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Lee Turret selection and setup help

9K views 88 replies 22 participants last post by  olgutshotwilly 
#1 ·
So I have decided to get a lee turret. What do I need to get with it. Which lee turret should I get? I figure a 4 hole turret. Set of dies. But what extra stuff should I get? Case feeder? Which powder measure, which primer system, etc. Just want to know what stuff is worth getting and what is superfluous.
 
#2 · (Edited)
You want the CLASSIC turret IMHO, not the Deluxe. A very complete setup is sold as a kit for about $200. Just add calipers, dies and components. The Pro Auto disk dispenser works great as does the Lee on press priming system.. I added a $30 digital scale to help my tired old eyeballs. A reloading manual or two would complete the list of 'must haves' if you are reloading pistol.

A tumbler and media is nice to clean range brass. A Wislon case Gage for each caiber is also a plus. On My Classic turret I have a separate turret setup with dies for each of the 4 calibers I reload. Lee stuff is very affordable making this an easy process.

Be sure to check out the great Lee self-help videos plus youtube:

http://leeprecision.com/turret-press-help-videos.html
 
#5 ·
you can scale each load or throw each load. you WILL need a good scale, either analog beam or digital. during the powder measure throw setup, you will need to scale perhaps every 5, then 10, then 20 rounds to insure the throw consistency in grains. imo, the lee on-press auto disk powder measure just makes vastly more sense than an off-press measure = speed.
 
#6 ·
Look at the classic turret at www.kempfgunshop.com. It comes with one set of dies and no scale of you can buy a good scale to start with and not have to fool with the Lee scale. Make sure to get the pro auto disk and both safety primes Sm & Lg.

What about the perfect powder measure?
I don't think you can make it case activated for pistol. I have a perfect powder measure on my CT for rifle and I just cycle it by hand.
 
#10 ·
Classic offers a more robust casting of steel vs aluminum, heavier duty lever and ram and the spent primer recovery system is superior. The spent primers go down a clear tube rather than just falling into a well in the base casting.
 
#13 ·
I'm a classic turret user. Forget about priming on the press. It sucks.... spend your money on a RCBS hand primer instead. You use the same shell holders that the come with the Lee die sets. I can prime 100 cases in 15 minutes easy, plus it gives you another chance to inspect each case for defects. Back to the press... I have loaded 1000's of pistol and rifle rounds without any press issues at all. I use the disc powder measure mounted on the expander die. The rubber wiper will wear eventually and you will notice greater powder spillage than usual. It will have some spillage even when new. For the money invested you can't go wrong. It gives you a chance to learn and become proficient at making proper rounds. I thought originally I would have made the move to a progressive by now but I am still using my Lee Classic and spending the money on components instead. Make sure you have a good solid bench to mount it on and plenty of lighting to peek into each case for powder. You will make mistakes along the way and learn the hard way about some things. Just error on the side of caution.
 
#33 ·
I'm a classic turret user. Forget about priming on the press. It sucks.... spend your money on a RCBS hand primer instead.
You must not have spent very long trying to make it right. After a few tweaks on mine it has worked near flawless for six years. A hand primer also defeats the purpose of how the classic turret operates. By the time you size 100 taking them in and out and hand prime them I will have 100 loaded and ready to shoot.
 
#14 ·
the lee on press priming system sorta kinda works NOT reliably. i've used it and dealt with its issues but better to prime off press. also, i'd recommend not using the auto index "feature", and just rotate the head by hand - this allows much greater control of the entire load operation.

my opinionated recommendations ...

set up the lee classic with all 4 lee deluxe dies, adjust each according to the directions. put a lee PRO auto disk powder measure over the expander die. remove the plastic auto index "washer". make up some dummy rounds and do the plunk test in yer gun's barrel/chamber. find a good start load recipe that agrees with the col used in a successful plunk test. start with a spherical ball powder as that will meter better than flake powder (w231 is a goodie). when it's time to make ammo, size and deprime, prime either on or off press, expand and charge - then CHECK EACH THROW on a good scale, you do that until the throws appear consistent and then you can check every 5th throw, then every 10th throw, then every 20th throw. seat a bullet then run it into the lfc die. check your first rounds for proper col - use a digital caliper.

ain't all this fun? :D
 
#15 ·
A little different opinion from the above. The auto prime definitely is the weak link in the system, but it is adequate if you pay attention when dropping the primer into the primer arm. The last primer or two in the tray will never feed! I like the auto index feature, it is faster than hand indexing. However, if you do need to rotate the die holder to a different station, by hand, be sure to have the handle about 1/2 depressed to keep from ruining the square indexing "washer." Finally, get a good scale to verify the powder drops. A decent beam scale (I find Lee's very hard to use) or a quality electronic (in my experience a cheap electronic tends to be unreliable and short-lived) like the Dillon.

With Lee, I agree that the Classic is the way to go. Kits at Kempfs and Lee Factory Sales are good deals for the basic setup.
 
