Question To Owners of Lee Classic Turret

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Jake in TX

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Ellis County, TX
I've been using a Lee Classic Cast single stage press for several years now, and feel the need to move to a turret press, especially for pistol cartridges. I have already decided on a Classic Turret Press, but want to know what powder measure other owners are using with their Classic Turret Press.

Jake in TX
 
Lee Auto Disk on a Lee three station turret...But remember...I'm ANAL and weigh every powder charge before I seat a bullet...

On some powders like Winchester and Accurate Arms (Ball powders) the Auto disk is only off by +/- .1 to .2 grains. Flake and extruded powders your results may vary even if you tap the hopper...
 
I've had mine for about a year. I load mostly pistol rounds on it and use the Pro Auto Disk with the riser to get it above the primer feed. I later added the adjustable charge bar so I didn't have to keep changing the disks. I also have a Hornady LNL and use the Hornady powder measure with the case activated powder drop on the Lee press when I load rifle rounds on the lee. I also have/use a RCBS with the case activated powder drop, just depends what I have going on and what I want to do next. For my use the Lee is the more user friendly press. I've loaded 9mm to 45-70 on it with no problems. The Hornady LNL is my go to press for 38spl and 45acp. It'll really crank'em out once you get the hang of it.
 
I use the Auto Disc for pistol rounds. I use a RCBS Uniflow for rifle shells. Just a tad more consistent and I don't like the idea of throwing two charges for the bigger rifle shells. The adjustable charge bar works great for those pistol shells that don't use much powder. I have the micro disc, but could never find what I wanted for the light loads.
 
I have been loading on a classic turret for two years. I use the Pro Auto Disk powder measure. I'm loading 9mm, 38/357, 45 auto and 223.
Rusty
 
I use the Auto Disk that came with my Classic Turret, but I'm too green to know what I'm talking about. I blew up two barrels recently, so I've got a lot to learn yet.
 
OK, it looks about split 50 - 50 Auto Disk and Pro Auto Disk. There appears to be about a $10.00 difference between the two. Is there $10.00 difference?

Jake in TX
 
I use the Pro Auto Disk. I don't know what the difference is between the Pro and non-Pro. The Pro was what Cabelas had in stock. I really like it. I weigh every fifth load and have never had a problem.
 
I use two powder measures:

1. The Lee Pro Auto Disk for pistol powders and smaller rifle calibers. I set this up with either a Lee die for pistol or a rifle charging die for rifle.

Yes, the Pro Auto Disk is worth the difference in price for the quality improvements it has. Biggest deal is the machine screws instead of wood screws holding the powder container on the measure.

2. For larger calibers, I use a Hornady LnL case activated powder drop with a RCBS Uniflow sitting on top of that. This works well for extruded powders and provides adequate volume for larger calibers.

I buy a Pro Auto Disk for each turret, but only buy bases for the Hornady CAPD and move the rest of it from turret to turret.

Works really well for most applications I have in pistol and surplus rifle cartridges.

Regards,

Dave
 
I use the Lee Pro Auto Disk for all my pistol loads. It's very consistent and is affordable enough to get one for each caliber and I set up a turret with dies for each. Makes caliber changes super fast. I use the Lee Perfect Powder Measure for my rifle loads. It will reach the larger powder drops without having to do the risky double stroke thing. I use 57G of H4350 for 30.06. Both are very repeatable and have been reliable. The measures look and feel really light and are made of plastic and nylon, but I have 13K + drops for pistol on the Pro disk and it is just as good now as the first throw.
 
I have been using the Perfect Powder Measure for rifle calibers, and scoops for the pistol calibers. I know I would slow myself down by continuing to use the scoops with the Classic Turret Press. This is why I am asking.

