School me on LEE Turret presses

[Akula]

I already have a Lee Reloader (Single-stage) Press for my 223 loading. I'm looking for upgrades, so that I don't have to change dies frequently.

What are the feature advantages of the Lee Classic Turret over the regular Lee Turret Press? Offhand, I see that LCT does seemed to have a sturdier base.

Further -- why is the Classic Cast Press cost as much as the Classic Turret?

Thanks.

Edited April 14, 2011 by Akula

[J-Ho]

I used to use a Lee turret press. You will be much happier getting a dillon. The Lee turret is a neat little concept but the tolerances were sloppy. The plate that holds the dies has a lot of movement up and down. Not real good when you want consistent ammo. Yes I know it costs more but in the long and short term you will be happier with a Dillon. A 550 is a great little machine.

[Boxerglocker]

I too started with a LCT and have to disagree with the previous poster, money is ALWAYS a consideration and for the low $200 price point the LCT is a great investment. Actually my number one recommendation for a newbie where price does matter.

I'm copying and pasting a write up quoted from a fellow reloading forum friend over at Glocktalk who also started with a LCT.

"Lee Classic Turret. (LCT)

www.leeprecision.com

This is the press I started with and its a great first press. Its considered an auto indexing turret press. You have to pull the handle 4 times to get one completed round. Lee is the only maker who does this type of press. Its a lot faster then a normal turret and cheaper on top of it all. You can expect to load about 200rds an hour once you get in the groove. You can get a nice LCT kit from http://www.kempfgunshop.com/. Be aware that others sell a kit but the kit includes the dreaded Lee Scale. Avoid them. Kempfs kit includes:

Lee Classic Turret Press

Lee Deluxe 4-Die Set for the pistol caliber of your choice. (3 Die set in 380)

Lee Auto Disk Powder Measure

Lee Safety Prime System (Large or Small)

Lee Auto Disk Riser (Required for the Safety Prime System)

Six MTM 50 round Plastic Ammo Boxes

I recommend you upgrade the kit to the Pro Auto Disc Powder Measure. Not only does it give you the better powder measure but you also get the Large and Small primer setup. Its worth it for the powder measure alone. With this kit you do not need a primer turning tray. The Auto Disc powder measure does not have the ability to adjust powder to very small increments like most measures. You simply change discs with different size holes to get the charge you want. This gets you pretty close and it works fine. You can add an adjustable charge bar but it does not work well with small charges and some powders. I stopped using mine with TiteGroup and 9mm. Loading larger throws of powder in a .44mag may have been fine. I dont know, never tried. People say it works better with larger volume charges. Lee even warns you about this on their instructions. The priming system is workable. Some people have had to add a washer under the primer mounting location to get it 100% dialed in. Most people dont have any trouble doing this slight mod. The LCT is a great, low cost, relatively quick entry into reloading. Once you get it dialed in its amazing how much ammo it can make. Caliber changes are so easy its unbelievable. You can also easily disable the auto-indexing and convert it to a single stage press. Its brilliant in its simplicity and function.

Recommended Setup:

Kempfs LCT kit with the Pro Powder measure, Lee 4 Die set, scale, dial calipers and Tumbler."

In addition here is a very useful thread giving very detailed instructions and pictures on setting up and using the LCT. http://www.surplusrifle.com/reviews2...ress/index.asp

In regards with the toolhead being sloppy and ammo produced being inconsistent, I also have to disagree. My OAL's were just as consistent with the LCT as they were with both the SDB's I owned or the XL650 I have now.

The one upgrade I would recommend though in regards to the above package offered by Kempf's to assist in the above observation is to get a set of Dillon lock rings for the Lee dies, you could get them at the same time you ordered a Dillon beam scale which would be my choice as well to start.

Edited April 14, 2011 by Boxerglocker

[Younger]

I use a Lee Clasic 4 hole turret press. It is fine for low volume reloading of pistol ammo. Very quick changeover between calibers, especially if you have dedicated powder measures (pro auto disk) for each caliber. I am happy with mine. That said, if you are loading rifle(.223)and want to load large quanitys I would go with a red or blue progressive. I load all my rifle ammmo with the two RCBS presses I own. You have to remember that all case prep will be still have to be done prior to loading on a progressive. At that point I just continue on with the single stage presses. Old school but accurate.

Edited April 14, 2011 by Younger

[Graham Smith]

The Lee Classic Turret is simply a lot better built than the cheaper version. If you are going to get a Lee Turret, that's the one to get. I have one for low volume loading (.308) and it works very well.

Edited April 14, 2011 by Graham Smith

[ETexPops]

I started with the Lee Classic Turret and it served it's purpose well until I started shooting more than I could comfortably reload with it. I did change the disks for the universal powder bar and it seemed to be much more consistent in throwing charges. Good little press and I still use it to load .223's as a single stage but with the ability to just rotate the tool head to the station I need at the time. Well worth the money IMO.

[Akula]

Thanks for the reply.

Sorry for the confusion. As originally posted, I'm only using the Lee Reloader press for .223 loaded. I've been loading for more than a year for it. I have upgraded with all the other case prep tools, including automated trimmer. I'm using a Lee perfect powder measure, plus a digital scale where I do powder trickling.

