Turret Press

[deepskyridge]

A major factor that influences press selection is what you want to do with it.

I use a Dillon 550 for handgun loads.

I use a Redding T7 for rifle reloading.

I find the T7 very accurate for loading everything including precision rifle rounds.

I have extra turret heads which is really great for quick caliber changes.

Gary

[Char-Gar]

I have a Redding turret and three single stage presses on my bench. I use the turret mostly for handgun ammo, although it will load rifle ammo as well as a single stage.

[geargnasher]

I bought and sold an RCBS turret and a Lyman turret. I now do the majority of my rifle reloading (6 calibers) on the Lee Classic turret. Lee is the only turret press out there that I know of that has engineered the support for the turret head on outside, rather than having a center pivot and counter-support. The Lee setup won't flex or wobble once the slack is out. I I could only have one press out of any out there, past or present, I'd take the Lee Classic Turret with auto-index.

Gear

[flashhole]

I had a Redding turret press, now I have 2 Lee Classic Turrets. What a great design!

[rromeo]

I am a hands on guy, but I don't have a ton of time, so a turret seems like the proper in between of single stage and progressive. I have the Lee Classic, and I have the auto index removed.
I come home from work, and spend 25 minutes in my basement unwinding by loading 50 rounds of .38.

[1bluehorse]

I bought and sold an RCBS turret and a Lyman turret. I now do the majority of my rifle reloading (6 calibers) on the Lee Classic turret. Lee is the only turret press out there that I know of that has engineered the support for the turret head on outside, rather than having a center pivot and counter-support. The Lee setup won't flex or wobble once the slack is out. I I could only have one press out of any out there, past or present, I'd take the Lee Classic Turret with auto-index.

Gear

My sentiments exactly Gear...I originally bought the 3hole Lee turret (95 or so), converted it to a 4 when that became available. After a couple years "upgraded" (?) to a Lyman T-Mag turret believing all the "opinions" about the quailty of the Lee vs the Lyman. The Lyman was an okay press but as soon as Lee came out with the Classic series the Lyman was gone and the LCTP took it's place. The T-Mag will hold more paper down but for design and usability there's no comparison in my book, the Lee wins hands down.

[Dframe]

I've been using an old Lyman Spar-T for over 40 years now. they might be a litttle less strong than a O framed single stage press but the convenience of having six or more dies mounted is incalculable. A turret would be my hands down first choice of ALL the presses available.

[budman46]

my dillon's are dusted off when i plan on runs of 100 or more, but like other posters, i prefer lee's classic cast turret, who's removable turret design lets me to keep die set-ups in small coffee cans, allowing caliber conversions less than 30 seconds.

[Moondawg]

I have been using a Redding T-7 for several years, It replaced two rockchuckers. The T-7 is real quality and strong. I would never trade it and go back to a single stage press. I keep the six dies for my 38-55 and 45-70 permanently set up and have one open station for loading anything else. For volumn pistol loads I use my Dillion 550. Of all the turrent presses, the T-7 the best. The others may be cheaper, but they are not better, and don't offer as many stations.

[Moondawg]

IS A TURRET PRESS BETTER THAN A SINGLE STAGE? Depends upon your objective for loading ammo. If you want to load a little faster, the turret will help achieve this. If you want to load the most precise boolits, the single stage would be best. The single stage would most likely be the strongest, if you needed the strength.
Larry

Ya know, I shoot benchrest, which is just about the most precision shooting and reloading going, and I don't see many people at a match reloading with a rockchucker or any of the bigger single stage presses. Most of us use either the small RCBS partner press, or one of the small presses like a Harrell, or Sinclair, or even a Wilson hand press. Not to be argumentive, but I have about 30 years experience with Rockchuckers and five with a T-7. The T-7 will load just as precision a round as will most single stage presses. Actually, loading a precision round is more a matter of techinque and dies, than it is what kind of press you use.

[MT Chambers]

The Co-ax is just as fast to change over, prolly faster and more adaptable, more precise, I like the Co-ax so much that i wouldn't want a turret type press, a progressive like dillon, maybe.

[geargnasher]

my dillon's are dusted off when i plan on runs of 100 or more, but like other posters, i prefer lee's classic cast turret, who's removable turret design lets me to keep die set-ups in small coffee cans, allowing caliber conversions less than 30 seconds.

Like these?



For the guys still loving their Lyman and RCBS turret presses, you use what makes you happy, but I have to wonder how many of you own a Lee Classic Turret press as well. One nice thing about the LCTP is that it loads very concentric ammo even with cheap dies (i.e. not Redding precision seating dies and others that fully support the entire case and boolit). If you use good dies, the turret head flex is pretty much negligable.

Gear

[leadman]

I have an old Spar-T, a Lee 3 hole turret, RCBS Rockchucker, and a new Lee Classic Turret. The Spar-T will probably go down the road soon.
I will keep the Lee 3 holer for pistol rounds as the stroke is much shorter and more ammo can be loaded on it.
I am changing over most of my rifle loading to the LCTP. Probably the only rifle I won't load on it is jacketed loads with large amounts of stick powders.