Backordering a Lee Classic...

Status
Not open for further replies.
A

Arbo

Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2013
Messages
290
Location
Colorado
I'm going to go to Midway and backorder a Lee Classic turret... just curious what other things I might want to order while I'm there, I know I want the perfect powder measure and safety primer addon's... extra 4 hole turrets so I can set up each for the rounds I want to do and just switch them out. Do die sets come with the shell holders for the 'bottom' of the press or are those things to order as well? I have a scale from prospecting that can measure in grains, so I can veryify the perfect power loads, or do manual if I want. At first I want to start with .45acp as that's what I have the least of, will add in .223, .40 and 7.62x54r eventually...

Do I need to buy extra 'universal depriming & decaping pin's? I was reading somewhere about people mentioning them snapping, but that might have been a different lee setup.

I have calipers to measure the cases, is there some sort of hand tool that doesn't cost a fortune to size the cases? I know at cabela's I saw some 'small' ones for the desk but even the hand crank one's started at 129 bucks.

Bought the lee loading book, and can get case lube and some sort of case cleaner locally...

Any suggestions appreciated... just want to make sure that when it all does come, I have what I need to get started the actual process.
 
Lee trimmers will make the cases the right length for your rifle cases as long as you aren't doing 100s/1000s. They are cheap, but caliber specific. No need to trim pistol brass, unless you are really obsessive.

A perfect powder measure is a stand alone measure that sits on your bench usually. The measure that sits on the press is called an auto-disk(spring for the pro version), it does well for pistol and small rifle(.223 and other small calibers).

A spare decapping pin or two will save you a week or two wait if you ever break one, sure.
 
pretty sure the 4 die lee set comes with a shell holder and the 3 die might to.

do you have a good scale?

also what about the lee pro auto dispenser with double disk kit instead of the perfect powder measure?
 
Thanks for the input, I'll go for the auto disk pro dispenser instead. I think I saw you can get some sort of extra disks for that so you can better tweak the amount of powder dispensed... I thought I saw that one needs some sort of extra piece to use on the through die loading, but perhaps that was for other than lee dies.

The scale I have was actually purchased for gold, so it measures in many different scales, and is quite good, I've never seen it go off (it came with a little weight for calibration). So I think it would be good.
 
you'll need a riser for the powder dispenser if you are using the safety prime system. A couple of boxes to put loaded rounds in would not be amiss. Lee dies come with a shell holder. actually, I was looking to see what was in a kit to see if I had missed anything, and it looks like fsreloading has the turret press classic kit in stock. It's got a little more than you need in there, but it is available today. https://fsreloading.com/lee-precision-classic-turret-press-kit-90304.html
 
Ok, I see the riser.

Hmm, the kit is in stock... crap, I have everything mentioned on midway plus the .45 dies and it's only about 200 bucks... that kit is more but dies are needed.. guess I better make a decision quickly.
 
Get it while you can!
I have a CT. I only load 5-6k rounds annually and it works great for me. The Pro powder dispenser and riser are definitely worth it. I have the two disk riser kit as well. I don't NEED to drop that much powder into pistol loads, but I have modified a couple of the disks to drop different amounts of a specific powder. For rifle rounds I measure each charge independently down to .1gr., so I don't use the dispenser.

Yes, every set of Lee dies I've ever bought and even most of the Hornady dies I've bought come with the shell holder. Of course I also bought a comprehensive shell holder kit so that I would always have the correct one.

Would I like to have a Dillon? Yeah! Do I shoot have that much $$ laying around to put into one? No. I'll use my Classic Turret till it breaks, then Lee will probably repair it for free and I'll keep using it more.
 
you will need a hornady primer pocket reamer if you are doing 223 right away to remove the primer crimp from mil brass, case lube if you are doing 223 right away. Hornady one shot lube is liked by many. a case length gage and deburring tool as well if you are doing 223. also three bolts, nuts and washers to mount the press. lee doesnt include those!


I like my autodisk measure as it lets you charge the cases as you bell the mouth and it has been very accurate for me. Best to run it dry for about a hundred pulls to smooth things up. I caught mine binding up at first and not grabbing another powder charge. if you choose this route, order an extra hopper. They tend to crack at the screw hole over time (~ every 10k rounds). You'll need the double disk kit for doing rifle charges with this press as well.
 
Ticket punched, should be on it's way shortly... Will be out and about looking to find some .45 acp dies now... (and of course other bit's I might need)
 
good looking out on the lee classic turret kit, I just made an emergency call to a friend and had him set himself up. Now it looks like I need to lend him a pound of powder and a thousand primers :/
 
I see that I am too late with this advice, but I will give it anyway.

