TionestaDoug
Bearcat
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2016
- Messages
- 12
I have tried to adjust for all the dies trying to get the dies in time and as soon as I get one in time the others are off. Any thoughts?
Having problems with Lee Turret. ...anyone else?
- Thread starter TionestaDoug
- Start date
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NikA
Buckeye
Worn plastic ratchet?
When you say "out of time," do you mean that when one die is appropriately aligned with the press ram, and you stroke the press a full stroke, the next die is not properly aligned? As far as I know, that can only be caused by an issue with the plastic ratchet and rotation bar (forget the proper name), or by a fundamental issue with the press' construction. It is possible to short stroke the press to cause timing issues though if you are not completing a full up and down stroke.
When you say "out of time," do you mean that when one die is appropriately aligned with the press ram, and you stroke the press a full stroke, the next die is not properly aligned? As far as I know, that can only be caused by an issue with the plastic ratchet and rotation bar (forget the proper name), or by a fundamental issue with the press' construction. It is possible to short stroke the press to cause timing issues though if you are not completing a full up and down stroke.
Clovishound
Blackhawk
Yep, replace the little plastic square ratchet. They are a consumable. I have to replace mine about every 2 years or so. I believe they are designed to be sacrificial rather than damage other parts.
Try hand indexing. Twist the turret by hand and check alignment (you'll feel the indent ball "click" into place). If the dies line up, then replace the black plastic thingy, or remove it completely and just hand index. I got my turret about 13 years ago and removed the auto-index feature 12.75 years ago (I was setting the press up the for the first time and the press would index when I didn't ant it to). I developed a good batch load process that works quite well for all my reloading; 9mm through 30-06...
Jim Puke
Hunter
THAT... is the reason that I dumped mine...never ending need to be adjusted, new parts did not fix mine.
TionestaDoug
Bearcat
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2016
- Messages
- 12
Thanks all I can see it will go out of time a lot took off index lines up perfect thanks guys
The little plastic ratcheting doodad is cheap and easily replaceable. I wouldn't condemn the press for this since it IS fairly cheap and still quite usable.
I've loaded a truck load of ammo on the turret presses I have.
I've loaded a truck load of ammo on the turret presses I have.
Clovishound
Blackhawk
6gun said:You get what you pay for toss it and buy a RCBS.
I also have loaded thousands and thousands of rounds on my LCT. IMO it is a quality machine. Like any rotating press, it needs some occasional maintenance. Cleaning, lubing, and yes, the little sacrificial part has to be replaced every few years, or whenever the mechanism has been "forced". That is why it's made of plastic.
RCBS makes good stuff. The LCT is a good press as well, at a different price point.
Unfortunately whenever someone mentions "Lee" some Lee Hater has to chime in with something negative, and usually not related to the conversation. My Momma always said "if you ain't got something positive to say, shut up"...
FWIW, the only bad dies I've purchased were RCBS, totaly P.O.S. I almost bought a puke green RCBS press but was totally unimpressed with the workmanship (lack there of) and went with a quality press instead; Redding...
FWIW, the only bad dies I've purchased were RCBS, totaly P.O.S. I almost bought a puke green RCBS press but was totally unimpressed with the workmanship (lack there of) and went with a quality press instead; Redding...
Clovishound said:6gun said:You get what you pay for toss it and buy a RCBS.
I also have loaded thousands and thousands of rounds on my LCT. IMO it is a quality machine. Like any rotating press, it needs some occasional maintenance. Cleaning, lubing, and yes, the little sacrificial part has to be replaced every few years, or whenever the mechanism has been "forced". That is why it's made of plastic.
RCBS makes good stuff. The LCT is a good press as well, at a different price point.
A quality machine don't break down or have plastic parts to replace, like I said you get what you pay for.
NikA
Buckeye
A well-engineered machine will absolutely have wear parts that are inexpensive and replaceable by the end user. The fact that this piece is plastic is only a choice that combines the necessary strength with the wear properties and cost.
The best engineered press, with no need for parts replacement, would be well beyond the cost of the average reloader (think bushings or bearings on every possible wear surface to control runout/misalignment). However, the design of dies and other reloading tools is such that absolute alignment is typically undesirable and may be detrimental to self-alignment in precisely toleranced parts such as dies.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with Lee brand reloading tools. They are somewhat less expensive, but they are appropriately engineered to meet the needs of their users at the price point at which they are offered. They even have offered some unique solutions to reloading challenges that other brands have failed to acknowledge.
