Is this everything I need to run the Lee Classic Turret?

[Silvercreek Farmer]

I don't really need everything the kit (currently load on a single stage), but wanted to make sure I get everything I need.

Classic Turret
Safety Prime
Auto Drum

Anything else? Do I need a riser?

[dragon813gt]

Yes to the riser. Extra turrets if you want to leave dies set up.

[jmort]

A reserve plastic ratchet if you are running in auto-index mode
Extra turrets if you are loading multiple calibers
Agree on the riser

[dragon813gt]

The extra ratchet is a good idea. If you have it on hand you won't need it. If you don't have one it will wear out or break. PN: TF3567

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Is the auto disk riser the same as for the auto drum?

[shoot-n-lead]

A reserve plastic ratchet if you are running in auto-index mode


Great idea...mine ate them...that was the reason that I ultimately sold it.

[jmort]

Yes
http://www.titanreloading.com/powder-handling-equipment/lee-powder-measure-riser

[NC_JEFF]

Silvercreek I load a lot of handgun ammo on a Lee turret but I never let any of my presses do the priming. I will forever handprime. I live just an hour or less south of you, if you'd like I could give you a call some evening and help you with the press. I'll be up there at Steele Creek Campground atleast twice this summer. Send me a PM if your interested.
Jeff

[trails4u]

+1 for priming off press. I use a RCBS hand priming tool....love it. I can sit in my easy chair and prime a couple hundred at a time while watching the news or pretending to watch a movie with the wife. ;) It's an easy chore to do away from the bench, as time allows, and for me at least, saves one potential headache while at the bench.

[Phlier]

The extra ratchet is a good idea. If you have it on hand you won't need it. If you don't have one it will wear out or break. PN: TF3567

Yes, definitely get spares of these. If you order them directly from Lee, add five of them to your cart and then check out. They will all be free. You only pay for the cost of shipping.


Silvercreek I load a lot of handgun ammo on a Lee turret but I never let any of my presses do the priming. I will forever handprime. I live just an hour or less south of you, if you'd like I could give you a call some evening and help you with the press. I'll be up there at Steele Creek Campground atleast twice this summer. Send me a PM if your interested.
Jeff

I use mine as a full turret press... depriming and priming on the press has always been flawless for me. I've read that quite a few people don't prime on the press, and have always wondered why? Why slow down the operation when you can put a piece of brass in, pull the handle a few times, and have a ready to go loaded round at the end. You're definitely spending more time per finished round by depriming/priming off presss. I'm sure there's a good reason for this... I just haven't found it yet.

The Safety Prime system, as Rube Goldberg as it is, makes priming on the LCT fast and easy.

[dbarry1]

+1 on priming off the press. Taking the time to fill those tubes, you might as well use a hand primer. Faster w/ little fuss.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

What about this gizmo?

http://leeprecision.com/tp-p-feed-bracket.html

Do I need one of them?

I am VERY interested in priming on the press. The additional handling of priming off the press would ruin the appeal of the turret press for me. Ironically, I am not totally opposed to the idea of loading the primers into the arm by hand. I use a ram prime now and handle each primer individually anyway, only dropped a few in the thousands or rounds I have primed. I don't see it taking that much longer than actuating the safety prime arm. If hand loading primers individually is feasable, I think it would allow me to skip the cost of the riser and safety prime. A good thing since I am a bit over budget considering the case of primers and keg of powder I just ordered;) can't forget the lead purchase either;)

I even toyed with the idea of using my Lee Perfect powder measure, but that would add more movement than hand loading a primer.

[dragon813gt]

+1 on priming off the press. Taking the time to fill those tubes, you might as well use a hand primer. Faster w/ little fuss.

This discussion is about the LCT which uses the Safety Prime. There are no tubes. Priming off press negates one of it's biggest advantages.

[bkbville]

If your loading rifle, you will need a rifle powder die (small or large, or just get the set) for the auto drum (aside from the riser - which you will need for the measure to clear the autoprime.)

