Cherry pick. The Lee scale is pure krap. So a better scale & the new upgraded measure are well worth the $$. It may cost a few $$ more but again, too many focus on cost & not what they are trying to achieve. Go cheap on a press is fine, but get a quality scale & measure. When dealing with fast pistol powders, the diff between mild & wild can be 1/2gr. Some powders will pressure spike going just 2-3/10gr over max.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

I agree 100%. The Lee scale is accurate enough but it is very hard to read and too sensitive to use if there is air moving in the room. Fast target powder in a small pistol case needs a good scale.
The Pro Auto Disc is great with some powders like HP38 and awful with others like Unique, especially with light target loads. I hope that the new Auto Drum measure solves this problem.

I do all my priming by hand and don't use Lee's safety prime at all. Is there any reason I need to use a riser with the Auto drum then?

I hand prime, but use the pro auto and do not need the riser. That said I may get it some day anyway, the added clearance might make things easier.

Mine too....

I was a long time hand prime user and have used the Lee and the RCBS with the shell holder. I did not like the Lee because it lacked leverage. I needed to replace my old RCBS so I did with the universal version which worked like the original but occasionally it would throw a case a primer so I returned it and picked up the Lee Safety prime. To my surprise it works quite nicely but needed to get into a new rhythm by not using already primed brass. The only downside I see is it will not load my last two primers because the feed goes parallel and no gravity.

See what you started jmick? Bet you didn't think your original post would lead to two pages:P.

Full disclosure with the safety prime: the instructions say not to put more than 100 primers in at a time, but I find that 200 small pistol primers work just fine and the extra weight makes it swing back out of the way crisply. I almost never let it run down to those last two.

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Trucks and guns.

Hahahaha!! No I didn't... But I've gotten a lot of information from y'all. And I'm confident in getting a lee classic turret press! Thanks guys! Guess now I got to figure out where to start with powder, primers, brass etc.

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"Protected by Shield"

I have been loading on my classic cast for maybe 2 years now? Several thousand rounds easily.

I use a Lyman d5 scale and occasionally an rcbs 10-10 if I feel like setting it up. I've had luck with the old Lee auto disc (not pro), and have it on my 9mm turret. I have a uniflow mounted with case activation on my 38/357 that works wonderfully. It's a little heavy and if you are throwing the turret handle too fast it can over rotate but once you get the hang of the weight its second nature to just keep rowing. I'd love to have one like it for every caliber I load.

I have a second uniflow mounted on the bench if I'm doing batch loads or loading something besides my 9mm or 38/357 turrets that have measures mounted. I have the large cylinder in it though and am looking around for someone to trade me their small.

I also have an extra turret set up to do odds and ends like a universal decapping die (I wet tumble and like to de prime first), a bullet puller, and an auto prime 2 where I do just about all my priming. I don't have that swinging primer thing but would like to try it one day. Just haven't decided to spend any money on it.

All in all I haven't had any problems. I welded up a stand for it out of old stretcher parts (I work in a hospital), and I built a reverse rotation rod for it but never made the case kicker thingy mobober so I have the regular rotation one on it.

The real question is if I were starting over would I buy it again? I'd probably buy something like the Dillon BL550 or a used progressive from one of the other makers. It's not much more and I would buy a cheap Lee single stage for decapping and other nonsense. NOTHING against the Lee whatsoever. It keeps up with my amount of shooting, however I have a decade old seperated shoulder that has been acting up a LOT lately and it's painful to pull the handle sometimes. I'm only 34 and it's only going to get worse. As much as I enjoy reloading the shoulder is making me wish one pull, one round.

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Jim

I love my LCT. Solid press. Keep an extra one of the square ratchet pieces.
I add a different pull lever, from inline fabrication. Made it easier to crank the lever, as I have to stand when I load.
All in all, the LCT is a great value.

I really like that turret tray you have there. I have some Brazilian Cherry stashed away that might get made into one of those

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Trucks and guns.

You can reload rifle calibers with the LCT correct? Is there anything special you have to do to set it up for that besides buying the dies?

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"Protected by Shield"

Thanks! I'm sure yours will be about 100x nicer than mine! I got tired of the turrets bouncing around so I grabbed a piece of particle board from a junky old desk I was throwing away and traced a turret. 10 min later is what you see. oh yeah I had a dowel laying around that I cut small pieces to fit inside the center of the turrets to keep them a little sturdier. I'll make a better one one day. Kind of embarrassed to show that one actually! And now that I look at it the place looks like a mess. Time to go clean...

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Jim

You can load rifle. Nothing extra to buy for the press, just rifle dies and if you are loading something like 223 with the auto indexer you want a rifle charging die. For rifle you will need a trimmer, chamfer tool, various other items for rifle. It's a lot more involved than pistol usually. Just read up on that. I load 22-250 on mine it works great. Plenty of headroom to load long rifle cases.

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Trucks and guns.

I have mine hung on peg hooks but there is plenty of room behind my press to put a tray like that. I'll have to take my decapping pin off my drill press and actually use it to drill something for once:P

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Trucks and guns.

