Lee Turret vs RCBS Rockchucker for precision loads?

[PNW_Steve]

Hey Everyone,

I quit loading rifle back in the '80s and have just started again recently. I now run a Lee turret press that has been fine for pistol and, with some challenges, .223 Rem.

I have a new centerfire rifle cartridge that I am going to be loading and want the best quality/consistency that I can manage with the tools at hand. My first thought was to drag out my old Rockchucker that I have loaded thousands of rounds of rifle on. Then I got to thinking and wonder if the Rockchucker will really do a better job than the Lee?

If I were looking at my old Lee 1000 the answer would be obvious. The shell plate flexed enough that I could see the variances. But this turret press feels pretty solid.

Am I going to see a measurable difference between the Lee turret and the RCBS Rockchucker?

Thanks.

[nhyrum]

I loaded a bunch of precision on the Lee turret I had with cheap Hornady dies. After upgrading to a massive 0 frame cast press from the 60's probably and a 250 dollar die set, I started chasing the load I had on the Lee. I wasn't able to get quite the low es I got, and groups were never quite as good. I think good loading practices are more important than press color. I think the sort of floating toolhead is actually very helpful in loading precision ammo kind of like Savage's floating bolt head. It gives things slop to let them line up better

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

[MT Chambers]

I'd go with the RC although for accurate ammo my first choice would be the Forster Co-ax.

[tazman]

I have the Lee Classic Cast turret and load match ammo on it for 223, 308, and 30-06.
I haven't got the 308 fully figured out yet. I am getting about 1.75 inch groups at 200 yards.
The 223 and 30-06 I ave loads that shoot roughly 1 inch at 200 yards pretty consistently depending on the wind.
I would say that is pretty good accuracy with ANY press.

[nhyrum]

Keep in mind that guys like David tubb and Jon whidden load their match ammo on a Dillon 650. Little different animal than the lee, but goes to show you don’t need some massive immovable beast of a press to get match winning ammo, even amongst the most competitive shooters


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[RichardB]

Co-Ax!

[dragon813gt]

Here is the only actual answer; load on both and measure. Should also shoot them and check accuracy since runout, w/in reason, doesn’t mean it won’t shoot well. Every press is different and every die set is different. Only your setup will tell you the results. Any other answer is just conjecture.

You can load accurate ammo on both. I personally don’t load any rifle on a LCT. It’s not that it can’t handle it. It’s that I don’t load enough volume to warrant it in conjunction w/ more steps than the LCT has stations. The only rifle I load in volume is 5.56 and that’s loaded on a 550B. I would move this to the LCT and not worry if I didn’t have the 550B.

The turret on the Lee does flex when loading. Never had a Lee progressive to compare it to. But the turret does move up when a case is inserted into the die.

[Hutch556]

I own both presses and see no difference in actual performance. Either would serve you well. The Rock chucker is a quality press that will last a lifetime plus. The Lee Turret has other things going for it. If I could only have one it would be the Lee simply because the turret speeds up production over a single stage and changing out turrets for caliber swaps is easy.

[PNW_Steve]

Thanks Everyone.

The Lee turret does have a little slop that allows a little movement when pressing the case into the die. It looks to me to be fairly consistent as opposed to the flex on my old 1000 that varied depending on how much effort it took to press the case into the die.

I have been spot measuring finished rounds as they come out of the press. COAL varies by up to .003" at times. Most are within less than .002".

I have a Redding type S sizing die and a Forester Micrometer seating die. I will be measuring every charge. I want to remove as many variables as I can.

From the comments here, I am going to give it a try on the Lee measuring coal and runout.

I don't really want to give up the bench space to another press if I don't need to.

I'll let you know how it goes. My neck sizing bushings are supposed to be here today!!! That is the last piece I need to shoot my new rifle. I am a little excited. This is my first build. I have been working on it for almost four months.

Regarding the Forester Co-ax, that looks nice. A bit out of my reach right now. I had not ever seen one before. I have been eyeballing the Redding turret press. How would you compare it with the Forester?

Thanks again Everyone.

[nhyrum]

Thanks Everyone.

The Lee turret does have a little slop that allows a little movement when pressing the case into the die. It looks to me to be fairly consistent as opposed to the flex on my old 1000 that varied depending on how much effort it took to press the case into the die.

