Lee Classic Turret Press ?

[Black Jaque Janaviac]

I've got a Lee Turret Press already.  Are there any improvements to the Lee Classic Turret Press that would warrant replacing the old press?

I know it's made of cast iron, but if that's the only advantage, then I suppose I'll wait until the ol' "pot metal" press breaks. 

My current press wheres all the updates including the primer feeder thing-a-ma-bob.  It is much better at collecting the spent primers, but I've got to dismount the base to get at all the spent primers.  I've heard of presses with a tube that you're supposed to direct to a garbage can - that sounds real nice.  I would think that would go a long way to containing lead residue from spent priming compound.

[stimpylu32]

BJJ

I tend to stick with the old addage , if its not broke  - don't fix it . If the press is getting the job done stick with it till it no longer gets the work done .

I have been using the same Lee turret press that i got back in 1979 , most of my ammo still hits paper just fine , my eyes on the other hand are a diffrent story . 

stimpy

[quickdtoo]

I've been using a cast Classic Turret press for several months now, I love it!! The primer collection is the same as the Classic Cast single stage press which I still have and used before the turret press, sometimes the spent primer pops out the priming arm slot, but I just put my thumb against the slot to keep them from ending up on the floor. That's my only complaint about either press. Cabelas used to sell the 4-hole turrets for $7, but they've gone up like all other metal parts, best price now is at Midsouth for $9. It's really nice to have dies all set up ready to load without having to fuss with getting them adjusted to the spec you're loading.

Tim

http://leeprecision.com/html/catalog/turretpress.html#ClassicTurretPress

[stimpylu32]

. It's really nice to have dies all set up ready to load without having to fuss with getting them adjusted to the spec you're loading.

Tim

You got that right , swap a shell holder and a turret , your ready to load .

stimpy

[jgalar]

The new press is also taller so there is more room when working with rifle cartridges. The auto index will work with rifle cases where yours will not. A better priming system and depriming system than the old model.

[MnMike]

I don't know about the new priming system on the Classic Turret, but I had to use the priming system on my old turret for the first time and it was not something I liked. I use the Lee prime, but I did not have a shell holder for my .500 S&W, so I used the one on the press. I am used to the feel of getting a primer properly seated with the Lee. I have never had a fail to fire. Using the press, I had 4 out of 6 fail to fire. Part of that, may have been that I used some old primers, but I quickly ordered a shell holder for my 500 anyway. $2.16 is a cheap price to pay for confidence. (I also threw out the old primers)

mike

[quickdtoo]

I've never used the priming feature of the press either, I also use the auto prime hand primer, for those cartridges that Lee doesn't make shell holders for, I just buy a standard shell holder, anneal it, then cut/grind the collar off the bottom so it fits in the auto prime.

Tim

[stimpylu32]

Tim

I see you have learned my trick for making shell holders for the auto prime , had to do that for my 30 carb. and the 218 bee .

stimpy

[quickdtoo]

I did it for the 405 Winchester and 500 S&W, love the auto prime!

Tim