Lee Turret to height of Lee Classic

[DrBill33]

Has anyone tried to change ram, pillars, and indexing rod on the Turret so that one can load rifle in indexing mode?

Retirement income makes one look at all ways to save a buck!!:razz:

[flashhole]

What cartridge are you trying to load?

[Wizwheel]

I load 303 British, and 7.62x54r on one. How tall do you need to go?

[country gent]

The really critical area is the support rods all 3 will need to be exactly the same length shoulder to shoulder to maintain square and true. The indexing rod is hex stock with a twist on the one end if I remeber corectly. Clamped in a vise heat and twist to a marked guide gets close then fine tune from there. ( I though a little longer slower twist would allow those nylon bushing to last longer). The ram can be made with the added length easy enough or shortened buy moving hole pattern up. Nothing to hard but has to be done accuratly. On the support rods you may be able to make a stup with threads and tapped holes to screw onto the existing support rods even.

[44Vaquero]

I am with Wizwheel on this one, how tall do you need? Lee says The Classic Turret Press 3-1/16" long OAL with out deactivating the index rod.

[flashhole]

I was asking because I load 25-06 and 45-70 on mine. I had more trouble on the Forster Co-Ax because I kept pinching my fingers seating a bullet.

[DrBill33]

The .270 i the longest, so the CLASSIC height would be enough. I restate:
Has anyone replaced the pillars, Ram, and indexing rod on a TURRET with the pillars, ram, and indexing rod from the classic?

My request for info to LEE has been unanswered, so I am also resubmittinf the question to them.

[ukrifleman]

I load 30-06 amongst others on my Lee Classic press with no problems, but I do not use the indexing rod, preferring to monitor each stage of loading separately.

My case are always sized and checked for correct length and primer pockets cleaned, before I begin loading.

Attempting to load beginning with fired rifle brass, without checking trim length, could lead to serious pressure issues if the cases are too long after sizing.

For safeties sake, I recommend that you prepare your cases and check trim length before beginning the loading process.

ukrifleman.

[44Vaquero]

The ram of the standard turret is of a smaller diameter than the Classic and the linkages' are different too. Although you could swap the pillar's etc., you would not be able to take advantage of the height increase due to the rams travel still being to short.


Time to move up to the Classic Turret my friend.

[RogerDat]

I think at least some of the confusion is caused by Lee naming. There is a "Classic" O press and a classic turret (wood ball grip), then there is the regular turret press (right angle hand grip).

The turret press is good to 2.313 inch height, the classic turret good to 3.313 because the classic has a flatter base and longer support pillars, ram, linkage etc. http://leeprecision.com/reloading-presses/turret-press

So if I understand the question the OP wants to know if one can buy parts from this classic press parts list and swap them into his newer model to get the extra height offered by the classic.

http://leeprecision.com/parts/reloading-presses/turret-press/classic-turret-press-parts/?&sort=&sort_direction=0&objects_per_page=50

If anyone has done this so they can confirm what needs to be swapped and that the parts will fit.

I myself would wonder if the extra leverage from the longer rods might be a problem for the newer press aluminum base, the classic I think may be cast iron base and I think the newer model turret has the taller base in aluminum.

[flashhole]

That was not clear to me from the OP in the first post. If your interpretation is correct, my answer is no.

[44Vaquero]

Yet, again as I stated earlier the lower linkages and ram are NOT COMPATABLE! The older aluminum based turret press uses a smaller diameter ram and smaller linkage than the NEWER CLASASIC CAST. The ONLY portions that can be swapped between the 2 presses are the parts above the base, ie.,the turret ring the support rods etc. This will achieve nothing on the older aluminum base unit because the ram travel will still be too short to reach the base of a sizing die!

[DrBill33]

Thank you, 44Vaquero somehow I missed your earlier reply. (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/member.php?16504-44Vaquero)

[RogerDat]

Sorry I had the press names of old/new backwards. When I bought my turret the differences in abilities and style was something I looked at so it was sort of fresher in my mind, it seemed like the Lee naming & press abilities was not clear enough to aid people in answering.

Ram and Linkage different sizes seems like it would settle the question. You might well be able to sell the used turret for enough that buying the classic to replace it works out to fairly inexpensive option using the proceeds of the sale.