Lee turret press for newbie?

To learn and introduce new loaders. Tips and tricks from old timers.

Moderators: Chuck, Mustang380gal, Coordinators, Moderators

Johnny45
Posts: 276
Joined: Sat Jul 09, 2005 10:34 pm
Location: Stone Creek, Ohio

Re: Lee turret press for newbie?

Post by Johnny45 »

Love my Lee classic turret (cast iron model). Take out the indexing rod and it works like a single stage press.
I'm doing up a bunch of 45 colt and 9mm. Works perfect. Get spare turrets, they're cheap. Pretty good prices on lee stuff here
http://www.titanreloading.com/
If there is nothing in your life worth dying for, then there must be nothing in your life worth living for.
SMMAssociates
Posts: 9557
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2005 1:36 am
Location: Youngstown OH

Re: Lee turret press for newbie?

Post by SMMAssociates »

techgebhardt:

As you may have noticed, I'm a Dillon fan :D....

But you can do worse than the Lee. I still stand by the progressive type v.s. the single stage, though, unless you're doing precision loading. For "let's go kill some paper" SD practice, the progressives are a tad handier, too. Blowing away 100 rounds that took me about a half-hour to load up beats the heck out of spending a good chunk of the day replacing them.

IMHO, you can get into a Dillon 650 for less than $1,000, but it is a handy bank balance when you start :D....

Skip the case feeder. Get some extra case tubes instead. The .45 versions take something like 19 rounds, and you can stick four more into one when it's on the press. Having a handful of those pre-loaded can be helpful. (That's $200-ish.)

Just stick with one caliber to start with. The presses come with complete die sets, etc.. Figure about $200 to add another caliber, though.

Have a friend who knows how the thing works :D....

DO plan on buying a case tumbler, cleaning media, and a case separator, but that's no more than $150. Likewise, you'll need to spend a few bucks on a supply of cases, primers, and a pound of powder. (You can buy all of those in bulk and save a pile later on.)

A good scale (under $100) is a good idea, and that silly little primer flipping plate ($20), too.... (That goes for any press.) Grab a bullet puller while you're at it. You'll find out why :D....

Turn off the TV, too :D....

I've only had a few squibs, and more inverted primers. I don't think you can avoid either, but Dillon makes a cute little powder check gadget for $80-ish. (This is NOT the one that looks at the contents of the powder container.)

Whatever press you buy, learn how to work it, and how it works. Makes DIY repairs a lot easier :D....

Regards,
Stu.

(Why write a quick note when you can write a novel?)

(Why do those who claim to wish to protect me feel that the best way to do that is to disarm me?)

יזכר לא עד פעם
mreising
Posts: 6274
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2005 8:07 pm
Location: Warren County

Re: Lee turret press for newbie?

Post by mreising »

There are still very good reasons for a new reloader to start with a single stage, or the turret press. It is not just a matter of "the old guys have time to mess with that {paraphrased}". It is too easy to make a lot of mistakes, and thus a lot of bad ammo, quickly with a progressive. Learn the process, get a feel for things when they are right. A single stage press can be picked up for around $30 for a C-type, which is entirely adequate for pistol and small rifle calibers. An O-type press will be more, and will be more useful in the long term so even if you get a progressive you still keep the single stage. Having said all this, the Lee turret press is a good press that you are essentially using as a single stage because you are only operating on one step at a time but you still end up with a slightly faster process. As others have mentioned, get some extra turrets and caliber changes are fast; faster than changing calibers on a progressive. Progressives are good, and I use one, but I kept my single stage for loading match rounds and other purposes.

I had two Lee Pro 1000s, with one set for 45 ACP and the other for 9mm (now that was a fast caliber change :) ) and they are decent progressives for not a lot of money but, as with other progressives, they require a bit of fiddling to make them work consistently. Once they are dialed in they work well.
The tyrant will always find a pretext for his tyranny

Mark
NRA Training Counselor-Rifle, Pistol, Shotgun, Reloading, Personal Protection in the Home, Personal Protection Outside the Home, Home Firearms Safety, Chief RSO. NRA Endowment Life member.
User avatar
Klingon00
Posts: 3824
Joined: Tue Dec 09, 2008 11:47 am
Location: Columbus, OH

Re: Lee turret press for newbie?

Post by Klingon00 »

I'll chip in and add my vote for the classic 4 hole turret press kit. I'm a happy owner of one and it is perfect for someone getting started. It can be quickly and easily converted to a pure single stage or used as a turret press which is sort of a hybrid between single stage and a progressive (so not really either). The turret is easier and possibly safer for a beginner than a progressive because you are only doing one operation at a time, but once you get into a rhythm is faster than a single stage press.

I've loaded 9mm, 45ACP and .38 special all using the turret configuration. I also load all my rifle cartridges in a single stage configuration (Since case prep is a more involved process).

In turret mode, the dies automatically advance each time you pull the lever, so you really can't go wrong such as double charging since pulling the handle all the way down and back up rotates the dies to the next station giving you only one powder charge. The system is fairly forgiving in that regard (Not that you shouldn't always be mindful of every step of the operation).
GT350
Posts: 27
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2013 5:37 pm
Location: Northern, OH

Re: Lee turret press for newbie?

Post by GT350 »

I picked up a Lee Classic Turret Press Kit (4-Hole) a little over a month ago and I am VERY happy with it especially for the $ paid. I did pick up a digital scale as it is much easier and quicker to check loads (I check every 10th load) and you can weigh on both scales to check accuracy of the scales. I can do 160ish rounds per hour at a steady not rushed pace which is plenty for me.
User avatar
techmike
OFCC Patron Member
OFCC Patron Member
Posts: 1595
Joined: Mon Apr 16, 2007 10:42 pm
Location: Toledo

Re: Lee turret press for newbie?

Post by techmike »

I have had my Lee Turret press for quite a while. Only issues I experienced were: 1) Used primer disposal - if they didn't bounce on the floor or bench, they accumulate in the base of the press. If you ever unbolt your press, old primers tend to go everywhere. I modded mine so that is no longer an issue. 2) Other problem I had was wearing out the little square index part, I use my RCBS powder measure in turret hole #3, and the extra mass tends to trash the index link-thing. They are cheap so I stock a few.
I use the Lee for pistol cartridges only, have a RCBS single stage for rifle loads. I think you can't go wrong with the Lee as a starter press. Good value for the $$$.

Image
"The Constitution shall never be construed to prevent the people of the United States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms."
- Samuel Adams, Massachusetts Ratifying Convention, 1788
Post Reply