Lee Classic Turret vs Dillon 550

[nhyrum]

 Like many others here I started with a 550 back in the 90's and ended up with 4x550 and 3x650.... We are not hoarders, we are collectors!
 
Anyway, for larger volumes I prefer the 650 but for smaller volumes and load development I use the 550. For precision rifle (308 and 6BR) I use a tricked out 550 (but without the Dillon powder measure). Both presses have their virtues I think.

You know, now that you bring it to... David tubb and John whidden load on (slightly) modified 650's. I think the only real modifications are to the Shell plate to keep things more concentric, and a better tool head. So you can load match winning ammo on even a 650.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

[Why]

Go with the 750, you won't be sorry.

[ExStreetWalker]

As others have said, go right to a 650/750.  Get the case collator.  Get an RCBS Lock-Out die.

 

Just dump the cleaned and lubed brass in the collator and go to town.

 

I don't bother wet cleaning pistol brass unless it's got mud or dirt on it.  My vibratory tumblers get it plenty clean otherwise.

 

Get the Dillon dies.  They are made to work with progressive presses and also that spring loaded primer pin is a real problem solver.  I've used other dies on my Dillon presses in the past.  They all wear Dillon dies now.  

 

 

Edited June 27, 2020 by ExStreetWalker

[OptimiStick]

Agree. For your use case, I’d go straight to the 650/750.  I started with the 550, added a 650 - and the 550 began collecting dust.   550 Has recently been resurrected for rifle rounds during the shortage , but, for pistol - the 650/750 all the way.   You can expand it with the case-feeder and bullet-feeder. If I had it to do over again I would have skipped the 550.  

[CZGeoege]

750’s are great, and for those slap dicks saying the priming system has issues...that’s what people who don’t have a 750 say..

 

 

Edited July 5, 2020 by CZGeoege

[Livin_cincy]

Precision X ring 1,000 yards shooting with handgun is something few can do.  So don't worry about handgun bullet loading precision & runnout accuracy.  It is myth & marketing.

 

Your Lee Classic Cast Turret is fine for loading 1,000 per month @ 2-250 per hour for (1) hour each week.  

 

The 550 realistically will do 350-400 per hour when you load primer tubes during loading. It gives you a break.  So this gets you 1,500 per month with an hour each week. 

 

The 750 without bullet feeder & primer tubes filled ahead will realistically yield 5-600 per hour.  You can add to the press to get 8-1,000 per hour.  So you are @ 2,000 per month loading (1) hour each week.  

 

The Lee CCT is not mentally or physically exhausting to run.  Loading for (2) hours is not leave you fatigued.  

 

The 550 is like the Lee.  You can relax with music or pod casts and roll for two hours. 

 

The 6/750 tends to cause fatigue at about an hour for many but not all users loading 8-1,000 per hour.  Which is fine since you made so many.  

 

Unfortunately, you will not know what you enjoy until you try each press.  You can explore and always sell off and try another press.  If you set up a 550 for (3) complete caliber conversion tool heads will " loose " about $200 selling it all off used when you go to buy a 750.  That is only $4 per week to play with it for a year.  Cheap entertainment ?

 

 

[RudyVey]

I take the 550 ten times over the Lee Turret. Had it, and it takes four strokes for each round, while the 550 does four rounds at the same time: size/deprime-powder/belling-bullet seat-crimp. The Lee does every step uniquely. I was lucky to get some 150-200 rounds per hour on the Le, but do easily 500 on the 550 (I have primer tubes prepared).

Also, priming is a pita on the Lee.

[ddc]

On 11/6/2020 at 6:20 PM, Livin_cincy said:

Precision X ring 1,000 yards shooting with handgun is something few can do.  So don't worry about handgun bullet loading precision & runnout accuracy.  It is myth & marketing.

 

Your Lee Classic Cast Turret is fine for loading 1,000 per month @ 2-250 per hour for (1) hour each week.  

