Lee Classic Turret Press for accuracy loading?

[Blue68f100]

That has been true in some cases. Particularly if you trying to shoot a bullet not know for the best accuracy. Or a light short bullet in a Wylde chamber. My Wylde chamber 1:8 would not shoot anything what I consider accurate less than 62-65gr. My load development in the 65 and 69gr took me less than 100 rounds in each with 2 powder combinations. The lighter bullets I tried 6-7 different powders and 6-7 bullets all trying to get something that would produce a 1moa or better group. 3k rounds later I gave up on this barrel it's not capable of doing it. I use it now only for blasting the green tip which, 6" group is the average at 100 yrds. Now the sub moa I developed with the 65-69 gr is close to 2 moa. Barrel shot out, round count over 5k.

 

[Hokie_PhD]

It is impossible, but it is also not what he said.

He said there is an upgrade kit to add a hole to the old 3 hole turret and to the old progressive. He did NOT say there is an upgrade kit to convert the turret presses to progressive.

Nothing is "impossible". As an engineer and overall tinkerer I'd say it's possible. But how many of us want to cut up a good press, engineer a bunch of parts, and have a press that no longer is reliable, or that took so much time to hack and mess with that we probably gave up before we got it working right. And after all of that probably be no where near as good as one we could buy.

Seriously though. I think this would fall into the "almost" impossible, and totally impractical. Hence for all intents and purposes y0u're right most would say it's impossible.

 

[flashhole]

It's certainly not practical.

 

[Varminterror]

Nothing is "impossible". As an engineer and overall tinkerer I'd say it's possible. But how many of us want to cut up a good press, engineer a bunch of parts, and have a press that no longer is reliable, or that took so much time to hack and mess with that we probably gave up before we got it working right. And after all of that probably be no where near as good as one we could buy.

Seriously though. I think this would fall into the "almost" impossible, and totally impractical. Hence for all intents and purposes y0u're right most would say it's impossible.

As an engineer myself as well, but adding in my product development prefix - by the time I engineered and fabricated a conversion system for a Lee, I might as well have engineered and fabricated my own press altogether.

So maybe I should have specified, it is not possible with any available system of factory or aftermarket parts to convert a Lee Turret press to a progressive.

And I'd have to go pull out my books to be sure, but I'm fairly certain speedo's recollection is 5 degrees off center - as the turret upgrade kit from Lee only worked on the auto indexing 3 hole model, not on the older manual indexer, so it didn't convert the press to 4 hole and auto index. Only from 3 to 4. I remember hearing at the time I bought mine that the same head assembly worked in the 3 hole pro 1000, but a guy would have to fabricate his own new 4 position shell plate. I didn't have that problems so I didn't dig more into it. I did convert my original 3 hole turret though. Both of my current LCT's were 4 holers from the jump.

 

[Hokie_PhD]

You know I was messing with you. You set it up that I had to have some fun with it. (And why I also tried to make it clear I was agreeing with you)

 

[Varminterror]

 

[RussellC]

As an engineer myself as well, but adding in my product development prefix - by the time I engineered and fabricated a conversion system for a Lee, I might as well have engineered and fabricated my own press altogether.

So maybe I should have specified, it is not possible with any available system of factory or aftermarket parts to convert a Lee Turret press to a progressive.

And I'd have to go pull out my books to be sure, but I'm fairly certain speedo's recollection is 5 degrees off center - as the turret upgrade kit from Lee only worked on the auto indexing 3 hole model, not on the older manual indexer, so it didn't convert the press to 4 hole and auto index. Only from 3 to 4. I remember hearing at the time I bought mine that the same head assembly worked in the 3 hole pro 1000, but a guy would have to fabricate his own new 4 position shell plate. I didn't have that problems so I didn't dig more into it. I did convert my original 3 hole turret though. Both of my current LCT's were 4 holers from the jump.

I only have the 4 hole LCT as well. For the money, it can do an excellent job. Lee seems to require a certain amount of fiddling, but if you are inclined to fiddle, highly accurate ammo can be made.

Russellc

 

[flashhole]

What fiddling do you do with your Lee Classic Turret? It is a very simple design with nothing to fart around with to get excellent performance.

 

[RussellC]

What fiddling do you do with your Lee Classic Turret? It is a very simple design with nothing to fart around with to get excellent performance.

Sorry, I mean Lee products in general. As to my use of the turret, occasionally I have had the auto index fail to engage, constant realignment of the primer, when primed on press, as well as both the Pro powder disc and the autodrum for leakfree consistent drops. If you havent fiddled a little, you likely are not consistent with results for accuracy, not plinking...that's the intent of the thread. So your Lee press/equipment is just set is just put it together and go?

Probably their most fiddly item is their small beam scale. Until you get very familiar with it, getting the same item to weigh the same twice can be a trick. Search this forum for various comments in regard. Weighing the same item over and over (like a small piece of paper) is good training to get accustomed to it. Early on its uncertainty led me to purchase the Dillon balance scale.

As to their dies, I have gotten fine results with both pistol and rifle dies by Lee, but superior and more consistent results with the Redding dies, which are much more expensive to be sure.

Not to bash Lee, I have 3 of their presses, and first sets of 9mm, .45 ACP, .223 and 300 Black Out dies were Lee, and all worked. I am slowly replacing them, or some of them with Redding Competition dies, in rifle, and their Competition seaters for pistols and rifles.

The turret also seems a bit more prone to vary slightly more when every thing, from treatment of powder drop to press pulls are not kept absolutely identical pull to pull... than say their single stage breach lock, which I also have. Most presses are subject to this, the Lee Classic Turret a little more so than some other, and far more expensive presses. That said, with careful attention to detail, (AKA "fiddling") accuracy level reloading is easily accomplished.

For accuracy level loads, "farting around" is required with all equipment for things like ultra close consistency, minimal shoulder movement with bottle neck rifle brass. I also subject them to a plethora of measuring equipment, Hornady headspace comparator, RCBS precision micrometer, Wilson case gauge with their depth micrometer, and Sheridan case gauge. Small variations are detected, and allows me to set up the sizer for minimal shoulder bump. The best part of the turret style press is I can leave all the dies set up, and just replace the entire turret for other calibers.

Russellc