Redding T-7 Turret

[boatswainsmate]

Hello all,
I picked this press up as shown yesterday for a really decent price. I'm looking for any advice on the most efficient way to use this press. I've seen mixed reviews on using an powder measure on the press. Thanks in advance. Boats

[Petrol & Powder]

The T-7 is an outstanding press and IMHO, the best of the turret presses.
If the bench is solid and the press is firmly mounted, a powder measure will work just fine on the press. However, I don't see a big advantage in mounting powder measure directly to a turret press. The real advantage to a turret press is the ability to set all of the dies in the tool head 1 time and then leave them alone. There's no advantage to mounting the powder measure to the press unless you're really short on bench space and I would rather have the powder measure separate from the turret because it's not dedicated to a particular load or powder.

[NSB]

Pretty much what Petrol&Powder said. Problem with the powder measure on the press is that it goes around when you move to the next die. I can't see ANY advantage to having it on the press and several disadvantages. Just mount it on the bench and get some bullet boards. Put the powder in, put the case in a bullet board, and then move that over to the press and load your shells.

[kungfustyle]

If you are going to prime on the press then you can get https://www.midwayusa.com/product/80...ed-linkage-kit
I just got the T7 a few months ago and love it. I use the Lee auto disk powder measure with pistol cartridges, but use and RCBS chargemaster for rifle reloading.
If you are going to prime off the press then you'll have to remove the brass from the press and there is no advantage to charging on the press unless you want to save space.

[sparky45]

Best Turret press on the market. I love the two I own.

[Petrol & Powder]

And just a side note; the real strength of a turret press shows when the loading process is done in batches. For example if you're loading 100 rounds you run all 100 pieces of brass through the sizing/decapping die in one batch before rotating the turret to the next station.

The T-7 turret has a lot of stations and that gives you a lot of flexibility but that doesn't mean you have to use all of those stations. You can even put two different 3 die sets on the same turret head and load two different cartridge types on the same head.

For efficiency, I would prime and charge casings off the press. A set of loading blocks makes a single stage press far more useful.
When using a single stage press and a powder measure to load handgun cartridges, I don't even remove the casings from the loading block when charging the casings with powder. I just move the entire loading block under the powder measure and charge each casing in order. When I'm done, I visually double check the powder level in the casings under a light to ensure I didn't miss one or double charge one. That method greatly reduces the amount of handling needed to charge the casings and it reduces the chance of double charging a casing.

[mdi]

I don't think I'd put a powder measure on a hand indexed turret, unless I was using the press semi-progressive (put a case in and hand index through the whole process and take out a loaded cartridge). I had a Lee turret for many years that I had disabled the auto-index and used the press exclusively for batch loading (I installed ram prime tools on a couple turrets too). I was looking hard at the Redding turret, but then I bought my Co-Ax...

[JeffG]

I’m using the RCBS turret press. I have The Lee Pro Auto-disk on each turret, with case activation and like it that way. Typically, i run each case through all the steps, sizing/priming, expansion, charging, seating then crimping. I do have one turret that has 44 Special and 45 Colt dies on it so in that case i have the powder measure on a separate stand.

[BillP]

That's a great press and powder measure. I don't know what the "proper" way is to use a turret is but I went from batch reloading on a single stage rock chucker to doing all stages on a lyman turret with RCBS Uniflo. Shell goes on the press and a finished round comes off. I can do a couple of quick test rounds or chug out a 150 an hour at a very relaxed pace...more if I want to push it...but not pushing like you see reloading jocks on utube. Regardless, it beats batch loading in my book. Powder throw variation has not been a reality with the press mounted uniflo and I've checked 1000s of times in many 1000s of rounds. I put an rcbs baffle in the uniflo just for kicks and found no difference there either. Unless there are special considerations, I see no sense in batch reloading on a turret. It's slower and makes you handle brass more times per finished rd. I will add that I've had no problems with the measure mounted on the turret. Its not in the way, doesn't make turning the turret harder and is mounted so I can reach the handle easily. Win win in my opinion.

[LUBEDUDE]

I currently use three different Hollywood Turret presses, while I do have others as well. How should you use your T-7? There is no “right” way, just the way that works for YOU.


Hollywood Senior Turret


I really love having the PM mounted on the press and as mdi says, use it as a semi progressive. I don’t remove the case until it has been made into a loaded round. I can safely and easily run 150-200 rounds an hour depending upon my mood.


Hollywood Turret Tool, currently on other side of bench.

Now I’m not loading precision rifle either. If I was, I would probably remove the PM and use the batch method. I mostly load for pistol and I am pleased with the quality of Ammo produced.


