Problem with turrent press

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  • Last Post 17 November 2013
nsdread07 posted this 14 August 2012

I was given a Lyman T mag press and assorted other reloading items. However when loading 44 mags the other night I noticed that there is a some play in the turrent during the up stroke. My previous press was a RCBS single stage D press. Will this effect loading? I may be able to trade the Lyman for a RCBS RockChucker but do like having the ability to set up my dies and forget about it.

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Chargar posted this 17 November 2013

Most likely catfish.

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joeb33050 posted this 17 November 2013

Chargar wrote:

  1. In 1982 I bought a Lee turrent, but it had so much slop in the fit of the pot metal turret that it would not hold critical dimensions on 30-06 match ammo. I gave it to a fellow who used it for a trot line weight..good ridance!

What kind of fish was that fellow after? How did he do? Would a more expensive turret press on the trot line get more fish? Bigger fish? I have a turret press, a Knurlman, and I do love to fish.

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OleGrunt posted this 17 November 2013

I certainly agree with ONONDAGA concerning the Lee turret press. I've been using these presses (both 3 and 4 hole styles) since the late 80's and have absolutely no complaints. I load rifle calibers from .22 Hornet to .300 WinMag and pistol calibers from .380 to .45 colt and have absolute confidence in the Lee equipment. I have each caliber of die sets in separate turrets and switching from one caliber to another is a very simple matter.

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delmarskid1 posted this 15 November 2013

I've been using the Lyman t-mag for many years. When it arrived I didn't like the way that the turret would tip to the back on the up stroke. I took the turret off and filed the top of the frame casting until the play was gone. I also took out the detente ball and clipped some of the coil spring under the ball. This spring work made the turret turn a lot easier. I like this press a lot.

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tominct posted this 15 November 2013

I've a 3 station Lee turret, it works but I believe there is better out there. It does work, changes over to other calibers easily and doesn't need specialty shellplates. Easy to change from small to large primers also. Mine has some rough edges that needed tweaking.

 I have  a Dillon turret press that is the bomb! If you don't have to swap between primer sizes often I would heartily recommend it. Full size rifle is not a problem.

 The Lyman always looked like a good press, never acquired one. One guy who shot bullseye had it set up with 3 stations for 45 and the other 3 for 38 special. Worked well for him. HTH.

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Muskin-7 posted this 14 November 2013

ON my T-Mag there is bolt behind the ram. Just tighten it up against the die holder. This counter balances any movement. Old Guy

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Chargar posted this 16 February 2013

Afish.. I am not familiar with the Redding #25, so can't offer any comparisons. I bought mine about 2001. It is the six hole version whereas the current one has seven holes. The top of the press is very broad and supports about 2/3rds of the turrents bottom surface. There is a cut out in the rear to allow the dies to rotate through.

The turrent bolts to the base via a bolt in the top. I suspect it is the large contact surface between the press body and the turrent that accounts for the stability. That and some precision machining of this fit.

My problem with the early Lee came about when I loaded a block of 50 match 3-06 loads. A glace at the block showed some slight differences in the overall length of the rounds. My first thought was the bullet seating was where the issue came from. However a trip through the Wilson gage informed me the issue came from the sizing. The headspace of the rounds varied enough to be seen with the naked eye on the loaded rounds.

I found this not to be to my liking and it was due to the quality of fit between the turrent and the top of the press. Plus the wear on the lugs of the turrent were very noticable and I had only loaded 200 rounds with the press. I atribute this to poor manufacturing tolerances and poor metal.

To be honest, folks have informed me that Lee improved their presses, and they no longer have this flex or whatever it is called. One fellow told me he had the same issues, but thought it was due to the flexing of the rods that held the gizmo together.

But I was already burned by Lee and have never cared to buy another of their presses to see if they have got it right by now. Maybe they have and maybe they have not. I just don't know from my experience and that is what I go by.

I just could not believe a company would put such a thing in a box and sell it to the public as a reloading press.

Sorry I can't explain the differences between your older model Redding and current production, but I thought I would give you as much information as I have. I would suspect you could go to Reddings website and get some good pics and drawing of the current presses and see how they differ from your press.

I have loaded rifle ammo with my Reddding and have not had any issues with the ammo produced. I currently have it dedicated to 38 Special/357 Mag pistol ammo and load my rifle ammo on other presses. It will hold the critical dimensions of the ammo produced very well.

My most used press is a 1960's RCBS cast steel A2 single stage press. No slop or flex in this baby. I also have a pair of Pacific C presses. One if pre-war and the other post-war. Both were made before Pacific sold and moved.

