Do any of you use either the lee classic or value turret presses?

I'm using a 30+ year old lee single, it gets tiresome loading 100 or more at a time, I spread it out over a couple days, but I don't shoot enough to warrant spending the big bucks on a progressive press. And I don't want a ton of shell plates and whatnot laying around.

I like how either of these can index auto or manual and seem relatively simple. So, what's your guys opinions?

I had been wanting to start reloading for several years but was too lazy to research and gather all the neccesities. This past July I decided to go ahead and order a Lee value 4 hole turret press kit. I had zero experience with reloading and it was very easy to set up, so I'm sure with your experience with the single stage you would have no problem. I have so far only loaded 357 mag and plan to start loading 44 Mag next. No issues. Seems very durable. I can't really compare it to anything since it's the only reloading I've done, so hopefully someone else comes along with more help.

I started on a used Lyman "Spar-T" Turret press (6 hole) and used it until it feel apart *8 or 10 years of constant use. I have a Redding T-7 Turret I bought new now. It will probably last 2 to 3 generations of loaders.

I have seen various aluminum presses by Lee that were worn out and no Longer square and centered from relatively short use (probably never got cleaned or lubed.)

While loading presses are very simple machines, if you buy these cheap ones and don't do maintenance, you end up with worse than nothing!

Ivan

The major benefit of the Lee Classic turret is that once the dies are set up you don"t have to change them as you do with a single stage. My Classic turret is set up to self rotate with every handle throw as well as delivering a powder charge. It's not a progressive but very convenient.

I loaded for years on the original 3 hole Lee turret press. I updated it to a 4 hole turret and used it until I got the Classic Cast version that I use today.

I use them in single stage mode. It’s great to leave all your dies setup and drop them in. I have 4 deluxe auto disc measures that I leave setup on frequently loaded calibers, so it’s drop in install the proper shellholder and load. I’ve compared runout on rifle rounds and found the classic cast turret to equal any single stage I’ve used.

I still have two single stage presses and one progressive. I use the turret most.

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GOA
USA Shooting Supporter

I use a lee turret and I like it alot... I load approximately 50 to 100 a night an have loaded about 5k since May this year!!

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This is the way....

I don't use anything Lee.

Started on a used RCBS Rock Chucker I got for a nominal fee from a friend. That looks like 50 years old and I don't see how that can wear out in another 50. Use it for rifle now but all pistol calibers in the beginning. Great way to learn and not that slow really once you got a plan.

All pistol now on my Dillons 440 and 550. The 440 was at least 35 years or so old when I got it and it runs like brand new even after 10s of thousands rounds. The 550 the same. At times I need a part but Dillon is legendary in supporting even these old machines I have.

A few years ago, I bought a Lee 4 hole turret press. It's the one where the primers fall thru the ram into a long plastic tube. I like that feature! I did away with the auto turn and manually turn the die holder. I use a Lee bench primer to seat primers and it also performs great. I do clean the press every few weeks especially the ram and oil the rotating parts.

I load all handgun ammo on a 1960s Texan turret press. If you're loading small batches, a turret press is as versatile as a single stage tool. If you're loading more than small batches, it's certainly slower than a progressive machine, but not nearly as slow as some believe and you can see and examine everything easily, including powder charge, every step of the way. It's all very simple.

I've had four progressives over many years, but always keeping and often using the Texan turret. I found the progressives offered no real advantage for my needs loading five or six different handgun cartridges. I load for around twenty rifle cartridges but use a single stage Co-Ax press for such work, though a turret press would likely work fine.

I probably average loading no more than a thousand handgun rounds per month. However, if you're shooting a lot, a progressive press may be the way to go. If you're in a hurry, or think you're in a hurry, or just enjoy gadgetry, a progressive tool may have a certain appeal unmatched by a turret press and there's nothing wrong with that if you're an experienced handloader. It's not for beginners and it's a poor way to learn handloading.

Bear with me, I only have a single-stage Lee, and book-learnin' on the others.

If I'm reading your comment right, you are finding it tiresome loading 100+ rounds. With a single-stage, best case is 3 passes of 1 pull per round, so 100 rounds = 300 pulls, plus taking the case in and out of the holder each pass, so 300 times of doing that.

On a progressive, you could do that 100 rounds with what, 102 pulls I think? And 100 times putting the case in. Quite a benefit.

Getting a turret, you would have to do... 300 pulls, and 100 times putting the case in.

