Lee Turret Press with Auto-Index

[ordway]

I would like to hear any and all comments concerning this press from pistol reloaders who have had experience with it.
Thanks, ordway@intergate.com.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Ordway,

If you're going to look at the Lee turrets, I'd suggest the Lee Classic Cast Turret with 4 position turrets. It's has the better features of all of Lee's Turret presses.

Dave

[Charley]

The turret press is ok, but I never could get the auto-index to work for more than a dozen rounds before it would lose adjustment.

I wouldn't buy the standard turret press today. Mine has loaded a bunch of cartridges in the last 15 years or so, and is getting pretty tired and kinda loose. Instead, I would buy the newer Classic Turret Press, based on Lee's Classic press. Both are cast iron, and should outlast the older aluminum turret press. I have not seen any negative reviews on the Classic, either.

[Lee]

I've used a Lee 4-hole turret for several years now. Adequate for my needs. I start with deprimed, cleaned, primed cases in separate operations. I can load around 200-250 rounds per hour this way. I usually use all holes.
1. Resize
2. Charge with powder
3. Seat the bullet to depth
4. Crimp the bullet

The above set-up allows me to tweak the seating depth and crimp amount separately, adjusting one w/o affecting the other.
It's a good press for the money. Buy a couple spare "PLASTIC!" indexing cams, as they wear out and affect the indexing. Grease 'em and they will probably last longer. I did that, haven't seen any degradation of the plastic..yet. They wear out REAL fast if you try to force the turret in the wrong direction. Don't know why Lee doesn't make them out of metal. Would last longer, I think.
Buy the updated "auto" powder measure, the one with the knurled brass retaining nuts. It is a much better design than the original, which is good in its own right.
Contact Lee at "www.leeprecision.com" and see if you can request one of their new catalogs. I just got one in the mail and it is much better illustrated, with better descriptions of what fits what and does what than their earlier versions.
I got into reloading because I shoot just enough to make retail ammo purchases expensive, and reloading very cost effective. I chose Lee because of cost, because I wasn't sure if I would stick with reloading. Well, I have. Would my next press be a Lee? Yes. (If you load 1000 rds. per week, you WILL want to look at a Dillon, or others...............................Lee:)

[mooman76]

I have a little experience with the Lee turret. I bought a Lee 3 holer on ebay for cheap. I use it like a single stage press though. I just took off the indexer. I like the fact that I don't have to readjust the dies every time and remove and replace them or others not to mention if you have to go back a stage to redo something missed you just turn it back.

[trickyasafox]

i have a lee 3 hole turret, the non-classic cast press. I really like it. the primer catch is about as useful as a pitch fork bailing water, but the press works well, uses the same tool heads as my pro-1000 (very handy!) and mine has indexed very well. if i did it over i might get the classic cast, but to be honest i don't feel like i am wanting for anything with the older version and saved a few dollars. I use mine for rifle cartridges, and the auto index works fine with 223 and 7.62x39.

Eventually i'll try it in 270 and maybe 7mm-08 but have not yet had the opportunity. production rate for me, is 100-120 per hour. i go pretty slow and to get to 150 per hour wouldn't be out of the question at all. thats 3 rounds a minute with 10 minutes for set up and primer refill, pleeenty of time if your dies are pretty well set up.

i know you asked specifically for pistol loading, and i only did a very small run of 45acp on mine once, but it went smoothly. the only difference was i didn't have to lube the cases :)

hope this helps!

mike

[PatMarlin]

I've been wanting to ask... can the classic turret be disabbled?

I also just want use one and index manually- one step at a time. I always wanted the Redding- T7 seven station but I love the LEE single stage classic I have now, and I figured the classic turret would be great.

[sjohnson]

mooman76 uses his as a single stage.

When I'm loading pistol cartridges I use the auto index.

Rifle cartridges, I disable it and use it single stage and index manually. Just the way I'm comfortable, I guess.

I do like the four-hole turrets. Buy enough for all your dies. Set up the dies once, then you're done.

I don't like the "tilt" of the turrets, the amount on mine is several thousandths from "at rest" to "full press". The Lee turret press isn't axially precise, so don't use it for BR loads I suppose.

[utk]

I've been wanting to ask... can the classic turret be disabbled?

I also just want use one and index manually- one step at a time. I always wanted the Redding- T7 seven station but I love the LEE single stage classic I have now, and I figured the classic turret would be great.

