How do You Use Your Turret Press??

JL Hunnicutt · May 5, 2001, 07:31 AM

Do you produce a loaded round with 4 strokes & 4 turret rotations or do you "batch-process" and then rotate the turret to the next position for the next operation?? I haven't noticed any real time savings with the RCBS turret vs. my old, reliable RCBS Rockchucker. The same number of ram strokes are still required and the turret priming system is less than ideal on the RCBS turret. Perhaps I should have gone with the Lyman turret press with the conventional priming-arm priming system. Although I prefer RCBS equipment, the Lyman turret seems to have a proven track-record for reliability in all aspects. The automatic press priming system on my Rockchucker works flawlessly. My loading is limited to approx 500 rnds per month, predominately pistol. Thanks for your input.

plateshooter · May 5, 2001, 09:28 AM

I use the Lee Turrent with auto index. Have used if for many years. For handgun ammo, it takes me about 10 minutes to load a box of 50 rounds. By switching turrents, I load for 38, 357, 9mm, 44mag, and 45acp. For 223, I size, and trim the brass with a single stage loader. When I get a few hundred cases ready, I prime with Lees hand held unit. Then to the turrent. 1st stage charge powder, 2nd seat bullet, 3rd factory crimp round. Load all winter, shoot all Summer.

po boy · May 5, 2001, 09:40 AM

DittO
I process in batches of 1000 size and decap move turret expand all 1000 ,then the hand held lee auto primer, then using loading blocks I use the little dandy powder dump as a hand held and dump powder then back to the press as a seater/crimper PS yes I have the larger powder dump uniflo but only use that for long gun ..the reason I use the blocks and handheld little dandy powder dump is I can check all cases by eyeball for same powder level.a little slower but I've never had a dud in over 20 years!!

Coolray · May 5, 2001, 02:29 PM

I follow the same steps as plateshooter, but I have a second turret press that I use for decapping.
I have all my decap dies in its own turret.

Actually My 12 year old decaps for me at the cost of .02 each piece

Wayward · May 5, 2001, 05:11 PM

I'm using the RCBS turret press. You just need to use the primming system enough to loosen it up. I process in batches. I'll decap/size/prime in one operation. Rotate the turret to the belling die and bell all my cases. I then put those preped case away until I'm ready to do a marathon charging/bullet seating session

. When I'm ready to charge/seat I'll load up 2 loading blocks (50 rounds each) and charge all 100. Then I seat the 100 and keep alternating between loading the blocks/charging and bullet seating until I've done all the preped cases. Finally I rotate the turret to the Lee FCD (when applicable) and factory size/crimp all the loaded rounds.

444 · May 5, 2001, 07:30 PM

I use a Lyman T-Mag II and rotate the turret to produce a loaded round all at once. I don't see the point otherwise. If I was going to size all my brass, then prime all my brass..... I could just do that with my Rockchucker. I do not like the priming system on my press so I use my Lee Auto Prime. I size/decap, then bell(for handgun), then prime,.......... It is considerably faster than single stage, but not near as fast as a progressive.

saands · May 6, 2001, 02:40 PM

I'm waiting for my 4-hole turret press with Autoindex from Lee and I think that while it takes the same number of strokes as a single stage, you load the case in the shell holder fewer times. I have not yet gotten a compatible powder measure for the setup, but I think that would help the process move a long considerably. I also use the AutoPrime, so I guess the operations that would work in one case "holding" would be bell, charge, seat and Factory Crimp ... I have to think that this will be faster than the single stage ... but time will tell!
Saands

Steve Smith · May 6, 2001, 05:37 PM

I just use mine for weird operations like collet bullet pulling and primer pocket reaming.

Archie · May 6, 2001, 06:54 PM

over a period of about 15 - 18 years.

To me, the great advantage of the turret was that one can leave all the dies "adjusted". When it was my primary, I batch loaded. It just seemed to make sense to me.

Now I have a Dillon XL650, but it's a pain in the yarmoosh for load development. GREAT for production.

I'm considering a turret for loading my development series of ammo.

Many moons ago I had a Lyman Spar-T and an RCBS Junior. Some eggsuckingdog stole them.

May 6, 2001, 06:54 PM	#9
Archie Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2000 Location: Hastings, Nebrasksa - the Hear Posts: 2,209	I wore out a Lee Turret press... over a period of about 15 - 18 years. To me, the great advantage of the turret was that one can leave all the dies "adjusted". When it was my primary, I batch loaded. It just seemed to make sense to me. Now I have a Dillon XL650, but it's a pain in the yarmoosh for load development. GREAT for production. I'm considering a turret for loading my development series of ammo. Many moons ago I had a Lyman Spar-T and an RCBS Junior. Some eggsuckingdog stole them.

