Turret Presses

[Dieseltech56]

I use a redding T7 press for almost everything anymore. I start off with clean, deprimed brass and I usually hand prime them before hand. I also have my powder measure set up in one of the turret holes. So size, expand, dump, then seat/crimp.

 

[AJ]

Use your turret press any way you want to use it. I use mine more like a single station press. After cleaning the brass, I will size and deprime several hundred cases. Then I will bell them. When I decide to load some ammo for shooting, I will prime, powder and seat the desired slugs. This works for me.

If you will look at the picture I posted in Post# 14 you will see plastic containers on the shelf. These are 13"X10"X3" and hold several hundred cases.

 

[tlawler]

The most efficient way to run a turret is one round thru the entire process. Same number of handle pulls as a ss press, just less brass handling, so about twice as fast. Before reliable progpressives I yhink thete was a good argument for the turret, but today, the turret is sort of a tweener. Same amount of work as a ss with less production of a good progressive.

I think turrets are great starter presses to learn on and get comfortable with the reloading process. I started with a Lee Classic about a year ago and have probably cranked out in the low thousands 10mm, .40, .357sig and .45ACP. I plan on sticking with it a while longer and eventually move up to a progressive. I'm still reading about them and doing research before I choose one, but I'm sort of leaning towards a Dillon 650 based on what I've read here and opinions given on it.

 

[tlawler]

Use your turret press any way you want to use it. I use mine more like a single station press. After cleaning the brass, I will size and deprime several hundred cases. Then I will bell them. When I decide to load some ammo for shooting, I will prime, powder and seat the desired slugs. This works for me.

Does that gain any overall efficiency? What is your specific reason for doing it that way? I've always just cranked them out assembly line fashion, cleaned(but not deprimed) case in and finished cartridge out the other end.

 

[Wee Hooker]

The most efficient way to run a turret is one round thru the entire process. Same number of handle pulls as a ss press, just less brass handling, so about twice as fast. Before reliable progressives I yhink thete was a good argument for the turret, but today, the turret is sort of a tweener. Same amount of work as a ss with less production of a good progressive.

We are getting a bit off topic here (and it's a topic that's been covered in this forum on numerous occasions) but I would point out that while your last sentence is true, it's not the whole story.
The Progressive gives the reloader a tactile feel ( and view) of the one operation going on on one case at one time. A full progressive has all operations going on on all cases at one time. Yes it's faster but it's harder to view and or feel a mistake . It's also hard to experiment with small batch's , set-up etc. They both have their place in the reloading world. Again, it gets back to matching the tool to what is important to you.

 

[AJ]

Does that gain any overall efficiency? What is your specific reason for doing it that way? I've always just cranked them out assembly line fashion, cleaned(but not deprimed) case in and finished cartridge out the other end.

This method works for me. I have had a progressive press (a Dillon) and found I prefer to do each step separately. For me i feel that I have better "control" of the process. Like I stated what ever works for you. The book that I record the ammo I load starts June 21, 1975. That was when I got my SparT and started recording what I loaded. Prior to that I was loading for about 2 years using a Lyman 310 Tool. Maybe that is why I prefer to do one process at a time.

If what you are doing works for you great.

 

[Soothsayer]

A Recent Turret Convert

I just recently acquired a Lee turret press after some 50 years of chugging along with a single stage press. After I lost my shooting range, I transitioned from mostly rifles to handguns and the turret press is definitely faster for the volume of ammo needed for handguns. By purchasing adequate turret heads and extra powder drums, it is relatively easy to change from one caliber to another. I found the Lee press easy to use after a brief learning period. The powder measure seems a bit quirky but I suspect that it more my not being consistent rather than the product.

 

[fredj338]

I don't entirely agree with fredj338. With a turret press you manually insert the case and the bullet. Other than that it's just 4 handle pulls. With a single stage you are constantly changing dies, weighing charges, and performing one step at a time. I was never able to produce 150 to 180 rounds an hour with a single stage press. I was never even able to get half that amount. For those who prefer a single stage just remove the auto indexing rod from a lee turret press and you have a single stage press without the hassle of changing dies all the time.

Same handle pulls was my argument. Yes a turret is faster, but then you are till doing the same work. As far as changing dies, I don't know why this is so daunting for some. Set the lock rings, screw then in & out, takes less than 1min a die, 4m total time to your reloading???

 

[fredj338]

We are getting a bit off topic here (and it's a topic that's been covered in this forum on numerous occasions) but I would point out that while your last sentence is true, it's not the whole story.
The Progressive gives the reloader a tactile feel ( and view) of the one operation going on on one case at one time. A full progressive has all operations going on on all cases at one time. Yes it's faster but it's harder to view and or feel a mistake . It's also hard to experiment with small batch's , set-up etc. They both have their place in the reloading world. Again, it gets back to matching the tool to what is important to you.

Yet you are free to run the progressive as an inverted turret. The turret is just that, a turret. So options, I love options.

 

[smoothshooter]

So all this discussion brings up a good point. Different folks prefer to use their presses in different ways. Some of that may be driven by user preference . Some by their press's features. So, rather than try to adapt a tool to a task, it is likely better to determine how you want to use your press and then pick the right tool to do it.
At the risk of repeating some of the above, Turret Presses differ slightly but generally offer good flexibility, dependability and control ability. For me the right tool is the LCT but for you (the OP), a different press might fit your needs better. A search here (and on the Net) of any of these models will lead you to lots of discussions on their benefits and drawbacks.
In any case, get one and get started!

I already have a Dillon 550b and on old RCBS Rockchucker single stage I bought new in about 1971 or 1972.

I just can't make myself trust the automatic powder measure on the Dillon and prefer to charge my brass as a separate operation off the press with another measure and actually look down in each case to be sure the powder charges all look like they come up to the same level. Some of my pistol caliber loads are fired in replicas of 1866 and 1873 Winchester rifles which do not have the strongest actions. One inadvertent double-charge could wreck the actions of either of these fine rifles.

 

[smoothshooter]

Same handle pulls was my argument. Yes a turret is faster, but then you are till doing the same work. As far as changing dies, I don't know why this is so daunting for some. Set the lock rings, screw then in & out, takes less than 1min a die, 4m total time to your reloading???

I agree.
I have to do many things in the course of the day much worse than spending 4 minutes or so changing dies with pre-set lock rings.

 

[BC38]

We are getting a bit off topic here (and it's a topic that's been covered in this forum on numerous occasions) but I would point out that while your last sentence is true, it's not the whole story.
The Progressive gives the reloader a tactile feel (and view) of the one operation going on on one case at one time. A full progressive has all operations going on on all cases at one time. Yes it's faster but it's harder to view and or feel a mistake . It's also hard to experiment with small batch's , set-up etc. They both have their place in the reloading world. Again, it gets back to matching the tool to what is important to you.

I think you meant to say...
"...The TURRET gives the reloader a tactile feel (and view) of the one operation going on on one case at one time. A full progressive has all operations going on on all cases at one time..."

Didn't you? Obviously the progressive can't do both ONE operation at a time and ALL operations at the same time. Seems to me that the two are mutually exclusive.

FWIW, I also use my LCT to produce a completed round every 4 pulls of the handle. I thought about getting one of those Inline fabrication Ejector kits, but decided I prefer giving each finished round one last inspection as I pull it out of the shell holder and put it into the MTM box.