The only thing the turret saves you (besides die setup, which I find minimal) is that you can do all three steps on one round without removing the case from the holder. But unless you autorotate, you add the effort to rotate the head for each step. 300 times!

Autorotating... don't the Lee's come with 4 holes? So to avoid having to add an extra reset pull to get the first die around, you will have to set up with 4 dies and do 4 pulls per round. Or 3 pulls and one 'reset' pull.

So:

Single-stage = 300 pulls, 300 swaps.

Turret = 400 pulls, 100 swaps.

Progressive = 102 pulls, 100 swaps.

I don't think a turret is going to save you much work.

I used the original 3 hole turret when it came out in the 80's and added the auto index feature, it was a godsend from my RCBS single stage. I used that press till I wore out the auto index! I upgraded to the Lee 4 hole Classic Cast Turret and couldn't be happier. With the Safety Prime and Auto Disc measure, I can load 100 rounds in about 20 minutes without being in a hurry. You get a finished round with 4 pulls of the handle and you can remove each round at any point before it's finished. I use a Lee Classic Cast single stage for rifle rounds (223 & 308). I also have a new Lee Auto Breech Lock press which I am still tweaking out; as well as 4 Lee Pro 1000's.

I think you'd be very happy with the Lee turret press, I would suggest the Classic Cast over the Value turret, just because I think the Classic Cast is a more robust made press. Changeovers only takes a couple minutes and easy to get set up. Best of luck and let us know your decision :-)

Unlike my cast-iron, 20-lb Herter's Number 3 single-stage press I still use for all my reloading.

When I started reloading and casting bullets about 1975, I bought the latest and greatest that Pacific had to offer. Loaded thousands of pistol rounds, several hundred rifle, and thousands of shotgun rounds. The only problems I had were operator error.

About 5 years ago, I bought a Lee Classic Turret and still use it today. I kept all my old (but not outdated) single stage equipment. I load 9 mm and other pistol cartridges on the Lee, and all rifle cartridges on the old stuff. I'd get rid of the Lee before I would my old reliable Pacific equipment. They all work for me.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

I bought a 3 hole lee turret in 1987. I upgraded to a 4 hole when the kits came out. It sits next to a Rockchucker so it isn't my only use press. I keep the ratchets in for most reloading tasks, especially pistols. I use a Lyman electronic scale and dispenser so that makes pouring the powder through easy. I will say that occasionally lubing the turrets and shaft with a drop of STP or other oils eases operation a lot. i was going to go to a progressive when I wear this out but it will probably outlive me.

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Front sight and squeeze

Not the amount of handle pulls, changing dies every time, brass in and out of the shell holder, potential to knock over a case while waiting to seat bullets, etc. If anything, I'd be happy not handling brass as much. Sorry for not making that clearer.

So, from what I'm reading, just maintain the thing and I'm fine. I think all I'd need is press and priming system for it.
I have the safety prime that uses the die on top and ramrod, but that won't work for one of these. It would, but.

Thank you all very much

I've used a Dillon SDB for 20 years, I only load pistol.

Carbide dies, all staged up = one pull, one round, pretty simple

I've used the Lee Progressive 1000 (I believe) for years now. The first thing I discounted on it was the auto prime feature. After having powder all over the place a few times I bought a hand primer (now an RCBS) for that job. Once they get older they do get finicky. Let's face it, things wear out. I keep mine running just for the fact it's not a single stage. My old powder measure (which sits atop the charging die) died so I bought a new one they designed (finicky as well). I'm not super happy with it as you often have to take it apart to clean it (ball powders) so it doesn't start dumping powder around. However, mine is obviously older and needs much more tender loving care.

Starting out Lee products are great, especially their pistol dies with the carbide inserts.

I'll try loading for the bench guns on whatever I buy, but I'm perfectly content loading them on the single, they have dedicated dies just for them.

This is for 10mm, 44, 41, and 223 beer can and golf ball ammo. What's bad is I have more fun doing that than shooting holes in paper.

I really started considering a turret after sizing, trimming, priming, powdering, seating bullets, and crimping 100 44 specials, I sized and trimmed 250 total 44 specials, fully loaded 100. Trimming takes forever, but I'm not doing that very often.

I'm in that spot of shooting enough that a single stage takes forever, but not enough to justify a progressive. I'm not at the range for hours on end multiple days a week, rarely is it more than one day a week.

Lyman All American. One for each caliber.

