Lee Turret Press

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My Lee turret press is not functioning correctly. The auto-index feature doesn't move the turret to the next position all the way. I have to manually tap it to get it to click into place. I've replaced the little black plastic square and it didn't help. Are these junk or am I missing something?
 
I take the turret out. Grab the indexing rod with a wrench...then turn the nut at the top in the direction I need to go....in other words....if the turret is indexing just short...I turn it a tad counter clockwise (facing the press).....if it is indexing too far...I turn in clockwise.....then I put the turret back in and go to town.
 
Yep. That fixed it. I was waiting on the first guy to say they're junk. I've been wanting an excuse to buy a redding.
 
Lee's (and other press manufacturers) get a bum rap sometimes. Yes you have to posses some common sense and a little mechanical common sense helps also....you may have to put a a 8mm washer under the primer mechanism...you may have to lightly sand the primer arm etc. But come on....sometimes I read various post on various forums and I wonder where American Ingenuity went? Some folks expect to unpackage and crank out a kazillion perfect rounds by just adding powder to the hopper every so often....If more guys, like the OP here, just searched or asked a little....most problems are simple fixes.....and Lee is a fraction of the cost for a quality setup that can get you tons of good ammo ....
Glad you got her fixed though pal.....
 
No idiocy in my book. If I haven't reloaded for a few months I take a look at those great videos myself....just to be sure.
 
Mine, sometimes, does that too. I've noticed that if I pull the handle consistently and in full, then it doesn't seem to do it.

I think the Lee press(es) are great value for the money. Although, in a short time, I will find out just how accurate they are with rifles. Thus far, I've only loaded handgun cartridges.

IDPA38super
 
I have been using a lee 1000 since the mid 80's works just fine, but you do have to make fine adjustments from time to time. I would guess that it paid for itself in the first year of use. Now it is dedicated to 45 auto only, i also use rcbs and lyman. I would buy most anything that lee makes and not worry.
 
By allowing the rod to "walk" versus being held in place it reduces the risk of breaking anything in the assembly if something was bound up.....in other words if the ratchet washer bound up you would not bend the rod....or so I believe is the reasoning behind it....it does not effect the operational certainty...or purpose by walking....
 
Mine does this as well, was driving me nuts as it was always just coming up short and I couldn't figure out how to fix it... Now I know a way it seems

Thanks for the easy tip...
 
I was waiting on the first guy to say they're junk.
Click to expand...

Good luck finding that guy. :D Everybody that has a classic turret that I know including myself loves it. Some people move on to progressives because of volume but they usually keep the classic turret.
 
Good luck finding that guy. Everybody that has a classic turret that I know including myself loves it. Some people move on to progressives because of volume but they usually keep the classic turret.
Click to expand...

+1

Mine has been a great little press for thousands of rounds. I see no reason to change to another unless I start shooting enough to warrant a progressive.
 
I like my Lee Turret as well. I have a Pro1000, but it only has 3 holes. If it had 4 holes I'd use it more often. I like having the separate seating & crimping dies.
I bought the progressive before I knew what I was doing.

So I always recommend a Lee Classic 4 hole Turret to all newbies.
You get the simplicity of a single stage by just removing the indexing rod, just reinstall & you get speed once you get the hang of reloading.
 
I found some slop in the mating of the nut and the recess in the turrets. That allowed mine not to index forward perfectly. Maybe if I had re-adjusted the nut, it might have fixed it, but instead I took up the gap with some electrical tape as a bushing, and it worked perfectly after that.

I agree with the comments about Lee products. I enjoy them, and don't mind figuring out some things myself. I pasted together a little cardboard box and put some baffling in so my cheap turret put primers right into the carboard box right under it, every time. Wasn't much work!
 
The cheaper Deluxe Turret Press is just as good and works the same way using the same turret components. The classic cast has a much better spent primer collection feature, but speaking as if the more expensive cast iron press is the only one worth considering is just not correct. If I was also doing large rifle cartridges, I believe I would want the classic cast. Ordinary handgun stuff has been going great on the aluminum deluxe.
 
"If I was also doing large rifle cartridges, I believe I would want the classic cast. Ordinary handgun stuff has been going great on the aluminum deluxe. "

Real, you speak honestly. I sometimes get amused at folks who can't quite seem to grasp that we should buy tools for what we do, not what someone else does. The oft made comparisons between Lee's turrets/progressives vs. Dillon are laughable since they never consider the difference in each companies targeted users...or costs! And it's sure true that many mechanical klutzes obviously have neither the skill to make minor tweaks with simple equipment or a desire to learn anything. I question the advisablility of such people reloading at all!
 
Agreed. If it weren't for the primers going all over I would prefer the Turret for pistol. The long handle and long throw is wasted movement for pistol cartridges. In fact I think a press with a short throw that just did pistol calibers, say up to .445 Magnum length would be really cool.

I have to say that I like both the Turret and the Classic Turret, and I can't imagine I'll ever outgrow the Classic Turret, or ever have the need for a single stage press ever again. In fact I'm selling my single stage press to a buddy. I recently converted my Turret to a 4-hole and mounted it for trailer hitch loading at the range - and simply taking the turret from one press to another, and off I go.
 
I disabled the auto-index feature on mine to change my priming method. Rotate it manually every time. I like to decap/size, then tumble, then use a single stage press with the Auto Prime2 to seat my primers (absolutely HATE Lee's safety prime). Then back to the turret to load, seat the bullet, and Factory Crimp.
 
One thing I noticed about Lee equipment. I don't know if anyone else agrees or not, but they tend to wear in, more than wear out. In other words, you have to run them for a while before everything syncronizes well. Out of the box, the powder measures and priming mechanisms are a little "sticky". But put a few hundred rounds through them and the powder measures are throwing precise charges, primers drop every time, they get slicker to run and run better. Reminds me of the triggers on Ruger revolvers. Out of the box, like they are full of sand. But put a thousand or two rounds down range, and smooth as butter.
 
One thing I noticed about Lee equipment. I don't know if anyone else agrees or not, but they tend to wear in, more than wear out. In other words, you have to run them for a while before everything syncronizes well. Out of the box, the powder measures and priming mechanisms are a little "sticky". But put a few hundred rounds through them and the powder measures are throwing precise charges, primers drop every time, they get slicker to run and run better. Reminds me of the triggers on Ruger revolvers. Out of the box, like they are full of sand. But put a thousand or two rounds down range, and smooth as butter.
Click to expand...

The first hour I had my Lee turret on the bench I was ready to rip it off and throw it away. Primers all over the place, out of alignment, crap just not working. After a little bit of tinkering, and some reading, I figured it all out. Within 100 rounds I was an expert on it and it was running smooth.

It takes a little bit for the bumps to wear off the Lee turret press, and for the learning curve of the operator.
 
Also keep in mind that if you want to rotate the turret by hand for some reason, you CAN'T do it with the ram all the way down or you WILL damage/destroy that little square, black plastic doodad. You have to raise the ram about halfway so it'll turn freely without damage. Found that out the hard way.

My first press years ago was a Lee Classic Turret, the original 3-hole kind. I managed to break a turret ring, and the cast aluminum handle snapped right in half. I now have the Cast Classic Turret, and IMO it's far tougher and much better. And I love the 4-hole turret rings. I have over a dozen setup with all my die sets, one for a universal decapping die, one for a bullet pullet, etc. Makes changing calibers quick and easy.

Oh, a little grease on the turret rings helps things work smoother too. Just a thin film, don't go crazy. Just on the friction areas where it contacts the press body, put some on the detent ball too.
 
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