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Thread: Lee Classic Turret Press Kit

  1. #1
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    Lee Classic Turret Press Kit

    Recently bought a Tikka T3 .223 1:12 twist.

    Following my recent newbie reloading thread, what do you guys think of these?

    Classic Turret Press

    Classic Turret Press Video

    .22LR CZ452; .22 Hornet CZ527
    Tikka T3 Varmint .223; .204 Ruger CZ527 Varmint;
    6.5 Creed Bergara B14 HMR

  2. #2
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    Precision ammo gets loaded on single station presses or hand die/arbour press set ups, turrets and progressives are for volume reloaders.

    TB.

  3. #3
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    I load 3 calibre on this mate works well for me, Load .308win, 45-70 and 357mag.
    There no need to load on a single station

  4. #4
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    I load .357 mag / .38 Spl and 30-30 on mine with no problems - although I take out the drive rod for 30-30 and use it as a single stage. Unless you are planning on reloading a lot, in big batches, a single stage press would be cheaper and may suit your purpose just as well.
    Buckle
    Proud member of The YCHJCYA2PDTHFH Club

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  5. #5
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    It is a great value for money press and a good starter kit with almost everything you could need to start reloading (except case cleaning and possibly trimming/uniforming stuff).

    It will give you good consistent results but if you are bench-resting or F-class shooting or similar you might be better getting a good single stage. But for general target or hunting use it is more than adequate. If you load for CSR or gallery rifle competitions it will be fine. The only reason to upgrade from this kit will be to increase volume of production at a later date, or you decide to go BR, F class, etc.
    Good deals with: Muskett, Dreben, roger.kerry, TALL, Helidave1, Chelseablue, Leeroy7031, Mousemann, pnuk, Practical, NEWFI, HOOGS, Webb22, lazybones1416 and deanw5262 among others. Thanks Guys.

  6. #6
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    I would bet good money that if you loaded some rounds on this and a single station press and shot them through the same
    rifle you would not see any difference in the group size

  7. #7
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    I reload precision rifle ammo on a Lyman Turret press nae problemo; I also have a lee Classic Turret press and have had no issues with any of the ammo produced on it (though I do tend to use it for pistol/gallery rifle calibre stuff mostly.)
    Pistol & Rifle Shooting in the Highlands with Strathpeffer Rifle & Pistol Club. <StrathRPC at yahoo.com> or google it.
    No longer Pumpin Oil but still Passin Gas!

  8. #8
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    Oct 2008
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    Nottingham
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    Thumbs up Last well

    Got one 25 years ago, still going strong, never had a problem !

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Voodoo View Post
    Got one 25 years ago, still going strong, never had a problem !
    True. I forgot this.

    I bought my Lee Turret Press in the mid to late '80s, it loaded more pistol ammo than I could count and since then it has had a modest retirement with the 1000 or so gallery rifle loads it has to make each a year since the ban. It is still going strong.
    The only thing that has needed replacing is the primer arm but this is now discontinued so I managed to fix the original to a fashion.

    The Lee is also great for those low volume cartridges I use (eg 30-30) which don't take long to set up compared to the Dillon. I have 2 Dillons for the large volume loading (one for 308 base sized cartridges - 308, 243, 260, 7-08 etc - and one for the 223 base sized cartridges - 223 and 300Whisper).

    The only problem I have with the Lee is when loading long cartridges like the 303 (and previously with 308 and match bullets) was the auto index didn't work, the turret wanted to turn before the cartridge had left the die. By removing the indexer you could overcome this problem and manually turn the turret when required.

    I still think this is a very good value for money loading system and is capable of making some very fine match ammo. Cut your teeth on it and upgrade later if you feel the need, I bet you'll keep the Lee just in case.
    Good deals with: Muskett, Dreben, roger.kerry, TALL, Helidave1, Chelseablue, Leeroy7031, Mousemann, pnuk, Practical, NEWFI, HOOGS, Webb22, lazybones1416 and deanw5262 among others. Thanks Guys.

  10. #10
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    Thanks lads, seems a reasonable kit for a small outlay with a few positive reviews.

    C'mon then, be honest, what is going to be the difference between this and one of the more expensive presses? Don't get me wrong, when I start with this I'll give it 100% and push for some real accuracy and consistency but if there is a major difference in results I will save and buy a more expensive bit of kit. How much of a difference are we talking?..

    .22LR CZ452; .22 Hornet CZ527
    Tikka T3 Varmint .223; .204 Ruger CZ527 Varmint;
    6.5 Creed Bergara B14 HMR

  11. #11
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    After a while you may wish to load a greater volume or faster and then you'll need to get a more expensive press.

    The warranty is only 3yrs (IIRC) with Lee whereas Dillon give a lifetime warranty. Not sure of others. But I haven't needed it until the last couple of months, and even so the press still works just fine.

    You might feel the need to have the press feed primers and bullets automatically and the Lee doesn't, or at least mine doesn't as it's so old, the new ones might. If yours won't I think there may be an upgrade that does the primers if not one for the bullets as well.

    I still use mine after 30 years, and I have two Dillon 550s sitting there that I could use if I wanted to (and take the time to change calibres). That must say something about the Lee, or possibly my laziness.
    Good deals with: Muskett, Dreben, roger.kerry, TALL, Helidave1, Chelseablue, Leeroy7031, Mousemann, pnuk, Practical, NEWFI, HOOGS, Webb22, lazybones1416 and deanw5262 among others. Thanks Guys.

  12. #12
    Join Date
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    Thumbs up

    Everyone has differing priorities when it comes to re-loading.

    I get loads that shoot to half inch, and am very happy to quit development and kill deer at that point. I am a hunter that reloads.

    Some will wish to devote all their time to pursuing the quest for the ultimate ammunition. They are re-loaders - who may also hunt.

    Depends on your priority, BUT the Lee kit you mention will produce excellent ammunition and is great value for money.

    I have used it to produce ammunition that grouped to .16" (centre to centre) - at that point, I called it good and went shooting.

    Go for it - you are very unlikely to be disappointed.
    For professional guided Deer & Wild Boar Stalking, practical stalking intro's & Deer related training, DSC1 & 2 preparation & witnessing, Field Rifle coaching
    Go to www.farringtonds.com - or call me on Tel: 07798 771 062

  13. #13
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    I currently use a Lyman T Mag II and its a very good press. I have used a Lee for sometime before that as well as a single stage RCBS and ive managed to produce some good quality hunting ammunition with them all.
    Rapid 7 / 10-22 ATN 2 Stiller Predator .204 Pulsar N970 Tikka T3 semi custom ATN MARS thermal.204 Tikka T3 Semi.223 Wylde IOR Operator Lawton 6mmBR Kahles Gen 3 - Stiller 6.5 x 47 Bushnell BDX - Winchester Red Performance SX3 12g

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