Looking at Lee Classic Turret for first press

[StraightSh00ter]

Like the title says, I'm interested in reloading and looking at the Lee Classic Turret. My interest is reloading 9mm right now, and once I'm reloading I would like to get into a .40. My estimation is 1000-1200 rounds/month during the summer.

My main reasons for this press are:

*Its more simple than a progressive press so I'm thinking that's better for learning

*Its faster than a single stage press

*I haven't seen nearly as many 'bugs' as with the Lee progressive presses

*Cost

Do you folks think this is a decent way to start, or a rookie mistake?

Edited August 3, 2015 by StraightSh00ter

[Miranda]

It can be a good way to learn.

It is faster than 4 single stage presses

what you will learn is how each stage works and how to adjust them.

at 4 pulls per round...

a progressive does all four (or 5) all at one time.

and that is the whole bag-o-chips.... time.

you can learn a lot on a turret and they are great presses

quite versatile for testing and doing batches of... non-ordinary.

when you need a bucket of pistol ammo, you will want a progressive.

a warning about mistakes....

If your ammo is somehow built wrong you will make 4 times as many

mistakes in an hour with a progressive....

I do not think a turret press is a mistake at any level.

miranda

[tcoz]

It's the press that I started with and am still using many years later. Obviously I feel it's an excellent choice, especially for a beginning reloader. It's very easy to set up and extremely cost effective. The biggest thing that I like is that I can use it as an indexing turret press for my 9mm and 45ACP pistol rounds or by removing the index rod, use it as a single stage as I do for .223, 300 BLK, .30-06 and 7.5x55 Swiss rifle rounds.

I've had no problems whatsoever with the press, however if you buy the kit, I'd avoid using the crappy scale that comes with it. Instead, I started with a $30 Frankford Arsenal Electronic scale which served me very well until I finally decided to shell out the cash for a Chargemaster. The Lee Pro Auto a disk powder measure does a good job as does the Auto Prime. All in all, I don't see ever changing to a different press unless my needs changed.

You can't go wrong with the Lee Classic Turret. Good luck.

[aandabooks]

Good solid press for the money. I still have 6 pistol calibers and 3 rifle calibers on mine. Had more but bought 2 SDBs to satisfy my 9mm/.45 competition needs.

[BeerBaron]

It's a good first press. I have one as one of my 3 presses but use it really these days.

Though at 300 rounds per week I'd suggest a progressive.

The thing with the classic turret is you have to buy dies and powder drop and priming setup extra. By the time you buy those things you are getting close to loadmaster money. The lee loadmaster comes with dies and powder drop included as well as the priming system.

Yes it does have its quirks but many have been fixed or at least improved on the current version.

With some great vids on YouTube you can get a handle on it very quickly.

It has a case feed system, is 5 stations, has primer depth adjustment and primer seating on the up stroke (2 things no dillon has bar the 1050). It's also much easier to replenish with primers than any Dillon press.

Having said all that the dillon 650 is a better press (and what I use the most) but you mentioned cost and fun plinking. A loadmaster will scratch that itch. If you later go to a different press you can at least migrate your dies and even the powder drop to the new press.

[tcoz]

You can and should buy the Classic Turret Kit if you're just starting out. The powder drop, priming kit, manual and other items including the crappy scale are all included for around $200, less when on sale. The dies will have to be purchased separately, but I use mostly Lee dies and they work well and are very reasonably priced.

[Steve RA]

https://fsreloading.com/lee-precision-classic-turret-press-kit-90304.html

FS has the best prices I've seen on Lee products.

[TDA]

I wouldn't buy a press just because it looks like an easy one to "learn" on.

It takes about an hour or two to learn how to set up and use one.

I'd buy the one I would want to use most for my purposes!

[StraightSh00ter]

Thanks everyone.

I've watched the videos and thought carefully about Lee progressive presses. Tuning them isn't rocket science, but honestly my job is so I just don't want to deal with the Lee 'quirks'. The turret press looks pretty easy and relaxing which is probably what I need more than anything right now.

Dillon with case feeding is $$$ but I'm sure it's worth its weight in gold. With the Lee kit under $200 (and used presses pretty scarce around here) I don't think I'll feel bad starting there and upgrading when I think I'd benefit from the change.

[firewood]

I have been handloading for two years now and my ammo needs are the same as yours. I think the advice you are getting is good.

I have the RCBS turret press and have the powder drop on the turret (case activated). If I were starting over I think I would go the route your contemplating, the Lee Classic turret. My research indicates that the "Pro Auto Disk" powder drop is better than the "auto disk" and the scale is not dampened so consider replacing. I see the classic press kits with caliber specific dies all the time for what I paid for my press alone.

At the rate you consume ammo you will want to upgrade to a progressive at some point. 1000+ rounds/month is a bit time consuming on a turret press. My wife gave me a LNL progressive last Christmas but it still isn't in service yet. Long story but I need to finish a few projects around the house and build a new bench. Hope to get my progressive running by Labor Day. Still, I'm glad I started with a turret because I now have a very good idea now just exactly what I'm trying to accomplish and what each die or operation is doing. It literally took a while to self-teach those concepts, I did have some outside help and made I more than one mistake.

