfectly good Lyman already. Maybe I should sell it to one of the suckers…......UMM, I mean, fine gentleman that frequent this forum thEN I could purchase the lee guilt free.

[JesterGrin_1]

Okay I am a pretty new Lee Classic Turret Press owner. And since I am new at this stuff it did take some fiddling with the primer apparatus that they offer and as of yet to get it to apply the primers consistently without throwing one out on the floor lol. So for the limited amount of rounds I use and the fact I would rather hand fit the primers for better feel I go that rout instead of using the Lee Classic Turret to apply the primers. As for the Powder dispenser I have found it to work well except for the fact that you may have to settle for a powder charge that will fit into the holes that are provided by the powder measure disc. But it is only a form of plastic so I am sure if you wished you could drill one out to change the charge grains that you would need for whatever cartridge you are going to load. And that is okay as they are cheap to replace.


But here is the bad part lol. I can not really think of anything negative about the Lee Classic Turret Press except for the fact that I did not purchase one before I purchased my T-Mag Press. Now do not get me wrong the T-Mag is a fine press. But it is expensive as well as components such as the turret head. Where as the Lee Classic Cast Turret heads are only like $8.oo apiece. The Lee Pro Auto Disk Powder Measure is only $34.00 plus a set of dies. Or through Kempf Gun Shop you can get the complete kit to load one cartridge for $162.95. Sorry I just can not think of a way you can go wrong with the Lee Classic Turret Press lol. Except to not purchase one lol.

And so far I have loaded the .38 and .357Mag along with .44 Special and .44 Mag as well as 45-70 and has worked well so far. Except for the 45-70 I use a seperate powder measure simply due to the fact of the HUGE powder charge needed lol.

Oh one more plus for the Lee Classic Turret Press is the fact when you do deprime the brass it goes into a tube connected to the ram instead of all over the table or have a mess to clean up. You or I should say I have a jumper primer now and then lol.

So if I was going to start fresh I would have the Lee Classic Cast Single Stage Press for doing special things and the Lee Classic Cast Turret Press. The Lee Classic Cast Single Stage Press is only like $73.oo and has the same dump for the primers. Yes the primer thing is a huge plus for me lol.

Look at these places.

http://forums.handloads.com/forum_po...TID=10237&PN=1

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=196390

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

[44minimum]

Here is a link to some kind of a primer fix for the Lee Press. I'm not sure if this is what you're experiencing, and I ran across it during my research today.


http://forums.handloads.com/forum_po...TID=10237&PN=1

[35remington]

Rick, the Lee indexes by pivoting a fresh die over the case on each stroke - semi progressive. Four strokes makes a loaded round, starting with an empty case. Pretty fast. The Lyman turret head does not move unless it is hand indexed, and is really a single stage press with storage for six dies in function. You could index the turret by hand and have a setup that charges the case, etc. but it's not as smooth a system as the Lee, which was set up as a semi-progressive from the get go.

Considerably slower. But a good press.

If you're having trouble with the Lee standard priming setup on the Classic, something's off. I have no problems with mine and prime no other way.

44minimum, sorry, I ain't gonna talk you out of the Lee. Hell, I'm talking you INTO one, and I don't feel guilty one bit, especially since I have the Lyman press to compare!

I still must say the Lyman is a very good press. It's just not as fast or as convenient as the Lee is. The Lee seems tailor made for cases like my favorite .25-20 that must be loaded in volumes greater than regular rifle cartridges, and setting up the turret heads for the cartridge you want is relatively cheap. Set 'em and forget 'em - almost. It is also excellent for .223 or experimental moderate volume loading of pistol rounds when zeroing in on an "ideal" load through much trial and error to find what's best.

Having predrilled rotor sizes to the powder measure is NO handicap in most instances. The range is close enough that one of the thrown charges will be what you want in most cases, save some rifle loads.

Do NOT go lighter than 3.5 grains of flake powders in the Lee Auto Disk measure to avoid squibs. This is no criticism of the Lee measure - many have problems with very small charges of flake powders.

[JesterGrin_1]

44minimum It looks like you will have a Lee Classic Cast Turret Press in your future lol.

[DanWalker]

Bought mine over a year ago. I've since loaded about 47 buzillion rounds of 45acp,45LC,44spl,380acp,38spl,223,7mm08, and 45/70 on it. NO COMPLAINTS.....NADA, ZERO, ZIP......sorry I couldn't talk you out of it.

[hpdrifter]

If you're having trouble with the Lee standard priming setup on the Classic, something's off. I have no problems with mine and prime no other way.

ditto. well, I did have a wee bit of problem with it at first, but a little fiddlin with the angle of the mount under the mounting bolt took care of it.

Remember push in THEN DOWN.

[JesterGrin_1]

Ok Ok I will look into it further lol. But I do prefer to put the primers on by hand with my RCBS Primer Tool.

[Gun-adian]

I'm afraid I can't (or won't) talk you out of one, either.

I bought mine a year ago and haven't regretted the purchase. I can crank out .45/70 rounds like crazy!!!

There's no way I'm going back now.

So...it looks like you're getting one, right??

[454PB]

Why would anyone feel guilty about owning several reloading presses? I own the Lee Classic Turret, two of the older aluminum turret presses, and an RCBS Rockchucker. A single boolit mould can easily cost more than any one of those presses, and I have a lot more moulds than presses.

[Jim]

I've bought and used many Lee products over the years. The only ones that I've kept are those WITHOUT moving parts.
IMO, Lee has difficulty producing goods with linkage/moving parts.

[DLCTEX]

Jester: I predict that if you try the safety prime you will no longer prefer to put primers in by hand. I rarely use my Lee auto primes tools anymore, prefering to do priming on the Classic Cast Turret. Plenty "feel" when setting primers and plenty leverage to get it done effortlessly. The new design on the primer tray is the greatest for flipping the primers upright I've ever seen. You will have no problems with linkage or moving parts on the Classic Cast series. DALE

[GrizzLeeBear]

I have both the Lee Classic Cast single stage press and the Classic Cast Turret press. IMO Lee took the best parts of the Classic Cast and combined them with the best parts of their earlier turret press. It is not as fast as a real progressive, since it does only one opperation with each pull of the handle, but WAY faster than a single stage or manual index press. For the money, it is a very good press.