Guilt about my new Lee Classic Cast Turret. I'm still batch loading...

[Tallbald]

Last summer I returned to reloading after an absence of around 30 years. And with help here, I entered the world of casting my own, as my loving father and I planned to (but never did) way back in the 70's. When I bought this cast iron beauty, I first researched and studied extensively. The wonderful feature of my turret press is of course my ability to set dies up for the two rounds I load, .38 Special/.357 Magnum, and .44 Magnum and relatively quickly switch from one to the other by changing turret heads and shell holders. I love it. Now I was taught reloading with a then-brand new CH single stage press at age 8, in 1966. Daddy showed me how each case was deprimed and sized, lubed on a nasty pad, primed, etc. He and I carefully weighed each charge, sometimes adding a bit with a trickler (that I still have) and reloaded in batches of fifty only. Daddy made sure I knew the importance of visually checking each and every case in the loading block to assure there were no double charges or a missed empty case. Very careful we were. He stressed that, and each full box of finished ammo was a small celebration for him and me.
Last night as I deprimed and sized about 150 .357 cases, prepping them for the wet tumbler, I thought to myself how sad it was that I was not using my new press to it's greatest advantage by having never actually used its progressive features. I know I'm missing out on the speed and ease my press can bring to the table, but doggone it I can't ease away from my learned loading methods. What I do enjoy about my new press is being able to rotate the turret manually when I go from seating to factory crimping. It's so nice to integrate my old methods with the new presses capabilities and save many steps ... but it's still not using my press as it was designed to be used.
I don't shoot competitively, and don't go through more than maybe 50 rounds at a range session. I have hundreds of rounds loaded up, carefully labeled and stored like stacked precious bricks. It's of course very satisfying. BUT I still feel guilty each and every time I open the drawers of my rolling reloading equipment cabinet and see my untried Lee Auto Prime and powder charger, which have never been mounted on my press.
Tell me if I'm alone in using a mix of single stage and progressive press methods. Surely I'm not. Thanks. Don

[jmort]

It was designed to be used either way. I used my Lee non-classic turret press in non-index mode like you do. Now, I deprime, prime, and charge off the press. At that point I could use the auto-index. Insert charged case in the turret press, flair/expand stage one, insert bullet at stage two and seat, and then crimp stage three and so on in auto-index mode and speed things up. I am either going to get a Classic Cast Turret or 1000 and try that out.

[jcren]

I have and love my Lee turrent press. I do use progressive for pistol loads, but for rifle or precision pistol, the index rod comes out and charges get weighed. Sometimes it just pays to slow down.

[mdi]

I didn't want a semi-progressive press when I bought my Lee turret. I got mine about 13 years ago and 12.75 years ago I disabled the auto index. Yesterday I sized/deprimed and flared 100 45 ACP cases, hand indexing. Works pretty darn good for me. I have a dedicated "priming press" so I didn't continue on my Lee turret. Today or tomorrow, or when I feel like it, I'll charge and seat bullets in 'em...

[tazman]

When I bought my classic cast turret pres I was in the same situation as the OP. I was used to doing things in batches one at a time. Slowly I worked my way into doing things using the progressive features on the press. I now load all my handgun cases in progressive mode and really like the reliability and speed.
I still do all my rifle loads one at a time in batches using the classic cast without the index rod.

[Tallbald]

This is comforting. And I appreciate both points of view. I can't help but ask myself how Daddy would have done things had he had the press I now have. Don.

[Freightman]

I load my pistol ammo on the Lee turret with auto advance love it still use the Lee classic s-s for rifle as they need to be right on . The Lee turret is great regardless of the Lee haters. MHO

[shoot-n-lead]

It is YOUR press...use it however you like...without guilt.


Lee haters

Give us a break...if someone points out obvious problems with something, they become "haters"...sounds like this liberal crowd that is everywhere calling everyone "haters". Here you go, using their buzz word...does it make you feel "good" and "compassionate"?

[ukrifleman]

I have and love my Lee turrent press. I do use progressive for pistol loads, but for rifle or precision pistol, the index rod comes out and charges get weighed. Sometimes it just pays to slow down.

+1, exactly how I use my Lee classic turret press.

I use the Lee safety prime and auto disc powder measure mounted on a turret, to load .357, 44-40 and 45 Colt.

I can crank out 200+ rounds an hour with no effort with the indexing rod in place, while still monitoring each stage of the loading process.

When it comes to rifle loads, the indexing rod is removed and everything is done at a more sedate pace.

All powder charges are thrown from my Lee perfect powder measure, into my beam scale, before the cases are charged.

It takes me an hour to load 50 rifle cases, but I know each one is as accurate as I can make it.

ukrifleman.

