Upgrading from the Lee Classic Turret

[Olympus]

I used my Classic Turret yesterday to reload a small batch of 357 Sig for my father in law and I ended up really frustrated with the press. My biggest complaint is the priming system. My Turret has the newer style Safety Prime system with the folding hopper for the primers. The primers bridge up inside, they get stuck, they flip around inside the hopper, and it's almost impossible to get in the right spot to drop the primer in the primer cup on the press. I end up dropping about 1/3 of the primers on the floor, never to be found again. And also the ball kept coming off the end of the ram handle. It was just a frustrating experience and I'm wondering if there's something else I can switch to instead.

I already have a single stage press, so I'd like something like a turret that's a little faster. I also already have a Dillon 550, but it takes me a long time to get it all set up to run a new caliber, especially if I have to switch from small primer to large primers. To run something like 50 to 100 rounds on the Dillon it's just too much hassle.

I'm somewhat interested in the Redding T7 turret press and also maybe the new Lyman All-American 8 turret. Anyone have any experience with either? Or any other options I should consider?

 

[Hasaf]

I am no fan of the priming system either. I have taken to putting one hand below the primer feed when using it, that way I catch any dropped.

I am not so sure that I like the primer seating method either. I seem to not get much consistency in the primer depth. In all, I like the press; I would like it to have a better priming system.

 

[ray15]

I threw away the safety prime and upgraded my LCT with a combination of two devices.



The older Safety Prime units with the round trays work better, like yours my late-model one is supremely effective at priming the floor. After trying the above method I found it's every bit as fast as when the SP works, and I drop about 1 primer out of 250, not one out of 3.

 

[sparkyv]

I don't like the safety prime system either, but mine drops about 1 in 100 primers, not 1/3 of them! Sounds like something may be out of alignment. This is a well known issue. You might try looking up some you tube videos on this. As for the ball handle, you could use some gorrila glue. Lee reloading equipment does need to be tweaked, but with some patience it can be made to work satisfactorily.

 

[Ole Joe Clark]

I gave away the priming tool for the LCT, and I prime as a separate operation. It works for me.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

 

[Dill]

I hate the fold over trays, too. I'm lucky in that I have a set of the older round ones, which work flawlessly.

 

[onegunred]

I do the same as ray15. My fingers work best . Did not even try the safety prime and it is the older round one.

 

[D Rock]

I guess I'm alone here when I say my fold over type Safety Prime works great. Once the primers are in I honestly don't know how they can flip over, Olympus. It's rare for me to drop a primer in my 200 round loading sessions. I use Winchester WSP primers mostly but have used S&B when Cabela's had them on sale, all with no issues.

I haunt several reloading forums. Some prefer Dillon some Lee and a few Hornady. One common denominator to all of the more automated presses seems to be mechanical maintenance. You have to do your due diligence and take care of the mechanics when you're putting out 500 to 1,000 rounds. Same goes for any of the simpler presses, like the LCT, but there's a lot less involved. Just my 2¢.

Off topic, Olympus, those are really beautiful pieces of work in your avatar.

Dave

 

[kidneyboy]

I have no issues with the priming setup on my LCT. Never have from the start and I load about 10,000 rounds per year with it. I do regular maintenance on the press and change the spring in the priming tool about once per year ( a 5 minute job and a 2 or 3 dollar part).

Olympus, I agree with Dave, the pieces in your avatar are really beautiful.

 

[Olympus]

Thanks fellas. I’m a 1911 grip maker by trade. www.brownscustomgrips.com

 

[RussellC]

I have the older round style, and once properly "fiddled" with works great. Occasional alignment and retightening required. Lay out a towel underneath to catch any that do fall, prevents bounce and roll.

Russellc

 

[mdi]

I too, have no problems with the square trays. But I don't do any "semi-progressive" reloading on my Lee turret. Since I'm in no hurry, I mostly prime off press or use a ram prime (I have a couple installed, along with other dies, on turrets) and I have a Lee Bench Prime...