Yes. You just lift out the "twisted rod" before inserting the turret. No screws or anything. The rod installs just as easily when you want to go auto.
I lift out the rod when adjusting new dies and reinstall it when done.

Urban

[Diamond-City-Bob]

I've had one sitting around for several years and this thread motivated me to set it up. It's the three holer w/auto indexing, (which needs a new nylon rachet). I found a bunch of Winchester nickel plated .45 Colt brass hidden on one of my benches. The problem is that when I seat the primers some of them will not seat to the proper depth (CCI Large Pistol) some do. Being of the school that feels that "If it dont fit force it, If it still don't fit, get a bigget hammer" does not apply when it comes to primers I'm wondering if the fault is with the press or the brass. aside from this I can see potential for the press, especially if I fix the auto indexing and put in a primer feed. Any hints or thoughts on the primers?
Thanks,
Bob

[utk]

I've read that the inside of the casemouth of a nickel-plated brass is very rough. Maybe the same applies to the inside of the primer pocket?
Try "brass"-brass, i.e. non-nickelplated brass.

[MT Gianni]

How do they prime with a hand primer or on another press?

[threett1]

I use my old 3holer for handgun almost exclusively. I like to prime with my autoprime so I took out the auto index. I size and deprime, then prime them all. I then charge and seat by turning it thru the 2 stations by hand. Works well for me in my nonhurried fashion. I also got a T7 a while back Pat, and it is just awesome. Built like a rock. Will be getting more turrets for my most used rifle dies. Got my 06 sizer and 2 seaters, 30/30, and 280 dies in it now.:drinks:

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

I'm wondering if the fault is with the press or the brass. aside from this I can see potential for the press, especially if I fix the auto indexing and put in a primer feed. Any hints or thoughts on the primers?
Thanks,
Bob

Bob,

RBstern has his older turret press set up with the safety prime setup to prime with and a Pro Auto Disk measure (You'll need the six buck riser to clear the safety prime, btw.) and he's been real happy with it. I've used it a time or two over at his place and I've been impressed enough I'm buying the new Lee Classic Cast turret press.

If you don't have a lot of 3 hole dies, I suggest you upgrade yours to a four holer, add the safety prime and a Pro Auto Disk Powder measure and take your time and fix the auto advance. I think you'll find you'll be glad you did.

And to put my money where my mouth is, both RBstern and myself are waiting for our Lee Classic Cast Turret presses to come in.

Regards,

Dave

[Diamond-City-Bob]

Looking over some old notes I discover that the reason this brass got lost in the stuff section of my shop is that was unhappy with it to start with. Split necks on some it after three reloads peeling plating--------------------!
I found that the stuff worked about the same in my Jr.2, my Lee hand primer and my bench mounted RCBS primer. I'll just have to go shoot a bunch tomorrow so I can give the press a good work out and fair evaluation using good brass, (damm the bad luck)!
I could tell that I'll get significantly more production than with my single stage presses or my Ponsness Warren turret press, I'll just have to shoot more to keep up and cast more too.
Thanks for the feedback,
Bob

[IcerUSA]

I did the usuall research on the presses when I started reloading in the first part of 06, came to the conclusion that the Lee Classic Turret would suit my needs real well as I load for rifle and pistol, 7mm Rem Mag, 22-250, 9mm, and my love, the 45 APC round ;) now have 6 heads set up to do my work, deprime all cases with a universal deprimer, Full length size all new or bought once fired my 7 and 22-250 brass and Ram Prime II in one head, have my sizers for my cast pistol bullets in another head, Neck or FL Pistol die fallowed by a pass thru powder die, Seatter die , and then the crimp die. Like the idea of being able to disengage the auto feature, just put it in when loading, everything else is done in single mode. Did have one turret head break FL sizeing some 22-250 brass, sent it to Lee and got a new one in about a week so heads up on keeping an extra on hand ( got to do that soon myself :) ). Hope this helps ya out, so far I like the set-up real well :)

[ordway]

Bob,
Your problem could possibly be solved by using Federal primers. Federals are a softer primer than CCI and can be seated fully into the primer pocket without too much pressure and they are easier to ignite under the firing pin. I have a Smith & Wesson revolver with a light hammer fall that never misfires with Federal primers.
Hope this helps.