Turret Presses
If I'm going to reload for my pistol I want some kind of turret press.Any ideas on what brand? Keep in mind I'm a cheap skate.I see that Lee has one for sixty bucks.[:)][:)][:)]
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spend a little and get a Dillon
you wont be sorry0 -
Ever reload before? If not, go with a single stage. New Lee if you are "frugal"....or spend a little and the buy the RockChucker (You will ALWAYS have a use for the RockChucker, even if you go progressive later on).
If you are new to reloading, pick a powder that will FILL the case of your pistol (not compressed loads though). You do NOT want a double charge pistol case.0 -
I reload, I have an old Lyman Sparton. I only reload a hundred rounds a year for my rifle.I just started reloading for my .40 cal pistol.I figure I'll be loading a hundred rounds a month for the pistol.I figure a turret press would save me some time.The only step that will slow me down is weighing each powder charge. 0 -
Been using a Lyman turret for years. Why not just buy another head? As for the powder, get the RCBS Charge master Fast and spot on. 0 -
FrancF
Are you saying all I have to do is order a new head, and it will work on my single stage press?0 -
quote:Originally posted by victorlvlb
FrancF
Are you saying all I have to do is order a new head, and it will work on my single stage press?
NO-[:D]
Sorry bud, my bad, Big mouth here opens mouth and inserts foot! I was getting ahead of myself thinking you had a turret and did not read.
When I was shooting a little pistol stuff (less than 200 rnds a weekend)
I have a Lyman Classic turret. Use it for a lot of things. multi- heads for short runs of 500 or so works.0 -
FrancF
Thanks for clearing that up for me.[:D][:D][:D]0 -
I bought a lee 45 progressive
reloader and couldn't get it
to work properly , sent it
back ,got another and
gave it to my son-in-law
and we got it to work for a
bit but it kept malfunctioning.
Sent that back. i probably
could have got it to work
but I don't have enough time
left on this earth so I'm
sticking with my faithful friend
of 30yrs my rockchucker, strong
and relaxing.0 -
I would suggest a Dillon progressive like the 500B. It will automatically drop the powder and their measures are very accurate. You might need to go with a different powder to assure accuray but I have had great luck. My Dillon powder measures are more accurate than my RCBS measures. I have run close to 20,000 rounds on my 550B and have never had a problem. They are worth the money. 0 -
I'm in this a little late but if you want to save your $$ and load good cartridges get the New Lee Classic 4 die Turret press. It is a real winner. It is auto-indexing and works crisply. Not a progressive, but then you won't spend 3-400 dollars either. You can get it at Midway, Grafs, Kempf's Gun Shop, and other online dealers. Get the New Safety Prime System, a set of DeLuxe Pistol dies for the caliber you want and teh Lee Auto Disk Pro Powder Measure. Buy the Lee Safety Scale, one of the most sensitive powder scales on the market and the least expensive. I am trained in chemistry and taught for many years and used lots of scales and balances; this one is unique and for the price, really good.
At this link you can see a detailed article reviewing the press and explaining how to set it up, with dozens of clear photos to help.
http://www.surplusrifle.com/reviews2006/leeturretpress/index.asp
For about $200 you will be in business. I just loaded 3 boxes of 9mm with my setup in an hour, with no pushing. If I did push, I could load 4 boxes. It is one solid setup. A perfect round every cycle.0 -
quote:Originally posted by victorlvlb
I reload, I have an old Lyman Sparton. I only reload a hundred rounds a year for my rifle.I just started reloading for my .40 cal pistol.I figure I'll be loading a hundred rounds a month for the pistol.I figure a turret press would save me some time.The only step that will slow me down is weighing each powder charge.
Invest in a powder dispenser/measure. I have a Lee setup. You fill it with the powder, do a quick calculation using a table they give you which has coefficients for each brand/type of powder. Set your bushing on the measure and check it a few times on a scale so you know each throw is accurate and consistent. Charge 10 cases and recheck the weight on your scale. The bottom of mine is chamfered so you don't even need a funnel, just put your case up to the "chute" and send a throw. It is a big time money saver if you are just reloading for plinking. They are very accurate also. I have used it enough that I trust it, and charge 20-25 cases between checking it. I check it over and over at the start, and when I've been assured it is consistent, I let er fly.
