New Handle - Lee Classic Turret

[Ben]

I ordered a new handle from Chris ( lathesmith ) for my Lee Classic Turret Press.

The handle arrived in the mail this morning without any finish ( metal in the raw ),
so I degreased everything and put about 3 coats of red enamel on the handle.

The press may fail someday ( which I seriously doubt) but this handle will NEVER fail.

Very nice, this is the way things should be made ! !

I'm certain that I'll like it.

Ben

Here is a " Before Photo " showing the factory Lee handle :

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/002-19.jpg

Here are the " After Photos " showing the new lathesmith handle :

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/003-13.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/004-12.jpg

[Recluse]

You're killing me, Ben!

I ordered my Classic Turret Press on the 20th (Dec) to be shipped to the store (Cabela's) in Fort Worth, and I'm still waiting on it to come in. I was in Fort Worth last night, stopped by the Cabela's and they have, get this, FOUR presses in the box, but would not let me take one. Said I have to WAIT on the one being shipped to get there. [smilie=b:

And now I get pictures of a shiny press, a new handle, and all on a reloading bench.

This is agony.

:coffee:

[txbirdman]

Recluse,

That's where my kids bought my CTP that I got for Christmas along with 6 extra turrets. I really like everything about that press now that I've got the shell holder insert fixed.

[Ben]

Recluse :

The agony will be worth it. I've owned dozens of reloading presses since my start in 1965. This has to be the best $100 turret press going right now.

Ben

[OuchHot!]

That looks very nice! I think that you should paint some flames on the base.

[zuke]

I would love to get one of those press's but there's no provision to move that front support bar to the other side.
I like to do the grunt work with my left habd and the detailed work with my right.
Speed's thing up being able to use both hand and not just one.

[eniku40]

Looks like I'll have to get this one to match the Classic turret I'm eyeing.
Being lazy, I'll probably just blue the shank to keep it from rusting...

[cajun shooter]

I've had my handle for about a month now and it's made my Lee turret into a nicer press that it was. The material that Chris chose to use on the handle is really nice feeling to the hand. It is also big so that you may grip it with your entire hand and not have to play finger tip holds or palm center which leads to blisters.
I left my handle in the raw and just coated it with EEZOX which will keep it new until my time comes to pass it on. Later David

[DODGEM250]

That looks like a great modification. The ball on a stick is sort of uncomfortable. I was given a use Challenger press a few months ago, the press works great but the ball was MIA, so, I used an old drawer knob that works fine, but, I need to go to a craft store and buy a new wooden ball, tap a hole in it... but, now I think I need a section of rebar with a right angle and some PVC pipe. Thanks for posting this, you have sparked an idea for me.

[Ed K]

I would love to get one of those press's but there's no provision to move that front support bar to the other side.
I like to do the grunt work with my left habd and the detailed work with my right.
Speed's thing up being able to use both hand and not just one.

Interesting comment as I'm a lefty living in what is clearly a right handers' world and clearly prefer this setup and understand why the other 90% of the world might not see it the same way.

Same goes for single action revolvers...

[garym1a2]

If someone would come out with a support leg for this press that is very short I would buy 3 of them and I am sure many other people would also. While the press lenngth is good for short rounds up to long rifles, most of my reloading is 9mm and a very short throw would speed up this press a lot.

[Ben]

zuke

I would love to get one of those press's but there's no provision to move that front support bar to the other side.

I'm not certain what you're referring to as the " Front Support Bar "............but the press clearly can easily be converted over to " south paw " use......see below :

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/002-20.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/004-13.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/005-8.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/006-11.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/007-8.jpg

[zuke]

Your the first one to acually post such clear pic,and I Thank you for this!
But the support bar I'm talking about is one of three that support the the turret support ring.
There isn't a hole for the front of the base so it can be moved to the left hand side.
Other then that small but ,to me,important fact I haven't purchased one.

