Lee Classic Turret Press?

I have the Lyman T-Mag II and like it. A Chargemaster combo is a nice addition also.
 
Technology Direct said:
Here is the link to the Classic Kit. Based on the comments here it looks like it is good to with the extra parts recommended.

http://leeprecision.com/xcart/CLASSIC-TURRET-PRESS-KIT.html

Anything missing? Punt the scale?
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$300 for this Classic Turret kit sounds kinda high. If you cost out each component in that kit from Lee Factory Sales, instead of from Lee Precision, the total cost would be closer to $250.

I think the Classic Turret's detractors have not actually used this fine machine. I have two and both work well. By buddy has one it works fine too. Another bud has the old model Turret with aluminum base...works well too.
 
The key to getting a quality turret press from Lee is to make sure & specify "CLASSIC" when ordering. This is the cast steel press not the less expensive aluminum or pot metal press.

I purchased the Classic Turret press some years ago. It replaced two Lee Pro 1000's. It is not as fast but if you take into consideration the time spent tinkering & caliber changing with the Pro 1000's, the Classic Turret comes out ahead.

The Dillon 550 & 650 are a fine piece of equipment but I find that it is easy to achieve 200 rounds per hour on the Classic Turret. This suits my needs & is all I need to produce. If I needed more then I would definitely take a serious look at Dillon or Hornady.
 
I bought my old style Lee turret press in 1985. It still works well, although I do most of my loading now on other presses, I still use it for smaller runs. I have loaded north of 100k rounds on it.

Auggie D.
 
I see the old Aluminum Turret (Deluxe Pistol) Kit has been renamed Value Turret Kit under the same part number, and the Classic Turret (new cast iron) is now offered in a kit (it was not before) named the Classic Turret Kit.

Factory Sales does not have the new Classic kit listed, but I would email or call them and I'm sure they will update the website and offer it, at a much lower price than the Lee factory across the street from them does.

Some of the products from Lee people don't like are not made anymore and have been replaced with newer better designed and stronger models although they still catch flak over their reputation. Some stuff that is still offered isn't the best, but I think in the last couple years and the near future you have and will likely see more redesign and new offerings that are improved and still sold at a good price.
 
I still use my old turret press,it's the only one I use daily now.
But I made a couple mod's to it.
I moved the front support to the left so I can use my left hand to cycle the press and put brass into the shell holder with my right hand.
I also turned the ram 90deg to the left,drilled a new hole thru the ram and re-assembled it.
Now the empty primer's are ejected out the left side where I put a thin piece of aluminum to make sure ALL primer's go down the chute.
 
When you order it, order extra 4 hole turrets. I have 6- 4 hole turrets and I wish I had 10. I ordered the auto disk as well. If you don't have pistol die sets insure you get the powder through expander. For pistol buy only carbide dies.
Rifle
Depending how fancy you want to go, get a 3 die rifle die set and then you get a collet neck sizing die. Then you get a factory crimping die. Fire the round in your rifle then neck size it(if its a bolt action) for the next 4 times and then the 5th time firing full length resize it.
Then if your want to shoot competetively you peruse sinclair international catalog. Catagory III dies competition neck die set $299 + tx+ship+brokerage+etc. X however many calibers you want to shoot. Welcome to reloading!!
 
I have been using the Lee turret press for years for pistol, the most important accessory to purchase to go with the press is the Auto-disk powder measure.
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Absolutely.

I have had my 3 hole turret press for something like 25 years and it still chugs along just fine. I load 9mm, 45, 357 and 223 on it. It is will worth buying individual turret plates for each caliber you want to load. That way caliber changes take about 5 seconds.
 
To be fair I doubt anyone could build a better press for the same price point. Service support is a non-issue regardless of the press you buy, all the companies are great, wish the auto industry would learn customer service from the reloading industry.
 
get a fewv extra plastic nuts that are connected to the auto indexing rod-they wear out fast
And then you have to manually index.
+1 on extrav turrets...
 
Many people have said with the Lee Classic Turret to only make complete strokes of the press. Don't pull the lever down 3/4 of the way and then back up. This is where the ratchet wear/breakage is said to occur.

It's one thing to have the lever all the way down and back it out a bit when the ram is at the top. But the bottom position for ram (lever up) is where the indexing rod is twisted and reversing at this point may cause damage.
 
Some interesting information I stumbled over last night with the Lee turret press. I was reloading 9mm 124g Lead RN bullets with Unique. The chart told me that in order to get 5.2grains I would need to use the .47cc cavity. I ended up having to use the .61cc cavity and after weighing about 30 loads they would range anywhere from 5.2grains to 5.7 which is .1 grain over max listed in the Lee manual. I was using the RCBS digital scale.
 
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