I got mine in the early 80s. Loaded thousands of rounds, and eventually broke the bottom toggle resizing STW brass. It sat under the bench for awhile, then I ordered the upgraded toggle pieces, converted to 4 hole and auto index. After installing the pieces I kicked it back under the bench and its been laying there even since. Once you've had better its hard to go back. It got me started in reloading though.
Lee Turret Press Comments
- Thread starter mmattockx
- Start date
I have one as well and I no not do any full length rifle resizing with it. While I load in single stage mode for all my rifle and multi-stage with .357 and .44, and 9mm, 45ACP, 45LC, 460S&W, and 40S&W as well in the past, I have a separate single stage I use for bullet pulling and all full length resizing from .223 and up. The turret just looked too light right from the get-go to take the force involved in full length resizing. I have had the press for at least 10 years and have reloaded tens of thousands of various rounds without serious problems. It is relatively simple and wonderful. The only part that gets me going is the auto-prime. It can work perfectly or be finicky to downright frustrating at times. I have taken the plastic primer feed mechanism apart and cleaned it carefully, then put it back together and then even more carefully tighten and loosen the screws holding the halves together trying to get that perfect feed point. At some arbitrary point I give up and put a new primer feed on the end of the arm and toss the old one into a box. I keep a supply of several new small primer and one new large primer feed mechanisms handy.
You might have difficulty reloading 338 Lapua on the turret press as well. I do 300 Win Mag and it is a tight fit when placing the projectile into the mouth of the casing.
Rick.
This Thread is just about as old as some of your guys presses.
Yeah, and the information was as good then as it is now, with another 5 years of data from using them and several more data points.
First semi progressive I ever owned, back in the early 80's. Reloaded everything from 25 ACP (I do not recommend this for anyone who values their sanity) to 475 Ackley. Wore out the toggles and the linkages. Bought another while waiting for parts for the first. I have a third set up as a portable for reloading at the range. I like them and recommend them as a great buy for the cost. I also have a Dillon 550 and a Lyman turret press, as well as a Lyman version of the Rockchucker (Big O or something similar, I forget the name). They each have their strengths, but it is really hard to beat the Lee turret press for cost/versatility. FWIW - dan
