Turret presses ???

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jski

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I’m looking at RCBS’s 6-stage press v. Redding’s T7 7-stage press v, Lyman’s All
American 8-stage press,

Experiences?
Opinions?
Caveats?
 
I have used the Redding and I have the older model Lyman. The Redding is better in terms of alignment and smoothness of operation but the Lyman has always worked great for me.
 
I had recently replaced my Lyman AA8 due to wear issues after less than a year. Started noticing alignment problems between the ram and die. Found .010 run out at the top of the stroke.

Get the Redding.

.40
 
Found this on Brownell’s website:
The T-7 Turret Press features a seven station turret head, cast iron construction, and powerful compound linkage. Its rear casting supports a rock solid turret for precise alignment. The T-7 incorporates a one inch diameter ram and accepts 7/8 inch to fourteen inch threaded dies, including the longer Competition dies. Additional interchangeable turret heads may be purchased. This is the only turret press we recommend buying.
 
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I have a Redding T-7 and a Lyman T-Mag. Still have my Lyman Spar-T. The Lyman T-Mag has six stations. Why I am using the Redding is primarily due to the primers going down the ram, through a tube, into a bottle. The Lyman T-Mag uses a cup, and primers often bounce out of the cup and on to the floor.

NuX3x0D.jpg

Otherwise, they both small base size 30-06 well, plenty of leverage. Having six, seven, stations on the head, more is better in my opinion. I stack up the most common dies, that is 30-06, 308, and 223 on top and a couple of decapping dies more or less permanently on the Redding. I don't take the turret off, never did on the Lyman and I have four extra turrets. The idea was to populate the turret with dies of one caliber. The only turrets that are permanently populated are for my Dillion 550B. I primarily use the Redding for sizing rifle cases, rarely use it for anything else.The Dillion 550B is what I use for pistol and for dumping the charge and seating the bullet on most rifle calibers.

I don't know if eight stations are that much better than seven or six, seems we are in a version of a horsepower race. I think there were Hollywood presses that had ten stations. The things must have weighed 70 pounds.
 
Started with a $5 Herters garage sale turret many years ago, was impressed with the practical concept of not having to reset dies all the time. Served its purpose, it was not as precise on indexing as the Redding.

I found that a 7 hole turret can sometimes be nice if you are sharing it with a 4 die set and 3 die set. The Redding is nice for catching the discard primers in a tube. Currently have three turret heads and will be getting another, it's a convenient and practical way to store dies and keep them preset.

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I had recently replaced my Lyman AA8 due to wear issues after less than a year. Started noticing alignment problems between the ram and die. Found .010 run out at the top of the stroke.

Get the Redding.

.40

This is what I was referring to with my own Lyman. Ever so slight alignment issue that self corrects as your case engages the die. I don’t think it is a real problem in my instance however it is definitely something that should not exist on a precision tool. It is only misalignment as it pertains to the indexing of the turret so the turret just rotates a small bit every time an operation is done.

I suppose you could say it’s like a floating die that all the CoAx acolytes like to bring up whenever we start talking about those. Haha. Mine has a floating die too.
 
Those aren’t really “stages,” and IIRC none of those are auto-indexing. They aren’t going to be quasi/faux progressives. They’re just going to keep dies already set for you.

Frankly, these only seem useful if you have 2-3 rifle cartridges that you load all the time and want to leave dies set for them.
 
My Lyman T Mag dates back to the late 70’s as was my first press . It’s still in use for loading 45C in black powder.
 
I’m looking at RCBS’s 6-stage press v. Redding’s T7 7-stage press v, Lyman’s All
American 8-stage press,

I've been very pleased with my RCBS turret press. I've used it for 5 pistol calibers since 2011, and loaded about 74,000 rounds with it. I have 4 turrets with different caliber dies, and just switched to the one with .380 dies, and the swap was quick and easy.

I now have a Mark 7 Evolution for 9mm, but will still use the RCBS for the other 4 calibers, and maybe 'special' 9mms. It's really handy for bulge busting .40 S&W Glocked cases.

I think you'll be happy with any of the 3 presses you are considering.
 
I would consider the Dillon but really don’t have the space for this:
upload_2020-3-29_9-30-55.png
It kind of reminds me of a Linotype machine in its complexity.

BTW, it’s amazing the number of reloaders I talk with who don’t know there are 3 types of presses.
 