I have been spot measuring finished rounds as they come out of the press. COAL varies by up to .003" at times. Most are within less than .002".

I have a Redding type S sizing die and a Forester Micrometer seating die. I will be measuring every charge. I want to remove as many variables as I can.

From the comments here, I am going to give it a try on the Lee measuring coal and runout.

I don't really want to give up the bench space to another press if I don't need to.

I'll let you know how it goes. My neck sizing bushings are supposed to be here today!!! That is the last piece I need to shoot my new rifle. I am a little excited. This is my first build. I have been working on it for almost four months.

Regarding the Forester Co-ax, that looks nice. A bit out of my reach right now. I had not ever seen one before. I have been eyeballing the Redding turret press. How would you compare it with the Forester?

Thanks again Everyone.Coal variation is likely due to bullet shape variation. Change to measuring CBTO and you'll see that pretty much go away. Oal should only be used to make sure rounds fit in a magazine.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

[PNW_Steve]

Coal variation is likely due to bullet shape variation. Change to measuring CBTO and you'll see that pretty much go away. Oal should only be used to make sure rounds fit in a magazine.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

That is on my list.

[Three44s]

The variation I would check for is bullet alignment to the case.

You closely watch the Lee CT as a bullet is seated. The turret rises on the pressure side (where the seater die is installed) ahead of the far side away from the seating operation.

I own a Lee CT. I like it but my rifle loading is done more on a single stage than not. I am particularly concerned with small caliber varmint rounds and bullet to case alignment because the force to seat those small diameter bullets is closer to or even less than the force required to level out the turret prior the bullet being seated.

A load of dies installed in the turret adds to the matter.

Three44s

[PNW_Steve]

The variation I would check for is bullet alignment to the case.

You closely watch the Lee CT as a bullet is seated. The turret rises on the pressure side (where the seater die is installed) ahead of the far side away from the seating operation.

I own a Lee CT. I like it but my rifle loading is done more on a single stage than not. I am particularly concerned with small caliber varmint rounds and bullet to case alignment because the force to seat those small diameter bullets is closer to or even less than the force required to level out the turret prior the bullet being seated.

A load of dies installed in the turret adds to the matter.

Three44s

I don't think that I am understanding??

The ram on my press comes up directly under the Forester micrometer seating die. Forester claims near perfect bullet alignment with that die.

[dragon813gt]

I don't think that I am understanding??

He’s saying that the turret lifts more under the die that’s being used. So if we have a flat plane the die will rise above 0° causing misalignment. This happens because force is not applied equally to all areas of the turret when you insert a case in the die. How much this happens can only be determined by your die setup. Load some up and measure run out.

[nhyrum]

When the turret head lifts, which it's designed to do, it seats against the top, which is flat. It's not crooked. The toolhead lifting won't cause any APPRECIABLE runout, and it doesn't matter.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

[farmbif]

my first ever real press was a lee breech lock, graduating from lee loader kits, and that thing would flex resizing 222 rem, after that I saved up and got a cast iron Lyman turret bought used, Lyman turret is still going strong, a couple dabs or grease here and there and a few drops of oil now and then. whatever press you want it to be strong and sturdy. my guess is accurate ammo can be put together on just about any strong solid press that doesn't flex.

[Livin_cincy]

Dillion Precision uses a vertically floating Toolhead on their Match Grade Competition 550 press.

The Lee Turret also floats vertically as the case aligns with the die in the toolhead.

Why is that ?

[trebleplink]

IMHO, having to change dies on a single stage invites trouble and the whole process is painfully slow. For low quantity, I use a turret. For quantity a 550. My single stage is dedicating to sizing.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I have 2 Rockchuckers and 1 Lee Turret. I've always used the Rockchucker for rifle ammo, and the Lee for pistol ammo. Somehow, just seemed natural, as the Lee will turn out more rounds faster. But, I can't really compare quality of the finished product, not having loaded rifle ammo on the Lee. Both are great presses.

[onelight]

The Lee turret is responds differently to play in the turret than a shell plate on a progressive or a turret supported from the center they can cock on the center , rather than lifting square to the stop around the perimeter like the Lee but they all work when setup correctly better than most of us and our guns can shoot .
All that said I load my bolt gun ammo on a single stage normally only 20 to 60 at a time so not in any hurry because...... that's how I have always done it :)