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started reloading in 1988 with a Lee 3 hole turret press then went to a Lee progressive press how I use a Lyman American 8 hole press, I like it because I can put 2 different die sets on one turret. Not in as big of a hurry to reload as I used to be..

Well, case prep is a whole 'nother can of worms! Once you get all the case prep done, that's when the turret press will benefit you. When you are ready to load the ammo, with 100 primers in the safety prime and the powder measure set up for charge and filled with powder; 20 minutes later you will have 100 rounds for the range. I've never tried loading 223 on my turret press, so no comments there. But for all your pistol calibers, no problem.
You can remove the auto-index rod and use as a single stage, or manually turn the die turret. IMO, a turret is the best compromise between a single stage and full progressive press.

I have 2 ,A Older Model that was Originally a 3 hole & a New Classic Turret Press,I converted the 3 hole to a 4 hold using Lee’s Conversion Kit (now discontinued) Indexing on the 4 hole is improved & more positive that was the only issue I had with the 3 hole was Auto Indexing was trouble prone, All My Dies 11 or so sets are all in Turrets Ready to go caliber changes are very fast & Turret Press-is fast enough for My needs nothing is going so fast that it’s harder to keep track of


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I've never appreciated a real big advantage to a turret press. Dies used on any press are set once the lock ring is fixed with a set screw. If you load in stages the dies are changed out once in a batch. I can see how loading one cartridge through an entire decap-size-expand-prime-charge-seat-crimp cycle could be done on a turret by spinning the shell plate after every operation, but I don't think they are really made for high volume wear on the spindle like this. There's just no time saving by spinning the shell plate before each operation. I know many load like this, and more power to them, but I don't find it difficult or time consuming to unscrew and screw on a die every 50 rounds or however large the batch is. Maybe I'd think otherwise if all I ever did was 10 round batches.

I do the same with my 4-turret Classic. I typically will, in separate steps:

• prime all brass (after tumbling/cleaning)
• drop the appropriate powder & check random on RCBS 505 scale. Favor the LEE "adjustable charge bar" Trickle rifle charges
• set bullet and crimping if/when needed

Personally, I have found this to be the best to keep "me" exacting in my reloading. Your experience may vary...

However, I do go back to the ultimate +10 factor, and that is keeping all of my/your dies on one turret and only changing turrets when changing calibers.

FWIW, repeating and perfecting ONE step at a time, sequenced, is easier than perfecting THREE or FOUR steps in sequence... Just sayin'...

BTW, I only reload for:

1. Remington .222
2. .223 -NATO
3. .38
4. .38+P
5. 357 Magnum
6. 9mm Luger

The best thing about this is that I am only reloading three(3) calibers of bullets for six guns, AND I only use three powders(H322, N105, HS6). That is unless I start messing with lighter bullets, types, etc. I have ONLY varied the bullets, not the powders. MUCH less confusing and easier to transfer/shift as the need arises in a caliber. Case in point, I ordered way too many 53gr .222 MatchKings for my bolt action Remington #722 (like 4k). Realizing the mistake, I acquired a S&W Sport II in .223 Remington and all is solved. I just had to pick up another 2k of brass for the .223. At least "Brass" is still available at a reasonable price$.

I already have all the powder, primers, bullets that I need, so this was an easy long term fix/transfer of materials...

If you do your reloading in batches of brass a turret press is a good thing. By batches I mean; size and deprime a few hundred, set new primers with a hand primer, then dump powder and seat bullets a few at a setting! A turret press will be very handy for you! I found an old Herter's cast iron
6 hole turret press. This allows you 3 rifle die sets or 2 pistol die sets, ready to go! I have seen more of these presses at gun shows for about $35.00! The one problem is the shell holder which can be fix by buying a C&H shell holder adapter.
jcelect

The only advantage I have found is that my powder drops are MORE consistent after spinning in the turret (using an adjustable charge bar). Just my $0.02...

I started with a Lee single, it was just fine. I began shooting more, and purchased a Lee classic turret, I found the upgrade fantastic. Much less handling and die set-up, I was loading 4 calibers. I couldn’t have been happier !

Then my wife started shooting with me and we started traveling for half of the year. During my time home I now needed to load 600 per week. At this point I purchased a progressive press. Now I’m spoiled. But until my substantial increase in loading requirements, the Lee turret was just what I needed.

Will

Using a Lee turrent press is where I learned to cuss..........