#16 ·
The Lee balance scale works! it is .3 grains over but it works. :p

I did not have a choice about the scale because it came with the Lee Turret kit but i have since upgraded to a Hornady GS 1500 and it works well for now.

Caliper is a must and adjustable charge bar is a life saver. Let us know what calibers you intend on reloading and we might be able to give you more info on things that you will need.
 
#21 ·
Your Lee beam scale works that well? :) Unfortunately, mine was all over the place. I think it's hit or miss with these scales. Some folks seem to get fine results, other chuck them quick. Lee's idea of a knife edge being a thin piece/sheet of metal definitely saves money but it's no wonder some work ok and some dont.
 
#18 ·
In that case, make sure you get spare turrets and have your dies pre-installed on them. I makes caliber changes a snap. Having extra Lee Pro-Auto Disk Measure pre-installed on each caliber is also a time saver.

Lee case trimmers will be needed for rifle brass but not necessary for pistol.
 
#22 ·
The bench plate mount is nice and solid but, as Gamma mentioned, definitely not needed if permanent mounting the press to the bench. Great for temp. mounting of the press or being able to mount and unmount different presses to the same bench space at different times.
 
#23 · (Edited)
The Kempf is the best deal on a kit. It really doesn't include anything you don't need and does include everything you need except a caliper and scale. A Dillon balance beam or RCBS are relatively inexpensive and accurate.
The Classic Turret with the PRO Auto Disk and the Safety Prime used in the auto indexing mode work amazingly well.
When setting it up and learning just remove the indexing rod. After a few sessions insert the indexing rod and go to town.
Wish progressive presses had as good a primer system as the Safety Prime.
Wish powder measures on progressives worked as consistently as the Pro Auto Disk.
 
#25 · (Edited)
Ditto what everyone said about the Classic Turret.

I have digital calipers, which work okay, but mechanical is the way I'd go if I could do it over again.

Get the carbide dies. Very much worth the minimal extra cost.

Like the others, I prime off the press.

ProAutoDisk works well for Clays. With H335, enough grains get by to interfere with smooth operation at times. I took some sandpaper and VERY CAREFULLY sanded down the two plastic ridges at the bottom of the powder hopper that come into contact with the aluminum body. There is one on each side. I did equal passes on each side, and I was VERY CAREFUL not to take away too much plastic. I stopped when I could barely slide a single sheet of paper between the powder disk and the bottom of the hopper - you need a little space to keep things from binding. Since then, no problems with H335.

Sometimes, the operating spring for the ProAutoDisk binds. Watch for that.

You can get a tumbler, but I found it less expensive and less hassle to wash brass with the NRA vinegar/dishwashing detergent forumula, with the added benefit of no lead dust issues, tumbler noise, electricity costs, or media costs.

Get a set of check weights for whatever scale you get, and use them. My 5-0-5 RCBS scale works well.

When you move to rifle reloading, you'll need to get a case trimmer. I like the Lee system, but it tends to wear down and go out of spec after a while. However, they're so inexpensive that you can get several for the same price as a more expensive system, so it's best to get two or three at the same time to save shipping costs. Also, forget about the Lee deburring tool. It's junk. Get the Wilson deburring tool. And another item for rifle reloading is a primer pocket uniformer. The one I like best is the K&M.

ETA: For rifle reloading, you'll need some case lube. You can make a bunch of it very inexpensively by mixing 1 part pure lanolin to 4 parts 90% (or more) rubbing alcohol. Also, the same solution that washes brass will also clean off the lanolin. It takes two washings, but that's not a big deal. Wash used brass, lube, resize/decap, wash again, load.
 
#29 ·
Digital scale is calibrated with check weight and zeroed every session and the scale does not more from that position. Balance scale is zeroed every session.

I did notice that with the digital that when i had it set up next to my refridgerator that everytime the compressor turns on the scale would be everywhere. so I moved it to a better location.

I think the important thing about the Lee balance scale is that it definitely needs to be read at eye level. the pointer and the mark on the base needs some improvement.
 
#30 ·
I will probably be buying mine from 10ring in cypress they have pretty good prices and I will be getting most of my supplies either there or Mr. T's in Tx City.

There is a guy who makes bullets and sales them here in Friendswood, but he doesn't allow pickup anymore so I will just buy them at Mr. Ts.

http://www.10ring.com/

http://www.friendswoodbullet.com/storepage132675.aspx

Now it is just waiting until I get the money all together.
 
#32 ·
I just bought the Lee Classic Turret Kit from Kempf online....

I have had my kit about 2 weeks now and love it. I did buy the Lee hand primer and it works great. The kit comes with the auto prime, but I didnt attatch it because I don't think it is as easy as the Lee hand primer to use. The Lee Auto Disk Powder measure was a $10 upgrage, but get it. It is very accurate. I measured my first 200 rounds on a RCBS 505 beam scale (another great item you will need, and it comes with the funnel-tray that makes it easy to pour the powder into the casing after measuring) and it remains extremely consistent. When I select the disk to dump 5.0 grains of W231, i measure it and get 5.0 grains. Its a nice setup and Kempf ships very quickly.
 
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