If you do prime off the press you won't need the riser. The key to priming on the press is the alignment of the primer arm.

I've had this press for 4-5 years and never had to replace the ratchet, but have a spare stuffed away someplace. I do often pull out the index rod and use it manually.

[tazman]

I use the Safety prime on my Lee Classic Cast turret. When adjusted properly it works nearly flawlessly.
You need to oil the turrets where they fit into the top of the press. If you don't, it puts extra stress on the plastic ratchet and makes it wear faster.
Don't oil the index rod where it slides through the plastic square. This will soften the plastic and make it wear extremely quickly as I found out the hard way.

[Bzcraig]

I too prime off press for two reasons; 1) I always deprime prior to wet tumbling my brass, 2) I enjoy priming while my wife watches TV because I get credited with time spent with her. As small as it is, the actual loading time is pretty quick without those steps. Having said that, as in many things reloading, there isn't just one way to do things. I concur as well on the extra parts, very little additional cost but great savings on shipping. Not sure who you plan on purchasing through but our banner sponsor Titan Reloading is second to none on prices and customer service.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Titan does look good, but I've got a Natchez gift certificate. Natchez is usually pretty good on prices seems a little high on the press though. Any ideas if they price match?

[Phlier]

What about this gizmo?

http://leeprecision.com/tp-p-feed-bracket.html

Do I need one of them?

I am VERY interested in priming on the press. The additional handling of priming off the press would ruin the appeal of the turret press for me. Ironically, I am not totally opposed to the idea of loading the primers into the arm by hand. I use a ram prime now and handle each primer individually anyway, only dropped a few in the thousands or rounds I have primed. I don't see it taking that much longer than actuating the safety prime arm. If hand loading primers individually is feasable, I think it would allow me to skip the cost of the riser and safety prime. A good thing since I am a bit over budget considering the case of primers and keg of powder I just ordered;) can't forget the lead purchase either;)

I even toyed with the idea of using my Lee Perfect powder measure, but that would add more movement than hand loading a primer.

The part in the link is included with the safety prime system.

You need:

LCT
Safety Prime
Auto Drum
Riser

And that'll get you going, assuming you have a scale and other necessities.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

I went ahead and ordered the press and auto drum. If I decide handling primers is too tedious, I can upgrade later without any real additional cost. Natchez did match the Amazon price $103.99), but would not match the free shipping which was pretty stiff at almost $19. With my luck, they'll probably run free shipping next week! They were also out of ratchets. Amazon used to be high when it came to Lee products, but seems to be competing pretty well the Natchezes and Midways of the world, at least this time of the year, I've notice Amazon prices spike around the holidays.

[bkbville]

I think Amazon adjusts prices constantly, based on demand and inventory... some things are cheaper, even with prime, and others are more expensive. I got an full Lyman die set once for $15 (Do you think the fact that I already had that caliber stopped me from jumping on that deal?)

Natchez kills you on shipping. They used to have great pricing on Lee stuff but I don't see that anymore.

Midway is almost never the cheapest, but ships quick and has great customer service, and charges S&H based on cost and weight (I've bought a couple of small things and had shipping under $5)

With an 03 FFL you can get great pricing at Grafs - but $100 minimum order and you pay shipping. Still they generally work out the best. (Amazon though has beat them a few times on price.) They are slower to ship though.

[Phlier]

I went ahead and ordered the press and auto drum. If I decide handling primers is too tedious, I can upgrade later without any real additional cost. Natchez did match the Amazon price $103.99), but would not match the free shipping which was pretty stiff at almost $19. With my luck, they'll probably run free shipping next week! They were also out of ratchets. Amazon used to be high when it came to Lee products, but seems to be competing pretty well the Natchezes and Midways of the world, at least this time of the year, I've notice Amazon prices spike around the holidays.

