To turret or not to turret?

[44Blam]

I have always loaded with a single stage press.
But, I started shooting a few matches a month and I need to make a fair number of boolits.
I can reload about 100 rounds in 2-3 hours on a single stage, but I find that I'm shooting about 400-500 rounds / month from about 100-200 rounds/month...
It seems like I should be moving up to a turret to keep up...

What do ya'll do?

[M-Tecs]

I tend to collect presses. I currently have over 30. If I had to get rid of one my Lyman Turret would be the first to go. Last would be my Dillon 1050's second to last would be the Dillon 650's. Unlike most I don't have much love for the Dillon 550's. They are excellent presses I just never cared for the manual advance on the 550. I flat don't understand the allure of turret presses. That being said if I ever find a good deal on a Redding T-7 I may add it to the collection of presses I don't use. For single station I love my RCBS A2, RCBS A4 and Champion Press. I have given numerous single stage presses away to new loaders but the two Dillon 550's are the only ones that I have sold.

[Walks]

100rds in 2-3hrs ??

I think I can still load 100rds in 50minutes for Roll crimp and Seat together, and an hour for a fourth taper die.

And that includes using an RCBS Hand Priming Tool.

You have to get organized before you start. Get cases, bullets, powder, labels, boxes, primers all ready.

And I use a RCBS Little Dandy, so it's a quick check on the scale and it's Go.

And that was before the L-N-L Bushings for my RCBS RC.

[Gatch]

I'm shooting 300+ a week. I'd be forever loading with a single stage. I bought a dillon 650 and it's fantastic.

[Bookworm]

I can't speak to what you should do. However, I'm shooting several hundred rounds of various cartridges, similar to your consumption.

I was using a single stage, then went to two singles mounted side by side. That increased production a good bit. Then, Santa brought a Lee Classic Turret. That was a game changer. It vastly increased production. I don't know the numbers, I'm not trying to win a speed contest.
Later, I installed a reverse rotation kit, with a cartridge kicker, and that helped more than I thought it would.

Rifle rounds I still load on the single stage, I don't do high-volume rifle shooting.

If you want a reasonably priced turret, I can heartily recommend the LCT.

[OS OK]

The turret is an outstanding press to make up rounds to dial in a pistol or experiment with...it's fairly fast too when you get used to running it.

[Digger]

I can't speak to what you should do. However, I'm shooting several hundred rounds of various cartridges, similar to your consumption.

I was using a single stage, then went to two singles mounted side by side. That increased production a good bit. Then, Santa brought a Lee Classic Turret. That was a game changer. It vastly increased production. I don't know the numbers, I'm not trying to win a speed contest.
Later, I installed a reverse rotation kit, with a cartridge kicker, and that helped more than I thought it would.

Rifle rounds I still load on the single stage, I don't do high-volume rifle shooting.

If you want a reasonably priced turret, I can heartily recommend the LCT.

Another vote for the "turret" .... specifically the Lee Classic Cast Turret.
With this particular machine I started out in single stage steps ..very carefully , with that said , used it as a semi progressive ever since.
With my style of reloading/demand it has fulfilled all to this point very nicely.

[Rcmaveric]

I burn theough about 500 pistol and 300 rifle on average a month. It was tough and laborious to keep up on my single stage. Plus i work over time almost every day.

I tried to stream line it as much as possible and my hand press in tandum with the single stage helped.

For Christmas the wife got me the Lee classic turret and my mom got me the press stand. Golly did that make a difference. I can set it up on monday, then throughout the week just check the powder dropper and just pull the handle. I can easily keep up now. I have plans to get a Load Master next.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[uscra112]

@M-Tecs: Glad to know someone else has a collection of presses they don't use! At least I haven't succumbed to the lure of Dillon, though. And I had one Lee that was so bad I tossed it in the dumpster. I use a Lyman Tru-Line Junior for assembling handgun rounds. Otherwise I'm happy using an old RCBS Junior single stage. Drop powder thru various measures including a Belding and Mull. For rifles I weight every charge. The rest of the press collection is just filling up shelf space.

You can tell that I don't shoot 300 rounds a week anymore.

