Turret press vs. single stage

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Kyle M.

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So I started out reloading back at the end of 2011 with a lee breech lock challenger press, I started out loading .45 colt then soon after added .45acp, .38 super, .40 S&W, .44 mag, .357 mag, .30-30, and .45-70. About six months later I moved to a lee manual index turret press for my handgun loading, and kept the rifle on the breechlock. I quit loading in early 2013 due to the components shortage and didn't resume until last week. The first thing I did was to set up my turret press for .40 S&W and I was loading somewhere around 50 rounds and hour at a nice steady pace. Monday night I decided to swap out the turret press for the single stage challenger just for the heck of it. I deprimed 100 cases, primed them with the lee hand primer, ran them through the expanding die with my lee pro auto disk powder measure on top, set a bullet in each case mouth in rcbs case loading blocks, then ran them through the seat/crimp die. After I got through the hundred I glanced up at the clock and to my great surprise it had only been a half hour since I had started. I loaded another 150 later that evening and 200 last night, whereas I was only doing 50 a night on the turret press. For some reason I just seem more comfortable with the workflow on a single stage, and I have definately decided not to buy a progressive. Anyone else here gone from a turret or progressive press back to a single stage to simplify things? Better yet is there anyone else out there that actually loads a fair amount of handgun ammo on a single stage rather than a turret or progressive press?
 
Though it may not be optimal in terms of production rate, I have been loading on single stages presses for over 30 yrs., wouldn't have it any other way.

I often do 3 or 4 hundred rounds of handgun rounds per session and find it to be very acceptable for my shooting needs. If my brass is already prepped and ready to go, which it almost always is, I can knock out a hundred rounds in about 1-1/2 hrs. once I get my rhythm going. That is priming on a priming die, and charging on a scale, and using multiple presses that are already set up and ready to do their part. Takes about 15 minutes to prime, maybe 30 minutes or so to charge, and about 15 minutes to seat. Gathering the components, die set up, and what not accounts for the other 30 minutes or so.

But I honestly enjoy reloading, so progressives and turret presses don't flip my switch, and my shooting needs don't demand a greater production speed.

GS
 
I started with a Lee Classic Loader. Still have it set up. I use it along with my Dillon xl650. The xl650 is soo much faster than the Lee, but once in awhile I need to use the single function that is available from the Lee.

If I have a messed up primer, I can pop it out with the lee, put in a new one, and put that brass cartridge back in the assembly on the 650.

It was great to learn on and to use to back up the Dillon xl650.

The Lee Classic loader makes 1 bullet every 4 pulls. The Dillon after the first 4 pulls to get the assembly going, makes a bullet every pull, much faster, very accurate. I load 9mm, .45acp.

be safe
 
While I can't comment on the Single-stage/Turret comparison, I will offer my experience going from Turret to Progressive and back to Turret.

I routinely load in 100 round lots, but occasionally will do 150 per hour with the Lee Classic Turret. I bought a used Lee Loadmaster on this forum and gave it a go. The press was very solid, and I really wanted to like it but I never had confidence in the primer feed or powder drop. The maintenance required of my example was too much so I went back to the Lee Turret for simplicity sake and peace of mind.

50 rounds per hour for you loading on the Lee Turret seems a little low. However, if you have better results on your single stage, that's what I would use.

joe
 
Can't speak for a turret press, but I can for progressive vs single-stage.

I started with a Dillon 550 progressive, and I exclusively load 380, 9mm, 40 and 45 on it. The advertised cyclic rate is 500 per hour, but counting the prep work (loading primer tubes, loading and checking powder drop, seating depth, etc) I can do about 250 in one hour. I am also going slower than most people since I check things every pull (primer present, powder level looks right, etc). I like it.

For my revolver loads (38 and 357) I use a Lee Challenger, with a Uniflow powder measure. Don't remember ever timing it, but I find it much more relaxing to do each step in batch mode. I can also use the Lee press while sitting, and I prefer to stand up while using the 550 (so I can inspect all the cases for powder).

I've done about 4500 rounds so far, and have not had any squib loads or hangfires. But, I have this nagging feeling that if I ever do, it will be from the progressive press. It is so much easier to double check everything with a single stage.
 
My preference is the Forster single stage press. I'm more concerned about loading for accuracy than quantity. No need or desire to use any other press.
 
Batch processing tends to be faster than completing each cartridge before going to the next one.

On the other hand a turret - I have a Redding T-7 and a Harrels - is nice for leaving dies and tooling setup and ready to go. I'd hate to adjust a sizing die with a Redding Instant Indicator while screwing in the sizing die or shoulder bump die and setting the lock ring then unscrewing the sizing die and screwing in the Instant Indicator setting the lock ring taking a reading on the dial indicator then unscrewing the tool and screwing in the sizing die. I mostly use the Harrells turret with assorted pistol sizing dies to decap and resize before tumbling - always ready to go with for a few minutes at a time.

