About to purchase first reloading equipment

[DonOK]

I was planning to buy the Lee 50th anniversary kit, but the Classic turret looks so much better. Many reviews on the Classic turret are almost all good, so I am going to buy the kit from Cabelas for $190 and free shipping. This looks like a great deal. I will be reloading mostly rifle.

I also plan to purchase the following:

Deluxe dies for 223 and 22-250
Pacesetter dies for 30-30 and 270WSM
Lee case trimmer with appropiate gauges
Case lube
Case tray (undecided)
Bench is in the works

I already have powder, primers, bullets, digital caliper, and Lee 2nd ed.

QUESTIONS:

Can I neck size the 30-30 or do I need the FCD? This will be used in a tube fed lever action.

Does Lee offer the collet die for 270WSM yet?

Which one: Lee Pro disk measure OR Perfect powder measure?

If Pro disk then do I need the adjustable (micrometer) disk?

ANY other comments appreciated.

TIA
Don

 

[RustyFN]

Can I neck size the 30-30 or do I need the FCD? This will be used in a tube fed lever action.
For anything other than a bolt gun I would recommend full length resizing to help eliminate any feed issues.

Does Lee offer the collet die for 270WSM yet?
Not sure.

Which one: Lee Pro disk measure OR Perfect powder measure?
The only rifle I load for is 223 and the pro auto disk works great for that. My understanding is with the double disk kit you should be able to load up to 308.


If Pro disk then do I need the adjustable (micrometer) disk?
You will need the double disk kit. It includes the same four disks as the original and two side plates with longer bolts to allow the disks to move. When you stack the disks you want the disk with the smaller hole to be on top.

ANY other comments appreciated.
I have been using a classic turret for four years mostly pistol and a lot of 223 and think it's a great press. I know a few people that load 30-06 on them and think they work very good for that also. You will probably want to get a better powder scale than the Lee. I found it to be very accurate but not fun to use.
Welcome

 

[Balrog]

I have used a Lee Classic Turret for a lot of reloading. It works great for pistol. However, I found that my press did not do a good job full length sizing 308 brass, nor did it do real good with machine gun fired 5.56mm/223 brass. It seemed there was too much play i the press to get it to completely full length size.

So I started full length sizing my rifle brass on a single stage press as a seperate step, and it worked great

 

[Russt]

I have a Lee Classic Turret also. I've been using it for about 2 years. I load everything from .32acp to 45/70 on it. It's a great press for what I do. I also have a Hornady LNLAP but I find myself using the Lee more. If you get the Lee Pro Auto Disc, don't forget the riser to get it above the primer assembly. I also use the adjustable charge bar for most loading jobs, but when I start the rifles I go to a RCBS uniflow. Them 06's and 45/70's eat up a pound of powder pretty quick.

 

[delta5]

Balrog, I reload .308 on my press too. You have to make certain you dial out all of the up and down play in the turret head when you set up the dies. If the instructions say screw in the die until it touches the die, you need to touch, then a bit more until you raise the turret up and get all of the play out. This drove me nuts because my OAL was all over the place until Lee told me about the required clearance for free turning of the turret. Once i figured that out, the press works great. I really think Lee should mention this in the instructions if the clearance is required.

 

[DonOK]

Balrog I was concerned about the amount of "play" in a turret press. Any time there are moving parts there will be slack, regardless of the manufacture. I understand the dies need to be adjusted slightly tighter to compensate for the difference.

I am choosing the turret over the single stage because I like the idea of changing the entire turret while leaving the dies set for a particuliar cartridge. I intend to use as a non indexing press at first but have more options for later.

Is this press good enough for accurate and consistant rifle reloads?

Russt Do you use the RCBS for increased accuracy or because adjustable charge bar does not allow for enough volume?

 

[jfh]

I didn't follow it closely--but somebody posted a thread here on using a better measure--what, the RCBS one--with the Classic Turret, I believe. Using the THR or Google search in this forum ought to dig it out.

Jim H.

 

[twice barrel]

For larger rifle cartridges I always trickled the last bit - expecially with cylindrical powders like H4831. With sperical powders; as long as I was well below maximum the Lee powder disc powder dispenser worked great for my 22 Hornet loads.

While I just ordered my first turret press this morning I used the Lee disc measure on a single stage press with a universal charge die set up permanently for that purpose. The little Lee Reloading press is only around $25 and with one of the Lee disc measures makes a wonderful "Powder station".

Regards,

TB

 

[Russt]

Russt Do you use the RCBS for increased accuracy or because adjustable charge bar does not allow for enough volume?

I use the uniflow for the bigger charges of powder. The adjustable charge bar just don't have enough volume to load the bigger cartridges. I use 40 to 60 grains of powder depending on the cartridge and the bullet weight. I've tried the double disc and couldn't get the consistency with the charges like I can with the uniflow. A lot of people don't like the Lee Perfect Powder Measure either, and I used to be one of them but I've found that it actually does great with stick powders like 4895 & 3031. It makes a mess with fine ball powders like H380 or H110. The uniflow crunches and cuts the 3031 so I try to use ball powders as much as I can in it. I use the Lee PPM for my 45/70 cause it really likes 3031, it'll cloverleaf 325gr hardcast bullets at 100yds with 52gr of it. I just bought a Savage .243 and found it likes 40gr of 3031 w/ a 58gr V-max. It'll put 5 shots under a nickle @ 100yds. That's about as good as I can hold from a rest off my mirror on my pickup.

 

[RangerRick]

I'm also thinking of getting the Lee Turret. Right now I use the Lee Classic (where you use the plastic hammer-it runs the dogs, cats, and wife out of the basement) for rifle calibers. I prefer to load 5-10 different bullets and powders in .45-70. Take them to the gun range and compare thru the chrony, feel the kick, note accuracy/grouping, and make notes. I can reload at the range with the Classic instantly, with everything needed carried in a moderate sized bag. To turn out lots of handgun bullets though the Lee Turret, for an initial minimal cost, seems to be the way to go, particularly for a fairly new reloader.

 

[DonOK]

Russt,

It sounds like one powder measure does not fit all. I was leaning toward the PPM but I have been using H380 in 22-250 (friends press). This gives me a little more to think about.

Thanks,
Don