Lee Classic Cast or Lee Classic Turret?

[vitalemj]

If you already had a Dillon 650 and wanted to get an inexpensive single stage type for knocking out primers, bullet pointing, etc and both the Lee Classic Cast and the Lee Classic Turret were on sale at Brownells which would you pick? It seems most reloading forums are 10 to 1 for the Classic Turret because of the ability to keep four dies set up even if you are going to use it single stage only. But most forums don't have the level of this one so need advice from those that have been through it.

 

[Horns8491]

As between the two, I'd for sure get the turret. But if its just for knocking out primers and other misc non precision tasks, how about just a Lee Breech lock press?

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/807734/lee-breech-lock-reloader-single-stage-press

 

[vitalemj]

The excuse to buy it is for knocking out primes and pointing bullets but I'm sure it will find quite a but more uses than that. It does seem a lot more versatile and could save a lot of time having the option to run as a single stage with 4 dies set up. Never used either so wanted to make sure I'm not making a mistake with the turret. Do you think there are any major advantages in rigidity or concentricity with the Classic Cast Breech Lock over the Turret? They both look pretty solid.

 

[proximo]

I use a Forster Coax and Dillion 550B as my main presses. I also keep a Lee Classic Turret press on the end of the bench with the auto advance disabled. In the toolhead, I keep Lee Collet neck sizers for my current most used calibers and a Hornady lock and load bullet puller for quick access. I also have a spare turret I can set up for whatever specific demands my workflow needs. I love it.

 

[vitalemj]

I use a Forster Coax and Dillion 550B as my main presses. I also keep a Lee Classic Turret press on the end of the bench with the auto advance disabled. In the toolhead, I keep Lee Collet neck sizers for my current most used calibers and a Hornady lock and load bullet puller for quick access. I also have a spare turret I can set up for whatever specific demands my workflow needs. I love it.

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. The turret would save a lot of time and work set up like that. Thanks for the bullet puller idea . If the Dillon and Forster were down for some reason would you trust the Lee Turret enough to load every step on it if you had too?

 

[Steel head]

My only press is a Lee classic turret
haven't had a need to replace it.
Set up turrets for all the cartridges I load.

 

[vitalemj]

My only press is a Lee classic turret
haven't had a need to replace it.
Set up turrets for all the cartridges I load.

Thanks Proximo and Steel Head. If its more versatile, makes the job easier, will save some time all while loading just as accurately that solidifies my decision. I appreciate the help.

 

[proximo]

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. The turret would save a lot of time and work set up like that. Thanks for the bullet puller idea . If the Dillon and Forster were down for some reason would you trust the Lee Turret enough to load every step on it if you had too?

Absolutely. I'd just have to manually advance the turret since I've disabled the automatic advance but that's not too unlike the 550B.

That said, I can't see either the Coax or 550B (which I've been using for close to 20 years) being down for anything other than a clean and lube.

 

[vitalemj]

Yeah, I hear Dillon will replace everything you've purchased even if it is lost to theft or fire. So that chances of you being without for very long are pretty slim.

 

[jb1023]

I have and use both. I use the turret for pistol, 223, and misc tasks such as priming. I use the cast for precision rifle. The priming function on the cast is not nearly as quick. I've not used one but was told to stay away from the non-cast aluminum versions of both.

 

[FishDr]

I have used all of the presses mentioned above. For sure stay away from the aluminum Lee Challenger series. It works fine but consistency can be an issue with "spring" in the press when sizing FL military brass or large cases. Doing the same on the Lee turret press will cause it to loosten up with use. For odd jobs like priming, de-priming, bullet pulling, and such there should be no problems with the turret. Lees original Classic CAST press is built like a tank. That is the one i would use for FL sizing large or difficult cases. I cant remember if it will "cam-over" or has a hard stop. I believe it has hard stop like most other Lee products, and that was the major difference between that one and RCBS rock chucker series. Someone else could confirm my memory of this???

 

[Creek4]

Lee classic turret

 

[flashhole]

I got both the Classic Cast Single Stage and Classic Turret then went out and bought a second Classic Turret that I take to the range for on-site load development. Just swap out turrets with the bench mounted press and load. The Classic Turret is very nice but I favor the single stage for general work on the bench. Especially with the big rifle cartridges.

 

[Strykervet]

Do you load larger cartridges? .50? When I got Dillon's 650 and 50bmg progressive, my old RCBS single stage got relegated to mostly pocket swaging duty using a CH4D pocket swager. I use it to pull bullets too and other odd jobs. It is very handy to have though. A turret may not accept some of the larger size tools.

For decapping I still use the 650 due to the case feeder. I have one block setup with just a decapping die. The blocks for the 650 are cheap enough to have separate setups for each round, a loading block and a separate sizing/trim block (the auto trimmer is the shit!).

Were it me, and if I didn't have a single stage press already, I'd get the RCBS Ammo Master single stage .50 even if you don't have a .50 or plan on getting one. The ram is much more powerful and it accepts smaller dies and bases. And if you ever did get a .50, unless that includes an M2, then it'd be really handy.