Lee Classic Turret Deluxe Kit or just Press?

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Pilot

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I already have the Lee Single Stage set-up, I believe it was the Anniversary Kit that I bought years ago (second one). So I already have the powder measure, priming tools, scale, dies, etc. My question is do I need to get the full "deluxe kit" or just the single stage press with auto index added?

Also, are there two styles of Turret presses, three hole, and four hole, and which is recommended?

I will probably keep my single stage set up for just rifle rounds, and use the Turret Press for cranking out pistol rounds. Any advice appreciated! Thanks.
 
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There is considerable difference between the Deluxe Turret and the Classic Turret. Get the Classic Turret.
 
The cost of Lee bundles usually gives you good spare equipment at a very low cost. If you can afford it, having a second scale and priming equipment can be very handy. Does the basic press come with the on-press priming system?

If you want to use the FCD or want to seat and crimp in 2 different stages, get the 4 holer. If you are good with seating and crimping on 1 station, the 3 hole is faster/less effort, and it will auto-index on longer rifle rounds. For pistol rounds, I have had good luck seating and crimping on the same station for pistol, so I would lean toward the Classic.

I'm not trying to derail your thread here, but if you are looking for a press to crank out pistol rounds on, consider the Pro1000 progressive (or some other color progressive). There is a lot of Internet myth surrounding progressives, but once they are set up they are not really any more complicated to run than a turret. You still only do 1 "critical" operation that needs to be monitored per stroke. Check powder before the upstroke, seat primer on the downstroke. As I am looking down the barrel of carpal tunnel surgery and have to reload left-handed sometimes because of shoulder issues from repetitive strain injury, tripling the repetitive processes of reloading makes me cringe. The Pro 1k is about the same cost, and puts 1/3 of the mileage on your joints. It can add up over time.
 
If those are the only 2 choices I would go with the 4 hole. IMHO I would save my money and get a better press. I guess after years of using RCBS equipment it's hard to consider something else.
 
+1 On the Lee CLASSIC (not Deluxe) turret - the Classic is a much beefier machine and the thru-the-ram spent primer disposal design alone is worth the price difference over the Deluxe.
 
4-hole Classic all the way! But a "kit" is really up to you. Depends on what you may already have or not, what you might need or want, etc. I bought a kit from Cabela's, and I don't use the scales or priming contraptions. I use an RCBS 5-0-5 scale and various other priming methods.

One thing I'll recommend is getting several extra turrets. One for each set of dies is a given, but I have one with a bullet puller in it, one with a universal decapping die, one for my Auto Prime II, one for cast bullet sizing dies, one with a powder dispenser in it for charging rifle cases, etc.
 
Pilot here you go.

https://fsreloading.com/lee-precision-classic-turret-press-90064.html

No need to go with a kit since you have the scale and misc equip and you will probably purchase more when desired. The turret sped up reloading pistol rounds for me and with the quick change turrets changing calibers is a breeze. I often prime and size separately so the 4th hole isn't really needed but easy to skip over too.
 
You want the CLASSIC turret press. The auto index is part of the press. You will need more turrets if you load different calibers,

If you buy just the press you will not get the Pro Auto Disk powder measure but you can buy that as a separate unit which is what I would do. There is nothing else in the "kit" that is worth getting.


Edit: The press alone does not come with the Safety prime system either ( I don't think) so you need to buy that also if you want to prime on the press.

So for a complete "press" you will need the accessories on the right side of this link. If you load rifle there is also a extension for the powder measure to clear the primer system it's cheap.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/814175/lee-classic-4-hole-turret-press?cm_vc=ProductFinding
 
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Lee has discontinued their 3-hole turret press, so you are left with a choice between their 2 4-hole turret presses. The regular (cheaper) 4-hole press is made of cast aluminum alloy, same as your Anniversary single stage. The Classic 4-hole is made of cast iron. I don't know if there's any difference in the functional workings of the 2.
Majority opinion seems to be for the Classic, and I have one myself, as well as the same single stage you have. Both are serving me well.
 
Thanks guys! Guess I will be going with the Lee Classic Turret press, and add turrets as I need. It seems I'll need one for each caliber, correct? So they can be swapped out with all the dies in one turret, is that the ideas?