May 5, 2001, 07:31 AM	#1
JL Hunnicutt Member Join Date: June 9, 1999 Posts: 52	Do you produce a loaded round with 4 strokes & 4 turret rotations or do you "batch-process" and then rotate the turret to the next position for the next operation?? I haven't noticed any real time savings with the RCBS turret vs. my old, reliable RCBS Rockchucker. The same number of ram strokes are still required and the turret priming system is less than ideal on the RCBS turret. Perhaps I should have gone with the Lyman turret press with the conventional priming-arm priming system. Although I prefer RCBS equipment, the Lyman turret seems to have a proven track-record for reliability in all aspects. The automatic press priming system on my Rockchucker works flawlessly. My loading is limited to approx 500 rnds per month, predominately pistol. Thanks for your input.

May 5, 2001, 09:28 AM	#2
plateshooter Senior Member Join Date: September 30, 1999 Location: N.E. Ohio Posts: 522	I use the Lee Turrent with auto index. Have used if for many years. For handgun ammo, it takes me about 10 minutes to load a box of 50 rounds. By switching turrents, I load for 38, 357, 9mm, 44mag, and 45acp. For 223, I size, and trim the brass with a single stage loader. When I get a few hundred cases ready, I prime with Lees hand held unit. Then to the turrent. 1st stage charge powder, 2nd seat bullet, 3rd factory crimp round. Load all winter, shoot all Summer.

May 5, 2001, 09:40 AM	#3
po boy Senior Member Join Date: January 30, 2000 Posts: 145	DittO I process in batches of 1000 size and decap move turret expand all 1000 ,then the hand held lee auto primer, then using loading blocks I use the little dandy powder dump as a hand held and dump powder then back to the press as a seater/crimper PS yes I have the larger powder dump uniflo but only use that for long gun ..the reason I use the blocks and handheld little dandy powder dump is I can check all cases by eyeball for same powder level.a little slower but I've never had a dud in over 20 years!!

May 5, 2001, 02:29 PM	#4
Coolray Senior Member Join Date: August 11, 2000 Location: Spokane ,wa Posts: 290	I follow the same steps as plateshooter, but I have a second turret press that I use for decapping. I have all my decap dies in its own turret. Actually My 12 year old decaps for me at the cost of .02 each piece

May 5, 2001, 05:11 PM	#5
Wayward Member Join Date: November 18, 2000 Location: Texas Posts: 79	I'm using the RCBS turret press. You just need to use the primming system enough to loosen it up. I process in batches. I'll decap/size/prime in one operation. Rotate the turret to the belling die and bell all my cases. I then put those preped case away until I'm ready to do a marathon charging/bullet seating session . When I'm ready to charge/seat I'll load up 2 loading blocks (50 rounds each) and charge all 100. Then I seat the 100 and keep alternating between loading the blocks/charging and bullet seating until I've done all the preped cases. Finally I rotate the turret to the Lee FCD (when applicable) and factory size/crimp all the loaded rounds.

May 5, 2001, 07:30 PM	#6
444 Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2000 Location: Ohio Posts: 3,968	I use a Lyman T-Mag II and rotate the turret to produce a loaded round all at once. I don't see the point otherwise. If I was going to size all my brass, then prime all my brass..... I could just do that with my Rockchucker. I do not like the priming system on my press so I use my Lee Auto Prime. I size/decap, then bell(for handgun), then prime,.......... It is considerably faster than single stage, but not near as fast as a progressive.

May 6, 2001, 02:40 PM	#7
saands Senior Member Join Date: November 14, 1999 Posts: 1,573	I'm waiting for my 4-hole turret press with Autoindex from Lee and I think that while it takes the same number of strokes as a single stage, you load the case in the shell holder fewer times. I have not yet gotten a compatible powder measure for the setup, but I think that would help the process move a long considerably. I also use the AutoPrime, so I guess the operations that would work in one case "holding" would be bell, charge, seat and Factory Crimp ... I have to think that this will be faster than the single stage ... but time will tell! Saands

May 6, 2001, 05:37 PM	#8
Steve Smith Senior Member Join Date: December 9, 1999 Posts: 4,131	I just use mine for weird operations like collet bullet pulling and primer pocket reaming.