Finally left behind the single stage to move into the realm of turret presses

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  • cobber

    Parrot Daddy
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    43   0   0
    Sep 14, 2011
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    Somewhere over the rainbow
    After about 12 years of using a single stage Lee press - and getting great service from it - I finally tossed in my hand and bought a Lee Classic Turret.

    Having loaded about 4000 rounds of 9mm in the last few months, I am looking forward to the time and effort savings this promises. Not to mention probable increased uniformity of loads/sizing/etc.

    Another 12 years and I'll be ready for a Dillon, maybe (though working with tubes of primers is kind of intimidating)... :ingo:
     

    SS 396

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    11   0   0
    Feb 7, 2012
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    Coatesville
    You won't be disappointed, i have the Lee Classic Turret and it is a fine press. I have loaded many rounds on it, having the extra turrets allows you to leave your dies adjusted just swap em out go on to next caliber. My Father in law recently gave me his Dillon 550 i like it very well, my Father in law is a great guy and has taught me alot about reloading. But my Lee turret still has a spot on my bench, it will still be used some.
     

    obijohn

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    Mar 24, 2008
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    Terre Haute
    Don't lose the single stage. You'll want it for load development, among other things. Even with a 650, a SDB and old lyman turret, I still find many uses for my singe stage presses.
     

    cobber

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    Sep 14, 2011
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    Don't lose the single stage. You'll want it for load development, among other things. Even with a 650, a SDB and old lyman turret, I still find many uses for my singe stage presses.

    Unfortunately my wife barely lets me have enough space for one press, let alone two, but I'll hang on to it just in case... ;)


    It's very exciting to pull the lever three/four times and produce a cartridge ready to fire. Wow!!
     

    BiscuitsandGravy

    Future 'shootered'
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    Nov 8, 2016
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    Yep... Always keep the single stage. I too find the process of reloading to be relaxing. Loaded up some new 300BO recipe's this week with the cold weather curtailing outside activities. Fun stuff.

    :ingo:
     

    87iroc

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    4   0   0
    Dec 25, 2012
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    Bartholomew County
    Come up with some method for swapping the presses(like Lee quick mount) to swap from press to press. I started on a Turret, moved to Loadmaster, now on to 650. Mainly for my competition stuff and lack of time has moved me to quicker presses. I am selling the Loadmaster, but the turret will stay around for the lower volume reloading. Its a great press.

    Keep the little 'square' keys on hand for the indexing part. That's the main 'wear' item I had to replace. Eventually it will start not locking in quite right and you'll have to nudge it as you actuate the arm. Litarlly, only issue I ever had with it...and a quick 5 minutes swap to the new part and I was off and running again. I have many turrets for it and leave my dies set up....easy caliber changes. The powder drops are cheap too....
     

    mrproc1

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    Oct 25, 2012
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    Indy
    I started with a single Hornady press, then got a Hornaday AP. I could never get it to run smooth constantly, so I traded it away for a rifle. I do as well finding it smoothing to reload. I’ve got a pretty good rhythm on the single press.
    I was at Plainfield shooting over the weekend and was tinkering the thought of getting another progressive press. So for now it’s just the good ol single stage Hornady
     

    thephasdin4

    Plinker
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    0   0   0
    Dec 31, 2017
    62
    6
    Terre Haute
    I used Hornady single stage for a few years before finally splurging on a Forster Co-ax. No plan yet for turret or progressive. I do a lot of precision reloading so it's always a slow process for me
     

    Sniper 79

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    Oct 7, 2012
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    I dumped my 15yr old Lee this past spring. Did some major upgrading and revamping. Went with a new Dillon and a RCBS turret off to the side for tinkering with. Just now getting to play with it some since the cold weather hit.

    My only regret is not getting into progressive sooner. Trying to eliminate the time burglar aspect of loading. People are always at the top of the stairs barking orders at me.
     

    Doublehelix

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    15   0   0
    Jun 20, 2015
    1,874
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    Westfield
    I started with a Lee Classic Turret press, and loved it. It was a great way to get started and learn the ropes. Since you have loading experience, you will be fine, although I have now upgraded to a Dillon XL650 progressive press, and I can't believe it took me so long to get one!

    I have kept the Lee however, and now use it for load development work and some precision stuff, although I really want to buy a Forester Co-Ax for precision work.

    Best of luck, and congratulations!
     

    cobber

    Parrot Daddy
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    Sep 14, 2011
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    Somewhere over the rainbow
    I started with a Lee Classic Turret press, and loved it. It was a great way to get started and learn the ropes. Since you have loading experience, you will be fine, although I have now upgraded to a Dillon XL650 progressive press, and I can't believe it took me so long to get one!

    I have kept the Lee however, and now use it for load development work and some precision stuff, although I really want to buy a Forester Co-Ax for precision work.

    Best of luck, and congratulations!

    Thanks. It's quite a change indeed, and a real time-saver.
     

    Mattroth54

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    Mar 23, 2013
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    I started with a Lee Classic Turret press, and loved it. It was a great way to get started and learn the ropes. Since you have loading experience, you will be fine, although I have now upgraded to a Dillon XL650 progressive press, and I can't believe it took me so long to get one!

    I have kept the Lee however, and now use it for load development work and some precision stuff, although I really want to buy a Forester Co-Ax for precision work.

    Best of luck, and congratulations!

    This sounds like my reloading future. I’ve used a Lee turret for years and cranked out some pretty good ammo. The little square thingy is the only thing I’ve worn out. I’m now looking for the right deal on a 650. If the right package came along in a square deal, that might also be hard for me to pass up. Either way, I’d always keep the Lee around for small scale tinkering.
     

    sdb321

    Plinker
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    Sep 12, 2016
    70
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    LaFontaine
    When I decided to get into reloading I bought a Dillon SDB. A while back I visited a local pawn shop and picked up a RCBS Partner press(new-in box-never mounted) for $85. Now where ever I enter a shop I look for any used presses. You can't have too many!!!!! Single / turret / auto, makes no difference.
     

    bwframe

    Loneranger
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    Feb 11, 2008
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    The Lee Classic Turret press isn't a lot more than a single stage. Way convenient to add $12 replaceable turrets as you need to switch calibers, while leaving dies set up for the last.

    I took the plastic thingy out of mine and use as a more versatile single stage for precision loading.
     

    cobber

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    One unfortunate thing, however, is that the Lee Autodisk powder measure is grossly short 9-10% of the throws. I checked the throws for awhile, but obviously not closely enough. Not sure how that's happening, but it's a thing alright.

    I am getting pretty good at 'squibology' though.
     

    t-squared

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    87iroc

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    One unfortunate thing, however, is that the Lee Autodisk powder measure is grossly short 9-10% of the throws. I checked the throws for awhile, but obviously not closely enough. Not sure how that's happening, but it's a thing alright.

    I am getting pretty good at 'squibology' though.

    I never had a problem with mine loading over 3000 rounds. Is the disk set up right(little arm hooked in the slot its supposed to be in?).

    The drum, if I had stayed with my lee, would have been on the buy list cuz its so cheap...but I'll probably stick with the auto disks now. Like I said, never had a problem with them. HIt accurate w/in a 1/10th of a grain every time I checked mine(2 sample size lot as I had 2 of those same powder measures. One was new, one used, when I got it.) over the few years I used them.
     
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