This is the one I have, it came with the set I ordered. It's worked great so far, just doesn't like the real fine spherical powders like H110.
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=5405220 -
cubslovers
I have a Lee powder dispenser\measure , I just don't trust it all that much yet.0 -
Which press would you all chose a Lee turret or an RCBS progressive?I think I may be able to get the RCBS for less then two hundred bucks. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by victorlvlb
cubslovers
I have a Lee powder dispenser\measure , I just don't trust it all that much yet.
It's been said that it is the most accurate. Don't the the Lee name or the cheap price scare you. Mine has never suddenly thrown a wierd charge.
While the RCBS is highly regarded, the Lee is the better deal in my opinion. I think that you can't go wrong with any brand single stage press. When moving to a progressive, RCBS and Dillon are the best. I wouldn't trust a Lee progressive press.0 -
The Lee New Classic Turret Press is a big, rugged press that should last forever. It is auto indexing and with the right add-ons you have one super setup. There is nothing to compare at the price.
I have no expeience with RCBS and it may be fine--but I put together my Classic Turret press with everything needed to load three calibers, the powder measure, Auto Disk Pro, Safety Prime, all the dies, extra turrets, scale, etc., shipped to my doorstep $325. With the RCBS you are starting with a bare press and their addons are not cheap--
If you go to Kempf's Gun Shop website or Midway, or Grafs--you can put together everything you need for one caliber for less than $200.0 -
I agree with the Lee CLassic Turret idea. I'll be getting one shipped to my door very soon. Just couldn't pass it up for the price. I tested one out and it is a very solid peice of equipment too! 0 -
I have three Lee presses including the Loadmaster. The powder disc system works very well with two limitations. "Snowy"-textured powders (like Titegroup) yield inconsitent charges--it just doesn't flow well enough to fill/empty the metering chamber consistently. If you you use spherical powders in the Lee system you will get good results so far as tightly consistent charges. If you are using a double disk it is (counter-intuitively) necessary to put the smaller chamber on top or else a "ledge" will result in incomplete powder dispensing. Also, when when using a double disc, there is tiny bit of upper/lower disc wiggle so avoid using two identical disc chambers if precision consistency is required--since this "wiggle" produces a tiny but variable "ledge". Of course you should weigh the charges for critical hunting or match-grade ammo. For plinking ammo the disc system allows you to slam out a lot of very good ammo very quickly.
Lee makes pretty good products at a reasonable prices. Start cheap while getting your feet wet. You will not regret having a couple of extra presses on your bench[:D]0 -
Can the Lee turret reload both rifle and pistal?I'm looking at the Midway catalog and shows only pistal set ups. 0 -
pistol and rifle. you are looking at the old turret press. you want the new Classic turret press--go to Lee's website and look at this product link--you can also download their catalogue in pdf format.
http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/browse.cgi?1155695715.453=/html/catalog/turretpress.html#ClassicTurretPress
If you go here you can order it for about $85--much less than at the website--you can load the longest rifle cartridges for which you can find dies, and any Lee dies
http://www.kempfgunshop.com/products/reloading/leeprecision/presses/90064.html
I don't know if Midway has this product listed yet. It's not in their hard copy catalogue which I have.
For less than $200 you can have an auto-indexing, rugged press and all the stuff you need to load any rifle cartridge you can get dies for.
This is one super press!0 -
quote:Originally posted by victorlvlb
Can the Lee turret reload both rifle and pistal?I'm looking at the Midway catalog and shows only pistal set ups.
Vivtorvlb;
You CAN load rifle ammo on the current progressive or turret presses from LEE but I don't recommend it. You get better results using a single stage press for rifle bullets and, to me, rifles are about precision shooting. If you are loading for a high-cap magazine Ak/SK or something where you just want to shoot huge ammounts of fairly decent ammo then by all means--feel free to use a progressive.
On the other hand, I'm not shooting handgun ammo from a bench rest or gearing up for the Camp Perry Nationals, so the extra effort to produce precision ammo would be wasted.
