My Lee Classic Turret is Defective

[Olympus]

I should have never sold my old one, the with the round primer hopper. I bought a new one a couple years ago and the Safety Prime system is complete garbage. The folding hopper doesn't flip the primers nearly as well as the round hopper. Primers hit that crease where it fold and refuse to flip the right way as all the others. Then the primers will bridge inside the folding hopper and if you're not watching, you'll run dry. And to top things off, the chute must be overly large because all the primers will finally get sorted the right way in the hopper, but somehow in the course of traveling from the hopper to "applicator" they get turned around. I've even seen them in the chute backward. As far as the actual press, I've never had any problems with either unit. I've never replaced a ratchet either. But my opinion is when Lee decided to do away with the round circle hoppers for the Safety Prime system, that was the ultimate bone-head mistake! My LCT is not on a shelf collecting dust and was replaced with a new Lyman All American 8.

If you have an older Safety Prime system, please don't get rid of it! That's the weakest link with the newer LCTs. The presses themselves are great though.

 

[kcofohio]

To all those who read my original post and take it far more seriously than I was when I wrote it....lol.

I am merely delighted that, as is the case with many other hobbies, there IS a way for all to participate in the fun hobby of reloading at all interest, need and budget levels. I do firmly believe that if Lee didn't exist and continue making their fine affordable products many would have never started reloading in the first place.

You're probably right.

 

[RandyP]

Olympus, as I understand it, Lee has a new design Safety Prime that IS getting good reviews. Same square flip primer tray but a new chute and dispenser (all white), Starting with the round ones (that I use) this new one could be called Version 3.

https://www.titanreloading.com/lee-...ll-holders/lee-safety-primer-feed-large-small

 

[kcofohio]

I should have never sold my old one, the with the round primer hopper. I bought a new one a couple years ago and the Safety Prime system is complete garbage. The folding hopper doesn't flip the primers nearly as well as the round hopper. Primers hit that crease where it fold and refuse to flip the right way as all the others. Then the primers will bridge inside the folding hopper and if you're not watching, you'll run dry. And to top things off, the chute must be overly large because all the primers will finally get sorted the right way in the hopper, but somehow in the course of traveling from the hopper to "applicator" they get turned around. I've even seen them in the chute backward. As far as the actual press, I've never had any problems with either unit. I've never replaced a ratchet either. But my opinion is when Lee decided to do away with the round circle hoppers for the Safety Prime system, that was the ultimate bone-head mistake! My LCT is not on a shelf collecting dust and was replaced with a new Lyman All American 8.

If you have an older Safety Prime system, please don't get rid of it! That's the weakest link with the newer LCTs. The presses themselves are great though.

I have the old style still on my LCT. Bought the new style for the Auto Breech Pro. I don't think I have used it yet. But I don't recall many stating of the problems you are having. Maybe you ought to contact Lee for a fix of some type? Yours' may have a defect?

 

[Olympus]

Olympus, as I understand it, Lee has a new design Safety Prime that IS getting good reviews. Same square flip primer tray but a new chute and dispenser (all white), Starting with the round ones (that I use) this new one could be called Version 3.

https://www.titanreloading.com/lee-...ll-holders/lee-safety-primer-feed-large-small

That’s great, but they shouldn’t have changed it from the start. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

 

[Olympus]

I have the old style still on my LCT. Bought the new style for the Auto Breech Pro. I don't think I have used it yet. But I don't recall many stating of the problems you are having. Maybe you ought to contact Lee for a fix of some type? Yours' may have a defect?

Plenty of similar issues from others on this board and a half dozen others I follow.

The press is good, the Safety Prime is junk. At least in my opinion. I got tired of unbridging the hopper, flipping primers back the right way, and picking up primers off the floor. I was using the LCT for small batch rifle loads, so I don’t foresee ever going back to it now that I have the Lyman AA8.

 

[D Rock]

I am merely delighted that, as is the case with many other hobbies, there IS a way for all to participate in the fun hobby of reloading at all interest, need and budget levels. I do firmly believe that if Lee didn't exist and continue making their fine affordable products many would have never started reloading in the first place.

That sounds almost like something Richard Lee would have written. I'm sure he would have agreed with the sentiment.

Dave

 

[GT1]

That little square ratchet part is still a laugh because it was a big thing back in the day( A sacrificial part at 50 cents each). I still have the original in mine also. It is still hands down the best deal on the market and no other turret touches it, mainly because it has no competition at any price point since no one else makes auto-indexing turret presses. I think that is because it couldn't be done much better.

 

[RandyP]

"That sounds almost like something Richard Lee would have written. I'm sure he would have agreed with the sentiment."

Probably because we shared being 'geezers' - lol - may he rest in peace.