A 6 station progressive with a case feeder is a good deal faster and when left setup can be used for a few minutes at a time. Still pays to backup and recheck powder throw weight and otherwise back up 3 steps when the process is interrupted.
 
After decades of using a single stage I went to a Redding T-7 turret about 11 months ago. I have no desire to go progressive at his time.

I think the turret more suits my reloading style. I reload in batches. I deprime, prime on press, flare and then store the primed brass in airtight containers. Then later on I throw powder, seat, and taper crimp (45ACP).

Is the turret a lot faster than a single stage for me? Not really. The only time saver on the turret is the time saved changing dies and changing dies doesn't take that long.
 
Dad has Lee progessive press. He does all the semi auto ammo we use, 9mm, 40, 45, and some revolver 38spl/357.

But on my Rockchucker i reload all the rifle, and my cowboy 45lc loads.

I feel i have better control using single stage, then i can get everything just how i want so everything is as uniform as possible. I'm still young, but i was taught reloading, by a family friend of my dad's so he was old school when he showed me. So i kept it old school.
 
Like you Kyle I started with the Lee breechlock. I started couple years ago loading 9mm and 30-06. I got to where I can load about 50-60 rounds start to finish of 9mm per hour, about 30 rounds of -06. This past June I got a Lee Classic cast turret, an auto-indexing press, and now I'm doing about 200 rounds of pistol ammo per hour on it, including 9mm, .38 spec, and 45acp. I still use the single stage for rifle loading.
 
After using a Lee loader ( wack-a-mole) for years a RCBS single stage was a huge upgrade. Have be using it for 45 years. I average 100 rounds/hour. Never needed a change. My friend who shoots competitively uses a progressive and constantly has problems with quality control. swapping out dies takes a minute, I have no need for a turret press (and I have a Lyman which I never use).
 
I have a Lee Classic Turret. While I use it to great effect as a turret press, I also use it just as much as a single-stage press as well. Just remove the driveshaft and I'm ready for depriming or priming large batches, pulling bullets, sizing large amounts of rifle cases prior to trimming to length, powder charging rifle cases, sizing cast bullets, etc. And it can be back together and running pistol rounds as a turret press in minutes. Pretty versatile for my needs, I don't really need or want any other press.
 
Kyle M.
Member


Join Date: August 31, 2012
Location: Bucyrus Ohio
Posts: 318
Turret press vs. single stage
So I started out reloading back at the end of 2011 with a lee breech lock challenger press, I started out loading .45 colt then soon after added .45acp, .38 super, .40 S&W, .44 mag, .357 mag, .30-30, and .45-70. About six months later I moved to a lee manual index turret press for my handgun loading, and kept the rifle on the breechlock. I quit loading in early 2013 due to the components shortage and didn't resume until last week. The first thing I did was to set up my turret press for .40 S&W and I was loading somewhere around 50 rounds and hour at a nice steady pace. Monday night I decided to swap out the turret press for the single stage challenger just for the heck of it. I deprimed 100 cases, primed them with the lee hand primer, ran them through the expanding die with my lee pro auto disk powder measure on top, set a bullet in each case mouth in rcbs case loading blocks, then ran them through the seat/crimp die. After I got through the hundred I glanced up at the clock and to my great surprise it had only been a half hour since I had started. I loaded another 150 later that evening and 200 last night, whereas I was only doing 50 a night on the turret press. For some reason I just seem more comfortable with the workflow on a single stage, and I have definately decided not to buy a progressive. Anyone else here gone from a turret or progressive press back to a single stage to simplify things? Better yet is there anyone else out there that actually loads a fair amount of handgun ammo on a single stage rather than a turret or progressive press?

My throughput on my 3 station manual index Lee turret was about 4-5 times your rate. I can easily run 200rds per hour on it. You need to refine your technique. I used a small trays with my primers, cases, and bullets all staged and ready. My process was extremely uniform and consistent.
 
i have loaded on a single stage rock chucker, a lee classic turret press with auto index, and a dillon 550b. For me i like the lee classic cast turret press. A Medium pace on it is about 200 rounds an hour with pistol and 150 an hour of rifle. way faster than my rock chucker hell it takes 20 mins to set up dies on the single stage. the dillion is ok for lots of the same caliber but to set it up takes a long time, the primer tubes like on the dillon suck and to change primer sizes sucks, shell plates suck, really it all sucks and not worth my time unless im going to reload 1000 rounds of the same caliber, i never do that anymore... to many mistakes can happen when you zombie out like that. (been lucky so far to not have a mishap) i find 250+- rounds is all i can handle while paying attention before my thought begins to drift.... and like someone else said it can be used as a single stage or manuel turret press by removing the indexing rod.
 
Thanks for asking our advice

Kyle,

I read and re-read your post #1 and cannot fathom how you can manage over 100 per hour batch processing on a single stage but only 50 per hour on a turret (which, after all is nothing but a single stage with multiple dies mounted in a wheel).