 

The 550 realistically will do 350-400 per hour when you load primer tubes during loading. It gives you a break.  So this gets you 1,500 per month with an hour each week. 

 

The 750 without bullet feeder & primer tubes filled ahead will realistically yield 5-600 per hour.  You can add to the press to get 8-1,000 per hour.  So you are @ 2,000 per month loading (1) hour each week.  

 

The Lee CCT is not mentally or physically exhausting to run.  Loading for (2) hours is not leave you fatigued.  

 

The 550 is like the Lee.  You can relax with music or pod casts and roll for two hours. 

 

The 6/750 tends to cause fatigue at about an hour for many but not all users loading 8-1,000 per hour.  Which is fine since you made so many.  

 

Unfortunately, you will not know what you enjoy until you try each press.  You can explore and always sell off and try another press.  If you set up a 550 for (3) complete caliber conversion tool heads will " loose " about $200 selling it all off used when you go to buy a 750.  That is only $4 per week to play with it for a year.  Cheap entertainment ?

 

 

 

There was a point in time where I was more or less in the same place "Your Lee Classic Cast Turret is fine for loading 1,000 per month @ 2-250 per hour for (1) hour each week.". 

 

However as time went by I realized that although it was possible to get by with the Lee turret it was getting quite depressing to do so. I was getting to the point where I was dreading going out and cranking out another 250. 

 

With a Lee turret 250 rounds is 1000 lever pulls. That just gets old. One time thing? No problem. Week after week, month after month? Year after year? Pain in the ass.

 

I upgraded to a 650 and for me it made one hell of a difference.

 

 

[glen455]

with the 750 if you dont buy a case  feeder right away, you can extend the clear case feed tube a bit, then put a small funnel on top, and then you can load the case feeder with a fair amount of cases.  imho get an extra index ring they are plastic and can break, scenario primer was not removed completely operator pulls handle primer locks up breaks index ring. The ergo handle on ebay inlinefabrication is an awesome upgrade. 

[gnappi]

I upgraded from Lee presses and now have two 550's and a 450 for many years and never saw a need for anything else. 

 

I load my primer tubes whilst watching tv and the presses will load ammo nearly as fast as I can shoot it. 

[38super]

used dillon presses are still under the life time warrantee

[Kokeman]

I started with a Lee turret. I still use it for low volume rounds. I now have a 550. I wish I would have gotten the 650 at the time as I have a case feeder and bullet feeder on my 550.  I still use Lee dies in my Dillon. 

[Goose78]

I started with a Lee Turret Press...best I could do was 150 rounds an hour on a good day. Upgraded to a 550 for about 2 years than sold it and got a 750. If you’re shooting 10-15K rounds a year and somewhat serious USPSA shooter, skip it all and get a 750 or 1050. If I had any advice skip the lee turret and get something Dillon. 

[ddc]

28 minutes ago, Goose78 said:

I started with a Lee Turret Press...best I could do was 150 rounds an hour on a good day. Upgraded to a 550 for about 2 years than sold it and got a 750. If you’re shooting 10-15K rounds a year and somewhat serious USPSA shooter, skip it all and get a 750 or 1050. If I had any advice skip the lee turret and get something Dillon. 

 

I agree except that I thought the Lee Turret was a great starting point and is still useful for small batch jobs.

I was just using it the other day with an RCBS collet bullet puller.

15K rounds/year for sure the 750 and case feeder or the 1050/1100.

[sdrr72]

I called Dillon today and have a free replacement part for a 30 year old powder measure on the way to me.  Took about 3 minutes of phone time.

 

Don't discount the service you will get decades after your purchase when choosing Dillon or Lee.

[Chutist]

On 6/21/2020 at 5:06 PM, orangeman711 said:

Go with the Dillon. Either 650 or the new 750, you'll never look back. Good luck.

This... 

I've had the Lee and went to the 550 which was a good upgrade but after that I had a 1050 and 650.... The 1050 is like flying first class!  If you have the cash, buy one and don't look back but the 750 would be like "Economy Plus" ...  Good enough.