Lee 3 hole turret

[Garage Dog]

I'm wondering if Lee makes a conversion kit to change my Lee Classic Turret to a 3 hole. The reason is due to the fact that the Lee factory crimp die is not needed for the 38 sp because I've adjusted the seater die to crimp in the same cycle as it's designed to do. I looked on the Lee site and elsewhere and did not see what I am looking for. I would need the turret as well as the correct indexing rod. Do these parts exist?

 

[snuffy]

Do these parts exist?

No. Simply skip the forth hole. The 3 hole never was auto index, it wasn't until the deluxe 4 hole came out that they went to an auto index turret.

 

[Garage Dog]

Thanks Snuffy. I loaded 20 rounds and skipped the fourth hole by turning the turret by hand to the empty hole which indexes the turret back to the decapper when the arm is pushed forward. It is still a wasted motion but I guess I'll live with it.

 

[Lost Sheep]

I'm wondering if Lee makes a conversion kit to change my Lee Classic Turret to a 3 hole. The reason is due to the fact that the Lee factory crimp die is not needed for the 38 sp because I've adjusted the seater die to crimp in the same cycle as it's designed to do. I looked on the Lee site and elsewhere and did not see what I am looking for. I would need the turret as well as the correct indexing rod. Do these parts exist?

I don't think so.

I asked Lee Precision (via email from their web site - they are pretty good at answering quickly) the same question. A year ago the answer was "no".

Upgrading from the 3-hole turret to auto-indexing 4-hole requires a $40 kit that includes a new turret ring.

Now, I believe if you took a 4-hole turret blank (blank meaning without any holes) and put 3 holes in it and took a straight, untwisted index rod and forged it into a 1/3 twist, you would have what you are looking for. Finding those parts and getting the machining work done sufficiently accurately would be difficult, I think, unless you could convince Lee to make some. It might be worth suggesting.

The 1/3 twist instead of the 1/4 twist would increase the stresses on the ratchet, but I think there would be no other problems.

Good luck

Lost Sheep

p.s. take a look at the bottom of this thread for similar threads. 454PB claims to have done what (except for the autoindexing) you contemplate in this thread http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=381174
but does not claim the auto-indexing can be made to work.

 

[higgite]

Thanks Snuffy. I loaded 20 rounds and skipped the fourth hole by turning the turret by hand to the empty hole which indexes the turret back to the decapper when the arm is pushed forward. It is still a wasted motion but I guess I'll live with it.

It's quicker to skip that empty hole by just short stroking the handle. All you have to do is raise the ram far enough to clear the twisted portion of the indexing rod and then return the handle to "home". The turret will advance one space and you don't to take your hand off the handle. It works for me.

 

[rondog]

If you're going to turn the turret by hand past that 4th hole, DON'T do it when the ram is all the way down! Raise the ram halfway or so. If you turn it by hand when it's all the way down, you'll ruin that "little black square plastic thingy" that turns the drive rod. Best way to skip that 4th hole is by short-stroking the press, it's not that big of a deal. Personally, I like the Factory Crimp dies and use them on all my die sets. I have the same press.

 

[Lost Sheep]

It's not the position of the ram, but the direction of last movement

The square ratchet (otherwise known as the "little black square thingy") slides up and down the indexing rod, forced by the indexing arm (the square ratchet is trapped inside of it). Since there is some drag, the square ratchet is forced against the interior underside of the top of the indexing arm when the ram movement is down. The underside is where the ratchet notches are. If the square ratchet is engaged with those notches, and you rotate the turret (and the indexing rod) in the backwards direction, you will feel resistance. If you force it, you will break the square ratchet. It's that simple.

Let me simplify it further.

It does not matter where the indexing arm is located. It only matters where the square ratchet is in relation to those notches. But you cannot SEE the position of the square ratchet, so you have to rely on remembering the direction of travel of the ram, the primary determining factor.

If the last movement of the ram was downward, the square ratchet will be up and engaged with the notches. If it was upward, the square ratchet will be down and not be engaged. If not engaged, no breakage. If engaged, you can break the square ratchet, almost guaranteed. Do not pass go, pay 50 cents and start over.

I will repeat. The stationary position of the ram is irrelevant. The position of the hidden square ratchet is relevant. The position of the square ratchet is determined by the direction of the most recent movement of the ram.

Most recent movement up, disengaged; breakage impossible. Down, engaged; breakage possible.

In mnemonic form:

Most recent movement up, OK.
Down, not ok

Remember the signal from the Roman Coliseum:
Thumbs up, your square ratchet lives.
Thumbs down, your square ratchet dies.

Lost Sheep

 

[beardking]

You could always just send me forty bucks via Paypal and I'll ship you my 3 hole turret press that it sitting unused in my den since I upgraded to a classic cast 4 hole turret.

 

[The Bushmaster]

Snuffy...I don't believe it. You couldn't have made a mistake like that.

I loaded using a Lee three hole turret [with auto index] for over 20 years. It surely DID "auto index".

 

[snuffy]

Snuffy...I don't believe it. You couldn't have made a mistake like that.

I loaded using a Lee three hole turret [with auto index] for over 20 years. It surely DID "auto index".

Huh! Well then I was miss-informed, got it off the internet, must be right!?¿ Ain't those the words to a country song?

Then why do they still sell the 3 hole press, but NOT with auto index?
http://leeprecision.com/xcart/3-Hole-Turret-Press.html
If they're going to sell a basically obsolete 3 hole press with the old cast aluminum housing, why not make it auto index?

It's a moot point to me anyway, the 4 hole is more useful, it's better to HAVE the forth hole and not need it than to need it and not have it. One of my turrets is set up with 2-two die rifle sets so I can do two calibers with one turret, single stage of course.

 

[Fishslayer]

Well, you know the LFCD also has a post sizing ring in it. On lights loads I turn the taper crimp down just a wee bit to catch any flare the seating die may have missed.

 

[The Bushmaster]

I have no idea why they changed it to a manual press, unless they are really pushing the 4 holer. I sold my 3 hole auto index about two years ago when I graduated to the 4 hole press. My old aluminum three hole pres WAS "auto index". It is rather curious though.

 

[Nushif]

I took the device that moves the press along automatically out ... More trouble than it's worth, I think. 8)

 

[Garage Dog]

Thanks guys. I did know about the black thingy and to raise the ram before turning by hand.

I tried the short stroke method and it seemed to work OK, but it will take some getting used to a rythum (anyone know how to make spellcheck work on Google Chrome???)

I have no idea why they changed it to a manual press, unless they are really pushing the 4 holer. I sold my 3 hole auto index about two years ago when I graduated to the 4 hole press. My old aluminum three hole pres WAS "auto index". It is rather curious though.

Would the turret and indexing rod fit in the LCT?

 

[The Bushmaster]

Yes, but you would have to manufacture a few parts and I found that it didn't perform as it should. Stroke on the 4 holer was a bit too long. But it did work.

 

[Garage Dog]

Thanks Bushmaster, I just loaded 30 more rounds short stroking it and I guess I'm getting used to it.