Jake in TX
 
The pro is worth the extra money. The difference is the pro uses machine screws and nut instead of wood screws, the bottom half is Teflon coated, the powder hopper turns off so it can be removed to change disks without spilling powder.
Rusty
 
Another +1 for the PRO Auto Disc... I don't have any experience with the regular version, but am so happy with mine that I don't care ;)
 
+ 1 and a couple more on the Pro Auto Disk Powder Measure for the Lee Classic Turret Press. If one of the disk holes give you the exact amount you require/desire then there is no need to use the charge bar. If, on the other hand your load falls between the hole sizes, the charge bar is nifty. I use both. Using the .49 disk hole, I get 5.1gr of HP-38 for my 230gr loads. I currently have the charge bar set at 5.2gr. When I want to bump it up a bit I use the charge bar. Using either method, and weighing the charges until you are satisfied, you can get consistent loads.
I have heard that some types of powder do not meter well in the Pro Auto setup. The HP-38, which is Win 231 works fine.
One more thing about the Charge Bar: it doesn't work well for small grain loads such as .380ACP. For my .380 I use the .30 disk hole in the Micro Disk. I purchased this separately just as I did the charge bar.
 
The pro is worth the extra money. The difference is the pro uses machine screws and nut instead of wood screws, the bottom half is Teflon coated, the powder hopper turns off so it can be removed to change disks without spilling powder.
Rusty
Click to expand...

Spot on advice. Cost difference is very little but function, convenience and durability is greatly improved. If you opt for a Lee PM, the Pro AutoDisk is the way to go.
 
I use the Lee Classic Turret press with a Pro Auto Disk (with a riser to clear the Lee Safety Prime Feeder) for all handgun cartridges. I use a scale to check every tenth powder throw and have found the Pro Auto Disk is typically within 0.1 grams. I "dust" the base and the disk with powdered mica to get a smoother, (and more accurate) powder throw. (I load .38 Special, .357 Magnum, 9mm, 45 ACP and .30 Carbine with the turret.)

I'm another who doesn't like "double throws" for the larger rifle cartridges - I hand load using dippers and scale for .30-30, .30-06, .308 and 7.5x55mm. I also use the Lee Classic Cast single stage press for de-capping, swaging and full-length resizing of the necked rifle brass. After case trimming, I switch to the turret press for priming, bullet seating and crimping. While I'm confident the Lee turret would do it all, I'd rather save the wear and tear on the turret and use the single stage press for the "grunt work".
 
I do what DaveInFloweryBranch does.... he gives good reloading advice...

Pro-Auto Disk for Pistol and RCBS for Rifle.

Dave, why do you use a Hornady LnL CAPD, and not an RCBS CAPD? I am pretty sure I set my system up based on your recommendations, and I used the RCBS CAPD.
 
4-hole LEE turret so you can include the factory crimp die, auto-disk and auto disk riser, Safety Prime. This is great for all pistol cartridges. I can easily load 200 pistol cartridges in an hour, and that is my week's shooting. Loading rifle is OK, too but you have to remove the rotating bar because rifle cartridges are too long for the rotary to operate. Use it like a single-stage press and rotate the dies by hand.
 
Pro Auto Disk powder measure.
Click to expand...

me to....rifle and pistol

Loading rifle is OK, too but you have to remove the rotating bar because rifle cartridges are too long for the rotary to operate
Click to expand...

???

I use the auto advance for .30-30, .223 REM, and 7.62x39 with no problems at all.

You can pull the auto advance bar and load single stage if you want to, but it's not necessary on any of the cartridges I just mentioned.
 
SSN Vet...The Lee Classic turret and the Lee Classic CAST turret are two different turrets. My Lee Classic Three station and the Lee classic four station have aluminum bases. Where as the Classic CAST has a lower profile because of the cast iron base and can operate with rifle cases.

And I can not load .30-30 unless I use my turret as a single stage press with the rotator shaft removed...
 
get a pro if you are going to move it from 1 set of dies to another. if you only reload 1 caliber, but get the regular.
 
My Lee Classic Three station and the Lee classic four station have aluminum bases
Click to expand...

You mean this?

http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/browse.cgi?1219760770.332=/html/catalog/turretpress.html

as opposed to this?

http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/browse.cgi?1219760877.301=/html/catalog/turretpress.html#ClassicTurretPress

Once again, Lee's insane press nomenclature has stumped me....and I'm a Lee fan who thought he had done his homework.....

I thought all the term "classic" when used in the turret press line was only used for the cast variety.

Lee makes great products, but there nomenclature and naming scheme sure is confusing.
 
Yup that's them. And don't feel too bad. I had to look it up myself...I have the Lee Classic (aluminum 20 yrs old) three station turret and the Lee Clasic Cast (iron new) single stage. I may be upgrading to the Classic Cast (iron) 4 station turret by January.
 
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