Cheers and good shooting...

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afish4570 posted this 16 February 2013

I have an older model Redding #25 , I think.  The slop in the turret plate always had me concerned.  I called Redding customer service when I got it 20 yrs. ago and he said it was normal.  If I wanted to it could be milled (the turret) by a local machine shop.  This to  me would be too expensive to fool around with and possibly mess up the turret and then need t o replace the turret......I left it alone and have used it for alot pistol reloading and hunting loads.  Maybe the new Redding Turret is less flexing or sloppy......Anyone had one and can explain the differences in the newer model would be appreciated.afish4570:fire:fire

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Chargar posted this 16 February 2013

Sorry guys, I did not consider “pissing match” to be profanity . I guess I underestimated your level of sensitivity.

I also didn't consider disagreement to be the same as disparagement .

I certainly don't have any malice toward anybody on this board. I don't know anybody well enough to have those kinds of feelings. I understand malice is doing something with the intent to cause harm or suffering. At least that is what I was taught in Law School. Maybe it means something else here.

I will endeavor to behave with more decorum and civility. It will take me a while to figure out the unwritten rules and definitions.

Bear with me, I will get it right yet.

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Pigslayer posted this 15 February 2013

Chargar wrote: Some of you guys are way to smart for me. I am just a guy who has been reloading and bullet casting since 1958. I have been paying attention and trying to learn as I go, but physics and metallurgy as not in my resume. Just a good measure of observation and common sense.

Charger, No one is questioning your years of experience in reloading. But there is no cause for making disparaging remarks, discrediting others & their equipment nor the use of profanity. You had done the same with me on another thread concerning my LEE Challenger press and a very simple, rudimentary primer deflector that I made. ( I haven't had a primer hit the floor since) You most certainly have the right to your opinion and of course, ” constructive criticism” but not with malice as your intent. There is an old saying when it comes to forums & it goes like this,, “Take what you want & leave the rest".

Pat

If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.

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R Dupraz posted this 15 February 2013

Now, Now, girls, Let's be nice!:D

RD

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Chargar posted this 15 February 2013

Some of you guys are way to smart for me. I am just a guy who has been reloading and bullet casting since 1958. I have been paying attention and trying to learn as I go, but physics and metallurgy as not in my resume. Just a good measure of observation and common sense.

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onondaga posted this 15 February 2013

http://www.castbulletassoc.org/view_user.php?id=144>Chargar, quote,

"Gary. belive what you will. I am through with internet pissing matches with “experts".

I resemble that remark. Press design is just physics and metallurgy and you refuse to be dazzled with the facts from measurement. Believe what you will back at you.

Gary

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Chargar posted this 15 February 2013

Gary. belive what you will. I am through with internet pissing matches with “experts".

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Pigslayer posted this 13 February 2013

onondaga wrote: http://www.castbulletassoc.org/view_user.php?id=6171>Pigslayer My lee Cast Turret eats up .458 Win Mag and .375 H&H with zero grief and less run-out than a single stage press.

I use my Lee Classic Cast Turret to load .223 Rem., 7.62X39, 30-30 Win., .308 Win., 30-06 Springfield, .375 H&H, .458 Win Mag, and .500 S&W. My dies for each caliber are each installed on their own disk. Currently most of my loading is 30-06, .458, .500 and 7.62X39. My grandson has been loading a lot of .308 recently with my press.

Changing calibers takes 1 minute. The Safety Prime works flawlessly and changing from large to small primers takes 1 minute. Nearly all my powder measuring is done off press with a beam scale,scoops and powder trickler or a digital scale, Lyman #55 measure, or Lee Perfect Measure. I use a lot of different powders.

Gary

Gary, I am obligated to completely agree with you concerning the quality of LEE products. I find that the “play” in the turret is deliberate in design and advantageous for case concentricity. Although there are many other quality manufacturers out there I.e. Lyman, Redding & RCBS and . . . I've had them all but . . . You are right in that only LEE can guarantee the concentricity specs that it does. In order for Redding, Lyman or RCBS to give that kind of concentricity, the turret would have to be mounted on the press and both the hole for the ram & corresponding die hole in the turret would have to be align-bored. Much as in align-boring the crankshaft journals in an engine block. But then, what about the other turret holes? I have a friend up in Elmira, NY that owns a gunshop and was a heavy investor in Redding equipment many years ago and although he will vouch for Redding equipment, he is in agreement as to the accuracy of concentricity of the LEE turret presses. It was mentioned in another post that the turrets in the LEE presses are made from “pot” metal. That's absolutely wrong as they are cast from T6061 aluminum & expertly machined. Ignorance is bliss for some.