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S&W Accumulator

I bought both of my sons a Cast Classic kit and extras for the cartridges that they shoot . Don't expect either of them to need to be replaced .Highly recommend you buy one of these instead of something much more expensive and spend the savings on components if you can find them .

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Grumpy Old Man With a Gun

Over the years I found that I don't reload to save money. If you are still using that excuse, you need to find another. :-)

I reload because I enjoy it, and can shoot a LOT more because of the cost savings per round. Since I am much older now, I enjoy shooting just as much, but I don't care if I only shoot 50 rounds instead of 500. I can change my powder chg. weight, bullets, etc, just because I want to. I can't remember when I bought factory loads except for 22 LR.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

Correction 6388rds across 7 calibers on the lee turret... setting up to load at least another 5beans of my favorite .40s&w( yea I said it hahahaha)

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This is the way....

I have been using the Lee Classic cast turret press for 25 years, each set of dies are mounted in there own turret; that makes it easy to change calibers. I have changed some plastic parts a few times, I did send back a powder measure for a rebuild, a chunk if case medal broke off charged me a few bucks fixed like new. Keep it clean, and clean the dies your good to go. I could not afford to buy one of the higher priced press and and assorted tools, Lee was in my price range, when I could afford the blue, orange, green I knew the Lee stuff was good quality.

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Carpriver.

I just did a search on eBay for Texan Turret Press. There's one on there. Guess how much it is......$600.00. Wow.

I use a 50's vintage Lyman tru-line junior, a 60's vintage Lyman All-American and a Redding T-7 that I acquired last year.

I still recommend the LCT to new reloaders. I do all my rifle cartridges on one and wouldn't change unless I was needing high volume. I still think Lee makes the better mousetrap for low-volume reloading.

Any turret is a step up in production over a ss press, but you still do the same amount of work. One of the key diff in a progressive, 3/4 the work to produce each round.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

Dfish1247,

I started reloading about 50 years ago on a used Lyman Spartan single stage. I still have that press and a few others scattered around the bench.
When I started shooting more and wanted more reloads, I got a Lee progressive 1000 (and another used one at a flea market) and thought it was great. I reload 10 different handgun calibers and having the dies all set up in the turrets helped a lot.
I bought the Lee classic turret, when Midway had it on sale, for 2 reasons:
1) It's heavier and sturdier than the progressive and you're working only one case at a time with it. I find that very beneficial for the larger, longer cases (.45 Colt, .44 magnum, etc.). Maybe more handle pulls, but they're way less effort.
2) It uses a 4 hole turret so now there's room for my factory crimp dies that I previously used in a single stage as a separate step.
The progressive is still used, set up with the case feeder and universal decapping die for resizing/decapping large batches after tumbling.
I prime with a hand tool, usually while on the sofa watching TV.
That's my system and it works well for me. I really like the classic turret press.

George

I think I'll grab the classic turret. Should be fine for .44 and .357.

Seems like too good of a deal to pass up. I don't need a lot of bells and whistles, and other stuff to tear up. Thank you all for the info.

I use the Lee pro 1,000 progressive presses for handgun calibers. I have three 1000 presses, one Lee master reloaded progresive press for some rifles (308/30-06) the Lee turret press for other rifle calibers. A single lee press for decapping. A rcbs for loading singly. I purchased all the die holders and shell plates to change calibers quickly. I’m wanting to weld up a indexing table for all the presses to be mounted on. Like a octagon maybe bigger. Go for the progressive press I did 6 k of 45acp very fast. With four shooters shooting paper ammo doesn’t last long.

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Plant garlic in the fall

I'm 75, most of my life I loaded on a single stage press(RCBS JR), then a Lyman turret, now days mostly on a Dillon 550B. Still use the Lyman for test loads and rifles. I have 4 turrets for it and could use a 5th. I use the 550 for 9MM, .38 and .45. Lyman for everything else. I processed the cases in batches before the Dillon. Size, deprime and bell, then the tumbler, then prime the cases. With the cases ready to load it didn't take very long to knock out 100 to 200 rounds. With the Dillon, I tumble them, then right on the Dillon, every pull a loaded round falls in the bin. Love it!

I've been loading on a Lee Classic Turret since 2009. Love it. Plenty fast for my needs.

I keep my dies in their own 4 hole turrets so changing calibers is a breeze.

It can be made into a single stage very easily if you desire.

The accessories are generally plastic & kind of cheesy but mostly work. Lee's new safety prime system (with the square tray) is utter garbage. I tossed it & prime off the press. The old round tray style worked great.