lee 3 hole turret press

[TennJed]

i am new to reloading and have a question. i have seen a lot of info on 4 hole turret presses (esp. lee classic) but not much on the lee 3 hole turret. the price of the 3 hole is pretty reasonable and i have seen a few on ebay.

what are your opinions on this. i am considering depriming outside with a mallet and punch (slow i know) to cut down on primer dust (small kids and lead concerns). I currently have a hand press that I use with a lee classic loader.

what could I expect by depriming and hand priming first with what I have, then using the 3 hole turret press for finishing up.

thanks for any help you can give, I am new and am asking a lot of questions.

 

[rfwobbly]

Jed -
The way modern dies are set up, you de-prime and size in one step. Now, no matter where you de-prime, you still have to size. And consider that this step takes about 3 seconds for the complete operation. Secondly, that the primer and all the smut that comes out is captured and safely taken away by the press. So IMHO there doesn't seem to be any advantage to your solution. It's very creative, but it takes a lot longer and spreads any contaminants a lot further.

The 3-position press simply keeps you from using the crimp die in the 4th position. Most reloaders prefer the idea of the 4th die these days.

But I will tell you that the 3-die system was the way it was done for more than a decade and many billions of rounds were successfully made in 3-position presses. So if a 3-position press has attractive price advantages for you, then I say go for it.

You can successfully prime your brass in or out of the press with either design. You should probably count on getting a Lee XR hand priming system, since the priming section seems to wear the most on older Lee presses. http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=413473

Hope this helps!

 

[TennJed]

makes perfect sense...I wasn't figuring the sizing in.

thanks

 

[weeniewawa]

I can only see priming with the Lee decapper and base deal would be way worse for spreading dust and lead around, if anything other than doing it with the sizing die, I would look at one of the universal de-capping dies like the Lee which has the de-capping pin held in with a collet.

I am not even sure there is lead in primers

good article here about primers

http://www.shootingtimes.com/ammunition/ST_mamotaip_200909/index.html

 

[Sturmcrow]

Just to add to your consideration, there is a kit available at a reasonable price to convert a 3 hole press to a 4 hole press, but not to go the other way. Many of the cartridges I load would benefit from having just 3 holes, primarily to avoid the annoyance of double pulling to skip the hole that I'm not using.

Myself, I kinda wish I had the 3-hole press and the 4-hole kit, then I could swap between them based on what I'm loading. I prime with a hand-primer, so could get by with the sizing die on a single stage press and the other three dies in the turret.

 

[rondog]

I currently have the 4-hole Lee Classic Cast Turret Press, and love it. My first press was a Lee 3-holer, the one you're talking about. The difference between the two is night and day, IMO. I'd never buy another of the 3-holers.

The 4-hole LCCT has a far superior spent primer collecting system, and is also a much tougher press. My 3-hole press broke the turret holding plate, and the cast aluminum handle snapped in two. The difference in prices doesn't compare to the differences in quality, IMO. I'm surprised they still offer the 3-holer.

 

[MADDOG]

I have a "Lee 3 holer" and it works just fine for me. I load 357 mag, 44 mag, 45acp, 30-30 Win, 270 Win, 35 Rem. If needed I would buy another.

 

[snuffy]

4-hole Lee Classic Cast Turret Press,

Wrong name, leave the word "cast" out. The classic cast is the big steel single stage. But I agree the lee classic turret is a great press.

Myself, I kinda wish I had the 3-hole press and the 4-hole kit, then I could swap between them based on what I'm loading. I prime with a hand-primer, so could get by with the sizing die on a single stage press and the other three dies in the turret.

Swapping a 3 hole lee turret to a four hole is no easy task. The entire top must be unbolted to replace the turret ring. Then the auto advance has to be added to the ram top. Not a simple swap.

The extra money for the classic turret is money well spent.

 

[greyling22]

it's not too hard either. 5 minutes tops.

I just sold my 3 hole press. Never used it once I moved to 4 hole, but them I use only cast lead and use the FCD to do the lazy man's bullet sizing and actually need the 4th hole. If I was loading sized revolver ammo I wouldn't bother using the 4th hole. But I will echo everybody else and say the classic turret is a better buy. It's certainly a better press. (not the the regular one is bad. I've loaded tens of thousands of rounds on them)

 

[Starter52]

I am quite happy with my 3-hole Lee Press, but I first resize/deprime on a different press (an old cast-iron C-H) because of the problems with spent primers on the 3-hole Lee.

 

[dickttx]

The Lee Classic Turret (4 Hole) is an upgrade of the older 3 hole. Better materials, easier working. Lee sells kits that somewhat upgrade the 3 hole to a 4 hole, but you are nearing the same cost, for a lesser quality press.

 

[kennedy]

I use the 3 hole and works just find, except on .223 and .45LC I need 4 dies so I can crimp, the solution is I bought an extra turret and installed the .223 and .45LC sizing dies in it. I batch size, use the lee auto prime, than finish reloading with the other three dies per normal.

 

[rondog]

This one. Good.



This one, not so much. It's OK, but the other is better.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Like said above, the "Classic" Turret Press is a much better tool than the "Deluxe" Turret Press.

You can buy a 3 hole press but the 4 hole press for a few more Dollars will offer you more flexibility. Lee also offers a conversion kit to transform a 3 hole press into a 4 hole press.