Lee Cast Classic Turret

[Bucks Owin]

Well amigos, I have procrastinated long enough. Have been threatening for years to retire my dad's old Pacific C press and up grade to a Forster CoAx for my rifle reloading and a Lee Cast Classic Turret for handgun. Well I'm halfway there. Yesterday I bit the bullet and ordered the Lee from Titan Reloading. Feel like a kid on Christmas eve! :lol:

So all you guys who already use one, chime in and tell me how much you like your's! 8)

PS: Forgot to mention, I ordered the "kit" which includes the priming and powder charging gizmos too. Decided to add the adjustable charge bar... :wink:

 

[Clovishound]

Love mine. The only issue I have had with mine was being titchy about adjustment for the primer arm. I would adjust it so the primers wouldn't hang up, and after a couple hundred rounds it would be out of adjustment. I finally glued a small, thin piece of wood in the pivot area of the casting, and never had a problem since. Order a handful of the little plastic inserts for the auto index. They are a consumable. They run less than a buck, so it's good to have several on hand. Once I figured out not to back up the turret when the ram is in a certain position, my insert has lasted many thousands of rounds and still going strong. It's made of plastic so that you don't destroy other items, kinda like a fuse or a Woodruff key.

For around a $100 it is a great press. I wasn't impressed with the adjustable charge bar. It threw inconsistently at the small charges I was loading. The discs are very consistent with the powders I use. If you really need something in between disc sizes, just buy another set of discs and carefully drill out the next size down to the load you want. Disc sets are cheap.

The good news is the spent primer system is great. Just empty the tube when full, or run it into a bucket. The turrets make caliber changes a snap. The linkage is heavy duty. The turret will lift a few thousandths when you push the case into the dies. This may worry you, but keep in mind, it will lift the same few thousandths every time, and your loads will be consistent.

Enjoy your LCT. It should serve you well for many many years.

 

[mikld]

I've been using a Lee turret press (old model) for several years, mebbe 17, and reload everything I shoot on it (.38 Special to 30-06 w/168 Noslers). I also use it to size my cast bullets. Since my rifle dies only take up 3 holes in the turret, I stick a ram prime tool in the 4th hole. Very controllable priming, no need to adjust anything, works great. Also I disengaged the auto index three days after I got the press and batch load, which I prefer over a semi-progressive. I hand index and do one or two operations on brass at a time, usually about 100 at a time, and finish off with charging and seating when I choose a load (prolly just 8 or 10 until I confirm the load).

 

[Bucks Owin]

Thanks for the tips. I thought about ordering the 2 disk conversion kit but figgered the adjustable charge bar would be "better". Guess I'll find out...

 

[nvbirdman]

I love mine. It has probably loaded 20k rounds. I took a 12oz water bottle and drilled the cap out so the primer tube would fit in, bottle starts getting too full, screw a new bottle on, put the new cap on the old bottle. No mess, no fuss.

 

[Bucks Owin]

Cool spent primer catcher idea! Thanks.. :wink:

 

[Passtime]

I googled "Lee adjustable charge bar fix" and found the fix using JB weld in the pic below. It is not my pic but it gets the point across. It fixed the issue I was having with inconsistent charge weights below 4 grains using the ACB. I lost some of the top end (heavier charge weights) on it but it is dead on now with the smaller charges. I purchased a separate one that I use when I need large powder charges. The discs are very accurate but sometimes I want a charge weight that falls between what the discs offer. The LCTP works like a champ. I have no complaints.

 

[w5lx]

The Lee Classic Turret 4-holer is all I use anymore. I have separate setups for each caliber I load for.....45 Colt, .45 ACP, .38 Special, and .357 Magnum. Makes it easy to go out to the garage and load up a couple hundred rounds before a trip to the range.

 

[carpriver]

I have been using the case turret press. I like the press I load everything from 380 to 308. I have used the double disk from some loads for pistol rifle loads and for one 308 load with a Nosler FMJBT 150 gr bullet. Lee dose have a powder measure guaranteed to be accurate to 0.01 grains. you can look at it at Titan Reloading web site

 

[abolt311]

I busted the indexer, too much reloading I guess, now I use it as a single stage right next to my single stage RCBS. Works great and quick, the form & and deprime in the RCBS and the seat and crimp dies in the LEE. I like this.

 

[Clovishound]

I busted the indexer, too much reloading I guess, now I use it as a single stage right next to my single stage RCBS. Works great and quick, the form & and deprime in the RCBS and the seat and crimp dies in the LEE. I like this.

Just the little square plastic insert? Like I said, those are consumables. They run something like .59 online. The clamp assembly is a tad over $6. I sometimes use mine in single stage mode, but it's nice to have the option of continuous mode.

 

[Bucks Owin]

Supposedly, if the indexing is adjusted as per Lee instruction, the plastic doohicky will last a coon's age... :? Guess I'll see.

Anyway, UPS truck due manyana...yippee! 8)

 

[FlyerTom]

For ease of setup on caliber changes, you'll probably want to get a die holder for each set of dies you reload with, and then a place to store them. I've added two more calibers since the photo below was taken, but a tubafour, a 4-inch hole saw, and a 1/4" dowel (properly assembled) will kepp all your dies handy and ready to go.

 

[Bucks Owin]

Hey, that is TRICK Flyer Tom! 8)

 

[Logan]

I've had mine for about 6 years now and would not part with it. It's probably the best value out there, priced at little more than a single-stage but a whole lot faster. The turrets are only $12 each, so like Tom Flyer, I keep a bunch set up and ready to go. Don't expect it to be as fast as a full-progressive, it's really not intended to be, but it's fine for small to medium batches. My only criticism is the primer feed. It swings around out there like some man-on-a-flying trapeez. It looks like it should not even work but it does, though you have to handle it carefully to avoid a mis-feed. I would really like to see Lee come up with a more robust system.

 

[Clovishound]

I hand feed the primer cup on mine. I made a thin, extremely shallow bowl on my wood lathe. It makes picking off a primer one at a time very easy. I've been interested in the safety prime, but it looks a little wonky to me. I guess for under $20, I ought to give it a try.

 

[Galaxiedan]

I,ve had to modify my safety feed with a razor knife to make it more reliable. Basically the mold flash needed trimmed up

 

[w5lx]

I hand feed the primer cup on mine.... I've been interested in the safety prime, but it looks a little wonky to me. I guess for under $20, I ought to give it a try.

I hand feed the primer too. Could never get the Autoprime to work well. Just be sure your hands are dry and grease free and hand feeding works fine.

 

[Bucks Owin]

Just wanted to thank you boys for the great input...

I now have my CTP mounted up with the Lee "slide in" benchplate system and am eagerly waiting for a Universal Powder thru die to show up so I can better use my RCBS dies. Glad I bought this rig, I like it... 8)

Thanks again amigos...