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Old February 3, 2017, 12:26 PM   #1
tntviper1
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another lee question

i have the classic turret, what i am curious about is, does anyone swap out a full turret setup for different calibers includes another powder drop?

is is worth the $30 extra (powder drop) so i can just swap turrets? or reset my auto drop

also has anyone used it for .223?

what i envision is 3 separate dies/turret with 3 powder drops to my one press

sorry for the newb questions
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Old February 3, 2017, 02:04 PM   #2
kmw1954
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Can be done either way it's all amounts to budget. If buying 3 powder measures isn't an issue then go ahead.

Or you could buy a Lee Auto Drum measure and use a riser on each powder drop die which would make removing and replacing the measure to each one much easier.

The Lee measure comes with 2 drums, a pistol drum and rifle drum. They also sell extra drum kits which are very affordable and quick to swap out.
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Old February 3, 2017, 02:05 PM   #3
T. O'Heir
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Hi. The Classic Turret is supposed to have an "Instant change 4-Hole Turret" for just that purpose. MSRP is $15 for the 4-hole Turret alone. Appears $30 is a good price for the powder thrower. MSRP is $49. Also how Dillon kit works.
So the whole thing is primarily about your budget.
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Old February 3, 2017, 02:51 PM   #4
Unclenick
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The guys are right. It's a matter of whether your time to swap parts is worth more to you than the extra measures cost. If it is, one word of caution is that when you move powder measures full of powder around, or if you empty them and refill them (important if you won't reuse the same powder soon), the powder can pack and the first few throws from the measure won't quite match what you had at the end of your last session. So I would charge and return the powder to the hopper three or four times before checking on a scale for insurance, then going ahead with the reload. But that applies whether you are changing measures or not, so it's only the mechanical swap and initial adjustment change that you are saving.
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Old February 3, 2017, 07:22 PM   #5
skinnedknuckles
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I use the Lee Classic Turret Press, and to me it is definitely worth the cost of the extra powder measures (I have lucked out finding them used and have some originals and some Pro's) so that I have a powder measure on each turret plate. Since I also have multiple loads I use in each caliber, and a fading memory, I've found it helpful to have my standard load specs written on 3x5 cards, and I store the card for the load last loaded with the die set. Then I at least know my starting point the next time I load that caliber. I also use Lee Adjustable Charge Bars in each powder measure to make it easier to change to the different loads. I've found them to be very repeatable. Currently, I'm set up for .38/.357, 9 mm, and .45 ACP in pistol cartridges.

I also use the Classic Turret Press for .223 Rem as well (yes, I'm a Lee CTP fanboy). I have it set up to neck size first (which I do even if it has been full length resized). It also deprimes if the brass was not F/L resized because it was shot in my bolt gun. I then prime on the downstroke and use the Rifle Charging Die with an Auto Drum powder measure in the second station (the only time I use the Auto Drum because of the large powder charge - I'm not a fan overall because it is too tall but it does work well with CFE-223). The third station is the bullet seating die. I have the FCD die in the fourth station but currently I'm not crimping. Just like loading pistol cartridges but a little slower.
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Old February 4, 2017, 07:43 PM   #6
Beentown71
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If I load it enough it gets its own powder drop. I have a floater for my not so often loads.

All my next ones will be Auto Drums. They are quite accurate.

I am a LCT fanboi. Use it as a single stage, manual indexing turret, or auto indexing. So versatile.

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Old February 4, 2017, 09:30 PM   #7
Crazy Carl
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I don't load .223 (or even own one), but I do prefer to just swap out complete turret sets. I currently have have 2 complete turrets for .45ACP & .41Mag & just picked up 2 more Pro Auto Disks to set up turrets for .357 & 9mm.

I traded into one of the 3 hole Lee turret presses & plan to do the same with it for .30-30, .45-70 & 6.8SPC, albeit without a turret mounted powder measure (I've got a RCBS Uniflow for the rifle stuff).
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Old February 5, 2017, 07:37 AM   #8
tntviper1
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Okay thx for all the input.
Very happy with Lee and my first batch of reloads
Just 9mm for now, moving to.45 soon
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Old February 5, 2017, 08:17 AM   #9
rob-c
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I have plates set up for 38-357-380 and 44, each has their own pro auto disk powder measurer. I use 2400 in the 357/44, power pistol in the 380 and unique in the 38's.i like each having their own so you don't have to clean the powder hopper every time you switch and there is no possible cross powder mixing..
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Old February 6, 2017, 07:42 AM   #10
tntviper1
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I have plates set up for 38-357-380 and 44, each has their own pro auto disk powder measurer. I use 2400 in the 357/44, power pistol in the 380 and unique in the 38's.i like each having their own so you don't have to clean the powder hopper every time you switch and there is no possible cross powder mixing..


this is a great idea rob
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Old February 8, 2017, 09:44 AM   #11
viper12161
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I have the auto drum so I just have a riser set up on each disk and just un-thread the hopper off clean and put on the next. Seems to work out ok without any issues. I currently have one setup for .45 the other for .308 and am putting together one for .223. The biggest pain is cleaning out the drum to make sure I am not mixing powders, but not really a big deal.
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Old February 11, 2017, 09:17 AM   #12
flashhole
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I use the LCT for 223. I have the turret outfitted with the Auto Drum with the riser. I like to do brass prep separately so when it makes it to the LCT it is already primed. I remove the auto index rod and manually switch between charge and seat. Goes quickly, I loaded ~500 rounds for my Mini 14 a couple weeks back.
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Old February 11, 2017, 10:57 AM   #13
kmw1954
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flashhole I guess that just goes to prove again the versatility of that press.
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