Loading Large Rifle Cartridges

[awgrizzly]

Found out tonight when my son set up his 45-70 dies in our Lee Turret Press that it grabs the tip of the bullet as the turret starts to rotate. Simple enough to fix by removing the indexing rod and turn the turret manually.

But my son has a 300 Weatherby Magnum, and obviously the Lee press won't handle that. Thus a question... what press can reload the large magnum cartridges?

I've been oogling RCBS presses. The Rock Chucker Supreme seems capable of the large magnums, but the Turret press would be handier to avoid swapping dies, but not sure of largest cartridges it can handle.

Opinions please... RCBS or another brand

 

[Randy1911]

I load 30-06 on my RCBS Rockchucker with no problems. It is a long cartridge.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Call or write Lee. They may have a fix and if not they can tell you exactly what their Turret Press will handle. When you get the information please post it here because I use the same press.

I load for the 30-06 on my Lee 4 Hole Turret Press without any problems. Actually there's plenty of space...

 

[wombat13]

I load .300WM on a Dillon 550B. There is plenty of clearance when rotating the shell holder.

 

[mbogo]

I load 7mmSTW, .375H&H, and .470 Capstick on a Redding Boss, with no problems.

mbogo

 

[CraigC]

No such limitations with the RCBS Turret press. I load .405's with zero issues.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

There are no such limitations on the Lee press either. According to Lee you can actually reload a 50 BMG on their Classic Turret Press. I find that hard to believe because the .50 is very tough to re-size but it will fit so I can't understand how the 45-70 is a problem.

This is on the Lee site:

Lee Classic Turret Press

This press has all the features of the award-winning Turret Press with quality touches that make this the finest, most convenient press to own. The Classic Turret features the solid steel linkage of the Lee Classic Cast. Your first stroke of the hardwood gripped lever will convince you this is one, solid silky smooth press! The sturdy iron base shows its Classic Cast roots.

The long stroke allows rifle cases over three inches long to be loaded using the automatic index. Deactivate the Auto-Index and cases as long as the monster 50 BMG can be loaded. The rigid cast iron frame supports the ram with over 12 square inches of area. The industry's largest ram is drilled completely through to dispense primers in an attached clear PVC tube. Every primer is caught--guaranteed.

Instant change turrets are the same as the famous Lee Turret Press. The Classic Turret uses the new Lee Lever Primer System (LPS) and the Lee Safety Prime tool makes priming on the press a delight.

If you like to own the best, then treat yourself to the Lee Classic Turret. The finest reloading system made.

 

[Blakk]

Yeah the trouble is the auto indexing part of the press. The screw that activates the indexing begins to turn before the cartridge is lowered enuf out of the bottom of the die wedging the round between the seat and the die.

Oh yeah let me intro myself, I am the 44 yr old son of AWGrizzly the one who made this thread.

The weatherby .300 mag overall length is too long for the press. I brainstormed, but have not tried it yet, on just taking out the rod that auto indexes the press, working it manually. And on the final stage of the process, instead of putting the round in its seat like you do normally. Turning the turrent slightly. Pushing the round upwards into the bottom of the die. Then turning the turrent while holding the cartridge with my hand until it meets the seat of the press, making it all line up and finishing the process of pressing the bullet in place, and crimping the brass. Then reversing the process holding the bullet turning the turrent slightly to get the cartridge out of its seat.

Seems like it will be a more tedious process but maybe doable. We first had troubles with reloading my 45-70 as my father had said, but got it to work when we took out the rod for the auto indexing. That was the whole problem. Once that was removed and indexing manually it was then possible to reload those. When we seen this happen, I thought to myself I better check to see how reloading my .300 weatherby mag is going to work then, because it's much longer yet. When the press is at it's lowest point the cartridge barely fits in under the die. And this is without the lead yet being in place.

The Lee Turrent auto indexing press just doesn't seem to be made for the larger, longer rounds without having to be creative in how you do the whole process. From reading about the RCBS press (rockchucker) it has another 1/2 inch of ram throw, which seems like it would in my case at least be an important feature.

 

[loadedround]

Ditto on the Redding Boss! I load both 300 Wby and 375 H&H on mine.

 

[GP100man]

Blakk , are you & your dad using the pro 1000 or the classic cast turret.

 

[RandyP]

This thread did make me go look at my Lee Classic 4-Hole turret.

With the ram not fully down, raised to clear the priming arm center, there is over 3-3/4" of air space between the ram and the bottom of the turret.

I did look up the OAL of a 45-70 case and it's 2.1" with a loaded OAL of 2.55". Seems like that 3-3/4" provides enough room to put a bullet on top of the case before seating? Or am I missing something?

 

[Blakk]

GP100man this is what was bought, not sure what press it was to be truthful. It was bought as a kit.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=622290

Yes Randy it has enuf room (IF) you take the auto indexing screw rod out of the press and operate it manually. It will not work if the press is left together, as it was designed. The screw indexing rod begins to turn the turrent much before the round clears the bottom of the die, and wedges the round in the press, which obviously is no good. And this happens on the shorter 45-70, no way no how will it work on the even longer .300 weatherby mag.

