Which turret press?

[winchester243]

I want the best turret press, money isn't really and issue, I just want the best built one and I just don't know enough about the various turret presses to know for sure. I do have both a RCII and Pro2000 both of which I'm happy with.

Right now I'm leaning towards the Redding T-7 it really looks solid compared to either the RCBS or the Lyman although I'm sure they're fine.

Does anyone have experience with one or more of these and a preference.

[shepherddogs]

I have the RCBS. It seemed much more sturdy than the Lyman to me. I keep 3 rifle calibers set up in one turret. Don't know about the Redding.

[bcarver]

That is like asking Redheads or Blonds.
Differnt folks have differnt preferences.
I like my dillon but it is a proggesive. For single stage I use a rcbs Rock Chucker. Both are the only ones of their type i have ever used.

[Slamfire]

T-7 Turret Press versus Lyman T-Mag

I purchased a Redding T-7 presses at Camp Perry and got a good deal for it. It is not that I needed it because I have a Lyman T Mag turret press.

Because I have both I can make a comparison. Both of these presses have long handles and provide all the leverage that is needed to small base size .223, .308, and 30-06 cases. The handle on the T-Mag is angled better and can be moved to the left side of the press for lefties, my T-7 is a right hand only press. The T-7 weighs much more than the Lyman and has one more threaded hole on the turret. The T-7 turret is larger and there is more space to get wrenches on the dies for die adjustment. The turret on the Lyman is much easier to remove because it was intelligently designed to use the turret handle as the tool to remove the turret. It is a nice touch but since I do not have extra turrets that is not an issue for me.

The T-7 has an advantage in that it does not use a primer cup. Primers are ejected through a hollow ram into a plastic tube. I am tired of spent primers bouncing out of primer cups, and I always had primers on the floor with my Lyman T Mag. I really hate picking up primers and they eat up my vacuum. While the T-7 has a tube, mine did not come with a cup at the end of the tube. So I drilled a hole in the cap of a 6 ounce water bottle and duct taped the tube to it. I can unscrew the bottle and dump the primers.

The T-7 is almost twice as expensive as the T Mag so I do not know if it is "worth it", outside of the aggravation of picking up primers.

Both of these presses are cast iron, should last forever, both provide excellent ammunition with minimum run out. I am sold on the concept of turret presses as I just leave my High Power sizing dies on the turret along with my decapping dies. Since I dump powder and seat bullets on my Dillion I hardly ever remove my dies once I have them adjusted. I do not use the primer seating feature on these presses, I prime using a Lee Hand Primer, so I cannot comment on that feature.

[winchester243]

Thanks for the comparison slamfire.

[klw]

I use to collect reloading presses and had a lot of turrets. If you could find one the old Hollywood three turret was just fun and very novel.

Of the current brands the only one I've never had is the Redding. Of the others, I clearly prefer the Lyman. I've got a total of 50 heads for it. Works beautifully. Don't like the RCBS. Once the primer mechanism gets dirty it is just a pain.

[mrawesome22]

I'll post a new thread.