I went back to my Lee turret press

[TNsailorman]

I have climbed many a mountain seeking the one perfect load (you know, the one tht works in all pistols or rifles) and have not found it yet. Along the way I have encountered more than a few short comings in some of my techniques and even a few in my equipment. What I have come to believe is the following statement. There is NO perfect piece of equipment on the market as yet and I have found no perfect all around load. I am getting too old to chase dreams now (78 years old and 58+ years reloading), so I am gradually going back to basics and basic equipment. I started out loading on a Lee Loader in 1962 after getting out of the Navy and am gradually headed back to that now. I say, buy what equipment is comfortable to you and stick with it. Being familiar with your equipment brings skill and a certain comfort in ones mind. Experimenting with loads is a good thing as long as you don't get too carried away with it. When you find a good accurate load for the firearm you are working with, stay with it. New is not always better, just different. My take on it anyway, james

[tazman]

You bet! That's part of the beauty of this hobby. We can tailor it to fit our own needs.

Right now I really need more time to unload some. Haven't been out to shoot since the beginning of July!

You must be suffering from serious withdrawal symptoms! You need to take care of that right away. Your realize you could go blind from that?

[kmw1954]

You must be suffering from serious withdrawal symptoms!

Absolutely. We went to a Meet and Greet shoot with some members of another forum in July and haven't shot since. Partly because my best shootin partner just had her knee replaced about 10 weeks ago. Recovery is going well and she's mentioned getting out to the range. I've got a ton of loaded 45acp that hasn't been tested yet.

TNsailorman, completely agree. No such thing as Perfect! The presses are nothing more than a tool to do a job. No tool does every job Perfectly. Every pistol caliber I own there are at least 2 samples of that caliber. I try to find a load that works best in both. Is it Perfect for either one? No, but it's pretty close and I can shoot it in either gun reliably and accurately.

[tazman]

I am not about to say all my ammunition will work in any 9mm. I have ammunition at home that only part of my 9mm collection will accept. Usually this is due to boolit diameter but there are a couple of examples where OAL is the difference.
I have other ammunition that will work well in all of them. It may not be the best in that particular pistol, but it will work well and reliably.
I have too many barrels with different diameters to ever have one boolit load be the best in everything.

[abunaitoo]

"You said the support pole gets in way, there should only be 3, which side is yours on in the front? "
It's not a real problem.
Sometimes when I load I use two hands.
Left hand to put the case in. Right hand to place the boolet in.

[tazman]

"You said the support pole gets in way, there should only be 3, which side is yours on in the front? "
It's not a real problem.
Sometimes when I load I use two hands.
Left hand to put the case in. Right hand to place the boolet in.

Sounds like you are using the press in single stage mode. I can see how the issue you state can take place.
When I use mine in single stage mode, I put the case in with my left hand, use pressure on the handle to hold the case in place in the shellholder, and place the boolit with my left hand.
Not saying what I do is better, it is just how I operate the thing.

[flashhole]

I have two Lee Classic Turret presses. Love them. One is on the main bench. The other I take to the range for load development. Simple matter of swapping out turrets between presses when everything is set up.

Sold my Redding Model 25 Turret press. Couldn't warm up to the backward slant. Who decided that was a good design? Stupid if you ask me.

[dragon813gt]

There are two presses I use all the time. Well honestly I don’t have much time to reload anymore but the two presses I use when I do are a LCT and a 550B. I can load everything on the 550 but I only use it for large runs. The LCT is faster and easier to setup. The only thing I don’t like doing on it is full length resizing or rifle cases. It’s more than capable but I prefer to use a single stage for this.

I’m sort of invested in the LCT

[abunaitoo]

Sounds like you are using the press in single stage mode. I can see how the issue you state can take place.
When I use mine in single stage mode, I put the case in with my left hand, use pressure on the handle to hold the case in place in the shellholder, and place the boolit with my left hand.
Not saying what I do is better, it is just how I operate the thing.