Hollywood Super Turret

I recommend that you try multiple ways and see what is most comfortable for you and your needs.

[JSnover]

The T-7 turret has a lot of stations and that gives you a lot of flexibility but that doesn't mean you have to use all of those stations. You can even put two different 3 die sets on the same turret head and load two different cartridge types on the same head.

^That!
I mounted a powder measure and took it off an hour later because it really just got in the way.
I load smokeless/jacketed in one of my 45-70s and black/cast in another. All the dies I need for both can be set up in the same turret (marked with a Sharpie; Black for BP, Red for smokeless). My intent was to clear up a little space on the bench. But it worked so well I ended up buying more stuff

[Gunners Mate]

I disagree with mounting a Powder measure I have a T7 with a RCBS Uniflow with the case activated linkage that works extremely well with the T7

[Petrol & Powder]

I've never looked at a turret press as a poor mans progressive press. While there's nothing wrong with advancing the turret one station at a time while loading a single round from start to finish; I don't see that as the strength of the turret press.

To me a turret press is a tool head that holds a set of pre-adjusted dies. If you want a progressive press, .....Dillon make some great ones .

[Geraldo]

While I generally agree with P&P's point that a tool head just holds dies, you've got to mount the powder measure somewhere. So why not in the tool head?

Try it in a few configurations and use it however you think is best.

[boatswainsmate]

Thanks for all the advice and comments!

[greenjoytj]

While I generally agree with P&P's point that a tool head just holds dies, you've got to mount the powder measure somewhere. So why not in the tool head?

Try it in a few configurations and use it however you think is best.

The turret press with a powder measure installed does not have the built in mechanism to prevent double charging like a Dillon. Having the powder measure off press adds a layer of inspection capability to verify no double charge has been made. It safer to off press powder change.

[iShoot17]

I find this thread interesting. I had always imagined that using a turret press would lead someone to loading one round at a time, rather than in batch processing (sizing all 100 at once, seating all at once, etc.). If that would be the case, why not simply use a single stage press? I understand the ability to store multiple die sets in one place in a “set them and forget them” mentality, but wouldn’t it be just as fast to have dies set and use a single stage press (i.e. Co-ax)?

With that said, I have looked into the T-7 quite extensively and would love to have one on my bench for a few specific calibers. Since I’d likely be using three dies sets, I would likely keep a powder measure on the toolhead, at least to start! However, I would be going with the load one complete round at a time route (at least that’s how I’m thinking now!).

[Wheelguns 1961]

I use a turret press to load pistol and revolver rounds. The difference in my way is that I use a chargemaster, so I don’t need to mount a powder dispenser on my turret. I load one round at a time. First station I deprime/size. Second I size with an m die or noe expanders. Third I have a powder through expander with a funnel on top. I don’t use this to expand anything, unless on the rare occassion that I am loading j-bullets. I dump my powder in the funnel, then my next station contains my seating die. Since I like to seat and crimp separately, my next station contains my crimp die.

I realize that I could do this more efficiently, but this is what works for me. I have an RCBS turret press with six holes. A push thru sizer die usually occupies the last hole. This is just my way, and I post it because maybe it will help someone find what works best for them.

[LUBEDUDE]

The turret press with a powder measure installed does not have the built in mechanism to prevent double charging like a Dillon. Having the powder measure off press adds a layer of inspection capability to verify no double charge has been made. It safer to off press powder change.

You are assuming the we semi-progressive Turret loaders do not inspect our powder drops. It only takes an additional second of two to do so.

[Petrol & Powder]

Between the methods of using a turret press, I don't believe there's a wrong way. The advantage of a turret over a single stage is the fact that you don't have to screw the dies in and out of the turret. You install them, adjust them and leave them alone after that.
While it's true that you can set the lock rings on the dies so that the dies can be returned to the same position when placed back in the press, it's easier if you don't have to play with the dies at all. The Hornady Lock-n-Load bushings come close to meeting the advantages of a turret but I think the turret still wins out by a slight margin.

Clearly a turret press can be used to perform all of the loading operations on a single casing from start to finish by rotating the turret after each operation. However; I've never seen a turret press as an alternative to a true progressive press. If I'm going to use a press as a progressive press and take a spent casing through all of the steps to make a completed cartridge, I'm just going to buy a progressive press and call it a day.

To me the strength of turret press is the ability to have the dies pre-adjusted and locked down on a turret. That turret is then used as a single stage press for operations in small batches for the times I don't want to use a progressive press.

I think both methods have their merits. I also thing the Redding T-7 is one of the very best turret presses currently available as a new unit.