I'm already using a 550B for my pistol/.40 needs. Too much work and volume there, so I need the progressive press. However, I don't want to use this for my 223 needs.

What I'm doing is really separating my 223 loading. I like it in a batch and meticulous manner, although I only shoot up to 300-350 yards. Volume is low, only loading at maximum 100 rounds. I'm o-conus and components are quite expensive in our next of the woods.

My needs is to have an almost dedicated 'die holders' which I just can turn/switch -- thus the question regarding Lee turrets.

[BLeeber]

Good thoughts here.

I too am looking for a press. I have the Dillon SDB now for .45acp but want to move to a press to get me into rifle loading. Speed isn't that big of a deal for me. I like the idea of setting your dies and leaving them, swapping out turrets for a caliber change.

[sonicslam]

I always say to stay away from anything Lee (even the dies). We all get sucked in by the price but the quality just isn't there.I also take issue with buying a press that you KNOW you will upgrade from in the future. If you can run a 4 slice pop up toaster you should be able to reload with a progressive. Get something, anything (except Lee) in a progressive and run it single stage until you get the hang of it. Then you just reload progressively.

I know a whole bunch of poeple will come on here and poo-poo me and say don't start with a progressive...it's too hard...you will kill yourself and the 10 closest people to you. It's not true. It is POSSIBLE (I know people who can break a bowling ball in a sand box without tools) but any 8th grade grauate SHOULD be able to start with a progressive.

Generally, those who try to argue with me did it the wrong way (IMHO which I am entitled to), don't want to admit it and want you to follow in their godlike footsteps. They would probably tell you the earth is flat. Just stop and think for a while. Then buy any non-Lee progressive and start reloading. Save you money that you spend on a non-progressive on something else.

[mleeber]

My first press was a Lee Turret 25 years ago. It was part of the bench with other Lees and Dillons until a couple years ago. The turret press was great for what it was and for what it cost; having $5.00 tool heads so you could set the dies once was great. Admittedly there is more "slop" in the tool head fit than one would like for reloading rifles cartridges but there is also slop on the Dillon 550 and 650. I use a Lee Breechlock Challenger for all rifle calibers except 223. The breech locks secure tightly into the press and the new Lee die boxes will hold the dies with the breech lock attached so again, no need to touch the dies after they are initially set unless you need to change OAL or something.

I highly recommend the Breech Lock press for rifle stuff. As for the pistol stuff, I am a fan of anything that auto indexes, I have seen too many mags blown out of the bottom of guns because of a double charge and in every case where I have spoken to the shooter they were loading on a press that did not auto index and they were not solely focused on loading. For a budget the Lee LoadMaster is good and for a bigger budget the Dillon 650 is good but I would skip over the 550. The Hornady Lock N Load is somewhere in the middle but I have never used that press.

And as far as dies go, it is my opinion that Lee dies are every bit as good as any other and better than many. The Lee dies have a less rounded mouth on their sizing dies so they size further down the case. Their Collet dies are excellent in producing consistent rifle ammo, the factory crimp die is excellent and their warranty is great as well. The only time I would use Dillon over Lee is if I were loading lead bullets, the Dillon pistol dies have an insert on the bullet seating die that can be removed and cleaned without removing the die body from the tool head. Dillon also makes 223 dies with a carbide sizer that are good but I still have 3 sets of Lee 223 dies. I did pick up some Redding dies last year for 7x30 Waters thinking that I would try them based on Redding's reputation but they were terrible, the sizing die had an imperfection that scratched the heck out of the brass and the bullet seater stem was not smoothed before assembly so I had a circle cut around the bullets. A call to Redding was as disappointing as the dies.

[pivoproseem]

The Lee CLassic Turret Press is awesome, as long as you aren't shooting alot. It's a very versatile piece..the one I have is mounted on a board so I can quickly change its location, such as taking it to the range to develop loads on the spot. I've replaced mine as my main press with a Hornaday LNL AP. Slop? The turret tops out at the same place every time. I never loaded a squib with the press as it really lets you pay attention to each and every round. I've got to get my setup as a dedicated .223 press, or any other low volume caliber for me. I think its a great press, and having 4 stations is a plus.

I already have a Lee Reloader (Single-stage) Press for my 223 loading. I'm looking for upgrades, so that I don't have to change dies frequently.

What are the feature advantages of the Lee Classic Turret over the regular Lee Turret Press? Offhand, I see that LCT does seemed to have a sturdier base.

Further -- why is the Classic Cast Press cost as much as the Classic Turret?

Thanks.

[WyrTwister]

I already have a Lee Reloader (Single-stage) Press for my 223 loading. I'm looking for upgrades, so that I don't have to change dies frequently.

What are the feature advantages of the Lee Classic Turret over the regular Lee Turret Press? Offhand, I see that LCT does seemed to have a sturdier base.

Further -- why is the Classic Cast Press cost as much as the Classic Turret?

Thanks.

I have the Lee cast iron turret press . It is much stronger than the older , die cast Lee turret presses .

It is a great value !

God bless ,

Wyr