Alternate setup on Turret press

[cj8281]

Been thinking about buying a classic turret press. Thing is, the way that I would want to run it is only 2 steps at a time. I generally size and expand my pistol brass and then store it for later use. I then figure the load that I want to use and that determines the primer that I then seat into how ever many rounds that I plan to load. I like to charge the cases and then inspect them with a light to ensure that each case has a charge. Then I go about seating the bullets and then crimping them. So for my system I would only need 2 of the stations. Is there a way to get the turret to go 180 degrees instead of only 90 degrees? Would that just be a different center drive that is twisted more than the regular one? Or would I just need to buy a second set of dies and then set up two different turrets, one with 2 sizing dies, expanding dies and the other with 2 seating dies and crimping dies?
Any thoughts?

[Fyodor]

I would not use two die sets, they will never be set up identically.

It is possible to make your own action rod, by twisting a stock bar and polishing it. This has been done for reverse rotation a lot, before Titan came up with the kit. I guess you can twist the rod 180°, and only use two stations.

Most probably it should work fine, when you keep the twist ratio about the same, and just make the twisted section longer. That is something you need to try and test, but I don't see a reason why it shouldn't work.

Check out youtube for examples:
[BBvideo 560,340][/BBvideo]

[Ranch Dog]

You could leave the index rod off the press and just move the turret back and forth between the two dies.

[Fyodor]

Why easy, if you can do it the hard way!

[cj8281]

You could leave the index rod off the press and just move the turret back and forth between the two dies.

I hadn't thought of that and didn't know if it was possible. I have never seen one of these presses in person as the only two places in town that sell reloading supplies only carry a very limited offering of Lee's products.

Do these presses have a detente to index each station or are they dependent on the indexing rod for locating the alignment for the die?

[cj8281]

Why easy, if you can do it the hard way!

Actually, I think I have been doing it the hard way on a single stage press. My last marathon run of sizing and expanding was 3500 rounds of 9mm. They fill 2 one gallon ice cream buckets.

[Fyodor]

The action rod actually is quite loose, the correct positioning is done by indents on the turret. So it will lock in the correct place if turned by hand.

This single stage mode is also advertised by LEE, so it is not a misuse. The press is meant to be used like that.

[Poppop]

You could leave the index rod off the press and just move the turret back and forth between the two dies.

I agree. That is why the index rod is removable

[mikld]

I hand indexed my turret press for many years. I would put a case in the shell holder, run it up to the size/decap die, lower the ram, twist the turret one step, run the case up into the flaring/expanding die. Takes 1/3 the amount of time to do it than read about it. Easy to do 100+ at a time and store for future reloading. I most often would prime a bunch (on my handy-dandy Lee Bench Prime) and store them for a quick charge and seat...

[greg_r]

I do my rifle cases simaraly. I clean, size, trim, prime, and store until I am ready to load, then charge, seat, and crimp. I simply bypass the unused hole.