Anyhow, If your primary goal is to learn to make ammo and to make precision ammo you are probably better of with a single stage--if you want to primary make lots of handgun ammo then the press Benedict1 is recommending would probably do very nicely.
Just my humble opinion.[8D]0 -
RustyNail
Your right, I want ammo that will give me tight groups.If I do get a progressive press , I will still weigh all my powder, one round at a time.Me , myself ,and I have been argueing about how long it takes to load one hundred rounds of .40 cal loads for my semi auto XD on a single stage reloader.I on the other hand do not want to load ammo that will not give me tight groups.We all agree that loading 40 rounds for the 3006 Is not time consuming.I just keep thinking that I could still load more rounds per hour with a progressive press for the .40 cal.[:D][:D][:D]Two hundred rounds an hour would beat fifty rounds in an hour and a half.Then again I just might need something to occupy my time once I retire.So I'm still arguring with myself.[:D][:D][:D]0 -
benedict1
I trust Midway with my credit card numbers, so i'll go with them .Thanks for the reply and the heads up.0 -
Classic turret press
I'm going to ordered it plus a few other things fro Midway Saturday.Thanks for all the help , you all.0 -
DANG! Wish I had seen this sooner!
Since we live in the same area, I could have shown you REAL-TIME how much .40S&W ammo you can load in 20 minutes on my 550B (which also loads .25acp,.32acp,38Super,380acp, 9X18Mak.,9X19, 9X23, 38special, 357mag, 41mag, 30carbine,.223, 30-30, .243, .308, 300savage, 300WM, 7mmMag, and anything else up to 3.5" case length); and saved you all this time and agony!
I tried almost all the "other" progressives before I got this Dillon, and it runs like a sewing machine! It produces very consistent ammo (the USAMU uses a dillon or two for their loads, as do the US Shooting Team), and if there's ever a problem (quite unlikely, but some people can't open a can of soup by themselves); Dillon is just a phone call away! They have the BEST Customer Service of ANY business out there, and often ship replacement parts before you hang up with them (for free, usually).
And the beauty of the whole thing is you only pay around $325 or so, and you're making ammo within an hour!
I also know some guys that are getting too old to play outdoors that own Dillons, and they have extra powder measures, toolheads, etc.
Hope you're not too disappointed with what you wound up with....0 -
Ever have any problem with the priming system? Like upside down, lost or crushed primers on that 550? Skipped primers, rounds with no primers? Plastic dispenser on he primer tube fail on you? 0 -
gunnut505
Talk to me,I busted my butt all day Saturday on the den.I didn't get a chance to order my stuff from Midway.Keep in mind I only need to load fifty rounds an hour to be happy.The rounds I want, will have less then one tenth of a grain differance from one an other.Thats in my forty cal XD pistal.In my 3006 twenty rounds an hour is just fine, but they all have to match each other.I shoot a hundred rounds of 40 cal when I do get to the range, maybe twice a month.My 3006 I only fire if I have a hunt coming up.Even with a hunt coming up the 3006 only gets forty rounds thru it a year, if that much.The rest of the time I shoot an SKS,10-22, and my single six, in .22 and .22 mag.My shotguns get about six hundred rounds shot thru them a year.So far its been cheaper to buy shootgun shells off the shelf. By the way you all I did get to the range today.I did very very bad, but I had one heck of a good time.[:D][:D][:D]You all have a good week.0 -
Then buy the Lee press--economical, will load more rounds per hour than you want. Lee dies only cost about $28-30/set depending on where you buy them and are first rate. Buy an extra turret for about $10 and mount your rifle dies on it.
For a WHOLE lot less than what you would spend a a big progressive press, and all the stuff you need to make it go, you can have a quality loading tool that can load anything you might ever want to shoot.0 -
benedict1
I think your right,so far.I just have to many irons on the fire to get anything done real quick.0 -
Well I ordered the Classic today.I hope you all were right.[:D][:D][:D] 0 -
I recieved my Lee Classic press today.Dove season starts tomorrow,the fascia outside the den needs to be painted, so the press will have to wait awhile, before its put together.Whats the 1/2 inch tygon tubbing that came in the box used for? 0
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