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jski: LOL.. If you read my early post that T-Mag was replaced by a Dillon 550 in the early 80’s.
Lots here use the Dillon, lots don’t. I’ll say this it’s a once in a life time purchase. If you load a lot go for it you’ll never regret it. One sweet machine. I’d go for the new 750 but I’m just too old now, and the eldest boy is considering it.
Actually it’s foot print on the bench isn’t much greater than a turret. You still have the bullet case and loaded round bins with those also.

Forget the strong back mine mounted directly to the bench.
 
I would consider the Dillon but really don’t have the space for this:
View attachment 903549
It kind of reminds me of a Linotype machine in its complexity.

BTW, it’s amazing the number of reloaders I talk with who don’t know there are 3 types of presses.

That picture shows all the optional trays and tool racks. The actual footprint of a Dillon 650 (and I presume 750) is no bigger than the big turrets you’re looking at. It’s taller, because of the columns of cases and primers, but that’s not actually an issue in most installations.

All those trays of empty cases and bullets and finished rounds... you have to have those on the bench for a turret, too. I don’t use a bullet tray on my 650... I just put a box of bullets on the bench. Same thing when I use my turret press. No difference in the space that takes up. None.
 
jski: LOL.. If you read my early post that T-Mag was replaced by a Dillon 550 in the early 80’s.
Lots here use the Dillon, lots don’t. I’ll say this it’s a once in a life time purchase. If you load a lot go for it you’ll never regret it. One sweet machine. I’d go for the new 750 but I’m just too old now, and the eldest boy is considering it.
Actually it’s foot print on the bench isn’t much greater than a turret. You still have the bullet case and loaded round bins with those also.

Forget the strong back mine mounted directly to the bench.
Can I use my Redding, RCBS, Lyman, and Lee dies?
 
Now this is more reasonable:
upload_2020-3-29_10-31-1.png
Now I need shellplates for each cartridge. Correct?

At $40 a pop, that ain’t cheap!
 
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Not what you asked, but.....I bought the Hornady LNL bushings for my single stage press. I used it a while and then thought about a turret press. Looked at a lot of them and decided I liked the single stage with the LNL bushings just fine. I liked the Redding Turret the best, but at $80 a turret it represents a significant cost for additional calibers, etc. I am now thinking about gettin a new Boss II and putting the LNL bushing in it. Have not completely ruled out the T7 either but I am not leaning that way right now. I have several crimp dies per caliber and sometimes a couple of seating dies. But they repeat accurately in the LNL bushings and are almost instaneous to change. I cannot imagine that moving a turret is a lot faster. Right now I am buying some Redding dies to replace what I have been using. So I am leaning towards a Redding press just because. I really like the competition seating dies I have picked up for a couple of my pistol calibers and my 6mm rifle. Lucky to find some dies used . I am sequestered 700 miles from my reloading room so it is all a little academic for me right now. I may be able to get home in May.
 
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I also have a Redding T-7 (they are made not far from where i live). It is very solidly built. There is not any flex or slop as the turret rotates. The quality of their loading dies is top-notch as well, in my opinion.

I enjoy being able to leave a number of seating dies in place, and i did upgrade to the primer feed tube a few years ago. Both of my sons have since started shooting, so I am (happily and thankfully) loading a lot of cartridges these days.
 
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Now this is more reasonable:
View attachment 903556
Now I need shellplates for each cartridge. Correct?

At $40 a pop, that ain’t cheap!
Would seem. So it’s not for you. There’s many avenues, pick what seems to work for you. In my winter home I have a Lee Classic Turret Press. Sort of semi progressive. It too needs tool heads, but still needs three or four handle pulls to complete one cartridge, same as my T-Mag only the Lee rotates the dies automatically.
I really think it boils down to just how much ammo you want to load and just how much time do you want to devote to that procedure. How many hours at the press to support how many minutes on the firing line.
 
Those aren’t really “stages,” and IIRC none of those are auto-indexing. They aren’t going to be quasi/faux progressives. They’re just going to keep dies already set for you.

Frankly, these only seem useful if you have 2-3 rifle cartridges that you load all the time and want to leave dies set for them.

That's exactly what I do with my Lyman. I load hunting and plinking rounds for 44 Mag and 444 Marlin. I decap on a separate press with a Lee Uni Depriming die. Use a hand priming tool. If I get a more "precision" rifle then those loads will be done on my Hornady LnL w/ bushings. I have yet another press again for the decapping of those.
 
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