Lee Classic Turret Press owners?

[HardwarePro]

Drband, what is "the reverse rod"?

By using an indexing rod that has the twist in the oposite direction, it causes the rod to turn backwards.

You can then install a case kicker on it that will kick the case to the left, but more importantly, it allows you to load the brass from the left side of the press.

There are a couple of youtube videos showing this in action.

On the lee-loader site there is a thread explaining how to make one yourself.

Or you can buy one from Inline Fabricators.

I have an index rod and turret for case prep. The case kicker has 4 fingers on it so it kicks a case with every cycle of the arm.

I rounded the nut on the top so it doesn't rotate the turret.

I can deprime at one sitting, wet tumble the brass, rotate the turret to size, tumble again, then change the rod and turret to charge, seat and crimmp

eta. Obviously reversing rotation requires reversing the order of dies on the turret.

For pistol, I have them set as 1. Powder drop. 2. $29 bullet feeder. 3. Seater. 4. LFCD.

 

[drband]

^^^^That's a great explanation ^^^ Sorry, I did not see your request for details earlier berettaprofessor.
I have the reverse index kit from Inline Fabrication and recommend it highly. It really speeds things along by letting me keep my right hand on the press lever and loading everything from the left. The bin setup with the kit is very nice. I added one more bin so I have a catch bin and 2 supply bins (cases & bullets) all on the left side.

 

[oldreloader]

Yep, auto-indexing is one of the best features.

Lost Sheep

absolutely!!

 

[rondog]

I picked "other" because I use mine both ways.

 

[rondog]

I use the auto indexing for everything but longer rifle cases such as 30-06, 308. For the rest of my reloading I use the auto index provision. The longer rifle cases will not allow the use of the auto index, as the turret spins, the case interferes with the rotation of the turret.

Wait, what? I've loaded scads of .30-06 on my LCT without problems!

 

[berettaprofessor]

It really speeds things along by letting me keep my right hand on the press lever and loading everything from the left. The bin setup with the kit is very nice. I added one more bin so I have a catch bin and 2 supply bins (cases & bullets) all on the left side.

I do that anyway....I'm left-handed. I load with my left and pull the lever with my right. Maybe I'm not seeing the need for the reverse rod because of where I mounted my press on the bench (off the right side).

 

[GBExpat]

... I have the reverse index kit from Inline Fabrication and recommend it highly. It really speeds things along by letting me keep my right hand on the press lever and loading everything from the left. ...

I am right-handed and use my un-modded/-customized LCT by loading cases & bullets from the left and operating the lever with my right hand.

I would not benefit from a cartridge kicker because part of my routine involves feeling the base of the cartridge with my little finger (as I move it to the container) ... a quick, efficient, check for high primers.

 

[HardwarePro]

The reverse rotation only helps when using a case kicker.

All of the case kickers for the LCT before this required inserting the case from the right side of the front post, or reaching over the ram to insert from the left.

If feeding from the right, as leftie or a rightie, that would be more dificult since that opening is smaller.

For me, the case kicker speeds production during decapping and sizing because my left hand only has to only has to pick up a new case and insert it in the shell holder.

 

[drband]

The reverse rotation only helps when using a case kicker.

Yes--agreed. And I like using the case kicker!

 

[RealGun]

We seem to have jumped to the subject of reverse indexing, which is not that pertinent, since it only enables the case ejector. It is not the latest thing to have just for indexing the turret. I ordered the kit but already did everything with my left hand except pull the lever. Yes, I use the indexing.

 

[Compound8.0]

The plastic rachet nut on the indexing clamp of my press broke last year . I replicated the part from black walnut made it thicker than the original , soaked it in WD40 , close to 2000 rounds and still cranking the turret .

 

[Ente Leader]

I use a universal decapper then clean after that I load as a turret press.

 

[oldreloader]

When I bought my LCT I kept hearing about the plastic part breaking. Every time I'd order something Id add one to the order. Three years later I'm Still on the original but I'm well prepared if it does break.

 

[lckdnldd]

From reading posts on several forums concerning the LCTP the last couple of years I never would have thought the percentage of people who use the indexing function would be as high as it is. It seemed for the most part that most disabled it. The way I do my loading process disabling the index rod tends to work better for me. I deprime, resize and prime whatever amount I intend to load in a session. Then inspect all the casing and primers. From there I charge each case with powder and flare case mouths on press. After which with all the charged cases setting in a load block I visually inspect the amount of powder in each case. Finally I seat all and crimp all one at a time. It is a slower process but it works well for me. I am not in a hurry whatsoever. So of course I voted no. Thanks to all who have voted so far. This has been a very interesting thread so far for me.

 

[mac tm]

Pistol is auto-indexed. Rifle is manual index in batches due to the increased case prep steps.

 

[kostner]

I both, depending on what I'm doing. Still load a couple of calibers on the classic turret. Have been using it for 223 for a few years now. Do most of my hand gun ammo on my SDB's.

 

[GBExpat]

One of the things that I really like about the LCT design is that the indexing feature is not required to be an ON/OFF feature ... meaning, that simply by short stroking I can easily bypass the indexing feature.

That is the key to the handle-position-change that I perform (Post#6) when I am going to be doing a lot of repetitions without engaging the indexing mechanism.

 

[RealGun]

From reading posts on several forums concerning the LCTP the last couple of years I never would have thought the percentage of people who use the indexing function would be as high as it is.

You might have gotten a different result if you had confined the poll to loading rifle. Handgun loading isn't about all that fiddling with cases and primers and critical inspections. You put in your brass and zip it through to finished round, potentially a couple hundred an hour.

 

[JFrameTwitch]

If you are loading pistol rounds and not using the auto index you are doing yourself a serious dis-service. I can crank out 38spl and 357mag at an unbelievable rate on this press. I would never consider not auto indexing for pistol rounds.

As a side note, I got my press last year and it came with no plastic pieces whatsoever. Where the rod meets the 4 hole turret is metal on metal and it shows no signs of wear.

 

[GT1]

Yes, I use it for the pistol rounds and my .223 plinkers. Love it, and my auto-disk measures.

It is a main feature of the press. It is what makes it stand out and above any other brand of turret press.

 

[RealGun]

As a side note, I got my press last year and it came with no plastic pieces whatsoever. Where the rod meets the 4 hole turret is metal on metal and it shows no signs of wear.

The replaceable plastic thingy is inside the black shroud that surrounds the shellholder and through which the twist part of the shaft passes.

 

[JFrameTwitch]

Is this the part?

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/178889/lee-classic-4-hole-turret-press-indexing-ratchet

I have loaded more than 10,000 pistol rounds while auto indexing on my turret press and have not had one single problem or breakage of any kind. But, it sounds like i should have one of these on hand just in case.

 

[drband]

That's it. Cheap insurance, though mine has not failed and shows no signs of wear after appr. 3000 rounds loaded. I have an extra.

 

[GBExpat]

My LCT came with a spare.

 

[tcoz]

I auto index pistol cartridges...why not? I manually index rifle because there are steps that I perform in between the die processes so it's easier for me to batch process.

That little black plastic thingy will last a long long time if you don't turn the turret with the index rod inserted while the ram is at the bottom of it's stroke.
Raise it above the twisted portion of the rod and turn it.