[Hossfly]

I like the 650 for cranking out 9mm, was slow with lubed boolits, lube would clog the seating die. Switched to power coat and all is well.

[NSB]

Have two Dillon, one Redding turret, and an RCBS single stage. I use the turret almost exclusively. It's not the fastest, and it's only real advantage over the single stage is not having to change the dies. But, it still makes enough ammo for me to meet my needs and it never "acts up". I like the Dillons, but only for making one dedicated load for one caliber (for me). Using a good powder measure and hand primer, I don't find the turret to be much of a disadvantage if any. Using bullet boards to hold the cases as I change operations it all goes pretty fast. Just my two cents.

[Camper64]

Another vote for the "turret" .... specifically the Lee Classic Cast Turret.
With this particular machine I started out in single stage steps ..very carefully , with that said , used it as a semi progressive ever since.
With my style of reloading/demand it has fulfilled all to this point very nicely.

Exactly what I did. You can crank out about 150 per hour without any custom automation (shell ejection). I do use the Auto Drum Powder Measure.

[alamogunr]

I didn't vote because I've got all three and use all three. I started with the RCBS RC and it was all I used for years. Bought a used Dillon 550 and tooled up for 9mm, .38/.357, .40, .45. Don't see the need for any more. Recently bought a Redding turret, mostly, for the convenience of separate seat & crimp. Also got an extra turret when I figure out what rifle cartridges I will be loading more often.

[frkelly74]

I have not succumbed to turrets syndrome as of yet. I will size & deprime a bunch of brass and then bell and prime the same brass and eventually charge and seat bullets on my single stage.

[BigAlofPa.]

Im spoiled by my lee classic turret. I put my brass in a bowel my primers (i prime on the press) in a shallow dish and my bullets in a bowel. I have them placed in order of the loading process. My powder drop is mounted to a powder though die. I never timed myself. But it don't take long to knock out rounds. I do 50 and then take a break. Then run 50 more.

[ukrifleman]

I would recommend the Lee classic turret.

I can crank out around 150/hour of 45 Colt/44-40 with the indexing rod installed and a Lee auto disk powder measure mounted on the turret.

For rifle rounds, I remove the indexing rod and use the press as a single stage.

Even as a single stage, it is so quick to just rotate the drum onto the next die and changing die sets takes seconds when they are installed in their own turrets.

A great press for the money.

ukrifleman

[RogerDat]

Lee classic turret is very productive. I pull the index rod when I want to do single stage work on say rifle rounds. Or use the press to do a single operation on a batch of brass. This and a single stage for trimming and push through sizer work for me.

I showed a friend the set up and worked with him to load up a box of 9mm for his own use. He bought a LCT for himself shortly after. However being retired he does have more free time for the range and it didn't take him long before he bought the Lee progressive press and set that up for 9mm. He found that shooting the 9mm on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday he was struggling to keep up with a turret, a progressive did speed up his reloading to his satisfaction.

Progressive seems to work well for folks that need high volume in a limited number of calibers. Turret is more cost effective for doing several calibers at a faster production rate than single stage but slower than a progressive. LCT is I think the best middle option, not too hot, not too cold, but just right.

[jmort]

Like some others, I have a lot of presses. All have advantages and disadvantages.
I like my
550s
A2s
Big Max
Classic Cast Turrets
Etc.
If I had to have only one, it would be the Classic Cast Turret
I have never tried a 650 or 1050, but I will always prime off the press
So they will never make sense, but only a fully progressive loader will crank out more than 200 rounds an hour.
I will endure the deprivation as best as I can

[waco]

I use all three.
Dillon 550
Lyman All American 8
RCBS Rock Chucker

[tazman]

Lee Classic Cast Turret with the Pro Auto Disk powder measure. I prime on the press. I can get 150 rounds an hour doing handgun or 223 rifle easily.
For larger rifle calibers I switch it to single stage.
Caliber changes are easily done in just a couple of minutes. You set up a turret with the dies the first time and you are ready to go with a turret change and primer change after that.
I currently have turrets set up for 9mm, 38 special, 357 mag, 40 S&W, and 45ACP in handgun with turrets for 223, 243, 308 and 30-06 in rifle.