[coffeeguy]

Batch loading has its advantages, especially for small 'batches', like 50 to 100 rounds. True, there's some wasted motion by putting a case/round into the press several times, one for each step, but it's not much of an effect. Let's say for 50 rounds, 3 times at 1 second each...150 seconds, or 2 1/2 minutes of 'wasted' time...I spend more time doing prep/cleanup. For those marathon loading sessions, the progressive feature comes in handy. You're certainly not alone in using both methods

I have a Lee turret press that's around 25 years old now; I remember the nylon bushings on the auto-indexer wearing out like crazy and just gave up on it; I can crank out 200 pistol rounds/hour rotating the turret by hand. A few years ago I found a guy at a gun show selling the 4-position turrets, so bought some of those for other calibers, and they stay set up for whatever I load most frequently.
Plus, you make a good point that with stuff like doing separate seating/ factory crimp operations it's nice to have manual control of the indexing. I'll often do things like just deprime/resize/prime a bunch of cases. I use my Classic (Challenger, I think) press, the single-stage one, for that and for loading rifle ammunition.

I even have my Lee Hand Press in one of my drawers and still use it occasionally.

[Riverpigusmc]

I use my Lee Turret just like you, batch loading. Charge the cases on a Little Dandy with the adjustable rotor. I'm in no hurry

[dikman]

That's the good thing about the turret press - it gives you choices :smile:.
Nothing wrong with how you're doing it, Tallbald, there's no law that says you have to do it a particular way, just as long as you're enjoying yourself (and I'm sure dad would be proud).

[claude]

I am either going to get a Classic Cast Turret or 1000 and try that out.

Just a friendly caution, the Pro 1000 is an entirely different breed of cat from the Lee turret, with the pro 1000 it is quite difficult to break your loading down to separate steps simply because once the case is seated in the shell carrier it isn't real easy to remove it until it reaches it's final station. My advice to those wishing to separate loading tasks would be to stick with the classic turret.

I have both, and use both, but the 1000 is way faster, each pull of the handle produces a finished round as opposed to a round after three or four pulls. I was amazed at the rate of speed I achieved even with my first fumbling attempts. Just for the sheer pleasure of reloading "old style" with lots of touchy feely goodness the classic is a good choice, the 1000 is more geared to production.

My opinion, and worth every cent you paid for it.

[hc18flyer]

My Lee CC is 3 years old. I use a hand primer, charge my 9mm and .223 cases with the Lee press mounted powder measure individually, so I can check 50 before seating bullets. For the 9mm, I seat, then hand rotate the turret to crimp. I use an old Lyman Spartan for full length sizing of larger rifle cases. Happy you came back to reloading, CAREFUL it's addictive! Flyer

[justingrosche]

Same here. I batch load as well. Although I don't load rifle cases with it because of excessive run out, I think there is just too much play between the aluminum turret and the part it indexes on to seat the bullet straight. I also wish Lee had shorter pillars for the short pistol cases. I do not need 4 1/2" of stroke for pistol cases.

[dragon813gt]

If I want to batch load I will do it on a single stage. Turning the turret by hand makes little sense to me. But to each their own and load however you want. I've worn out one ratchet so far. I have a feeling I damaged it by short stroking the press before I knew better. And w/ their cost I don't care if wear them out.

[r1kk1]

I would do with what makes you comfortable but try something new every now and then. I batch load on the road, at home it's much faster on the progressive. I have an old turret that I can load from one station to the next or batch process.

take care

r1kk1

[Fatdaddy]

I started out with the LCT and added a progressive later on.
I batch load all my rifle on the LCT, you can just keep a tighter rein on what's happening.

[Three44s]

Big fan of the Lee Classic Turret ...........

.......... parked the index parts on a shelf the day I set it up.

Added a LNL progressive for speed feeding frenzies!

Do my long range precision rifle stuff on a Redding Boss.

Three 44s

[Tallbald]

Seems that there's as much variation in reloading style as there is in shooting generally. Reckon it all comes down to safe practices within many techniques and preferences. This is a good and comforting thing. Thanks all for sharing. Don

[Artful]

Use it how it makes you comfortable - for teaching new people I use my lee turret without the auto parts - I have two dillons if I want production.

[skeet1]

Personally, I like to use the auto index of my Classic Cast Turret for pistol cartridges and some small rifle cartridges and for larger rifle cartridges I take out the index rod. I like to use it this way but other may like to use it differently that is their choice. What is great about this press is that you have the choice!

Ken

[str8wal]

I have never used my Lee turret as a "progressive", I just like the ease of changing over it provides.

[robg]

when i started reloading it was to shoot .now i shoot to reload.

[dikman]

.now i shoot to reload.

:lol:

[EDG]

I think a mix of processes is the rule.

Many people with progressives do all prep steps as a first operation.
Then they do all the priming charging and seating as a second operation.

[Eddie17]

I load with a progressive and or a single stage. Just enjoy being able to load what I need and when I need it a my own pace!

[1911KY]

Throw that powder measure on there and give it a go. You should try it using the auto-indexing just to see what you think about it. If you don't like it, keep doing what your doing. No harm in trying it out.

[slim1836]

I guess I'm old school, still use a single stage and measure every powder drop. Once I charge a case, it's time to put on a projectile and seat it. I just feel safer loading one at a time. Too old to change now, but still enjoy the results. Had I not found this site, I would never gotten into casting my own, I have not bought a commercial bullet in several years, and don't plan to.

Long Live Cast Boolits,

Slim