Check out Kempf's Gun Shop online. They build a kit around the Lee Classic Turret that includes the dies (Lee dies all come with the appropriate shell holder whatever die set they are), Powder Measure, Primer Dispenser, Riser and a few other accessories. About $210-$220. It does not include a manual or scale, so you are not paying for those items you already have.

Thanks for asking our advice. Welcome to reloading.

Lost Sheep
 
Just got mine from Natchez ($186). Great unit. I purchased the Lee Classic Turret kit. One thing I didn't see mentioned if you load rifle a powder through dye is something I picked up.
 
If you fail everywhere else on those dies, there's always evilbay. Considering the supply situation, you can get what you want there without taking too much of a beating.
 
Thanks for all the advice. I found a 4 die set for .45 acp at natchez, but still looking to see if I can 'do better' due to their shipping, which is about the same as shipping for the whole classic turret kit.

*edit, was looking at the shipping backwards.. natchez's price is lower than anywhere else, so with shipping still better than most anywhere else... so ordered the 4 die set...

Will have to get back to where I was today and pick up some large pistol primers so I have them, and look for powder...
 
Last edited:
Arbo said:
Thanks for all the advice. I found a 4 die set for .45 acp at natchez, but still looking to see if I can 'do better' due to their shipping, which is about the same as shipping for the whole classic turret kit.

Will have to get back to where I was today and pick up some large pistol primers so I have them, and look for powder...
Click to expand...
Remember that some 45 ACP brass has small primer pockets.

Do check with Kempf's on the kit.

Lost Sheep
 
Lost Sheep said:
Remember that some 45 ACP brass has small primer pockets.

Do check with Kempf's on the kit.

Lost Sheep
Click to expand...
Oh yeah, I know some uses small... all that I have uses large, which is good because that's all I saw on the shelves.
 
don't forget an inexpensive set of whatchamacallits for measuring LOA and I would recommend a wilson MAXcartgauge.

(Just you wait until words start to escape you.)

Jim H.
 
Arbo said:
Ok, I see the riser.

Hmm, the kit is in stock... crap, I have everything mentioned on midway plus the .45 dies and it's only about 200 bucks... that kit is more but dies are needed.. guess I better make a decision quickly.
Click to expand...

If you get the Auto Disc you'll be wanting the adjustable charge bar eventually.
 
I saw that, and thought that would be better than the disks, since you could set exactly what you want instead of fiddling with multiple disks.
 
Might be too late, but let me also recommend the Kempf package, and Kempf's in general. Smaller vendor, but great service and prices.

I love my Lee stuff, including the auto-disk dispenser, but I've not been overly impressed with adjustable charge bar. When I've tried it, I get more variability between throws than I do with the disks. Since I got the adj. bar to try and hit spots in between disk hole sizes, it was a little frustrating. Maybe I just have been unlucky with mine. The disks, OTOH, have been very reliable, especially with ball powders.
 
You might get it faster and cheaper ordering from https://fsreloading.com/lee-precision-classic-turret-press-90064.html Now I would get a turret for every caliber you load and dies if you don't have them. I also highly recommend the Safety Prime Update Kit and Pro Powder dispenser with the extension added. Oh and if you load a lot of rifle the double disk system also. As for the rest what ever you might need that you can buy as it keeps the shipping down.
 
Reefinmike said:
I like my autodisk measure as it lets you charge the cases as you bell the mouth and it has been very accurate for me. Best to run it dry for about a hundred pulls to smooth things up. I caught mine binding up at first and not grabbing another powder charge. if you choose this route, order an extra hopper. They tend to crack at the screw hole over time (~ every 10k rounds). You'll need the double disk kit for doing rifle charges with this press as well.
Click to expand...
You are over tightening the thumb screws. It is also helpful(seems like it is anyway) to use a pencil to test the contact areas of the disk.

I'm not crazy about the charge bar ether. The lady at FS Reloading tired to tell me I'd be happier with the disk. I didn't take her advice so mine hasn't left the drawer after about a month of owning it.
 
Yes, I already ordered, it shipped today. Found my gun range, which is also a cast bullet business, stocks primers and powder, and has loads of brass, so I will be good when the press and dies show up. Already picked up primers (cause i had cash on hand), will go back for powder and bullets when the stuff shows up.

Guess I need to get a tumbler to clean up the brass I have...

They also load 45, 38 and 9mm there, so they collected all the brass shooters leave behind for those three... of course they sell brass too, they had two 55 gallon drums full of 45 acp brass... They said it was ok to pick up other stuff that they don't load, so knowing a few folks that shoot out there that do not reload, I managed to pick up almost 400 .223 pieces.... I should head out there every monday as they usually shoot on weekends. ;)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top