Yes, single stage.
More than enough room to do rifle as a single stage.
I have the shells on the left side, and the boolets on the right side.
I thought the Lyman turret would work better because it's open.
But the handle is in the middle, and the throw is longer than the Lee.
I just didn't like it.
Maybe if it were mounted on a loading table it would work better.
I have it on a portable table. Not much room and it's low.

[JeepHammer]

I've been reloading for 45+ years, owned every color & type at one time or another...

This is my loading bench station, (case processing done elsewhere)



I HATE hip & elbow busting handles,and getting the presses inset keeps them from cantilevering the bench.

I do have my old Rock Chucker for bench rifle rounds, but virtually everything gets loaded on either the Dillon or Lee manual 'Turret' press (even though it's actually a tool head press, not a turret) loads pretty good, and it makes for instant teardown & tooling press, no 'Mystery' rounds on my bench!
('Mystery' Rounds being one of my pet peeves! )

[tazman]

I like that inset press idea. I have never thought of that. It should work as you suggest.
What I did was build mine extra heavy so the bench would not move. It still wiggles slightly but it doesn't cause a problem.

[Petander]

I bolted an old Lee 1000 to my (heavy) computer desk for temporary 9mm test load purposes last spring.

It's still there,I temporarily use it every week.

Attachment 229290

[ReloaderEd]

Hey if it works and you get good reloads, go for it.

[kmw1954]

I bolted an old Lee 1000 to my (heavy) computer desk for temporary 9mm test load purposes last spring.

It's still there,I temporarily use it every week.

Attachment 229290

Do those 9mm temporarily stay loaded too?
I am temporarily caught up with my reloading at the moment.

[kernal_panic]

I started reloading with the Lee Classic Turret press. I've since had a Pro 1000, and sold it. Got a Hornady LNL and now have it stored in the closet. Works good, but more press than I need. Then I got a used Dillon Square Deal. Having some issues with worn parts, but Dillon's warranty is as good as claimed. Have caliber changes for 9mm, .40 S&W, .45 Colt and .45 ACP. I have replaced enough parts that I can now load 9mm and .45 Colt. COL is not as consistent as I expected for .45 Colt.

Ain't had any problems with the LCT! Still on my bench. I only load pistol calibers . . . .380 ACP, 9mm, .45 Colt, .45 ACP, .38 Special and .357 Magnum. Have turrets, dies and powder throwers for all six. It just works as expected.

I bought my LCT press the summer they came out in 2005. other presses have come and gone, but the LCT stays.

[RogerDat]

The LCT 4 hole in single stage mode is great for larger rifle loading, drop the index rod in and can smoothly crank out lots of smaller rifle rounds or pistol round. It just works.

I do sizing on the LCT before trimming on a single stage. I put the sizing dies on single disk so I can size before trim. Using the freed up hole in the 4 hole disk for NOE expander plugs to control neck tension.

Singe stage sees action for pocket swaging, push through sizer, and Lee trim dies. I would sort of like to replace my small C press with a Lee Classic O press. Figure nothing I wouldn't be able to do between the two except swage form bullets. Which I don't anticipate doing.

[tazman]

The LCT 4 hole in single stage mode is great for larger rifle loading, drop the index rod in and can smoothly crank out lots of smaller rifle rounds or pistol round. It just works.

I do sizing on the LCT before trimming on a single stage. I put the sizing dies on single disk so I can size before trim. Using the freed up hole in the 4 hole disk for NOE expander plugs to control neck tension.

Singe stage sees action for pocket swaging, push through sizer, and Lee trim dies. I would sort of like to replace my small C press with a Lee Classic O press. Figure nothing I wouldn't be able to do between the two except swage form bullets. Which I don't anticipate doing.

I agree with everything except the push through sizer. I have those on a spare turret also. I use this press for everything except primer pocket swaging, case trimming, and bullet pulling

[Ole Joe Clarke]

I have a solid core door, (32" x 80") as a table top, and I have various presses and tools mounted on 3/4" x 12" x 12" cabinet grade plywood. Since I don't change out much, it works for me.

Have a blessed day,

Leon