I have considered going to more expensive gear, especially Dillon, maybe RCBS, but I always come back to Lee, as for my needs they seem to be fine. No question there are better presses, and set ups out there, but the Lee stuff seems to work fine for the money spent.
 
Pilot said:
Thanks guys! Guess I will be going with the Lee Classic Turret press, and add turrets as I need. It seems I'll need one for each caliber, correct? So they can be swapped out with all the dies in one turret, is that the ideas?

I have considered going to more expensive gear, especially Dillon, maybe RCBS, but I always come back to Lee, as for my needs they seem to be fine. No question there are better presses, and set ups out there, but the Lee stuff seems to work fine for the money spent.
Click to expand...

Yes, a turret for every caliber. Change out in a minute, You need the other things I mentioned if you want to powder charge and prime on the press, Really no sense in a turret if you take each case off to drop a powder charge with a powder measure and then stick it back on the press.??

What is good about the LCTP is that all you have to do is take the center rod out and it is now a single stage press.


http://www.realguns.com/archives/122.htm
 
That is the way I see it with my LEE Turret That is the way to go for the money!
 
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IMO, one of the good features of that Classic Turret press is the ability to set up does on their own turrets for very quick change out.

I agree charging powder on the press is also the way to go as is priming handgun cases on press. When you use all the features you can safely load 180 to 200 handgun rounds per hour. I use a Pro Auto-Disk w/riser to clear the Safety Primer.
https://fsreloading.com/lee-precision-safety-primer-feed-large--small-90997.html
https://fsreloading.com/lee-precision-pro-auto-disk-90429.html
https://fsreloading.com/lee-precision-auto-disk-riser-90041.html
 
Don't listen to any hooey about the Lee Classic presses being inferior or less quality to other manufacturers products. Workmanship and quality are first rate and Lee includes lots of nice features others don't have. All that adds up to best value in my book.

I think you will also appreciate the thought Lee put into his "system" approach to loading. His tools work together nicely. I especially like his die set with the powder through expanding die for pistol loads. I don't use the press mounted charging system by choice but the Lee funnel fits the powder through die and I charge by hand with a dipper cup ... oh yeah, Lee makes those too!
 
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WOW! Great info guys, very, very helpful. I am going to order the press, and accessories today, and thanks for the links!
 
I'm confused (or at east one of us is)

Pilot said:
I already have the Lee Single Stage set-up, I believe it was the Anniversary Kit that I bought years ago (second one). So I already have the powder measure, priming tools, scale, dies, etc. My question is do I need to get the full "deluxe kit" or just the single stage press with auto index added?

Also, are there two styles of Turret presses, three hole, and four hole, and which is recommended?

I will probably keep my single stage set up for just rifle rounds, and use the Turret Press for cranking out pistol rounds. Any advice appreciated! Thanks.
Click to expand...
My advice: Get the Classic Turret Press. There are questions I need to ask you, however, which will be in my next post.

In the meantime, with my apologies, I am compelled to comment on your terminology, There are people who will read this thread in the future who may be confused.

I understand that Lee no longer makes the 3-hole turret press. Both Lee Turret presses now come with the 4-hole arrangement.

The bases of Lee Deluxe turret and the Lee Classic Turret are different. The Deluxe Turret base is taller (reducing the vertical clearance for operation of the press by 1") and made of aluminum. The base of the Classic Turret is iron and flat on top, making it shorter and allowing 1" more vertical space for longer cartridges and room for your hand, placing bullets and for looking down into the case.

The upper portions of the Deluxe Turret and the Classic Turret are identical as is the operation of the presses.

One vendor offers a kit they call "Deluxe" which is built around the Classic Turret, further contributing to the confusion.

The turret ring for the 3-hole and the turret ring for the 4-hole are different and not interchangeable.

single stage press with auto index added
Click to expand...
By its nature, auto-index is impossible with a single stage press.

Just out of curiosity, which Lee Single Stage press do you have? They have 4. The hand press (which does not mount on a bench), The Reloader press (which is aluminum, has a simple linkage and cannot prime on-press), the Challenger Press (which is aluminum and has a compound linkage) and the Classic Single Stage (which is cast iron and has compound linkage).

