Cartridge consistency/ runout with turret press?

[Woodtroll]

Hello, folks. I am wondering if anyone here has measured cartridge consistency, particularly runout/ concentricity, when using a turret press as compared to a solid (O or C type) press? The new Lee Classic cast turret press looks like it would have enough room to load my .45-110 and .50-90 shells, both of which well exceed 3" before the bullet is seated. The four stations also make it attractive, since I need a separate station for neck sizing, expanding, powder compression, and seating. I wonder about the turret jumping up and down through its free play every time the cartridge enters and leaves a die, though.

Have any of you ever loaded low-runout rifle shells on the Lee turret presses?

Thanks for your help, Regan

[monadnock#5]

I don't think it's a matter of make or model. Every press has its own, individual quirks and personality. Its unlikely that three consecutive presses off the assembly line will make identical ammo. You get a good one, or a bad one, luck of the draw.

I can get acceptable runout (.003 or less) with my Lee Classic Cast by partially seating, turn 90°, seat a little more, turn 90°, seat a little more, and so on and so on. Seating in one smooth move gets me runout in the ugly range, bad bad bad.

[Char-Gar]

About 1984 I bought a Lee turrent press but quickly got rid of it, because there was so much slop in the turrent/press fit that I could not hold close tolerances in the ammo.

About six years ago, I bought a Redding turrent press and it produces very accurate ammo with very close tolerances.

This is just my experience with two presses

[1hole]

Turret run-out is not likely to be much different from a single stage; concentric case-to-bullet alignment is controlled by the dies and the cases themselves, not the press.

What a turret WILL do less well is maintain consistant FL sizing and, sometimes, seating (OAL) because of the extra give in the turret mechanism. The turret will flex a little more or less under the varing pressure required to size different cases and when seating bullets in cases with varing neck hardness. Even single stage presses have some spring in the toggle linkages. You can compensate for most such variations in either type press with careful working techniques tho.

[Baron von Trollwhack]

I can only speak to loading 223/j bullet cartridges in a Hornady LnL AP as against loading them on a single stage RCBS press. I can keep the bullet runout at less than 1 K either way with the AP press requiring only careful attention at set-up. The single stage set up is simply easier, not better.BvT

[Woodtroll]

Thanks, y'all, for the input. I appreciate everyone's advice. I still have not made up my mind which direction to take.

Thanks again! Regan

[Petander]

Have any of you ever loaded low-runout rifle shells on the Lee turret presses?

Thanks for your help, Regan


I have a Lee turret press with four stations. It´s ok for small pistol rounds, I used to make lots of 45 ACP and 10 mm ammo with it. It´s a delicate instrument, I have modified some weak points to make it little stronger - and to get rid of the overall "sloppiness".


I get reasonably good pistol ammo with it but it needs lots of attention all the time. And a good technique that comes by practise.


Anyway, I feel it´s too weak for any larger cartridges. I wouldn´t imagine loading 45-70 with it, no no. I think I tried 500 S&W just once... no fun. But this is just me.


( Using the same components for 45 ACP I get much more uniform ammo when I use a Hornady progressive and Dillon dies. Group sizes cut in half or so. )

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

It depends on which turret press you're talking about. The latest Lee turret, the Classic, is cast iron and is a pretty darn good press. The older aluminum turret presses lee made were "ok," but not nearly as good as the current press. The current cast iron press is better than the Lyman T-mag I owned before I bought the lee.

I would highly recommend the Lee Classic Turret press.

Regards,

Dave

[Arnie]

Get a Redding T7 and dont look back

[pumpguy]

I have a Redding T7 and have never experienced any runout. It is every bit as stiff as my old Pacific single stage which I consider a fairly good piece of equipment. I'm not sure I have the arm strength to flex that Redding!!!!

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

A couple of articles well worth reading before making a decision on a turret press. The first three links are simply part I, II and III of the same article:

http://www.realguns.com/archives/122.htm

http://www.realguns.com/archives/123.htm

http://www.realguns.com/archives/124.htm

http://www.surplusrifle.com/reviews2006/leeturretpress/index.asp

Regards,

Dave

[IcerUSA]

One thing you would have to watch on the Lee Classic Turret is the turrets as they can be machined off center. I have a couple turrets that the die holes are .040 in off from center and the cases hit on the edge of the die when I size. Lee will replace them, but the QC should be there in the first place I think. Overall I like the Lee CT and like alot say here you just need to tweak it to suit your needs. I load all my cartridges on it, from 444 Marlin, 7mm RM, to 45ACP and 9mm and so far so good, 223 is a little tricky but I'm still learning how to prep them tiny boolits so not to distort them :).
All most like being in school again with this learning stuff, owww that hurt, brain cells colliding and all, numbers getting scrambled, now what was that load, where did I put my notes, geee, I just had it here, OH, there it is, nope , wrong one, look in the book dummy, I did, not there, other book then, I don't want too, forget it , I'm going to bed hehehehe


:castmine: so I can :Fire: , I think ;)

Keith

[Adam10mm]

I load pistol and rifle up to 45/70 and 375 Holland on my LCT press. No issues with bullet runout.

[hunterldh]

Lee presses are inexpensive. You get what you pay for. - Hunter

[shooter93]

It was said before and it's correct....get the Redding...period.

[threett1]

Love my Redding T7. Exceptional press.

[tommyn]

My Redding T-7 is exceptional also

[50 Caliber]

I have had Lee presses and do not have them any more. You can see the slop in them with out loading and checking the cartridges. If you are loading precision rifle cartridges then use a good single stage or a Dillon progressive and Redding precision competition dies. (seating die being the most important) IMHO.

[MtGun44]

One more vote for the Redding T7. Superb press, keeps
several sets of current dies in place, very low runout is
possible with BR dies or the sleeved seater type of
Hornady dies (all the newer ones) including the pistol
dies. I don't think the press has any more runout than
my Rock chucker which is laying on the floor under the
bench now - kinda a shame after all the years of faithful
service, but my head was turned by a beauty with 7 dies,
what can I say. :-D

Bill

[1hole]

"Lee presses are inexpensive. You get what you pay for. - Hunter"

With that logic, I wonder - would anything be "better" if the price was higher?

Actually, price is a poor indicator of getting a good value in anything. I haven't checked recently but when I last did, Chevy's were more expensive than Toyotas but .... !

Lee's tools are good, not my favorite but good enough for most work. On the other hand, Lee's Classic Cast and Turret presses are as good, or even better, than any compariable competetor. Their alum alloy presses are very good too but they can be damaged or broken by mechanical klutzes so that's no good guide. Some people can damage an anvil with a silver spoon.