Help With Lee Presses?

[Vartarg]

I'm looking at the Lee turret presses, and need some help understanding the differences, pros and cons, etc.. The prices are Midway's.

The Lee 4 Hole Turret Press w/Auto Index sells for $76. It has the Auto Index feature as well as built in primer collection.

The Lee Classic 4 Hole press has neither of the above features, and sells for $105.

I'm not familiar with the Lee program. In the past I've owned RCBS and Dillon, and currently have a Hornady LNL progresssive and Hornady classic single stage. Please don't ask why I "need" another press.

Thanks, George

 

[GyMac]

I have owned both the regular turret and the classic turret. I believe the classic turret also comes with auto-index, mine did. Definitely spend the extra money for the classic turret. It's that much better. Both will provide lots of ammo for regular shooting, but they are not in the same league as a true progressive.

 

[Rule3]

This is the one you want. The Classic. It is cast iron, the other is not, Yes it does auto index. It is much heavier duty.

Lee Classic 4 Hole Turret Press - MidwayUSA



Good review of it


Real Guns

 

[Titegroups]

They both have auto index, the classic also has the primer collection system. The classic is the way to go. I have both.

 

[SonnyCrockett]

classic is steel arm and the only one to get....good starter press

 

[Maximumbob54]

Still using mine. Adding all the extras to it makes it even better. I have a love hate thing with the Pro Auto Disk. When you find a hole in the disk that works for you then it's great. If not you can try the Charge Bar. If still no... Well... I was trying to figure a way to mount the Uniflow and not have an expensive hodge podge. Or I can mount it and throw the arm each time... And risk missing one. No, for now the setup is as good as it gets.

 

[dickttx]

Lee's names are pretty confusing. The original is the Lee Turret. It is a cast aluminum base with cast lever and some other parts. It started as a three hole turret, then you could buy a kit to update it to a four hole turret. Not sure if it was originally auto-indexing or if that was an update.

The Lee Classic Turret is the newer model. It is made of cast iron, uses a 4 hole turret and comes with auto-indexing, and the hole down the center of the ram to catch spent primers as they are ejected. It is a VERY good press and works extremely well with the primer system and the PRO Auto Disk (not to be confused with the Auto Disk.)

The LCT is frequently on sale, and IIRC is right now at Cabelas. If you need all the stuff I believe Wiedners has, or will make up a package with everything you need. I would highly recommend that as a basic purchase you would need the LCT, priming system, Pro Auto Disk, a turret for each set of dies you are going to use, and a couple of the adjustable charge bars for the Pro Auto Disk.

After being out of reloading for about 40 years, the auto-indexing turret was a complete mystery to me. I am an accountant and not really mechanically inclined, however, I am used to reading and following instructions. I had no concept of how the Pro Auto Disk, or the priming system worked. After a short time of looking and tinkering I got everything to working. The whole system works marvelously.

It will not form cases, or, turn out 500 rounds an hour, but for normal use it will produce all the quality ammo you need at a very reasonable equipment cost. If you want to form cases you need a heavy duty single stage. If you need lots of ammo you need a progressive.

 

[Titegroups]

Well said.

 

[Cirrus]

Lee Classic Turret gets 100 votes from me...if that's even possible!

 

[shotslow]

I agree, the Lee turret press is handy. I have one along with a Hornandy LNL progressive and RCBS rockchucker I bought used for $25. The Lee turret press is an older model but works. I use it for various tasks. I took out the auto indexing because you could not use it for rifle calibers. I sure wish I had the primer catcher on it though.

 

[valencman]

I bought my Lee 3 hole turrent press from these people F & M Reloading Equipment Inc.: Semi Progressive Presses around 20 years ago, and have loaded thousands of rounds (9mm,38/357, 45acp, and 44special/magnums) and still working perfect with the original nylon hex washer. Mine did come with 2 extra hanging on the machine, but both still hanging there.

 

[Cirrus]

Check with Kempf's for some good kits. They make their own kits and include only what you are likely to need and not a bunch of other junk.

