Lee classic cast turret question

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NC FNS

New member
Got mine used with a couple of 4 hole turrets (8-lug), and many 3 hole turrets (6-lug). I'd like to switch the turret ring to a 6-lug type so I can use the 3 hole turrets (It doesn't auto-index, and I prefer to manually index). After some research, seems like the only option is a TP2126 turret ring, but I'm not sure if it will fit the classic cast. Before I order one, does anyone know for certain if it will fit the press, or have another suggestion?

Thanks.
 
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big al hunter

New member
Call Lee and ask the folks that build them. They know exactly what you need to make it work. And I hear that they are friendly to boot!
 
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the45er

New member
Info added

Please call Lee tomorrow and ask them. However, I wanted to use a 3-hole turret in my Lee Turret press as I had a die set that both seated and taper crimped with one die. They told me that it would not work in my press if it was set up for a four hole turret. If you think about it, it makes sense as the mechanism that rotates the turret a precise amount could not rotate 60 degrees for a three-hole and 45 degrees for a four-hole on a single stroke of the lever. Something would have to be reset or readjusted in order for the press mechanism to do that and the only thing I see that could be adjusted would be to add a different rotating stem that would turn the turret a different amount. These would not be hard to change out though, so that might be an option.

I hope a more knowledgeable Lee user than I chimes in here. If there's a way to quickly go from four to three hole turrets, I'm in!

I just found this on their website if it is helpful:

[URL="https://support.leeprecision.net/en/knowledgebase/article/convert-3-hole-turret-press-to-4-hole-with-auto-index
 
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PolarFBear

New member
No quick way. I started, many years ago with a Lee 3-holer. When the 4 hole became available I transitioned. I had to buy a new top piece to hold the 4 hole piece. It was easy. The old three holer is already set up to accept the new top. Just a bolt change. It IS simple but it is not "plug and play". However, I do not know if Lee still makes transition "kits".
 
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the45er

New member
Aguila Blanca said:
Looking at the images of the Value Turret Press and the Classic Turret Press on Lee's web site, it appears that the top end is identical.

https://leeprecision.com/images/P/90932.jpg


https://leeprecision.com/images/P/90064-01.jpg

The top end of the older 3-hole turret press is also the same as the Pro 1000 progressive press, and the Pro 1000 uses the same 3-hole turrets as the older turret press.
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They may look the same, but this is straight from Lee's website:

Unfortunately we no longer manufacture the parts necessary to convert your 3-Hole Turret Press to a 4-Hole Turret Press with Auto Indexing. If you would like a 4-Hole Turret Press, as per our Lifetime Limited Warranty, you are able to send your press into us at the factory for a half price replacement.

Rather like saying since a 1/4" x 20 bolt is the same as a 1/4" x 28 bolt. They look pretty similar but they won't use the same nut. The 4-hole turret press turns the turret 45 degrees on every stroke. I assume the 3-hole press turns it 60 degrees; ergo, they are not interchangeable.
 
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NC FNS

New member
Mine doesn’t have any of the auto indexing parts, I turn it manually. True that the auto indexing parts for a 4 hole would not work on a 3 hole, but I believe I can swap out the top end ring and get what I need for manual use. Thanks for the suggestions so far. And thanks for the pix...sure looks like a swap will work. I’ll give Lee a jingle tomorrow and see if they can confirm.
 
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Aguila Blanca

Staff
the45er said:
They may look the same, but this is straight from Lee's website:

Unfortunately we no longer manufacture the parts necessary to convert your 3-Hole Turret Press to a 4-Hole Turret Press with Auto Indexing. If you would like a 4-Hole Turret Press, as per our Lifetime Limited Warranty, you are able to send your press into us at the factory for a half price replacement.

Rather like saying since a 1/4" x 20 bolt is the same as a 1/4" x 28 bolt. They look pretty similar but they won't use the same nut. The 4-hole turret press turns the turret 45 degrees on every stroke. I assume the 3-hole press turns it 60 degrees; ergo, they are not interchangeable.
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The OP doesn't want to convert from a 3-hole Turret Press to a 4-hole, he wants to go from 4 holes back to three. The original Turret Press (the 3-hole version) used the exact same press body and top end as the Pro 1000 progressive press, which was and still is a 3-hole configuration. The TP2126 part he mentioned is a replacement top for the Pro 1000, so it works with the 3-hole turrets. The question is whether or not it will bolt onto the Classic Turret Press. I am 99.973 percent certain the answer is yes.

https://www.titanreloading.com/lee-tp2126-turret-ring

Here's a link to a video on the original Lee Turret Press. At 1:42 there's a brief look at a Pro 1000, in which you can see that the press body is exactly the same as the one they used to use on the [original] Turret press. The old 3-hole Turret Press used the same 3-hole turrets as the Pro 1000. Since the press bodies are the same, and the tops take the same 3-hole turrets, it stands to reason that the top for a Pro 1000 will convert a newer Turret Press back to the 3-hole turrets.

http://loadmastervideos.com/Lee_Turret_001.wmv
 
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the45er

New member
That certainly might work. I wish that Lee would have mentioned that when I talked to their tech. Simply changing out a $17 "turret ring" to go on the Classic Turret Press to enable use of 3 hole turrets would have been an easy answer. Oh well, I'm set up with four hole turrets for all three calibers I load for so it's a moot point for me now.
 
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kmw1954

New member
A bit late here but there it is.

Yes Lee discontinued all support for the old style 3 and 4 hole value turret press and yes many parts from the Pro 1000 will work on any old style turret press.

Long ago Lee made a switch from the 3 hole to the four hole Value Press and then offered an upgrade kit to change the 3 hole press to a four hole press.

The new 4 hole turret ring in the "kit" was the same part that is used on the Classic Cast Turret press with the same turrets. The whole change kit also included parts to change the indexing rod from one that has 6 sides to one that is square. Shortly after that Lee discontinued the indexing parts for the 3 hole turret press.

So the answer is yes the Turret ring from a 3 hole press can be put on a Classic Cast press but it will not be able to use the auto advance. Also the indexing rod for the old 3 hole press is not long enough to fit on the Classic Cast press even if parts were available.
 
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jetinteriorguy

New member
You should contact the person you got these from, he may have the parts you need but just didn’t have them in the stuff you got from him. It would seem since he has both styles of turrets he may have possibly done the switch using Lees upgrade kit at one time. Worth a phone call.
 
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NC FNS

New member
Update from OP:
The 3 hole turret ring came today, works like a charm. Thanks all for your help!

Jet-good idea, but as I recall, my LGS ended up with the press and a box full of parts from an estate. There was no additional turret ring among the parts.
 
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jetinteriorguy

New member
Well, at least ya got it working. Too bad you can’t get the shaft for auto advance. To me that’s the best feature to help prevent an accidental double charge.
 
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Aguila Blanca

Staff
Well, at least ya got it working. Too bad you can’t get the shaft for auto advance. To me that’s the best feature to help prevent an accidental double charge.
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I have a 4-hole Lee Turret Press and I like the auto-index feature, but the OP wrote that he prefers to advance the turret manually, so the lack of auto-indexing with the 3-hole setup is a non-issue for purposes of this discussion.
 
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jetinteriorguy

New member
Whatever, if you actually read my post you’ll realize the only reason I mentioned it was because it helps avoid a double charge, not because I didn’t read his post. It just gives him another reason to consider it. Geez.
 
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