 

[YBOT]

As mentioned the ram priming die is a possibility. Now, it’s not by far the fastest primer setting device around but works great and it also allows you to set a repeatable primer depth. If you like your LCT other than the prime issue it would be a quick fix and save you money also. I have one mounted in my Lyman T-Mag 2 turrent press. Another faster option is to get one of the off press hand priming tools as others have mentioned.

Anyway, hope what ever you decide works out for you.

 

[someguy2800]

The round trays work good for me. I recently started having problems of primers turning sideways in the feed track. A couple small zip ties around the track cured that for me. I probably drop 1/100. The square folding trays were a huge step backwards. I've never tried the hand feeding of primers but it probably works well. I have alot more trouble with the safety prime on my auto breechlock pro.

 

[Olympus]

It’s not just the dropped primers. It’s also the fact that they bridge inside that folding hopper and won’t fall down into the chute. I have to take the whole thing off the holder and shake it to get the primers to unbridge themselves. It’s just constant headache with the Safety Prime system.

 

[Hooda Thunkit]

I use the Safety Prime on my LCT also. Really, after RTFM and doing some adjustments, the only problem I have is the primers jamming (bridging) in the fold-over tray occasionally.
A quick flick with my finger usually puts me back in business.

I am happy enough with the LCT, that if I hated the Safety Prime, I would pre-prime the brass and run it on the LCT that way.

 

[Livin_Cincy]

I have never had issue with the Safety Prime on my LCT.

• I have what I think is the Gen 2 which is the first version with the folding tray.
• I set it up by aligning it unfilled and running it a few times to locate it.
• The primer arm that goes into the ram can get stuck on a bur in the slot.
  • Just file a little.
• I just keep it full and tap it when I load the primer arm.

I just found I prefer to hand prime the brass as I inspect it after cleaning.

 

[Bandit67]

Sorry off topic again. Olympus, I just want to say I checked out the photo gallery of your grips and all I can say is "WOW". Nice work.

 

[Jenrick]

If you're only running a small batch (50-100), I'd simply decap and resize on the press, use a hand primer off the press, and then charge/flare, seat and crimp back on the press. Yes it's more work, but for that few cases, really not a big deal.

 

[kidneyboy]

Sorry off topic again. Olympus, I just want to say I checked out the photo gallery of your grips and all I can say is "WOW". Nice work.

I went there too. Outstanding work! Makes me want to get a 1911.

 

[Varminterror]

The Redding T7 is not a real upgrade over the Lee Classic Turret, and is certainly not faster - it’s actually slower. I measure the same run out in either, but can’t make as many rounds per hour on the Redding as I can the Lee. The round tray Safety Prime was a lot better than the new folding model, but I have not had any trouble using the folding tray either.

Want faster? Hornady LNL Ammo Plant or Dillon 650.

 

[denton]

After careful investigation, I have learned that the priming system works perfectly, all the time. What you didn't know is that its main design function is to spread primers on the floor, and it does that admirably.

I gave up on it, and simply load the primers manually. With that, it's still far faster than my single stage press.

 

[snakeye]

Sorry off topic again. Olympus, I just want to say I checked out the photo gallery of your grips and all I can say is "WOW". Nice work.

You know you can PM members here on the Forum without hijacking someone's thread.

 

[Varminterror]

I guess my LCT’s and Safety Primes are broken. I’m about 20,000rnds in for the year of 2018, and about the same pace with them for the last decade, and haven’t had primers on the floor once due to my primer trays. I run my press hard enough to ensure powder and primers feed reliably as well. Tweezers and hand feeding primers is how I drop primers, not the Safety Primes.

 

[Livin_Cincy]

Want faster? Hornady LNL Ammo Plant or Dillon 650.

I have a case kicker. I can load a 500 round box in a 2-3 hour evening.

No issues with timing, primer tubes, primer residue gunky up the works, adjusting powder dispenser between calibers, expensive caliber conversion parts, constantly appreciating my free parts I am waiting for, buying multiple improvements to get it to work like I thought it would, and only spending a fraction for the press.