[Kaldor]

Nothing wrong with a Lee Classic Turret Kit. Only thing Id do is pick up a decent scale. RCBS 505's are going for less the $50 right now. The on ther thing Id do is pick up the ejector kit from Inline Fabrication to speed up operation slightly.

[JohnnyD]

The Lee Classic Cast Turret press is a great press. It was my first press and I still use it today for 223.

Before I started shooting USPSA it was just fine for my plinking needs, but now that I need around 1k a month I don't simply have the time or desire to sit at it all afternoon/evening.

I recently purchased a 650 and it's excellent....however after using it I'm so glad I didn't get one for my first press...I'd have gotten extremely frustrated getting it right. The 550 might not be as bad since you can work 1 station at a time till you get it all setup correctly.

[Graham Smith]

I agree with the rest. The Classic Turret is a good place to start. Works quite well as a low volume rifle press as well.

[RJH]

I have one have loaded over 50,000 rounds on it. Seems to be a good press. I can do 100 pistol rounds in <20min. But would have trouble turning that into 300 an hour. I have never had any issue with the lee powder scale and use it ton my rifle ammo.

[Sarge]

Joe, LEE makes some good equipment. Many of us with the gold standard in presses still stick LEE dies in them! The Turret press will keep you stocked up just fine but I wouldn't go with anything more complex from LEE. If you decide to go more advanced go with a Dillon 550.

[biglou13]

i have it

it works

but ill prolly upgrade when get the space/ cash/ start shooting more

i have RCBS scale and the lee auto discs put me in safe zone "for my powder", but double check, and I use the disk system...Minute of A zone accuracy MOAz

Edited August 4, 2015 by biglou13

[louu]

Get the LEE factory crimp die for your final station. It puts a nice crimp, you can use it on mixed brass, and you don't really have to case gauge your rounds because it has one built in.

My first and only press is the Classic Turret and 300 round an hour of pistol is no problem. I've also never had a squib, a sideways or upside-down primer, or any kind of ammo related problem.

Changing calibers and tweaking ammo takes seconds.

That being said I probably will get a 650 in a couple years but for now all the money I saved goes to ammo...

Edited August 4, 2015 by louu

[tcoz]

I absolutely agree about the Factory Crimp Die. I use one on all of the pistol and rifle calibers that I load. Dial the crimp out of your seating die and use this instead, as a separate step.

[biglou13]

im not against FCD

but when i started 9mm i started with a 3 die set no FCD, and now see no reason to get one

most problems induced can be tuned out by setting up 3 dies set up correctly (and it was a struggle to get dies set up perfectly)

some indicate that FCD die is a crutch and fixing issues that should have been fixed earlier in process

thing is my .45 acp setup has FCD. but am rethinking it after setting up 9mm

fcd does not replace case gauge. fcd doesnt necessarily account for bullets with long COAL. but will account for bulge issues, fcd may swage bullet, move brass so its can be a band aid not a cure. (my bulge isssue came from brass issues...now culling certain headstamps)

also coating loaded cartridge with sharpie... and chambering... will indicate contact surface on problem bullets.

Edited August 4, 2015 by biglou13

[balmo]

I started reloading with a Lee Classic Turret 3 years ago and I still use it to load 9, 40, and 45. LCT hasn't failed me and makes good quality ammo.

[StraightSh00ter]

Well, it sounds like I found the right press I will start looking at whatever else I will need or want to go with it.

Edited August 5, 2015 by StraightSh00ter

[biglou13]

if you haven't bought yet look at some of the lee package likse steve posted above. im not a big fan of the lee scale.... but a cheap digi will also work fine

im ok with harbor freight calipers.( its no starrett) .... all of mine were calibrated to higher tolerances than what press allows and i have compared to HF to high dollar mics.

[10mmauto]

I have a 650 and a SDB, but I still use the LCT building .357's for my Marlin.

[Southpaw]

I'm also just starting out reloading and I went with the Classic Turret Press for many of the same reasons. I'm sure I'll get a 650 in the future, but I figure I'll still use the turret press for some calibers that I shoot less. Even after getting a 650 if I still use the turret press for 2 or 3 calibers I shoot less it'll wind up being the same cost as having to buy caliber conversions for the 650, and it only takes a few seconds to switch calibers on the turret press.

I didn't get the kit since I wanted a digital scale, I got the Gem 20. Wound up being a few bucks cheaper than the kit that way.

Nothing wrong with a Lee Classic Turret Kit. Only thing Id do is pick up a decent scale. RCBS 505's are going for less the $50 right now. The on ther thing Id do is pick up the ejector kit from Inline Fabrication to speed up operation slightly.

Why'd you make me look at that site!! Now I want one of those Ergo Roller Handles! But it's half the price of the whole press so I must resist

[tcoz]

Russell92, I don't know whether you saw it, but Inline Fab also has a standard height lever with the roller handle for the LCT. If it's the handle and not necessarily the ergonomically shaped lever that you're interested in, you can save a few bucks.

http://inlinefabrication.com/products/standard-height-roller-lever-for-lee-classic-turret-press