Many thanks to all who responded to my post. I really appreciate all of the insights and wanted to post what I have done (so far). I don't have all of the components to actually load anything yet but the missing supplies are (reportedly) on the way.

My objective was to have a LOT of control over the process and to minimize the chance of making mistakes. I made the choices I did in order to:

1. Minimize die removal and reseating by setting up turrets for each cartridge type and leaving them (mostly) set
2. Allow expansion into more features as my experience grows
3. Give me tight control over powder

Here's what I've ordered (so far!!!):

1. Lee Classic 4-hole press bare (no kit components--includes one turret)
2. Three extra turrets
3. 2 sets EACH of 38/357 and 44/44 Mag dies for my four turrets with four cartridge lengths
4. The Lee funnel for pouring powder through the sizing die
5. A balance scale AND a digital scale
6. A trickle powder dispenser
7. 4 sets of color coded lock rings plus wrench
8. A boatload of cartridge components including brass, powder, primers, and bullets. So far only have primers for 38 spl and 44 spl as the magnum primers weren't available from my local source. (Had to mail order for unprimed brass and got a supply of all calibers as shipping was free if the order was large enough.)
9. Scale check weights
10. Loading book

I intend to hand place primers in the loading levers and to hand weigh powder to start. This set-up allows me to add capability if my rate of production becomes unsatisfactory (can't imagine it will). I may add .45 ACP and 9 mm if components become cheap enough but for now recovering brass is problematic and I have a lot of pre-pandemic rounds for both calibers. I may start loading .308.

So, that's what I've done so far. I was willing to spend some extra money to achieve my objectives. I'm looking forward to seeing how my reloading goes, though I may be trying to figure out how to fire off the first few rounds while closing my eyes and putting fingers in both ears.

Thanks again to all.

You'll enjoy it.

In case you missed it, the best $30 I spent on my Lee Classic Turret press was to add UFO LED lighting kit made by KMS squared. It will allow you to more easily visually check powder level in each case after the powder drop. Their customer service is outstanding. When the adhesive failed on my first LED strip, I called and they had a free replacement in the mail to me the same day.

This is what I use.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

Another nice set-up. :thumb-up:

I have around 12 4 hole turrets. 8 or 9 of them have dedicated calibers and I rotate through the other three when I reload some rifle calibers I don't often shoot. I find that leaving the die nut in the same place gets me very near the adjustment set up I need when the new dies are inserted.
Biggest advantage to the turret for me is the minimal set up with the turrets.

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Front sight and squeeze

I have five turrets for my Lyman T-Mag Turret. That gives me 10 calibers in those five turrets. Less fuss and muss when changing calibers. Sometimes the bolt that holds the head on and a shell holder. Sometimes just the shell holder. I do not reload rifle, but if I did that would give me 15 calibers in the five turrets. No adjustments once the heads are set up.

To each their own, that is why there are so many manufacturers.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

I currently have two 4 hole Lee Turret presses. Both are equipped with the UFO lighting LED kit - big improvement. I have spares for the plastic square and the piece that surrounds it which is also plastic because they wear out and break unexpectedly and then you have to wait for a delivery - or in my case, just take one out of a drawer and install it.

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S&WHF #946
S&WCA #3824

No plastic or aluminum in my presses. After I broke a Dillon Frame on a Square Deal B, I swore off aluminum.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

It can be set to use as a manually operated turret press or as a progressive , your choice. I set both sons up with a cast classic press kit apiece and the dies and case trimmers to match what they shoot. They work like a charm but the primer feed is a bit fiddly to get it setup correctly. Once you got it set it works fine but getting there can require a bit of patience.


PS: Never had the first issue with Lee over service even when I broke my round tray priming tool due to my fault. They replaced it and told me not to squeeze so hard, no charge.

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Grumpy Old Man With a Gun

I have an older Lyman turret press. My only question about the Lee turret press is whether or not the turret head can flex when you resize. My Lyman has an adjustment to reduce deflection as much as possible.

I use the turret press for pistol load development. Step 1: Resize/de-prime, then bell case mouth 2: prime 3: load powder 4: seat bullets and crimp. Turning the turret for more than 2 or 3 dies just didn’t work for me, but this is great.

Which Lyman? Spar-T or the T-Mag? Have had both.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

The All American had an adjustable rod on the back to stop flex as did the Tru Line Jr. Don't think either the Spar-t or T-Mag did.

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Grumpy Old Man With a Gun

No, the Spar-T and the T-Mag do not have an adjustable rod. Never had the All American. Do have a Tru-Line Jr. on the top shelf in one of my gun rooms as a display, never looked at it very closely. Was given it by a friend who knew I collected gun stuff.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

I did this too - it lets my old eyes "see" the powder in each brass case before I put the bullet on there. Big improvement, worth the price.

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S&WHF #946
S&WCA #3824

Well 10 of each of them was less than $30. I have used exactly one of each part over the past 15 years. The Lee presses have so many advantages over Dillon it's crazy anyone would even consider.

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S&WHF #946
S&WCA #3824

Not if you load in volume

Can you load 500-600rds in one hour? With 2 people shooting in competition and practice every week this reloading process is required once a week for the shooting season! Don't measure everyone by your ruler!
jcelect

I guess you must have some sort of progressive Dillon? I have turret presses - they frankly do not make that quantity of ammunition.

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S&WHF #946
S&WCA #3824

I use a Lee Classic Turret and got into reloading when I started shooting 357, which turned to 44 and then 500.

I removed the indexing road and manually rotate the turret. I place primers from a tray into the primer arm by hand. I can load 200 rounds in an hour this way.

I have 3 Auto-Drum Powder Measures that I leave connected to 3 turrets for 357, 44 and 500 which work great when I use VV N110, IMR 4227 or Aliant 2400. They leaked when using powders like H110 or HP-38.

You must buy primers by the pallet. lol

KMS’s UFO light is a great addition to any press. I put one on the Lee turret I started with and now have one on my Dillon 550. In addition, I bought a wireless borescope off Amazon for less than $50 and set it up to look down through the center hole in the tool head. It syncs to my phone and gives me a sharp bird’s eye view looking down into the case after the powder drop. It also allows for a quick final inspection of the case before I place a bullet for seating. I’ve found a few cases with small cracks that I would otherwise have missed without it.

Attached Images

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USS Brewton FF1086
SWCA#3597

I like the view through the bore scope. That won't work with the Lee Turret though, will it - unless you remove the auto-advance rod?

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Send lawyers, guns & money...

You might be able to secure it to the leg closest to the bullet seating die with zip ties, or build some sort of mount outside the perimeter of the turret.

With the Dillon, I first had one of their skylights that fits in the center hole that came with it(I bought it used). The light output was ok, but I was spoiled by the KMS light I had on the Lee. When I ditched the skylight, it only seemed natural to use the hole for a camera. I went looking for ideas and found a you tube video where a doc who was a reloader had set up a camera on his press(I think he was a proctologist ). A quick amazon search turned up quite a few reasonably priced options. I like sitting on my comfy shop stool when I reload, and with the camera, I can look down into the casings from any angle. It really helps out on tall skinny casings like .327 Fed Mag.

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USS Brewton FF1086
SWCA#3597

Too late now but I would have suggested you consider the Forster Co-Ax. The dies snap in and out so you don't need different turrets for each caliber. If you're doing one step at a time it's as fast as a turret. The adjustable shell plate handles most calibers so you don't need shell holders or need to swap them. It includes a good - but slow, priming system and a very good spent primer catch.
It's probably built to tighter tolerances than the Lee equipment.

I have a Dillon 550 and square deal. both are fast and a small learning curve. Very Fast