Lost Sheep
 
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Amazon has the Classic 4 Hole Turret press in stock and the other 3 items I linked to in Post #16. If you have Amazon Prime you will save a lot on shipping.
 
Thanks for asking our advice

Thanks for asking our advice.

We could target our advice better if you shared some information about yourself: (What I use has no relevance to you if our needs are not similar.)

So, I have some questions for you before I can be more specific.

What calibers will you be reloading?

What quantities will you be reloading for those calibers? (Per month and per session)

How much time will you be willing to devote to those quantities?

How large of production runs before swapping calibers?

What is your budget for this upgrade?

Will you be putting your gear away after each session or leave it set up permanently?

How much space will you devote permanently to a loading area, if any?

Do you want it to be portable?

What are your shooting goals? Cheap ammo? Ultimate long-range accuracy? Casual plinking, Serious competition - what kind? Cowboy Action Shooting? Strictly hunting? Personal defense? Skills development?

Lost Sheep
 
Deluxe Turret vs Classic Turret

Just to be thorough (I see that Pilot, the Original Poster has chosen) I offer this little article I wrote a while ago.

The Lee Classic Turret (not to be confused with the Lee Classic Cast, which is a single stage press) and the Lee Deluxe Turret operate in exactly the same manner. (Except for some older, now discontinued models of the Deluxe which have 3 die stations - and, no, the 4-hole turrets do not interchange with the 3-hole turrets.)

Same speed, many of the same parts and same operating mode and technique.

But there are differences.

Evolution: The Classic Turret is the newer design of the two.

Durability: The Classic Turret's base is cast iron, the Deluxe is cast aluminum. Iron wears better than the softer metal, aluminum.

Ease of use: The Deluxe has a 1" smaller vertical opening than the Classic Turret. Though either is capable of taking rifle cartridges, the Classic Turret will take longer ones and if you have big hands is the clear winner.

Spent Primer Handling: The Deluxe drops primers out of a slot in the ram to fall into a cavity inside the press base. But only about 90% succeed in their intended journey. The Classic drops primers down the center of the hollow ram and into a clear plastic tube which can contain a few hundred primers or be directed into a receptacle of your choice. The difference in the behavior of the debris (products of combustion) from the spent primers is even more striking. With the Deluxe, you wind up with primer detritus all over and have to dismount the press and sweep up the pile of spent primers every several hundred rounds. So the Classic remains much cleaner.

More on Durability: The Deluxe ram is smaller in diameter than the Classic's ram. This gives a much different bearing surface for the ram to be guided as it moves up and down. The Classic press will last much longer because of the increased surface area and because iron is tougher than aluminum.

Even more on Durability: The Deluxe's linkage is aluminum and steel stampings. The Classic's linkage is more robust. I believe the leverage on both is the same. I have heard/read that current production Deluxe presses have the steel linkage similar to the Classic's.

In the examples posted, the Deluxe has the optional roller handle, which is said to be easier to use, so an upgrade over the standard, stock handle. The same handle is available for the Classic Turret.

In summary:

The Deluxe is aluminum, spills spent primers and has a slightly smaller opening (which you may find important when loading long cartridges or long bullets. Kempf's gun shop (online) assembles a kit containing the Classic Turret and does not force someone who already reloads to take other stuff you already have (except a set of dies and some cartridge boxes).

I think that's about it.


This is the Lee Deluxe Turret Press
http://leeprecision.com/4-hole-turret-press-with-auto-index.html

This is the Lee Classic Turret Press
http://leeprecision.com/4-hole-classic-turret-press.html

They operate in exactly the same way, but have differences in detail that (in my opinion) make up for the difference in price.

Lost Sheep
 
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flashhole said:
Must be cold and dark in Alaska. Nice summary.
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Thanks, flashhole.

Not so cold today. Noon, mid-twenties No snow to speak of, which is good since my shoulder surgery prevents me from shoveling. Your weather in New York has been a lot worse than ours.

I write articles and opinion pieces and keep the good ones archived on a thumb drive. I trot them out when a thread seems to invite the post.

We are gaining nearly two minutes o daylight a day now.

Lost Sheep
 
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