LEE TURRET PRESS

[gdolby]

Good day to all. I have a lee turret press and when full length sizing I notice the turret is giving when I reach the bottom of my stroke. Anybody else have this and is it something I need to be concerned about? is there a way I can keep it from doing this? Thanks and all have a good day.

[Troyboy]

I believe all turret type and progressive presses have play. My pro 1000 has play at the turret same as yours i'm sure it's inherant to the design

[Badnews Bob]

Mine dose to but if you have everything adjusted right it dosen't make any diffrence, I get very good ammo from my Lee turret.

[cwlongshot]

This is the biggest reason I dont use one any more...

 Now, I am no fan of Lee, but feel this is a problem plagued by most if not all turret style presses. I know my Lyman T-Mag and Redding turret both had play. No one is going to say Redding is not a quality product.

 I load the majority of my stuff single stage on a RCBS AmmoMaster, the little progressive I do is on a Dillion 550.

CW

[cbourbeau32]

I load all my ammo with a Lee 4 hole turret press and it doesn't affect the finished product that I can tell. I love the turret press because in 30 seconds I can change out calibers and be ready to start reloading the next one. Charlie

[quickdtoo]

I'm with you Charlie, I have the cast iron Classic 4-hole turret too, I only used it as a single stage press, but swapping turrets is a breeze. I've never noticed any flex in the press itself even when necking down operations, the turret itself has some movement up and down which is always the same, but I just insert a feeler gauge shim between the top of the press and the turret to fix it in one position so it doesn't move at all, it can't rotate either. It doesn't seem to affect ammo quality with the movement, but it makes me feel better!!     

Tim

[billy_56081]

Mine works great still after 1000s of rounds some full length sized and others sized in a a collet die. You just ajust for the play.

[MnMike]

I can see a bit of play in mine, but it doesn't seem to hurt the accuracy. I have loaded in the turret and in a single stage press (where there is no play) and the groups don't change.

mike

[Blackhawk44]

Since the tolerance (not flex) in the Lee turret is straight up and down and the final die adjustments are to the limit of extension, any "looseness" is of no concern.  Other turrets rotating around a central pivot will flex in an arch from the outside perimeter toward the center pivot.  Dies and brass flexing in an arch cannot be good for accuracy or case life.   

[Badnews Bob]

Good explanation Blackhawk, that makes good sense.

[corbanzo]

As I remember mine did cam over just a little bit at the end of the stroke, but it didn't ever affect my finished product.

[Skip_B]

These are good products for the low volume/beginner handloader. I have one so don't think I am throwing stones at anyone. It has it's place just like any other tool in the box!


The play is the cumulative of all of the clearances needed for the press to function properly.


I shoot in competition so I have several progressive presses. 3 Square Deals and an XL650. I started on an RCBS RS-3 then graduated to a Lyman Spar -T. I thought I was in seventh heaven on that baby! Still have those too by the way!

In my opinion, and everyone has one, for the serious, voluminous consumer of handloaded ammo, there is no need for anything over the XL650, but again, that's my opinion.

In 1 hour today, I loaded 500 rounds of 45ACP ammo for son #2 to use in PPC. I didn't have to work hard nor did I hurry. Just a steady pace with the monotony broken up by refilling the primer magazine and putting cases in the case feeder.

I suppose I should sell some of this stuff. I surely can't use it all at once!

[wncchester]

"These are good products for the low volume/beginner handloader. I have one so don't think I am throwing stones at anyone."

Most of us are "low volume" shooters so they are good tools, period.   

[Skip_B]

"These are good products for the low volume/beginner handloader. I have one so don't think I am throwing stones at anyone."

Most of us are "low volume" shooters so they are good tools, period.   

If you shot in competition and 300-500 rounds per week they would still be good tools, just not the best for you!

I shoot in competition and I load for two people, son #2 and myself. I could never keep up if that was the only press I had.

That was my only point.

[Lazermule]

I have a Lee Standard Turret that I use all of the time.  I also have a Lee Loadmaster and a Dillon XL 650.  I use the turret more than anything else and exclusively for load development.  The play that is in the turret, I have found to be no problem and does not affect the accuracy of ammo that I have loaded.  I use the Turret press on 9mm on up to large magnum rifle rounds and it has never failed me.  I like the turret design, and that is why I tried the Loadmaster as well.  I have never had a Lee product that didn't do what it was intended to do and do it well.