If you go to Lee's website, you can get five of them for free. You only pay for shipping. Just add 5 of them to your cart and check out. The shipping charge is the same for 1 as it is for 5, so just get all 5.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Got my press in today. No spare ratchet included. Set it up, tweaked the indexing a hair and started loading 9mm. Only issue I had was the case backing out of the shell holder a bit during indexing resulting in a couple folded case mouths when attempting to flare/charge. Once I started reseating the case in the holder before charging/flaring and guiding the case into the die a bit all was well, but it does slow things down a bit. Not sure if the 38 S&W expander contributed to the problem or not. I might try rotating the shell holder a bit to see if that helps. Anyway, I am pretty pleased I was able to load 100 9mm's in around an hour or so not counting the initial setup. Only dropped one primer but it was recovered;)

[MT Chambers]

A reloading press is no place for plastic parts that wear out quickly.

[tazman]

A reloading press is no place for plastic parts that wear out quickly.

I would agree with that depending on your definition of quickly.
I only had one of the plastic ratchets wear out and that was my fault for oiling it. The second one is still going after years and thousands of rounds.

[Bookworm]

So, did you need the Tp P-feed bracket ?

I ask, because I'm fixing to set up my classic turret press....

[Silvercreek Farmer]

So, did you need the Tp P-feed bracket ?

I ask, because I'm fixing to set up my classic turret press....

I didn't end up getting the safety prime. But the bracket does appear to be included.

[dragon813gt]

A reloading press is no place for plastic parts that wear out quickly.

It doesn't wear quickly if the press is used and maintained properly. It's also intentionally the weak point in the design. Better to have $0.05 ratchet break than a part a lot more expensive. Out of curiosity, do have you have a LCT or used on in the past? Just wondering if you have actual experience w/ it.

[Phlier]

It doesn't wear quickly if the press is used and maintained properly. It's also intentionally the weak point in the design. Better to have $0.05 ratchet break than a part a lot more expensive. Out of curiosity, do have you have a LCT or used on in the past? Just wondering if you have actual experience w/ it.
Yup, it's meant to be a "shear pin"; low cost part, easily replaced that prevents you from damaging something more expensive. I did order five spares, since a friend suggested it, but I have yet to go through one in thousands of loaded rounds.

It isn't something that would normally wear out. It's meant to give way in case you try to index the press while preventing the turret head from rotating.

[Phlier]

I didn't end up getting the safety prime. But the bracket does appear to be included.
The bracket is included as part of the Safety Prime system.

The Safety Prime system is definitely worth buying. It places primers in the cup accurately and fast.

[Lefty Red]

I'm using the new Auto Drum PM and I didn't need the riser. I did have to put the PM and Powder Thru Die on first, but is didn't interfere with any other operation.

Lefty

[tazman]

I'm using the new Auto Drum PM and I didn't need the riser. I did have to put the PM and Powder Thru Die on first, but is didn't interfere with any other operation.

Lefty

That's good to know.

[T-Bird]

Lefty, guess you were right about the riser and an Auto drum. You told me in another thread,you didn't think a riser was required with an AD and I said Lee says that you do on their website. Guess they're just selling risers.

[psweigle]

extra ratchet, although i am still on my original, extra turrets, and the riser. priming on the press is how i do it,but i only load pistol cases on the turret press.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Lefty, guess you were right about the riser and an Auto drum. You told me in another thread,you didn't think a riser was required with an AD and I said Lee says that you do on their website. Guess they're just selling risers.

While the AD does operate fine without the riser, I don't think you could easily remove it from the die without removing the other dies first, which would reduce the value of having multiple turrets.

[tazman]

I use the Pro Auto Disk powder measure on My Lee Classic Cast setups that I use with the index rod in place. These cartridges are 9mm, 38 Special, 357 mag, and 223/556.
I do all priming on the press and use a riser with the powder measure to clear the priming setup.
I load other rifle cartridges(30-06, 308, 243) on the same press but use it in single stage mode with them and use a separate powder measure.