If you went through the same steps

deprimed 100 cases
primed them with the lee hand primer,
ran them through the expanding die with powder measure,
set a bullet in each case mouth in rcbs case loading blocks,
then ran them through the seat/crimp die.
After I got through the hundred I glanced up at the clock and to my great surprise it had only been a half hour since I had started.

on a turret instead of a single stage, where is the extra time being consumed?

I don't understand.

Now, for my experience. I used to load straight-walled cases on a single stage (weighing each powder charge) at a pace of about 50 per hour. The first time out on my Lee Classic Turret in continuous mode (as opposed to batch) and using auto-advance and the Lee Auto-Disk powder measure, I loaded 100 rounds in 47 minutes (including replenishing powder and primers and boxing and labeling the finished product.

Hence my confusion about your throughput.

Lost Sheep
 
I use an old Lyman turret press, bought used in the early 1960s, but reload in batch process as though it were a single stage. I like the ability to have all the dies for a caliber mounted at the same time.
 
I started with a Lyman


I started with a Lyman T-Mag (turret) and "graduated" to a Crusher (single stage). I still use both of 'em. Depends on my mood.
 
I started with a single stage and was torn between a progressive and a turret. After a lot of reviews I decided that, for me, the control of each stage was more important than speed so I went with the Redding T-7 Turret. I still feel the same way as I've never clocked any stage of my reloading. Now for those that don't enjoy the time element that I have (I'm retired) I can see how time may be more important therefore a progressive may be their answer.
 
I started with a Lee Classic Loader. Still have it set up. I use it along with my Dillon xl650. The xl650 is soo much faster than the Lee, but once in awhile I need to use the single function that is available from the Lee.

If I have a messed up primer, I can pop it out with the lee, put in a new one, and put that brass cartridge back in the assembly on the 650.

It was great to learn on and to use to back up the Dillon xl650.

The Lee Classic loader makes 1 bullet every 4 pulls. The Dillon after the first 4 pulls to get the assembly going, makes a bullet every pull, much faster, very accurate. I load 9mm, .45acp.

be safe

Sounds like me :)

I have a pair of Dillion XL650 dedicated to 45ACP and 9mm, but I keep the Lee Classic Turret (started out with the original 3-hole model) for my low volume calibers where the ease of caliber changes more than makes up for the lower production rate.

As he said, its also handy to fix the occasional Dillion loading screw up without flushing the pipeline.
 
Kyle,

I read and re-read your post #1 and cannot fathom how you can manage over 100 per hour batch processing on a single stage but only 50 per hour on a turret (which, after all is nothing but a single stage with multiple dies mounted in a wheel).

If you went through the same steps

deprimed 100 cases
primed them with the lee hand primer,
ran them through the expanding die with powder measure,
set a bullet in each case mouth in rcbs case loading blocks,
then ran them through the seat/crimp die.
After I got through the hundred I glanced up at the clock and to my great surprise it had only been a half hour since I had started.

on a turret instead of a single stage, where is the extra time being consumed?

I don't understand.

Now, for my experience. I used to load straight-walled cases on a single stage (weighing each powder charge) at a pace of about 50 per hour. The first time out on my Lee Classic Turret in continuous mode (as opposed to batch) and using auto-advance and the Lee Auto-Disk powder measure, I loaded 100 rounds in 47 minutes (including replenishing powder and primers and boxing and labeling the finished product.

Hence my confusion about your throughput.

Lost Sheep
I seem to have alot of mishaps on the turret press, whether it be the primer feeder not feeding, primers popping out of the arm on the press itself, shells moving in the shellholder and not lining up with the dies, plus getting into too big of hurry and dropping things. With the single stage I stay calm and take my time and I don't have nearly as many mishaps and other issues.
 
One thing I did not mention about my Dillon 550 press, it does NOT have auto-indexing. I can use it like a single-stage if I want.

Whenever I am working up test loads with a new powder or projectile, I will typically resize, prime, and flare all the casings on the Dillon (two stations, so I manually index). Then I hand measure the charges for my ladder load. Then I put the charged casings into the Dillon to seat and crimp. Works well for me, I can inspect all the important parts in the middle of the process, and do two operations for every pull on the press. This is one reason I got a 550 instead of a 650.
 
For some reason I just seem more comfortable with the workflow on a single stage, and I have definitely decided not to buy a progressive. Anyone else here gone from a turret or progressive press back to a single stage to simplify things? Better yet is there anyone else out there that actually loads a fair amount of handgun ammo on a single stage rather than a turret or progressive press?
If you're more comfortable using the batch loading system then by all means stick with it. After all, this is a hobby and should be enjoyed.

I use a Lee Classic 4 hole Turret Press w/auto-indexing for most of my handgun ammo loading. I can safely load between 180 to 200 rounds/hr and sometimes even more if I'm on a roll. I have used the turret press for loading rifle ammo but I use it as a single stage press for that. Now that I have my single stage press set up again that's what I use for rifle ammo loading.
 
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