Lee Press Question

[JOptionPane]

i have the option for free to have the lee classic turret press or the Lee Deluxe Turret Press from what i can tell the lee classic turret press seams to be the way to go what do you guys think.

Thanks
Kyle

[john hayslip]

The classic has a stronger frame. Otherwise in that regard I don't see any difference. Where the difference is the Classic has a tube that hangs down neath the ram and gets old primers if you have a primer seater in the press

[plus1hdcp]

I have the Lee Delux and have not had any issues but all I have heard is like John said the classic has a stronger frame. Either way, you will be getting a good usable press. Good for you.

[VHoward]

I would go with the classic turret

[gunoil]

What ⬆ they said, my classic
http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/k511/putt2012/8077979B-5791-47FA-87F7-7AA878231360-11286-00000CAA7CE24F9C_zpse0ec336f.jpg
ebay light 7 bucks, i put D battery mod on it from the shack/4$.

Must have good hardwood base 1 inch thick. IMO.
http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/k511/putt2012/C62A2FA6-BE09-4EF8-B0AD-A6981C552A55-7607-0000099439B52F22_zps61fb112a.jpg

[44Vaquero]

The classic has one more inch of stroke and a larger ram that is drilled through for primer collection making it an improvement over the smaller aluminum unit.

[dkf]

Pick the Classic Turret.

[mdi]

The cast Classic is prolly the choice. I have the older model and it's been strong/reliable enough to reload a few thousand handgun cartridges, a few hundred .223s and a some 30-06s, sized a whole bunch of lead bullets (I have a turret with my sizing dies installed) and I don't see it failing or wearing out any year soon...

[Chilmonty]

Many years now of good service from my Classic Turret and it looks like it has barely been used!

[JOptionPane]

Thanks for all the input i am going with the classic. i have already installed it and it is much more heavy duty than the Lee Deluxe Turret Press.

Thanks Again
Kyle

[lead-1]

What ⬆ they said, my classic

Must have good hardwood base 1 inch thick. IMO.
http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/k511/putt2012/C62A2FA6-BE09-4EF8-B0AD-A6981C552A55-7607-0000099439B52F22_zps61fb112a.jpg

What's with the ammo belt link strapped to the post?

[A pause for the COZ]

For any one else thinking the same thing.
Get the Classic cast.
I have the Deluxe and it does work. But that primer collection system on the Deluxe is a second thought type of arrangement.
They just drop into the base. Or onto your bench, floor, Carpet, ect.
Once the base is full you have to remove the press from the bench to empty them.

Also the primer arm is improved on the Classic cast. On the Deluxe they have a very bad habit of popping out and landing on the floor.
Eventually this will dent the sheet metal cup, Requiring replacement.

You can fix these on the Deluxe. I have and it works fine. But the Classic cast its already fixed.

[gunoil]

lead-1 , need to take it off. i had experimented with lights and flashlites. But have the light i want and need now from ebay.

[lead-1]

Gotcha, thanks. On the other hand that is a great idea to hold a light with a flexable head.

[MT Chambers]

See other thread about busted up Lee Classic cast press.

[Benjlan]

Lee classic cast is an awesome press. You will not be sorry. I use mine for everything.

[jlchucker]

Lee classic cast is an awesome press. You will not be sorry. I use mine for everything.

Same here. I started out with a kit that had a cast-iron RCBS Jr. Eventually I replaced it with a Lyman Crusher II that had a habit of becoming sprung, and breaking linkage bolts, and I wasn't even doing anything but normal reloading. When the Lee Classic Cast came out, I was about to buy a Rockchucker like one of my brothers and several friends have. I Gave the Lee Classic Cast a try instead and have never looked back. If Lee had brought this press out a few decades ago, IMO there'd be far fewer Rockchucker fans. The Classic Cast is, as Benjilan says, "an awesome press".

[r1kk1]

I started out with a kit that had a cast-iron RCBS Jr.

I thought these were aluminum.

[jlchucker]

I thought these were aluminum.

The newer ones, probably. Mine was in a kit that came with an RCBS 5-10 scale, a Uniflow Powder Measure with two rotor assemblies, and a Speer loading manual. I think there was an RCBS deburring tool, case lube pad and a primer tray in the kit as well. I think that I had to buy the case trimmer separately. At the time, RCBS and Speer were apparently part of the same company. One of my brothers still has my iron RCBS Jr. That was a nice little kit that had enough to get a newbee started. Maybe the later RCBS Jr's were made from aluminum.

[r1kk1]

thanks for the update jlchucker. remember one thing, it was under John's tutelage not Richard that brought the CC to life. I remember the old ads where Richard turned down the legs on the aluminum turret press to show how much strength was needed for reloading. I believe it took a while for the CC to come, as soon as they could get affordable castings to use.

I wish this reloading frenzy would subside a bit, I need some custom order stuff from Lee, but alas, every manufacturer is hit bad. The only press I have from Lee is the hand press, nothing else they make would replace what I have. I like unusual presses and just found an Acculine press from Lyman as well as the HDS compact.

take care

r1kk1

[44Vaquero]

75798r1kki, I think your statement about John Lee points to a different sales/marketing philosophy then his father. This scan page is from Richards Lee's 1997 Modern Reloading book.

[r1kk1]

Thanks 44 for finding that. I remember the magazine ads from 80s and 90s.

I even remember 22, 24, 25, caliber moulds Lee use to stock. Times change.

r1kk1

[44Vaquero]

r1kk1, an engineer once told me that in the case of a Lee turret press the force exerted/generated by the ram has to be less than the shear strength of the locking lugs. If it were greater the turrets the turrets would fail consistently. They are course made of aluminum which is considered to be inferior to steel or iron.

Kind of adds a new angle on the strength of a press question don't you think?

[r1kk1]

44Vaquero,

I think the reason we see so much aluminum and plastic today, is the various forms it is produced in, but really its about cost. It really is nice Lee upgraded to a steel linkage. That was the only thing besides lack of leverage in the Challenger press that has greatly been upgraded. I've never seen a broken Challenger frame but the old style linkage left a lot to be desired. What ive read about the Lee CC is the head is supported around the perimeter not the center. I don't really agree much let alone understand engineering in a weakness into a design. Just me brother.

I've always wondered how good the alignment is with post setups like the Lee CC, both the Hornady and RCBS 50 BMG presses. I know just about every swaging press incorporates this into the design. How would a person correct this if it is a problem? Seems like a simple solution but should result in better alignment than a one piece cast iron frame?

I also don't understand why they don't use bushing in the press frame. I've seen old presses with this feature and some swaging presses.

Take care with more questions than answers.

r1kk1

[44Vaquero]

r1kk1, with respect to ram/die alignment I think the advantage goes to O frame cast presses. I think they bore both holes at the same time, honing the ram receiver and threading the head in a separate operation.

At one time I did need to disassemble my Lee turret press. When it came time to reassemble it I put it all back together and with the turret in position holding a sizing die over ram. After tightening the column's loosely I ran a case up into the sizing die and slowly torqued the bolts tight. I think that's about as good as it gets given the asymmetric design of the press.

Bushings are expensive and increase assembly time. You see them in older presses because that's the way things were built back in the day and swaging presses need them.

Perhaps one of our engineering/machinist types will offer an opinion?