In short, buying reloading tools from any of the major brands is likely to get you a serviceable product. They all have flops and they all occasionally put out products that do not meet QC requirements. Heck, this forum is for a company renowned for leaving the final finishing to the customer to meet a price point- can you fault other companies for doing so as well?
The best engineered press, with no need for parts replacement, would be well beyond the cost of the average reloader (think bushings or bearings on every possible wear surface to control runout/misalignment). However, the design of dies and other reloading tools is such that absolute alignment is typically undesirable and may be detrimental to self-alignment in precisely toleranced parts such as dies.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with Lee brand reloading tools. They are somewhat less expensive, but they are appropriately engineered to meet the needs of their users at the price point at which they are offered. They even have offered some unique solutions to reloading challenges that other brands have failed to acknowledge.
In short, buying reloading tools from any of the major brands is likely to get you a serviceable product. They all have flops and they all occasionally put out products that do not meet QC requirements. Heck, this forum is for a company renowned for leaving the final finishing to the customer to meet a price point- can you fault other companies for doing so as well?
NikA
Buckeye
I bet you've loaded tens of thousands of rounds on it and checked the wear points for dimensional stability, too. The point here is that if your RCBS press develops play due to wear at a contact surface, the replacement parts will be more involved than the "cheap" little plastic ratchet. The fact that you may never use it that much or that the small changes that develop are unimportant to you is irrelevant.
Maybe we should compare it to RCBS's attempts at inexpensive turret/semi-progressive presses?
-Their turret is 2x cost and develops known torques due to its unbalanced force design. It WILL need parts, as the play in the central turret attachment point will increase with use.
-RCBS Piggyback presses seem to have left the marketplace due to design issues.
-Seems like the RCBS Green Machine was so much of a failure it never came out in all the calibers it was originally advertised for.
-RCBS's current progressives run as much or more than Dillon's; seems like serious reloaders tend to prefer the latter.
A single stage press is pretty laughably easy to design. Once things start moving against each other in close dependency, you have wear parts that need to be replaced. Doesn't matter whether it's a press, or a gun, or a car. Wear is the inevitable consequence of moving parts, and a good design takes this into account and makes the wear parts inexpensive and user replaceable.
Maybe we should compare it to RCBS's attempts at inexpensive turret/semi-progressive presses?
-Their turret is 2x cost and develops known torques due to its unbalanced force design. It WILL need parts, as the play in the central turret attachment point will increase with use.
-RCBS Piggyback presses seem to have left the marketplace due to design issues.
-Seems like the RCBS Green Machine was so much of a failure it never came out in all the calibers it was originally advertised for.
-RCBS's current progressives run as much or more than Dillon's; seems like serious reloaders tend to prefer the latter.
A single stage press is pretty laughably easy to design. Once things start moving against each other in close dependency, you have wear parts that need to be replaced. Doesn't matter whether it's a press, or a gun, or a car. Wear is the inevitable consequence of moving parts, and a good design takes this into account and makes the wear parts inexpensive and user replaceable.
Clark
Bearcat
I love my Lee turret press. I should buy some of those plastic gizmos to have on hand but it will probably take learning the hard way to do that...
6gun - Thanks for your enlightened opinion, if it hasn't been made clear then let me restate it for you: take it elsewhere.
Clark
6gun - Thanks for your enlightened opinion, if it hasn't been made clear then let me restate it for you: take it elsewhere.
Clark
Rook
Blackhawk
Clark said:
So do I. Not sure why some people have problems with the plastic part. I've been using my Lee 4 hole turret for many years reloading 500 Mag, .50AE, .30-06, 45 Colt, .44 Mag, .357 Mag, .38 Special, .38-40, .380, and I've yet to have to replace anything on mine. Maybe I'm just lucky but then there are people that can tear up a steel ball with a rubber mallet. :lol:
Wow, my reloading bench hasn't been that clean since 3 hours after I finished building it.
Rook
Blackhawk
Mobuck said:
When mine gets dirty I just take the air hose and blow it off and sweep up what ever hits the floor.