 

[cabin cowboy]

Lee Turret Press

I have an old Lyman Orange Crusher single stage press and a nearly new Lee turret press with auto indexing and quick change 4 hole interchangeable turrets. I use the Lyman single stage for rifle and the Lee for handgun. Once the turret is set up you can switch between calibers by swapping out the turret. If you change bullets you'll likely have to adjust the bullet seating die but everything else is ready. You can use the press similar to a single stage and perform only resizing on all cases by not fully raising the press handle. If you run each case through the turret cycle you need to add powder when the case is belled, either through a funnel or an installed auto index powder measure. The Lee press is a very well made press for the money.

 

[Clovishound]

Another vote for the classic. It has a cast iron base casting vs aluminum for the standard turret. It also has beefier linkage.

I would also add to get an autodrum powder measure. I have both the autodisc pro and the autodrum. The newer autodrum is infinitely adjustable, the autodisc has preset discs. Often the charge you want is in between the preset holes in the discs. I also got the small adjustable charge bar for the autodrum, and found it to have too much variation in drop weights. The autodrum drops more accurately IMO than the autodisc. I feel it is also smoother in operation than the autodisc.

And yes the classic definitely has auto indexing, and the through the ram spent primer system. You can either let the primers collect in the tube and periodically empty the tube, or run the tube into a container for easy disposal. There is no way for this system to spit spent primers on the floor, unless you leave the tube off, or run the tube without the cap or container under it.

 

[Shoo2tr]

Another vote for the Lee Classic Turret Press

As someone who previously had no reloading experience and no one to show me how to get set up I did lots of reading, scouring of the internet, and YouTube to get me off and running on my Lee Classic Turret press. I'm now loading 9mm, .357/.38SPL, 40 S&W, .45ACP and .300 Blackout.

If you plan on loading a lot of pistol calibers I highly recommend the Adjustable Charge Bar. It gives you more fine control and consistency over your powder drops than the disks, assuming you run the Pro Auto Disk kit, or as mentioned above the newer Auto Drum which I'm sure is a great product. I have probably had good luck with the Pro Auto Disk and Adjustable Charge Bar because I use spherical powders that meter really well. Lastly, some complain about the Lee Safety Primer system but I have had good luck with it. It just takes figuring out the right touch I guess.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[ageingstudent]

It will not form cases, or, turn out 500 rounds an hour, but for normal use it will produce all the quality ammo you need at a very reasonable equipment cost. If you want to form cases you need a heavy duty single stage. If you need lots of ammo you need a progressive.

I make .401sl out of 7.62x39 on my LCT. It works great and it's got a lot of mileage on it with no issues. I also load 500S&W and do a lot of bullet sizing. There's enough headroom to load 30-06 if you want to. Very versatile.

Cough...i just inhaled the dust off this thread.

 

[MyDads38]

I still have my original Lee 3 hole turret press and it still works as it should. I upgraded to the Lee Classic Cast 4 hole turret and haven't looked back! The diameter of the ram, the linkage, the sturdiness of the press itself is all quality. I didn't think I needed the 4 die sets, until I used them; the consistency is amazing when seating and crimping in separate operations. My finished rounds seldom vary more than +/- .002 in C.O.L.

For the difference in price, the Lee Classic Turret is the way to go!

 

[LeeMax]

Check Amazon. They have a classic kit for $232.95 that includes almost everything except dies. The kit comes with the auto-drum powder measure rather than the auto-disk.

 

[Thomas15]

Historians tell us that Beethoven, Bach and Seals & Crofts all used the cast iron base Lee turret press. Since that discovery, that model press has been referred to as the "Lee Classic Turret" or simply the "LCT". Some however have given theirs the nickname "Cyclops".

 

[GyMac]

I have owned both the regular turret and the classic turret. I believe the classic turret also comes with auto-index, mine did. Definitely spend the extra money for the classic turret. It's that much better. Both will provide lots of ammo for regular shooting, but they are not in the same league as a true progressive.

Over 5 years later I'm still using my Lee Classic Turret and could not be happier!