Getting a new Turret Press, which to buy?

Full-choke · January 3, 2008, 10:11 AM

So I am going to get into reloading and handloading for some of my rifles. I decided I'm going to start with 45-70 and 6mm Remington. I will likely expand to other cartridges, possibly 30-30, 22-250 and 357 Mag for my other family members. I'm stuck on trying to decide as to which company has the best "starter" kit for me to get.

I have looked at Lee and Lyman. I like the looks of the Lee Classic 4-Hole Turret kit. It comes with a lot of what I need and I like the looks of the primer feeder. It looks a little less beefy then others but is also the most affordable.

I also like the looks of the Lyman Expert Kit with the T-Mag II press. The press looks a little heavier built, but I'm not sure of their primer system. I really want a press that is going to auto feed the primers so I don't need a hand tool. Does this one have that? This kit seems like it comes with quite a bit more gear then the Lee...

So, which is the best choice for a first timer? I am looking for capability for money invested in the gear. I'm looking to reload maybe 5-600 rounds a year to start out, possibly more once I get good at it.

Thanks,
F-C

UniversalFrost · January 3, 2008, 11:02 AM

go with a Redding T-7, you will never need another turret.

I have one and I have a lyman t-mag, and I have owned an rcbs. The redding is built like a tank and has no play and the priming system is the best in the industry.

I can reload my .338 win mag, .338 lapua mag, and my .416 rigby all day long with ease. The lyman is good for beginners, or for using on medium calibers, but I would not use it for a lot of forming or full length resizing (I used to use a rock chucker for that until I got the redding).

rwilson452 · January 3, 2008, 11:22 AM

If your looking at the Lee Classic Classic 4 hole Turret press don't let the looks deceive you. It is a sturdy press that can handle anything you mentioned. I don't one one as I aready have a Loadmaster and a Lee Classic Cast single stage. Should I decide to get another turret press it would be the Lee 4 hole. t one time I had the old Lee turret. I traded up to the Loadmaster. I loaded lots of 30-06 on it without a problem. I was the third owner of that press. Not that the other people didn't like it but they could no longer reload. The new press is even stronger.

Thirties · January 3, 2008, 12:05 PM

I also recommend the Redding T-7. With it you will never blame your press for a loading problem or difficulty.

flashhole · January 3, 2008, 05:51 PM

http://www.beartoothbullets.com/tech...h_notes.htm/49

Full-choke · January 3, 2008, 06:10 PM

FLASHHOLE, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!

Okay, so I am officially in love with that entire website. I never even knew it existed but I am so happy right now! Anyways, thank you much!

Thanks again,
F-C

flashhole · January 3, 2008, 06:37 PM

You're welcome. Great bunch over there, lots of folks with a lot of knowledge. This seems to be a good site too and I see a little cross-participation from the Shooters Forum so I am in good company.

rrp · January 3, 2008, 08:46 PM

I just bought a redding t-7 from a seller on TFL a couple months ago and love it. I've reloaded with a rock chucker for about 30 years and will continue to use it on occasion. But I like the t-7 alot. It's nice having 3 sets of dies set up and ready to go.

dogfood · January 6, 2008, 03:33 PM

I have both a Redding T-7 and a Lee 4-hole turret. If I could keep only one, it would be the T-7 ... no doubt. The T-7 is much more rigid - the Lee turrets are somewhat sloppy (they have to be, otherwise the auto-index would not function). Whenever resizing (neck or full length) rifle rounds, I always use the T-7.

dogfood

Slamfire · January 9, 2008, 10:33 AM

I have three turret presses, a Lyman Spar –T, a Lyman T Mag and the Redding T-7. I like turret presses because you can leave your adjusted dies in the turret. This saves me time sizing my rifle ammo. I shoot a lot of 30-06, 308 and .223. And I leave my decapping unit on the press.

The Lyman Spar –T is as old as the hills, and if you ever have one, with the small cramped turret, insignificant leverage, and the stubby handle that falls down, the alert observer will realize that sometimes old is bad and new is better.

The T Mag and T-7 are excellent modern presses and I will attempt a comparison. The Lyman T-Mag is ambidextrous, the Redding is not. With the Lyman you can put the sizing handle on the left or the right. The Lyman handle is also angled to the side and in my opinion is easier on the elbow because of this sweep.

