Help with a Lee Turret press

S

Sixer

New member
I picked up a Lee Turret press about 8 months ago. It was my first press and it came used with a bunch of other reloading goodies. Anyhow, the press did not com with the part that makes the turret rotate after each lever pull. So basically it is set up like a single stage press and i just rotate the turret manually.

What part do I need to make the press work as it is supposed to?
 
R

RidgwayCO

New member
It depends on if you have a Lee "Turret Press" or the Lee "Classic Cast Turret Press" (sorry, their names, not mine...). Go here and you can find the different part numbers.

http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/browse.cgi

Basically you need the metal indexing rod, the black plastic auto-indexing clamp, and the square ratchet. If you're ordering, get a couple extra ratchets as they do wear out over time.
 
S

snuffy

New member
Actually there's three lee turret presses. The first is a 3 hole turret with the cast aluminum base. Then there's the lee "deluxe turret, which is auto index with a 4 hole turret. Last and most recent is the lee classic turret,("cast" is not part of the designation). The lee classic cast press is a single stage press like a rockchucker.

Is this what your press looks like?

image


If so, then I don't think you can make it into an auto index press. Call lee and ask, I know they did offer a kit to turn a 3 holer into a 4 holer. Maybe then you could add auto index as well.
 
S

shepherddogs

New member
If yours is like the one previously posted and has the three hole turret, I strongly recommend you order the 4 hole upgrade kit. The indexing on the 4 holer is much more positive than with the 3 holer. The kit comes with the index rod, ratchet assembly and 1 4 hole turret. My old 3 hole never worked right. Since I got the conversion kit it works like a charm. Also order a couple extra square ratchets. They wear out after a while.:)
 
A

amamnn

New member
Someone once posted on this forum or another just like it that the vast majority of turret press users eventually disable auto indexing.

I don't know about the vast majority, but I did and everyone I know with a turret press (5 or 6 people) have theirs set up for manual advancement too.
 
S

Sixer

New member
Snuffy, the one in your picture is just like mine... Thanks for the replies. Looks like I'm gonna stick with the manual operation, just wanted to see what kind of options I had :)
 
S

snuffy

New member
Someone once posted on this forum or another just like it that the vast majority of turret press users eventually disable auto indexing.

I don't know about the vast majority, but I did and everyone I know with a turret press (5 or 6 people) have theirs set up for manual advancement too.
Click to expand...

Nobody but lee has auto advance. I sometimes do disable mine when loading rifle and either priming or dumping powder off press, using batch loading. But loading pistol ammo with no need to remove the shell from the shell holder, I can see no reason for not using the auto advance. It's the main selling point of the lee turret, allows you to load up to 200/hr. No way to do that while manually advancing.
 
C

Casimer

New member
I can see no reason for not using the auto advance.
Click to expand...

I have this disabled on mine because I can load more quickly if I index manually. Mine tends to jump the index position if I'm rotating the plate too quickly.
 
B

Brian Pfleuger

Moderator Emeritus
I can actually see where it could be quite a bit faster do do it manually with short cartridges. It didn't make sense to me until I got it set up.

I am considering removing the rod on mine since I'm only going to be loading 357sig at the moment. That way, I only need to go all the way down once to seat the primer.
 
S

Sixer

New member
Hey thanks for the link DSV. That's exactly what I would need. For around $30 it might be worth picking up just to see how it works. I prep / prime all of my brass ahead of time... so all I really do when it comes time to reload is charge the case, seat the bullet, and crimp.

I don't like to get in a hurry, but if I can crank out 200rds of 9mm or .40sw an hour... it's worth a shot :)
 
D

Don P

New member
Sixer, I have a 3 hole and was thinking of doing the same. If you truely want a auto index buy the 4 hole. The conversion kit will run almost the price of a 4 hole press and this came from the owner of factory sales which deals in Lee equipment and back around the turn of the year Lee was going to do away with the kits. My manual works just fine and if I stay with it I have been able to load between 100-150 rounds per hour.
 
W

willr

New member
Actually, I stopped using the auto-indexer on my Lee Turret Press. Too many times I have found squib loads coming out of the process. It is possible, but difficult, to examine each round to verify the powder drop.

This means that if you use the auto-indexer you had better be very carefull to assure yourself of no squib loads.

willr
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top