Lee turret and progressive presses

[flatrock]

My only experience with reloading was reloading a couple hundred rounds of 9 mm on a friends single stage press in already primed brass.

That was enough to convince me that a single stage press is probably not what I'm looking for.

I don't plan on relaoding huge amounts of ammo, so I think an inexpensive Lee press probably fits my needs better than a more expensive press.

I don't want to waste money by getting something that won't suit my needs, but I don't want to pay high prices if a more cost effective press will do.

From what little I've read the Lee Turret or Progressive presses might suit my needs. I've heard of people who love them, and people that hate them.

I've heard that a lot of the problems on the progressive presses are related to seating the primers. If that's the case is it worth depriming and seating the primers seperately. That sounds like something I could do while watching TV with a hand press and an autoprime. Is that a good idea?

If I'm going to go that route does the Turret press make the most sense, or is a progressive press still worth the slightly higher price? Is there a big difference in quality between Lee's two progressive presses?

It seems like no mater which route I go I need to get a scale, some calipers, and a case tumbler.

Any suggestions on the press, accessories for the press, or tumblers would be greatly appreciated.

 

[DillHarris]

I've been reloading for not too long now. I got the Lee 4 Hole Turret Press with Auto Indexing. I took out the auto indexing rod and use it as a single stage. Works great for me. I don't shoot too much either. I'm reloading 357 mag on it. I got the kit to get myself started. Get dies, calipers, and a couple of manuals and you're ready to go. Another item I find necessary, but never mentioned, is loading blocks. I use a hand prime tool for priming and really like it. Make sure you read the manuals (more than once), and have your friend do a few runs with you if he seems to know what he's doing. A tumbler is nice, but not necessary. I would have bought the more expensive equipment if I had known for sure I was going to like reloading as much as I do.

 

[Arub]

I have the same set up as Mr. Harris and use it the same way. It works well for me and meets my quantity needs. I shoot steel plates and some IDPA. I load during off weather and season and stock pile ammo for the better weather.

 

[Renegade]

I bought the Lee 3-hole turret press a few years ago. I didn't want to put a lot of money into reloading equipment and not be able to load enough ammo to justify the higher cost. I also generally don't have a lot of free time to reload massive amounts of ammo. The Lee equipment has served me well, except for their scale (it is a PITA), so I got a PACT digital scale. I reload for .223, 30-06, 45ACP, 357Mag and 38Spcl.

Later,

Dave

 

[tbeb]

I've had my Lee turrent press for about 15 years, and I like it. I don't reload tons of ammo. (I even used it for .308 Winchester which has a shorter case.) I use a Lee powder dispenser that sits on top of the expander die. I do use a fourth die and that is a Lee crimp die. I have a 3-hole turrent, so after I've deprimed/sized I remove that die and screw in the crimp die. Lee does have a 4-hole turrent. For cartridge priming I use the Lee priming tool, and I do prime while watching tv. For cleaning cases I use a rock tumbler that I bought years ago at a garage sale for about ten bucks. My Lee dial caliber measures to the thousandth of an inch. My scale is an old Lyman that has served me well. A bullet puller is nice to have. Mine is an older RCBS kinetics bullet puller--it looks like an all plastic hammer. Powder? I use Winchester 231 for .380 ACP, .38 special, .357 magnum, and .45 ACP. Probably not the best for .357 but it works for reloads I do. Primers and cases... I like Winchester.

 

[SASS#23149]

IIRC,a turret press only does one operation at a time,while a progressives does four or five things at each handle stroke..Doen't the turret press just hold the dies so they don'e have to be swapped out?
Depending on how much you shoot.,the progressive is much faster,IMHO
to load five hundred rounds on a turret requires over 2k hand motions...decap,prime,bell ,add powder seat/crimp
I've read whre the Lee's are a little finciky but can be made to run well.
For my money,dillon is the way to go,but that's not what you asked,so....

 

[flatrock]

Thanks for all the responses, including the comment by SASS that dillon is the way to go.

It sounds like a turret press would work fine for me, but I'm tempted to get a progressive press since it's really not that much more money.

By the time I buy everything I need including dies for 9 mm, .380, and 38 special, the additional cost for a progressive press seems pretty small.

I do have a question about cleaning the brass. If you don't buy a tumbler right away, what's the best way to clean the brass. If I can wait to buy the tumbler for a little while, that might make it easier to make the purchase without my wife seeing red flags over the purchase price.

 

[Black Snowman]

Soap, water, bucket, and some shaking have been mentioned several times. If you do a search in this forum on cleaning brass you should get a ton of suggestions as I can think of at least 2 recent threads about it.

The Lee Pro 1000 gives you the option of using it as a full progressive or a 4 station turret making it a great way to start out. You can learn the process, get the dies set up and practice as a turret press and when you feel you're ready move up to loading progressively without having to buy anything else. If you never start loading progressively you're really not out that much money as it costs less than a lot of other single stage presses.

I really can't see anything wrong with going that route.

 

[bfox]

If you look on Lee's website you can get a reconditioned pro 1000
for $80 and $4 for shipping to any where .
I bought one it works great already to go with whatever set of dies you would like .
They are listed in their surplus section .

Good Luck , Bill

 

[Razor 10]

I have been loading for only about 8yrs seven and a half of which were spent on a Rockchucker I have recently bought a Lee 4-hole turret and could not be happier. I do have one gripe, it is there was no place for the spent primer to go except on the floor but notice I say ( was no place) well I have made up a little catcher out of a empty powder can that screws right on the press where that extra 3/8-16 hole is and let me tell ya out of about 400 pcs. of fired brass ther will only be about a dozen primers that hit the floor. I also have removed the auto index as I felt it was a little crapy. I say go ahead, get the Lee turret I'll bet you will like it. I also made up a stand for all five calibers/turrets so changing over is a snap. The stand consists of a piece of 1/4 by 2 1/2 flat stock with 11mm sq. key stock welded to it to hold each turret. If anyone would like I can try to pry my wifes digital camera away to take pics of the neat tools I made so you to can make them.


Good Luck
Nick

 

[Arub]

I keep a bucket under the press for primers. Still have to sweep the floor after a session. There's always a few pimers that richochet off of the side of the loader and wind up half way across the room. Keeps the room clean.

 

[Hamonrye]

I've had a 4 hole Lee turret for around 2 months now and love it. I reload .38 special, 45 acp and .223. I purchased a turret for each set of dies so no more unscrewing when you want to reload another caliber. I picked up their perfect powder measure. The thing cost the price of dinner so what the heck. It is fantastic! Best $18.00 I spent.

 

[Sisco]

I've been loading on a Lee three hole turrent for years, eight different calibers. I'm not sure what I'd do with the fourth hole! Most of my three hole turrents only have two dies in them, the powder through expander and the bullet seater. I use the Factory Crimp die for a couple of calibers so those turrents are full.
I mount three sizing dies on one turrent, disable the auto-index and prep the cases. Tumble when done then while watching the tube or sitting on the deck inspect the brass and prime it with the Lee hand prime.
I pulled the primer arm out and put it away, set a trash can under the press. 80 - 90% of the spent primers fall through the primer arm slot and into the trash can.

 

[tbeb]

I'm agree with "Hamonrye"--a turrent for each caliber is the way to go. "Sisco's" idea for putting sizing dies only in one turrent is a cool idea that I never thought of. All these years I've been swapping sizing die and crimping die in my 3-hole turrent.