The Lyman has a six hole turret, the Redding seven. The Lyman is better designed for removal of the turret, the tool to unscrew the turret comes with the press. You have to have a big allen head wrench for the Redding. That being said, I have only taken a turret off maybe once to grease the indexing ball bearings.

The Redding has a permanently attached primer seater stud that is in the way of the ram. Since I don’t prime on the press it is useless to me. If the Lyman had a primer arm, I tossed it out so long ago that I can't recall if it had one.

I really like the fact that the Redding has a hollow ram onto which a plastic tube is attached. Primers fall through ram and tube their way to a plastic water bottle. I duct taped a water bottle to the end of the tube, and when there are sufficient primers in the bottle, I unscrew the cap and dump the primers in the rubbish can.

The Lyman press has a cup. About 5% of all primers bounce out of this cup and roll around on the floor. I don’t like primers on the floor. My vacuum will screech like the undead when primers get stuck in the impeller. I also found that primers stick to the bottom of my boots and get tracked into the house and left in all sorts of places.

Both presses are made from heavy cast iron, the Redding is positively the heaviest press I have ever owned. Both will last forever.

Both of these presses have excellent leverage, I small base size 30-06 brass without any problems on either. I do not own a 50 BMG or similar monster gun so I have no idea whether these presses will full length resize howitzer brass. My Redding sizes 45-70 brass easily.

January 3, 2008, 10:11 AM	#1
Full-choke Senior Member Join Date: May 10, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 617	Getting a new Turret Press, which to buy? So I am going to get into reloading and handloading for some of my rifles. I decided I'm going to start with 45-70 and 6mm Remington. I will likely expand to other cartridges, possibly 30-30, 22-250 and 357 Mag for my other family members. I'm stuck on trying to decide as to which company has the best "starter" kit for me to get. I have looked at Lee and Lyman. I like the looks of the Lee Classic 4-Hole Turret kit. It comes with a lot of what I need and I like the looks of the primer feeder. It looks a little less beefy then others but is also the most affordable. I also like the looks of the Lyman Expert Kit with the T-Mag II press. The press looks a little heavier built, but I'm not sure of their primer system. I really want a press that is going to auto feed the primers so I don't need a hand tool. Does this one have that? This kit seems like it comes with quite a bit more gear then the Lee... So, which is the best choice for a first timer? I am looking for capability for money invested in the gear. I'm looking to reload maybe 5-600 rounds a year to start out, possibly more once I get good at it. Thanks, F-C __________________ TC Encore -6mm Rem Rifle; Ruger 10/22; Ruger 10/22 Ultimate; Stoeger Condor 20; ; Remington 1100 12; Stoeger 22 Luger; Taurus PT1911; Ruger SR40c God gave us the gift of life. It is the most precious gift ever. To be unarmed is to be helpless to protect that gift; that is outright irresponsible. - Ted Nugent

January 3, 2008, 11:02 AM	#2
UniversalFrost Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 2,300	go with a Redding T-7, you will never need another turret. I have one and I have a lyman t-mag, and I have owned an rcbs. The redding is built like a tank and has no play and the priming system is the best in the industry. I can reload my .338 win mag, .338 lapua mag, and my .416 rigby all day long with ease. The lyman is good for beginners, or for using on medium calibers, but I would not use it for a lot of forming or full length resizing (I used to use a rock chucker for that until I got the redding). __________________ Lifetime member VFW and NRA "Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati" (when all else fails play dead) -Red Green

January 3, 2008, 05:51 PM	#5
flashhole Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2005 Location: Owego, NY Posts: 2,000	http://www.beartoothbullets.com/tech...h_notes.htm/49 __________________ ,,, stupidity comes to some people very easily. 8/22/2017 my wife in a discussion about Liberals. Are you ready for civil war?

January 3, 2008, 06:10 PM	#6
Full-choke Senior Member Join Date: May 10, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 617	FLASHHOLE, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!! Okay, so I am officially in love with that entire website. I never even knew it existed but I am so happy right now! Anyways, thank you much! Thanks again, F-C __________________ TC Encore -6mm Rem Rifle; Ruger 10/22; Ruger 10/22 Ultimate; Stoeger Condor 20; ; Remington 1100 12; Stoeger 22 Luger; Taurus PT1911; Ruger SR40c God gave us the gift of life. It is the most precious gift ever. To be unarmed is to be helpless to protect that gift; that is outright irresponsible. - Ted Nugent

January 3, 2008, 06:37 PM	#7
flashhole Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2005 Location: Owego, NY Posts: 2,000	You're welcome. Great bunch over there, lots of folks with a lot of knowledge. This seems to be a good site too and I see a little cross-participation from the Shooters Forum so I am in good company. __________________ ,,, stupidity comes to some people very easily. 8/22/2017 my wife in a discussion about Liberals. Are you ready for civil war?