[Ben]

OK...that makes perfect sense.

I understand exactly what you're saying now.

[OuchHot!]

To my knowledge turret presses for lefthanders or those that want to use both hands are pretty much limited to the "C" configuration like spar-t and redding turret. It is inherent that those designs must rock slightly under stress. If you could build a foot treadle to run the ram, you could rotate the classic turret to give better access to both sides. But if you got out of sequence, you might decap and size your thumb. I have to say, the replacement handle is very nice.

[Ed K]

Personally as a lefty I like to use my left hand for fine motor control. True, it is also a little stronger than the right but how much strength does it take to operate a press? So even if it was designed with a righty in mind, as a lefty I prefer it this way.

[zuke]

I use my older LEE turret. I put the handle on the left and moved the one "piller" to the left.
I also turned it 90% and drilled a new hole theu the ram so the primer's are ejected to the left where I catch 99.9% of them.
http://i807.photobucket.com/albums/yy356/zuke_bucket/DSCF1750.jpg

http://i807.photobucket.com/albums/yy356/zuke_bucket/DSCF1751.jpg

[satchmodog]

I would love to get one of those press's but there's no provision to move that front support bar to the other side.
I like to do the grunt work with my left habd and the detailed work with my right.
Speed's thing up being able to use both hand and not just one.

Sure you can. Flip the hardware over. I have mine set up lefty for a friend so it's easier for him to learn.

[milprileb]

Roller handles; if you don't know how good they are on a press, you are missing out
big time.

[geargnasher]

Zuke's right, you CAN'T swap over the front support bar on the Classic Turret, there's no hole in the base and no boss on the upper turret frame.

As a lefty, I actually find the "right hand" setup to be perfect. Smart side handles the brass and components, dumb side cranks the handle. My dumb side does very well with gross movements, but lacks dexterity. +1 on the SAA revolver!

Gear

[Colorado4wheel]

Best part of a roller handle on a LCT is that you can move the handle farther forward (away from you). That makes the downward stroke easier with out bending. Here is mine made from a old 550/650 handle, a slight bend and a roller I already had.

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r215/98sr20ve/DSC_3520-1.jpg

[Colorado4wheel]

If someone would come out with a support leg for this press that is very short I would buy 3 of them and I am sure many other people would also. While the press lenngth is good for short rounds up to long rifles, most of my reloading is 9mm and a very short throw would speed up this press a lot.

I think the parts from a Non Classic would work on the classic. Get the legs and the index rod. I was thinking of trying that myself.

It would be easy to mod the stock pieces if those don't fit.

[Recluse]

You know? You guys are going to eventually talk me into ordering a couple of these things.

Looking and sounding better with each post I read about them.

:coffee:

[azjohn]

garym1a2 a shorter handle will give you a quicker upstroke on the ram and 9mm does not take a lot of pressure to size. For lefties; if the holes for the turret ring are the same distance from each other why couldn't the turret ring be rotated counter clockwise and the base be drilled so the front column can be moved to the left side. Some quick measurements would prove if this is possible.

[bkbville]

I saw this on Midway

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/772679/lee-pro-1000-and-turret-press-roller-handle-update-kit

[Char-Gar]

I am left handed, and use my right hand to raise and lower the handle. I want the hand with the most dexterity free to handle cases, bullets, loaded rounds and rotate turrets.

Even on a press that offers choices, I put the handle on the right side.

[geargnasher]

I've piddled with the idea of a pneumatic cylinder hooked directly to the ram and dampened by a properly valved automotive shock absorber, controlled by an air-brake foot valve, but it might make seating primers interesting!

Gear

[Recluse]

I've piddled with the idea of a pneumatic cylinder hooked directly to the ram and dampened by a properly valved automotive shock absorber, controlled by an air-brake foot valve, but it might make seating primers interesting!

Gear

[smilie=6: :veryconfu :holysheep

(Running for the Tylenol. . .)

:coffee: