Finicky Lee Turret Press

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Stefan A

Stefan A

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Having gotten into the reloading hobby in the middle of a supply shortage, things have been slow going and I obtained items as they became available. I've now been doing it for about 1 year. I have reloaded 9mm, 45 Colt, and .357 mag. I got the Lee Turret Press because that is what was available and it seemed to get good reviews. I'd like to still think of myself as a beginner because I get a bit more sympathy for things I don't know. But I've reloaded enough cartridges, watched enough videos, and read enough stuff here to kind of take me out of the beginner category.

Another thing I've done is constantly fiddle with my press/dies because it just doesn't perform the way I think it should. So maybe this is a griping thread, but I am open to help. First of all, Lee instructions are very confusing and incomplete for a total beginner. If it wasn't for you guys and youtube, I would have quit a while ago. There's always something wrong/unexpected happening. Below are things that have happened and some things I just can't fix.

  • Primers do not always seat all the way no matter how hard I push. Only has happened with .357.
  • SPP don't always come out of the primer feeder or sometimes fall on the floor. Haven't had the problem with LPP.
  • With .357, the cartridge does always go into the die because it seems slightly unaligned. Tried holding the rotator bar and turning the die set as per the instructions, but is ineffective. I just have to force the brass in.
  • Auto Drum Powder Measure is far from consistent. I have had readings ranging by up to 5 10ths.of a grain and that's just dangerous. That's using the Lee balance scale as well as a digital scale. Scales are accurate, powder drops are not.
  • I have spent a lot of time on youtube specifically for the powder through expander die trying to get it adjusted right. Things are just not clear.
  • It would be so nice if the hopper had a removable top so when I am testing powder drops I can dump it back into the hopper rather than the original powder container. It's annoying that all the videos I watch are of the style that DOES have that sort of top - but not mine... I hate watching videos on the die/hopper when the item in the video does't look like mine. So I can't be sure the instruction is right.
  • For 357, the seating die and crimp die are clunky sounding - not sure if there is something wrong. Seating die seems to be crimping (I know it can be set that way), but I don't want it to crimp.
  • For 357, It feels like the crimping die isn't doing much. Cartridge just seems to go in without feeling anything happening. But as I pull it out, it seems to get stuck right before the cartridge comes out. Have to give it some extra oomph to get it out. For the seating and crimping die, I have followed the instructions exactly.
  • When the cartridge goes into the seating die, I feel and hear an obvious scape. I have tried so hard to put the bullet into the case as straight as possible. I have seen slivers come off
So anyway, I know I am doing a lot of complaining here. I read so much about you all sitting in your reloading room and just relaxing as you do your thing. So far, this has just been stressful and annoying. I am just not sure if it's me or the dies or the press. Or if it's all normal.

Stefan
 
Well alot of your die issues are a matter of getting the dies adjusted correctly. I love my Auto drum measure. Bulkly powders like unique it will throw plus or minus .02. I can live with that. The goofy priming system i sold. I use a RCBS bench prime tool. Or hand feed the primers, Keep at it. You will get it. I started out with a single stage before jumped into a turret.
 
CoalCrackerAl said:
Well alot of your die issues are a matter of getting the dies adjusted correctly. I love my Auto drum measure. Bulkly powders like unique it will throw plus or minus .02. I can live with that. The goofy priming system i sold. I use a RCBS bench prime tool. Or hand feed the primers, Keep at it. You will get it. I started out with a single stage before jumped into a turret.
Click to expand...

I might end up going in that direction if I keep having issues with the priming. I like that I can do everything with one machine. But not if it doesn't work.
 
I gave up on the Lee turret priming system too, I use a RCBS universal hand primer. I use the Lee Auto Disk powder measure with the micrometer slide installed and have had good results with Power Pistol powder, I think that is the only powder I have used in it. I use the Perfect Powder measure bench mounted to measure H110 and it leaks some but throws pretty consistent charges. I have now switched those loads to the Forster Bench Rest model because of the leaks. Just keep asking questions and watching videos. Lots of decades of experience out there free for the looking.
 
For the primers that won't seat completely, check the brass and make sure it isn't a ringer ( where the old primer comes apart and only the anvil and cup are pushed out).

Double and triple check your die set up. Lee's instructions can be confusing.

Does the Lee turret have the same safety prime as the ABL Pro4000 ? If so, there is a modification that will help it feed small primers better.
 
This is the only Auotdrum I've ever seen and it sure looks like the top comes off so you can pour power back in. Can you post a picture of yours so we can see how it differs

lee_auto-drum_powder_measure_-_90811.jpg
 
I also have a Lee Turret, don't have any of your problems, mainly because I don't use the Lee Priming system, and my Lee Auto Drum(s) work very nicely for me. I de-prime on my Dillon, and use a RCBS Hand Primer for those calibers that I use Lee Turret for, there aren't many calibers now that don't get the Dillon treatment, mainly M1 Carbine, and 44 Special/Magnum, and I have 4 other Lee Auto Drum measures on Dillon caliber conversions...Works for me! The powder flask is easily removed from the body, a slight turn closes the outlet, and it comes off easily.
 
There IS hope... but you have to set up everything properly... especially the dies...
My LCT with autodrum hums along nicely without hiccups (mostly). I recently upgraded to the newest version of the Lee Safety Prime system and it too, works flawlessly. It's all in the set-up. I hope you can find a mentor locally to help you work it out.
 
9mmepiphany said:
This is the only Auotdrum I've ever seen and it sure looks like the top comes off so you can pour power back in. Can you post a picture of yours so we can see how it differs

View attachment 1035253
Click to expand...

Yeah, and that's the one I see in all the videos. Here's mine. Also, I am sorry, but I continue to not know how to rotate photos on this forum.

tempImage66iwsY.png
 
There's a video on y tube showing how to disassemble and form a piece in the spp feeder that will make it work so much better. I'm just having trouble finding to post a link.
 
First tip for the powder measure. The new model as you have the bottle screws on. The threads used are the same as used on the original powder bottles. So next empty bottle of powder you get save it and cut the bottom off. Now you have an open top hopper!

Mine, with using ball powders such as Accurate or Ramshot powders and even HP-38 i can hold 0.1gr from my set point.

https://www.lee-loader.com/index.php?mobile=desktop this is also a site that might provide help.
 
I gave up on Lee priming a long time ago. I use the Franklin hand primer, $$ but it works perfect. De-prime and size on the press, prime with the Franklin, Lee Power measure and load on the press. The Lee powder scale sucks, I use RCBS and electronic scales.
 
With the Lee Safety Prime system, there a a few things to keep in mind. The mounting bracket needs to be aligned properly, to the ram being in the topmost position. If the sizing die is adjusted too deep, the priming cup will not be in a good position to receive the primer. Priming the cup, I find that there is a certain way to push the safety primer each time that allows for the smooth transfer of the primer. So it needs a rhythm.

When the turret indexes, does it click into position? It should be held in place by the spring loaded ball.

The Auto-drum needs to travel enough to fill with powder consistently, and to drop the powder. If the screw is to tight, the drum may not travel into the receiving position. Also, with a turret, there should be a constant rhythm when running the ram up and down. A constant movement helps the powder settles in the drum, but sudden movements will give inconsistent throws.

When you talk of the crimp die, are you referring to the factory crimp die? It sounds like that tug you fell when lowing the ram, is the bullet seated area of the case is passing through the carbide ring and swaging the bullet. Cast bullets?
 
Stefan A said:
Having gotten into the reloading hobby in the middle of a supply shortage, things have been slow going and I obtained items as they became available. I've now been doing it for about 1 year. I have reloaded 9mm, 45 Colt, and .357 mag. I got the Lee Turret Press because that is what was available and it seemed to get good reviews. I'd like to still think of myself as a beginner because I get a bit more sympathy for things I don't know. But I've reloaded enough cartridges, watched enough videos, and read enough stuff here to kind of take me out of the beginner category.

Another thing I've done is constantly fiddle with my press/dies because it just doesn't perform the way I think it should. So maybe this is a griping thread, but I am open to help. First of all, Lee instructions are very confusing and incomplete for a total beginner. If it wasn't for you guys and youtube, I would have quit a while ago. There's always something wrong/unexpected happening. Below are things that have happened and some things I just can't fix.

  • Primers do not always seat all the way no matter how hard I push. Only has happened with .357.
  • SPP don't always come out of the primer feeder or sometimes fall on the floor. Haven't had the problem with LPP.
  • With .357, the cartridge does always go into the die because it seems slightly unaligned. Tried holding the rotator bar and turning the die set as per the instructions, but is ineffective. I just have to force the brass in.
  • Auto Drum Powder Measure is far from consistent. I have had readings ranging by up to 5 10ths.of a grain and that's just dangerous. That's using the Lee balance scale as well as a digital scale. Scales are accurate, powder drops are not.
  • I have spent a lot of time on youtube specifically for the powder through expander die trying to get it adjusted right. Things are just not clear.
  • It would be so nice if the hopper had a removable top so when I am testing powder drops I can dump it back into the hopper rather than the original powder container. It's annoying that all the videos I watch are of the style that DOES have that sort of top - but not mine... I hate watching videos on the die/hopper when the item in the video does't look like mine. So I can't be sure the instruction is right.
  • For 357, the seating die and crimp die are clunky sounding - not sure if there is something wrong. Seating die seems to be crimping (I know it can be set that way), but I don't want it to crimp.
  • For 357, It feels like the crimping die isn't doing much. Cartridge just seems to go in without feeling anything happening. But as I pull it out, it seems to get stuck right before the cartridge comes out. Have to give it some extra oomph to get it out. For the seating and crimping die, I have followed the instructions exactly.
  • When the cartridge goes into the seating die, I feel and hear an obvious scape. I have tried so hard to put the bullet into the case as straight as possible. I have seen slivers come off
So anyway, I know I am doing a lot of complaining here. I read so much about you all sitting in your reloading room and just relaxing as you do your thing. So far, this has just been stressful and annoying. I am just not sure if it's me or the dies or the press. Or if it's all normal.

Stefan
Click to expand...
I love my Lee Classic Turret Press and Lee dies. I'm not a fan of the new Safety Prime (I like and use the old round reservoir model), but I know it can be adjusted to work. One thing to emphasize is that while Lee equipment is well designed and well made (almost all the time) it is a basic design and needs tuning/adjusting to make it run smoothly. Don't expect to just bolt it to the bench and start making ammo right out of the box. Once tuned, it runs great, in my experience.

First, this Youtube video is worth your time . It has some good advice on setting up the safety prime at about 18:00 as well as a lot of tips on fine tuning the press.

I've had problems with 38/357 brass, particularly with Win primers. Different primer brands are just a little different and can cause the problem you describe. You can purchase a primer pocket go-no go guage to see if it is your brass.

I'm an Auto Disk fan for pistol cartridges, but I use the Auto Drum for .223 and after some tuning it works flawlessly, but it really took some tuning. That is another whole thread.

Brass alignment is usually a timing issue. Always lightly lube the OD of the turret/ID of the turret frame or friction will mess up the timing. Also the speed at which you advance the turret will affect the timing.

The lack of crimping action with the FCD is either an adjustment issue (no crimp following using the die) or the seater die crimping as well (round is crimped). To keep the seater from crimping, put a case with the neck expanded in the shell holder and raise the ram. Screw in the seater die (seater plug backed out) until the crimp ring contacts the case mouth. Back out the die 1/-1/2 turn and lock it down. Then adjust the seating depth with the seater plug.

The dragging as the case is removed from the FCD is the sizing ring sizing the bulge from seating the bullet (or over crimping the case).

The scraping of the case going into the seating die is almost certainly an over expanded case mouth from the powder through die.
 
Skinnedknuckles said:
The scraping of the case going into the seating die is almost certainly an over expanded case mouth from the powder through die.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I have fiddled with that powder through die so much trying to reduce the flare with no success - another case where the instructions are not working for me. The flare is too big and I can't fix it. I will watch that whole video tomorrow.
 
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