January 3, 2008, 11:22 AM	#3
rwilson452 Senior Member Join Date: June 10, 2004 Location: Tioga co. PA Posts: 2,647	If your looking at the Lee Classic Classic 4 hole Turret press don't let the looks deceive you. It is a sturdy press that can handle anything you mentioned. I don't one one as I aready have a Loadmaster and a Lee Classic Cast single stage. Should I decide to get another turret press it would be the Lee 4 hole. t one time I had the old Lee turret. I traded up to the Loadmaster. I loaded lots of 30-06 on it without a problem. I was the third owner of that press. Not that the other people didn't like it but they could no longer reload. The new press is even stronger.

January 3, 2008, 12:05 PM	#4
Thirties Senior Member Join Date: April 29, 2001 Location: Where the Red Sox meet the Black Bears Posts: 561	I also recommend the Redding T-7. With it you will never blame your press for a loading problem or difficulty.

January 3, 2008, 08:46 PM	#8
rrp Senior Member Join Date: February 18, 2006 Location: west central Wi Posts: 300	turret press I just bought a redding t-7 from a seller on TFL a couple months ago and love it. I've reloaded with a rock chucker for about 30 years and will continue to use it on occasion. But I like the t-7 alot. It's nice having 3 sets of dies set up and ready to go.

January 6, 2008, 03:33 PM	#9
dogfood Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2004 Location: Southwestern OH Posts: 239	I have both a Redding T-7 and a Lee 4-hole turret. If I could keep only one, it would be the T-7 ... no doubt. The T-7 is much more rigid - the Lee turrets are somewhat sloppy (they have to be, otherwise the auto-index would not function). Whenever resizing (neck or full length) rifle rounds, I always use the T-7. dogfood

January 9, 2008, 10:33 AM	#10
Slamfire Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2007 Posts: 5,261	I have three turret presses, a Lyman Spar –T, a Lyman T Mag and the Redding T-7. I like turret presses because you can leave your adjusted dies in the turret. This saves me time sizing my rifle ammo. I shoot a lot of 30-06, 308 and .223. And I leave my decapping unit on the press. The Lyman Spar –T is as old as the hills, and if you ever have one, with the small cramped turret, insignificant leverage, and the stubby handle that falls down, the alert observer will realize that sometimes old is bad and new is better. The T Mag and T-7 are excellent modern presses and I will attempt a comparison. The Lyman T-Mag is ambidextrous, the Redding is not. With the Lyman you can put the sizing handle on the left or the right. The Lyman handle is also angled to the side and in my opinion is easier on the elbow because of this sweep. The Lyman has a six hole turret, the Redding seven. The Lyman is better designed for removal of the turret, the tool to unscrew the turret comes with the press. You have to have a big allen head wrench for the Redding. That being said, I have only taken a turret off maybe once to grease the indexing ball bearings. The Redding has a permanently attached primer seater stud that is in the way of the ram. Since I don’t prime on the press it is useless to me. If the Lyman had a primer arm, I tossed it out so long ago that I can't recall if it had one. I really like the fact that the Redding has a hollow ram onto which a plastic tube is attached. Primers fall through ram and tube their way to a plastic water bottle. I duct taped a water bottle to the end of the tube, and when there are sufficient primers in the bottle, I unscrew the cap and dump the primers in the rubbish can. The Lyman press has a cup. About 5% of all primers bounce out of this cup and roll around on the floor. I don’t like primers on the floor. My vacuum will screech like the undead when primers get stuck in the impeller. I also found that primers stick to the bottom of my boots and get tracked into the house and left in all sorts of places. Both presses are made from heavy cast iron, the Redding is positively the heaviest press I have ever owned. Both will last forever. Both of these presses have excellent leverage, I small base size 30-06 brass without any problems on either. I do not own a 50 BMG or similar monster gun so I have no idea whether these presses will full length resize howitzer brass. My Redding sizes 45-70 brass easily.

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