Lee Turret Press Questions

[powwowell]

I'm considering acquiring a Lee Turret press for reloading 9mm, .38 Special and .357 magnum rounds. I have a few questions concerning the Lee press and reloading in general:
1) Should I get Lee 3 die sets, or 4 die sets?
2) I suppose the die set answer to question 1, will determine whether I get the 3 or 4 hole turret press?
3) I assume .38 Special dies will work for .357 magnum also?
4) If the answer to question 3 is yes, then may I assume the same turret will work for both?
5) Will the same diameter bullets work in .38 Special and .357 Magnum?
6) Is Unique powder suitable for working with 9mm, .38 Special and .357?
7) How about Tightgroup?
8) Will the same primers work for 9mm, .38 and .357?

Thanks

 

[cfullgraf]

Most companies sell dies labeled 38 Special/357 Magnum. So, yes you only need one set of dies for those two cartridges. RCBS 38/357 dies come with a spacer so you don't have to reset the expander die for 357 magnum. Just install the spacer under the lock ring. Not sure if others do that as well. The seater/crimper die will have to be reset as well with the spacer.

The same bullet will work for 38 Special and 357 Magnum.

There are loads with Unique that will work with 9x19, 38 Special, and 357 Magnum. You won't be able to get full power loads with Unique and 357 Magnum. You do have a reloading manual or two or three. That would answer your question on powders and loads.

All three use small pistol primers. Again, read you loading manuals to see whether the powder you chose will need magnum or standard primers.

I have not used Titegroup and I will others give you tips on the Lee turret press.

 

[nosmr2]

1. 4 die
2. 4 hole
3. Yes
4. Yes
5. Same
6. Yes
7. No idea
8. Yes for 9 & 38

 

[Hondo 60]

Titegroup works well for 38 spl, 9mm & 357 mag.

But you can get faster fps in 357 with other powders.
with Titegroup mine usually run about about 1000 fps.
with other powders you can get 1200 or more.

The primers will depend on the recipe.
38 spl & 9 mm will use small pistol primers.
Some 357 recipes call for small pistol primers, some call for small MAGNUM pistol primers.

I very, very, very strongly recommend that you get 2 or 3 reloading manuals.
They have all the answers!
Lyman's 49th edition is the best for a beginner IMHO
They have the widest array of bullet types.
Lee's Modern Reloading is another one with lots of recipes.
Also Load Books USA puts out individual caliber specific books.
Once you you know how to reload, they're great because they collect info from all different manufacturers

 

[snuffy]

Forget about the 3 hole lee turret, forget about the old lee deluxe turret, definitely get the lee classic turret. The classic only comes with a four hole turret. As for the dies, the 4 die lee sets have the factory crimp die included. Not always needed, but nice to have.

 

[Lost Sheep]

1) Should I get Lee 3 die sets, or 4 die sets?

Up to you. They will both do the job, but the 4-die sets are easier to set up and allow a bit more flexibility in how much crimp you apply to the revolver rounds.

2) I suppose the die set answer to question 1, will determine whether I get the 3 or 4 hole turret press?

I don't think Lee sells the 3-hole turret press any more. You might want to check. In any event, I suggest the Classic Turret (which ONLY comes in the 4-hole version) because of the way it handles spend primers and its overall strength. It is cast iron. The Deluxe is aluminum.

The 4-die turret will operate just fine with a 3-die set. One die station will be empty.

3) I assume .38 Special dies will work for .357 magnum also?

Yes, but there are a few dies sets floating around in which the .357 mag crimp/seat die is too long to do the 38 special. I am not sure about the case-mouth belling die.

4) If the answer to question 3 is yes, then may I assume the same turret will work for both?

One of the reasons for having multiple turrets for multiple calibers is so you don't have to re-set the dies when switching. Though you can (in most cases) use the same dies for both 357 and .38, all but one of the dies (the exception is the sizing/decapping die) have to be adjusted differently for the two cartridges.

5) Will the same diameter bullets work in .38 Special and .357 Magnum?

.355" for 9mm (.356" in lead) .357" in .357 and .38 and .358" for lead bullets in .357 and .38. Different guns may cause the ideal dimensions to vary a bit.

If you use .355 bullets in a .357 diameter barrel, the bullet may not fill the bore and allow some gasses to pass the bullet. This will cause leading if the bullet is lead and may cause some erosion of the bore.

Because the power levels are greater, the .357s are often constructed a bit tougher than bullets intended for 38s. But the dimensions are identical.

6) Is Unique powder suitable for working with 9mm, .38 Special and .357?

Yes. Unique is good for 9mm and 38 and for lightly loaded .357. For heavy .357, a slower powder will produce the desired energy with lower peak pressures. Study up on interior ballistics, concentrating on powder quickness.

Some say Unique is sooty (they call it "dirty") and hard to meter. I have not found it particularly difficult to meter and gun cleaning is an edifying post-range ritual, in my opinion.

7) How about Tightgroup?

I have no experience, sorry.

8) Will the same primers work for 9mm, .38 and .357?

Yes, All three cartridges take small pistol primers.
No, Depending on powder (and power level), standard or magnum will work better than the other.

Good luck.

Lost Sheep

 

[Old krow]

The 4-hole Classic turret is IMHO the way to go.

Unique is good powder, but as cfullgraf said, isn't necessarily optimal for all 3. I find it burns dirty, however, I don't mind.

With the RCBS carbide dies, you can use them for both. As Lost Sheep mentioned, only one of the three dies will remain set. The die set that I purchased only come with one spacer. If I were going to use one set of dies for both calibers in a turret press I'd order a second spacer. I'd also ensure that the dies I used had lock rings because you're going to remove and replace two of the dies every time you change calibers to insert or remove the spacers. My experience with the spacers has been that they worked pretty well with minimal adjustments when I change caliber.

Lyman's 49th edition is the best for a beginner IMHO

There are quite a few good manuals, but that one is a good place to start IMHO as well.

Titegroup is a good powder, but it is a dense powder. Being dense makes it a little harder to spot variations in the charge should they occur.