You can get away with no riser if you don't use the safety prime. The interference without it is between the powder measure and the primer tray. I've also gotten away with one riser IF the powder /flaring die is seated high enough and the powder hopper is positioned inboard to miss the primer system. It's one of those things that you don't know until you set up that particular die set.
At $7 each, It's just easier to plan on two risers and be done with it.. FWIW, I like the extra height and positioning options on the powder hopper that comes with the double risers as I seem to get even more consistent powder charges. I'm guessing it has something to do with the extra shaking the hopper gets settles the powder more uniformly. Can't prove that last statement but it works for me.

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Dave

Awesome! I plan on loading 9mm and 32 Winchester special to start. Then see where it goes from there.

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"Protected by Shield"

The Lee Classic Turret is a great press. There is nothing"Cheap" about the press . Some use the word cheap when inexpensive would be more accurate . I load Quit a few different calibers on it and have had no problems with it. I feel it can't be beat for the price. I have loaded 30-06 on it with no issues. You can out put 125 -150 rounds an hour easily. Not everyone needs a $450 to $1000 dollar press or sits down to load 500 or more rounds at once. If you have that requirement this is not the press for you. (IMHO)

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Not so Free in the Free State

A couple of years ago I bought a used one at a LG in Ashland, Ky.for 10 dollars. Had to buy 8 three hole plates but use it often and really like it I disabled the progressive link. Now I use my Lyman 6 hole turret for priming or special functions only. And yes I will always use my Lee crimp dies.

My 2 cents:

I've often considered if the Lee Classic Turret would be of benefit to me and the way I reload. After cleaning my pistol brass, I deprime/resize in batches, usually 500 at a time. Then later, as time allows, I prime the batch. Then later, as time allows, I expand the batch. All on a single stage press.

Then when ready, I charge with a Lyman 55 on the bench, checking with a RCBS 505, and then seat and crimp. At the last step, I can usually, charge, seat/crimp/post size 100 rounds in a little over a hour. And all that seems to work for me and my shooting needs for .45 ACP and .38/.357.

If I could use the turret (which is the kind of money I'd spend), to combine or speed up some operation, I'd likely go for it. But so far, I'm pretty content with what I have.

I bit the "bullet" and ordered one today, not the kit, I peace mealed together an order. Thanks so much to all of you who helped me spend my money. :-)

This is all well & good if you have nothing but free time. In the time it takes to pull the handle on any one of those operations, 500x, that woyld be 500 completed rds of ammo. Too many reloaders look at cost alone & forget the time element, not to mention workload. Just food for thought, why i woud recommend a Dillon 550 for a few $$ more.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

Its a good press, you'll enjoy it.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

OK, so the $1 mill question : HOW did you get the RCBS drum charger to work in unison with the LEE CT ?? That is sweet !

I hope I don't side track this thread again, since it is so informative. I was looking on utube at the classic press and found a thread showing a similar setup. It's called Classic maintenance and lube or something similar. This guy has a bracket mounted on the rear screw, looks very similar. It should work with several powder drops.

Have a blessed day.

I did a trial piece with a 24" cedar 2x4. 6 spots for turrets @ 4" per slot. Really nice to get them down off my pegboard. I might even make brackets and turn it into a turret shelf. Slick.

Mike

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Trucks and guns.

For handgun loads, I have never used anything else. I had to replace my powder hopper because the screw holes broke. $5 part. It does everything I need it to do. I use all 4 die carbide sets. Load .38, 9mm, .40, 45ACP, & 45Colt. Makes me happy. Bob

I have the same setup. RCBS Uniflow with case activated linkage kit. Case Activated Linkage Kit - RCBS

Available at all the usual suspects.

Little tricky if you prime on the press, you will need to make sure the Uniflow clears the safety prime. But once you set it up, you are good to go.

I started with a Lee Classic Turret press over 30 years ago. I used it as a single stage until i knew what I was doing. Then I used it as a full turret press and was able to load about 300 rds an hour with it. I loaded 45acp, 45 Colt, and 5.56 on it for 12 years. They work very well for a very reasonable price!!

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gunfighter48
NRA Life Member

I used the Hornady linkage and installed a PTX (powder through expander inside), because I expand and charge in the same operation. Once set up it runs like a clock. It meters unique better than my bench mounted uniflow. I believe the rotation helps settle the powder.

Edit: forgot to add that when I bought the Hornady linkage I also bought the stop which can be seen on the side. It cover the linkage where the spring pulls the measure back down after a case is charged. What it does is take stress off of the linkage when using the measure to expand brass too. It's used to adjust flare and it bottoms out before the adjuster on the drum touches the main housing of the measure. I believe the Hornady kits now come with that stop included.

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Jim

Looks great Mike! I'm in the process of moving everything from my tiny bench over to a 6' one and I'll be making a nicer one myself. Making yours into a shelf would be great.

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Jim

Did I miss it or did you tell what is the red "post" thing that press is mounted to?

