Lee Turret Press Auto Index Question

[Bossloper]

I have a Lee Classic Turret Press and have begun cycling the turrets by hand verses relying on its auto indexing. I have four turrets set up (45 Colt, 44 mag/spl, 38/357 & 45 Cowboy/45acp) but not all of the turrets drop right in and work perfectly with the auto indexing. Two work on the same adjustment and the others need their own adjustments for the auto index to work correctly. As a result of the adjustments, the plastic square ratchet in the auto index clamp got rounded out and needs replacing. They only cost $.50 for two from Lee, but is it worth it. I removed the auto index and just cycle the turret by hand, which is probably faster and not really a problem. Is this a common aspect of this press or is something wrong? Thanks, Brett

[JRiddle]

I had the same thing happen with my Lee Turret.  Mine stopped indexing about 12 or 14 yrs ago, I ordered and replaced the little plastic nut, it worked for a while, then rounded out again.  I've been manually indexing mine for more than 5 yrs now, don't mind it at all. 

[Savage]

Hummmmm. I have the classic turret set up for all my odd ball calibers. I've likely loaded 8k-10k rounds on it, using the auto index. I'm on my second plastic indexing ratchet. Not sure what adjustments you're making to your auto index. There are none to be made on mine. Just make sure you're not trying to turn the turret in a clockwise direction with the auto index installed. That will strip out the ratchet quickly. The only time I don't use the auto index is when I'm batch loading .223. Works great either way, but much faster with the auto index.
Savage

[Bossloper]

The nut on the top of the inexing rod doesn't set in every turret the same. This all got me thinking and I took the dremmel tool to the turrets that have needed adjusting, and not the nut sets the same in the turret and all four auto index without any adjustments. Thanks for the insight.

[lakota]

I got tired of adjusting and readjusting mine too so I just index manually.

One thing that I have started doing in the past year that has seemed to really increase my handgun ammo output is: I deprime and size on a single stage press then I reprime with a Lee Auto-Prime. I keep my primed brass in a tupperware container next to my turret press and I use my turret press as a 2 station press. I charge and seat the bullet. I can load about a 100 rounds in 15 minutes if I really move.

[Savage]

I have dies installed in turrets for 9mm/10mm/.38-.357/.40/.44/.45acp/.45LC/.223. Never had to adjust anything to make it index with those. Weird !! I can't be that lucky!
Savage

[mdi]

Glad you figgered it out Fish. I've been manually indexing my Lee turret for quite a while now. Since I am in no hurry, no quotas, and I enjoy reloading, speed isn't an issue. I like to look into the case just before I seat the bullet to make sure there's some bang stuff in it, so I seat the bullet and index by hand to crimp. I just like seating and crimping in separate operations, and I charge all the cases together.  Only problem is sometimes I forget to return the turret to the seating die! Really screws up brass that way.   

[stimpylu32]

I've been using the same Lee turret press for over 25 years now , the auto index started to piss me off the first week that I had it , so its been hand index for awhile now . 

Works for me , and I load a bunch of diffrent rounds from 218 Bee to 45/70 and 32 S&W to 45LC .

stimpy