Advice on new Equip

SaltySteve · May 13, 2008, 02:55 PM

Hello all,
I'm a new loader and buying a RCBS turret loader with kit. I'm curious if I need to go ahead and buy a Trimmer with it or is that hardly used. Also is a hand primer the way to go? Any advice on this press is appreciated. I hear a lot about the RC and other presses but not much about The turret Press. I did notice that RC is O shaped and the Turret is not, is that a major concern?? Or mayby the RC with a Lock and load device?

I'm spinning in circles right now, but I'll get it figured out soon enough.LOL

I'm sure I'll have more questions later but this will do for now.

HOGGHEAD · May 13, 2008, 05:55 PM

IMO the turrets are not as strong, and tend to cause more bullet run out. I shoot 3,000 to 5,000 rounds a year and I use a single stage press(22 LR ammo is at least half that amount). I have a turret press but do not use it, I use the single stage instead.

The only Lee product on my bench is a Auto-primer. They work well. But if you are just beginning, and money is tight, I would use the priming arm on the press.

A trimmer is necessary. IMO case preparation is the most important part of accuracy. Tom.

tom234 · May 13, 2008, 06:19 PM

Loading straight walled pistol cases, I've never had a use for a trimmer. What are you loading ? Save up and get a Dillon RL550.

Shoney · May 13, 2008, 09:40 PM

A case trimmer is definitely needed for rifle reloading, because the cases get longer with each shoot/reload cycle. Straight walled pistol cases actually get shorter (very minimally) with each cycle.

In general, a turret press will poduce more cartridges per hour than a single stage. There is disagreement on the quality of ammo produced.

On several forums that I participate on, the Lee "NEW" Lee Classic 4 Hole Turret Press gets extreemly high marks. and the place to buy it is

http://www.fmreloading.com/
http://www.fmreloading.com/cgi-bin/m...essive+Presses

As far as progressive presses go, you either have to be shooting around 1000 rounds a month to really justify one. I have the Dillon RL550 but seldom use it since I got my Hornady LNL Auto Progressive. The LNL AP actually produces ammo with a better run out than the 550, 650 or any of my single stage presses.

Hornady has a deal on whereby if you buy the LNL AP, you get 1000 free bullets. Total cost of the LNL minus the free bullets, puts its costs under $100.

Read this for info:
http://www.comrace.ca/cmfiles/dillon...Comparison.pdf

SaltySteve · May 13, 2008, 11:10 PM

I'll be loading mostly 45 ACP, 44 Mag, 44 special, 30-06.
Probably a few hundred rounds at a time. Time is not a real factor for me.
I'm definatly leaning towards RCBS or Hornady. I really like the idea of a turret type press if only to avoid constantly setting up diff dies. I hear you can buy some kind of adapter other than the Piggy back upgrade to make the Rockchucker a turret type press. Does anyone have any experience with this?

May 13, 2008, 02:55 PM	#1
SaltySteve Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Location: BR La Posts: 36	Advice on new Equip Hello all, I'm a new loader and buying a RCBS turret loader with kit. I'm curious if I need to go ahead and buy a Trimmer with it or is that hardly used. Also is a hand primer the way to go? Any advice on this press is appreciated. I hear a lot about the RC and other presses but not much about The turret Press. I did notice that RC is O shaped and the Turret is not, is that a major concern?? Or mayby the RC with a Lock and load device? I'm spinning in circles right now, but I'll get it figured out soon enough.LOL I'm sure I'll have more questions later but this will do for now. __________________ Viva la Grande

May 13, 2008, 05:55 PM	#2
HOGGHEAD Senior Member Join Date: April 2, 2008 Location: Rivesville, WV Posts: 637	Presses IMO the turrets are not as strong, and tend to cause more bullet run out. I shoot 3,000 to 5,000 rounds a year and I use a single stage press(22 LR ammo is at least half that amount). I have a turret press but do not use it, I use the single stage instead. The only Lee product on my bench is a Auto-primer. They work well. But if you are just beginning, and money is tight, I would use the priming arm on the press. A trimmer is necessary. IMO case preparation is the most important part of accuracy. Tom.

May 13, 2008, 11:10 PM	#5
SaltySteve Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Location: BR La Posts: 36	Advice on new Equip I'll be loading mostly 45 ACP, 44 Mag, 44 special, 30-06. Probably a few hundred rounds at a time. Time is not a real factor for me. I'm definatly leaning towards RCBS or Hornady. I really like the idea of a turret type press if only to avoid constantly setting up diff dies. I hear you can buy some kind of adapter other than the Piggy back upgrade to make the Rockchucker a turret type press. Does anyone have any experience with this? __________________ Viva la Grande

May 13, 2008, 06:19 PM	#3
tom234 Senior Member Join Date: February 14, 2008 Location: Kansas Posts: 753	Loading straight walled pistol cases, I've never had a use for a trimmer. What are you loading ? Save up and get a Dillon RL550.

May 13, 2008, 09:40 PM	#4
Shoney Senior Member Join Date: February 21, 2002 Location: Transplanted from Montana Posts: 2,311	A case trimmer is definitely needed for rifle reloading, because the cases get longer with each shoot/reload cycle. Straight walled pistol cases actually get shorter (very minimally) with each cycle. In general, a turret press will poduce more cartridges per hour than a single stage. There is disagreement on the quality of ammo produced. On several forums that I participate on, the Lee "NEW" Lee Classic 4 Hole Turret Press gets extreemly high marks. and the place to buy it is http://www.fmreloading.com/ http://www.fmreloading.com/cgi-bin/m...essive+Presses As far as progressive presses go, you either have to be shooting around 1000 rounds a month to really justify one. I have the Dillon RL550 but seldom use it since I got my Hornady LNL Auto Progressive. The LNL AP actually produces ammo with a better run out than the 550, 650 or any of my single stage presses. Hornady has a deal on whereby if you buy the LNL AP, you get 1000 free bullets. Total cost of the LNL minus the free bullets, puts its costs under $100. Read this for info: http://www.comrace.ca/cmfiles/dillon...Comparison.pdf