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  #1  
Old 07-09-2012, 07:12 PM
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Default Lee turret press

I have been reloading for a few months now. Mainly .45acp and 40S&W. Typically my OAL will walk around alittle. If im shooting for 1.260 and get my first one set, i will usually see the oal walk up to 1.268 but never below where my first one was set. Didnt think anything of it the rounds shot good and fed good.
A guy at work gave me a RCBS single stage press so i decided to try it out. After 100 rounds, my OAL didnt walk as much. Starting at 1.260 highest it got was 1.263. Further diag of the lee press I found when you lower the handle all the way down the turret piece would actually move up(piece the dies set in).

Has anyone else ran into this useing a lee turret press??

Last edited by Dmaxboy08; 07-11-2012 at 09:55 PM.
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Old 07-09-2012, 07:16 PM
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D,

Yep.

Mike
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Old 07-09-2012, 07:29 PM
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They are all made the same.
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Old 07-10-2012, 07:03 AM
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Get out your caliper and set it at 0.008. I don't think that 0.008 will affect you much. Sometimes the bullets will vary that much.
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Old 07-10-2012, 08:50 AM
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Mike about 20 of your bullets for length. You will find that they vary in length. I used a LEE press for 30 years with no ill effects.
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Old 07-10-2012, 12:30 PM
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Dmax,

Yes, the tolerance between the turret and the sleeve causes the turret to raise up a little bit each time the ram is at its highest point. But that would not account for the variation in OAL, since the tolerance and ram travel is constant. I hope you haven't bought another press. I doubt very much that that is the problem.

Did you use Lee dies in both presses, or did the rcbs press have their dies with it? If you have Lee dies, and they're still made the same as when I bought mine several years ago, they have an O-ring on one side of the locking nut. I'm thinking that your problem lies here. I remember that the nut, and consequently the die, would not stay tight for me when I put the O-ring side down as per the instructions. This would throw the die out of proper adjustment with repeated use and cause several problems, one of which you have experienced. The solution was to turn the nut over so that the O-ring side was UP, and tighten the locking nut with a wrench. This kept the die from slowly turning out of adjustment, and I haven't had any problem since.

The Lee dies are also a little difficult to tighten on the turrets, since there is little room to get a wrench on them. But I was able to tighten them sufficiently to keep them from loosening up.

Best wishes,
Andy
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Old 07-10-2012, 01:15 PM
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If the turret plate is moving (mine does) it is going to move the same distance each time the handle is cycled. Clearance for ease of movement is built in and will stay the same from round to round...
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Old 07-10-2012, 03:12 PM
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You want to really screw with your head? Weigh each bullet you use.

I just loaded 50 .38's on my Lee Classic Turret. Love that thing. Very Ron Popeil.
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Old 07-10-2012, 03:31 PM
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I just finished 3000 9mm's on my Lee classic turrent. I cant begin to tell you how many rounds mine has loaded. Keep them clean and the die block lubed and they run perfect.
Like everyone else has said, check your OAL of the bullets, you will be surprised.
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Old 07-10-2012, 06:46 PM
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Like said above, they all move and the turret will move the same distance every time so once you get it set there will be no more variation than with other presses.

Did you buy the Deluxe Turret or Classic Turret press? (Classic is Cast Iron)
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Old 07-11-2012, 09:58 PM
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I have the deluxe turret press. I only have one set of .45acp dies and those are the Lees. maybe i was overreacting on this...I just like everything i do to be the same. I really dont like change in anything and sometimes(more times than others) it can be the downside of me.
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Old 07-12-2012, 01:54 AM
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Too bad you didn't ask us first, the Classic press is a much better tool than the Deluxe press. It's base is Cast Iron, the ram is twice as thick, the linkage is stronger and the Classic turret press handles spent primers much better...
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Old 07-12-2012, 09:01 PM
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The LCT was my 1st press. I have a XL650 now and I still load smaller batches of magnum stuff and 308 on the LCT. Still really like that press.
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Old 07-12-2012, 09:18 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ArchAngelCD View Post
Too bad you didn't ask us first, the Classic press is a much better tool than the Deluxe press. It's base is Cast Iron, the ram is twice as thick, the linkage is stronger and the Classic turret press handles spent primers much better...
before i started reloading i started a thread awhile back. I did not know there was a difference in the two....oh well lol
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Old 07-12-2012, 09:48 PM
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I agree with the guys who say look at the bullet lenth. I use the Lee Classic Turret and have seen the same thing. COL will vary occasionally up AND down. I have found that if I concentrate on making a full up stroke when seating the bullet, that helped my COL stay more consistent.
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Old 07-12-2012, 10:12 PM
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Not much of a concern with handgun ammo. Mine typically vary about .006". I own both presses and they work fine. The improved primer collection on the cast iron press is a nice feature.
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Old 07-14-2012, 05:03 AM
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The length of the bullet will have zero to do with the COL. The seating die has no idea how long the bullet is or how much is in the case.

.008" variation can be from the O rings as mentioned before, built up lube or crud on the seating punch, or slight variations in bullet profile. A primer standing proud can do it too.
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