If you're talking about my press it's old hospital stretcher parts welded up to make a riser and bin holder. Keeps the linkage from blocking the top drawer on my bench.

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Jim

What about the Lee Loadmaster? Anybody have or have had one? Better/worse than the classic? I like how the classic can become a single stage to do rifle, wasn't sure if you can do the same with the loadmaster.

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"Protected by Shield"

No personal experience but I've heard mixed reviews. Most seem to center around the priming system.

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Jim

I started out with a single stage loaded many rounds with it than switched to a lee load master never really got it to work properly. I got back into reloading after a divorce lost a lot of my guns but in the last few year im building back. I load at a lot of presses and got the turret press and im glad I did its not progressive but close enough to put out nice ammo if you do your part. I would make buy one again.

That's the problem I've been reading with them too. But wanted to get opinions from people in here. I trust S&W folks a little more

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"Protected by Shield"

Thanks! The turret still seems to be the way to go. Not progressive, but more dependable.

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"Protected by Shield"

The Lee Classic Cast Turret is my favorite press. I do not use the auto index. On my bench it's a handy "quick change" single stage press.

For straight wall cases I still load using trays of 50 or 100. I resize, hand prime, case mouth expand/charge and visually inspect the tray full of charged cases, then seat and crimp.

I use powders with good load densities.

Never suffered a squib using this method.

Change shell holder, drop in another preloaded turret and I'm loading my next caliber.

I load some of my rifle ammo on the same press, but most rifle loads are handled on a single stage. Case prep is extensive.

I'm much too anal to trust any progressive. I'll take quality and peace of mind over speed every time.

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GOA
USA Shooting Supporter

My sentiment exactly...

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-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

What single stage do you use for rifle?

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"Protected by Shield"

FWIW, I have no problems reloading rifle cals like 30 carbine, 223 Rem , 300 blackout and 308 Win on my LCT. Most are done in auto index mode if I'm in production vs load development mode.

Also FWIW, I do have a Lee Classic Single stage that gets used now and then for low rate load development.

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Dave

I load for my 22-250 on my lct and have used the auto-index. If I'm doing a run of reduced or medium loads for just spanking steel or knocking golf balls around at 150 yards it works fine. If I want to make some custom stuff that will split hairs at 200+ yards at high velocities I take out the indexing rod and use it like a single stage. It is very versatile in that respect. I have heard that some progressive presses can be set up to do this but I have no experience with it.

Lubing rifle cases is a little different when using the auto-index. You aren't pulling them off the press and cleaning the lube off (or out) before dropping powder. Have to be careful not to get lube inside the case. I like hornady unique or imperial wax for that job.

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Trucks and guns.

Good point. I should add to my post above that I'm also loading range ammo in those calibers when running with the auto index. It comes out fine for most uses but is not match grade. Since there is a little play in the turret, I go to either my single stage or C clamp the turret with auto index removed when I want to tighten OAL specs.
BTW, when I am in auto index mode for rifle loading, I use one shot brand lube as it doesn't have to be cleaned off between stages. That allows me to run the press right through from sizing to finished round.

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Dave

I started about 30 years ago with a Rock Chucker. After using the Lee Classic Cast Turret for a while I bought one of the Classic Cast Single Stage presses.

I've owned and used Lyman, several RCBS presses including their Turret type, and I admit to preferring the Lee Classic Cast over them all.

One major factor is the Lee press doesn't cam over at the top of the stroke. A feature that simply serves no purpose for me. It only makes seat and crimp tuning more tedious than necessary.

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GOA
USA Shooting Supporter

Finally received the Classic Turret with Auto powder measure, which worked as advertised. Also the Safety Primer feed, which looks flimsy but also worked. The primer feed is a molded piece of plastic that I took a razor knife and a file and deburred it, and it works much better. Loaded a few .357's and most, if not all, of the problems were the operator's.

My honest opinion is the Lee Classic 4 hole Turret Press is A+. I get about 125 rounds in an hour (already cleaned brass) and those are watched at each stage of the process rounds. My preference is to watch each round being fully reloaded before moving on to the next round. I've had no problems other than my occasionaly, 'Short stroking' the pull. That is what spare 'Square rachet' plastic piece (50 cents) is for. It is easy to change out. I load 9mm, .38/.357 magnum, .44 Spl/.44 magnum, .30 Carbine, and 30-06 (collet neck sizing only) with this press. I am very happy with it.

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Hook686

I'm in my 2nd year with mine, she's runs great. I've loaded quiet a bit of 45 colt, haven't had a problem yet. I'm not in the least bit hurry, so I just plug along and load what my back will let me load. I have health issues and some times my back won't let me load long, only thing I've found is it won't meter power pistol powder to what the manual calls for, but your powder may do just fine..

Another advantage of the Lee Classic is that the length of stroke is easily adjustable. As all I load are handgun rounds and .223 just used an adel clamp on the ram to stop down travel then adjusted the handle for a nice short short stroke. Full leverage maintained.

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-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

That's one of the things I like about the Lee. Being able to load handgun and rifle on same press.

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"Protected by Shield"