CQB45ACP
Member
Nice floors
All you need is a three hole turret. I would bet your dad has a few with dies in place. A coffee can was a good place to store filled turrets. They stopped using the long handle in the early 80’s.My parents came to visit a few days ago and bring us some Christmas gifts. Dad also brought me his old Lyman tumbler and his old Lee press. Thanks dad!
Anyway, researching the press it appears to be a Lee three hole turret press. It's about 40 years old and missing a few parts. I know I need a three hole turret to make it useable at the least, but what other parts do I need? I have no interest or desire to make it an auto rotating press, so those parts don't need to be mentioned. I have dies and shell holders, so don't need those either. Here's a pic of the press, the ram was a little sticky but I soaked it with a few drops of oil and worked the lever a bit and now it's pretty smooth.
View attachment 1185819
Thanks.
chris
I don't think so, the pictures I've seen show it with just three legs. I think it's so you have an opening to put your brass in and out, and you can move the front leg to the left side, as well as the handle, if you're left handed. Very creative thinking in the design.I'm not familiar with the Lee 3 hole press, but is it missing the left front leg also?
I thought it may be missing also. But the picture doesn't show signs of a witness mark where a bolt would have been.I'm not familiar with the Lee 3 hole press, but is it missing the left front leg also?
I looked at my LCT 4-hole turret, and it has pretty much the same pattern.I don't think so, the pictures I've seen show it with just three legs. I think it's so you have an opening to put your brass in and out, and you can move the front leg to the left side, as well as the handle, if you're left handed. Very creative thinking in the design.
chris
I have one of those 28 years old and still use it but I am going to replace it as the ram is getting loose in the base . I tried to get some new parts from Lee but this is what I found on there website.My parents came to visit a few days ago and bring us some Christmas gifts. Dad also brought me his old Lyman tumbler and his old Lee press. Thanks dad!
Anyway, researching the press it appears to be a Lee three hole turret press. It's about 40 years old and missing a few parts. I know I need a three hole turret to make it useable at the least, but what other parts do I need? I have no interest or desire to make it an auto rotating press, so those parts don't need to be mentioned. I have dies and shell holders, so don't need those either. Here's a pic of the press, the ram was a little sticky but I soaked it with a few drops of oil and worked the lever a bit and now it's pretty smooth.
View attachment 1185819
Thanks.
chris
Yes. @codytrucker sent me an unneeded turret as a PIF. Thanks again codytrucker! I also picked up a couple more in case I can't get any in the future. I haven't found a primer arm yet so I can't really use it as a true turret press since I can't prime on it.Any progress?
Happy to hear it’s moving along. Dinner & press.Yes. @codytrucker sent me an unneeded turret as a PIF. Thanks again codytrucker! I also picked up a couple more in case I can't get any in the future. I haven't found a primer arm yet so I can't really use it as a true turret press since I can't prime on it.
I have got it bolted to my basement work bench, and used it to deprime/size a handful of 9mm brass, and it works fine. That large/long lever gives plenty of leverage, but I think I'll restrict it to pistol loading. It does throw spent primers here and there, kind of willy nilly. I came up with a quick little solution that helps a lot, basically a small piece of folded cardboard, that helps but I still was getting a few primers going astray. Currently thinking of a better, more permanent fix.
I currently have three dies set in the turret, all size/deprime, in 9mm, 45acp, and 38/357. I don't have them properly tightened down yet, but I'll hopefully get that done in the next few days. Unfortunately, between her doctors appointments and mine, I don't often have time to reload, but sometimes I just say "heck with it" and put everything else aside and make time to reload.
I have to get dinner started now but if I get a chance I'll post a few pics later. If I can't get to it today, I'll get to it in the next few days.
chris
You forgot about the 20 or so people that say you are doing it wrong.............Making good chili is like making good ammo, start with good components and take as much time as you need to do it right. In the end the result is worth it.
Indeed. Back in the 70s I worked with a guy from Cincinnati. He said the best chili was from the Greeks who settled there. He talked about place named Skyline which had the best in town. They opened one here around that time and I admit it changed my entire chili preferences. First I’d ever heard of a chili mac.You forgot about the 20 or so people that say you are doing it wrong.............
What kind of lifetime guarantee is that?I have one of those 28 years old and still use it but I am going to replace it as the ram is getting loose in the base . I tried to get some new parts from Lee but this is what I found on there website. View attachment 1187656
That movement is why I stopped using my Lee classic turret. Seemed to make consistent OAL impossible but regardless it was the nagging feeling that OAL would be off that bothered me more.You're right, I didn't get a habanero to put in it this time. I would have but I have to go across town to get one and she said don't bother.
Back to this press, I believe this press could make very good ammo. I was a bit concerned (not sure if that's really the correct word) about the turret moving up and down and causing COL variance, etc.... But it seems that what others have said is that the turret moves up and stops solid during operation, which would remove most if not all variation in every step of the process.
I still have a lot to learn.
chris
They will replace it if you send it back to them with half the price of the new one it’s a pretty good deal.What kind of lifetime guarantee is that?
The movement you are experiencing is normal that is why you set the sizing die so the shell holder pushes it slightly against the turret ring that holds the turret when sizing. The new style primer arms work in that press I use them on mine.You're right, I didn't get a habanero to put in it this time. I would have but I have to go across town to get one and she said don't bother.
Back to this press, I believe this press could make very good ammo. I was a bit concerned (not sure if that's really the correct word) about the turret moving up and down and causing COL variance, etc.... But it seems that what others have said is that the turret moves up and stops solid during operation, which would remove most if not all variation in every step of the process.
I still have a lot to learn.
chris
I don’t have an issue with OAL but I don’t check every round I have once you get it set mine has always been consistentThat movement is why I stopped using my Lee classic turret. Seemed to make consistent OAL impossible but regardless it was the nagging feeling that OAL would be off that bothered me more.
I quit using it several years ago. It’s like new, in the box, all the trimmings, but I don’t do online selling (actually it’s the money exchange) so there it sits until who knows whenI don’t have an issue with OAL but I don’t check every round I have once you get it set mine has always been consistent
I was a bit concerned (not sure if that's really the correct word) about the turret moving up and down and causing COL variance, etc.... But it seems that what others have said is that the turret moves up and stops solid during operation, which would remove most if not all variation in every step of the process.