The end of the story is, I guess we will just have to ditch the auto indexing screw rod, and just operate it manually. I think we should make due then. It was just a little disgusting they couldn't have just made it a little larger in the first place, and then the press could work as advertised and designed.

 

[RandyP]

Yours is the Deluxe turret, mine is the Classic. Significant design differences.

Sorry, can't be of any real help with the long rifle round problem.

 

[Blakk]

No problem Randy thanks for offering to help. I think we will be able to use the press, just indexing manually. And finangling (if thats even a word, lol) the cartridge around as we manipulate the turret, and the press.

Thanks for the help people.

 

[rcmodel]

but the Turret press would be handier to avoid swapping dies,

Forget swapping dies.
Do each process in large lots.

1. Size all of them.
2. Charge all of them.
3. Inspect powder charges in all of them.
4. Change to seating die.
5. Seat all of them.

You spent about 30 seconds out of an hour doing one die change.

rc

 

[Blakk]

Yeah I guess rcmodel thats what I'll be needing to do. Thanks again.

 

[CraigC]

I think what he meant was that the dies can be set in the turret head pre-adjusted. I do find it handier and quicker than a single stage, even if I still do my loading in batches.

 

[rcmodel]

I set my dies once when I buy them.

All die brands except Lee have some sort of lockring set-screw.

Once you adjust them to the press the first time, you never have to do it again when you screw one out and screw another one in.

The only thing you might have to adjust is the bullet seating stem if you change to a different bullet.
But you have to do that with a turrent press too.

rc

 

[CraigC]

And if you're loading small batches during load development, you have to unscrew each die every time. If you're doing them in 10-15rd batches, you have to change your dies three times for each little batch. All I have to do is twist the turret head. If I booger up a case, all I have to do is twist the turret head, if I seat a bullet too deep and need to pull it and go back a stage, all I have to do is twist the turret head, if I want to switch quickly from .44Spl to .45Colt, all I have to do is twist the turret head and change the shellholder.

Fact is, some folks have a prejudice against turret presses and others see their benefits. I could sit here all day and think of circumstances where the turret paid for itself but in the end, no one's mind will change. Because it's already been made up.

 

[Blakk]

CraigC thats exactly what I just did just now. In fact I got case lube still on my grubby little finners as I type this, hehe.
I just deprimed, resized and primed about 30 rounds of my .300 Weatherby Mag. It just barely fits under the depriming pin
under the die, but I'm managing to do at least that so far.

As far as the turret press and having dies already set thats what we do here. Not being able to use the auto indexing feature,
we been pretty much just using it like a single stage press, but when we are done putting primers in our batch of brass we move
the turret to the next die, and continue on, rinse and repeat.

The real challenge will be when I go and try and seat the bullet. The brass all by itself barely fits under the dies.

 

[Maj Dad]

I think what he meant was that the dies can be set in the turret head pre-adjusted. I do find it handier and quicker than a single stage, even if I still do my loading in batches.

Once you set your dies for your press, they stay adjusted - the only difference in the two is that you have to unscrew one die & screw in the other versus rotating the turret. Not enough difference in time to justify one over the other; convenience is about the only one-up of turrets, but they can develop play and spring whereas the monolithic press is stronger. I know, I know, your turret is bullet proof, etc etc - fact remains that one design is technically stronger than the other, not better or worse. I personally use a Dillon 550B with removable tool heads and all dies seated & adjusted for all of my pistol and about half of my rifle loading. The rest I do on an RCBS Rockchucker and a Herters U3. The best of all possible worlds, a la Candide, Ou L'Optimisme...

It's your call - this is America for a while longer...

 

[joed]

I load the .300 H&H Mag on my RCBS Rockchucker. To be honest it barely fits, but it does work.

 

[CraigC]

Not enough difference in time to justify one over the other

For a single reloading session, probably not. But spread out over a lifetime of handloading, it is significant.

fact remains that one design is technically stronger than the other

An oft-repeated theory but one I have yet to see proven.


Funny how some folks are firm believers in single stage presses 'and' progressives but something in-between is a waste. Whatever.


To clarify, I'm not saying that one is better than the other. I'm not saying that everybody should put their single stages on Ebay and replace them with turrets. All I'm saying is that the turret is a little quicker and a little more convenient but with more precise control than a full-blown progressive. For some of you, that may not be important. The increased expense may not be worth the slight advantage. I realize that reloading is an enjoyable escape for some folks and that for them, adding a little convenience is like rushing through a hunt just to kill something. However, the difference is there, whether you choose to take advantage of it or not. I have never found reloading to be fun. For me it is a necessary chore to do the volume of shooting I want to do and also to use the loads I want to use. Nothing more. So at my hacienda, I'll spend that little bit of money to gain that slight increase in speed and convenience. Because the time I save at the bench can be spent shooting.

 

[flashhole]

My Classic Turret is set up to load 45-70, I have no problems at all with the auto indexing feature and can crank out about 100 rounds an hour. I also load 7mm Rem Mag without interference issues.

 

[howlnmad]

I always enjoy reading threads about which type of press is best. But, if we're gonna go back to that battle field, can we stop by the rainbow room and pick up the color wheel too? Huh huh, pretty please.