Pat

If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.

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onondaga posted this 13 February 2013

http://www.castbulletassoc.org/view_user.php?id=144>Chargar, Quote: "I don't buy into the notion that slop in the Lee turret is a good thing. It is another case of using hype to convert cheap into good."

That is a pretty provocative statement, perhaps you expected no one to disagree.

I completely disagree and believe you are also wrong about pot metal construction of Lee turret press parts. Perhaps you had the older standard turret with the old style primer arm instead of the Safety Prime System They have no pot metal in the press parts or their turrets anyway, they are aluminum. The newer Classic Cast has a cast iron base, steel ram and uprights and machined aluminum turrets in a tool steel press head, again, no pot metal.

I have used rigid Lyman turrets, Their rigidity causes run-out by bending long straight walled cases like the 45-70 and .458 Mag. The parts alignment in such rigid turrets is insufficient to support rigidity and they bend long cases out of concentricity.

Do you dispute  the validity of Forster Co-Axial presses also? They have a wonderful reputation with their dies floating in their press design for better concentricity of ammunition, however, Lee Turrets are an improvement beyond co-axial presses and have better concentricity of loaded ammunition because Lee turrets have .040” float in more dimensions than Forster co-axials do. Lee wins and Forster loses in my opinion. You think Redding is better? if Redding is stronger and more rigid than Lyman it would require much more precise parts fit or Redding would bend cases even farther than Lyman does. Lyman Forster and Redding all went the wrong route to concentricity in my opinion and all 3 have each  lost to the much less expensive and more innovative design of the Lee Classic Cast Turret where aluminum turrets float in the raceways of an externally circular and internally raceway-ed  tool steel head.

Gary

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Chargar posted this 13 February 2013

I have owned three turrent presses in my life and they are useful gizmos.

  1. A Lyman Tru-Line Jr, which I used for a couple of hundred thousand 45 ACP loads, until the linkage finaly rolled snake eyes.

  2. In 1982 I bought a Lee turrent, but it had so much slop in the fit of the pot metal turret that it would not hold critical dimensions on 30-06 match ammo. I gave it to a fellow who used it for a trot line weight..good ridance!

  3. I now own and use (for 10 years) a Redding turret press. It is a precision tool, and there is Zero movement in the turret.

I don't buy into the notion that slop in the Lee turret is a good thing. It is another case of using hype to convert cheap into good.

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Chargar posted this 13 February 2013

I have owned three turrent presses in my life and they are useful gizmos.

  1. A Lyman Tru-Line Jr, which I used for a couple of hundred thousand 45 ACP loads, until the linkage finaly rolled snake eyes.

  2. In 1982 I bought a Lee turrent, but it had so much slop in the fit of the pot metal turret that it would not hold critical dimensions on 30-06 match ammo. I gave it to a fellow who used it for a trot line weight..good ridance!

  3. I now own and use (for 10 years) a Redding turret press. It is a precision tool, and there is Zero movement in the turret.

I don't buy into the notion that slop in the Lee turret is a good thing. It is another case of using hype to convert cheap into good.

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bear67 posted this 13 February 2013

I use an early Lyman T a bunch and the turret bolt would loosen up under use. My Solution--I cleaned the bolt and recess well with acetone and used 2 drops of LocTite blue on the threads and reassembled with 250 inch pounds torque (Too tight and it does not rotate easily). Now it stays in place and is easy to remove when changing turrets. No need to clean at changing, just add a drop of “blue” to the threads and load on.

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onondaga posted this 11 September 2012

http://www.castbulletassoc.org/view_user.php?id=6171>Pigslayer My lee Cast Turret eats up .458 Win Mag and .375 H&H with zero grief and less run-out than a single stage press.

I use my Lee Classic Cast Turret to load .223 Rem., 7.62X39, 30-30 Win., .308 Win., 30-06 Springfield, .375 H&H, .458 Win Mag, and .500 S&W. My dies for each caliber are each installed on their own disk. Currently most of my loading is 30-06, .458, .500 and 7.62X39. My grandson has been loading a lot of .308 recently with my press.

Changing calibers takes 1 minute. The Safety Prime works flawlessly and changing from large to small primers takes 1 minute. Nearly all my powder measuring is done off press with a beam scale,scoops and powder trickler or a digital scale, Lyman #55 measure, or Lee Perfect Measure. I use a lot of different powders.

Gary

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