4 hole turret conversion

[greg_r]

I have a 3 hole manual index turret I use it mostly to load 300 BLK and 223. I have the ram to convert it to auto advance. Here are my concerns.

I like to process my rifle brass before loading. For example, I have 2 turrets set up for my 300 BLK. The first has a resizing die, .309 sizing die, and a universal case expander die. The second has a powder through die with auto disc powder measure, bullet seating die, and FCD.

My process is to resize, trim and chamfer. Clean. Expand and prime. Store until I am ready to load. I then simply charge, seat, and crimp.

The second issue is that when I put the auto-advance apparatus on the ram I lose the ability to swage primer pockets. Yes, I form 300 BLK brass on the 3 hole turret. It is up to the task. I use a RCBS press mounted swaging tool.The piece that fits over the ram to pop off the brass will not clear the auto-advance.

Here are my desires and concerns. The 3 hole is at a second house I keep near my work. I have a Classic Cast Turret at my main home. I want the ability to simply swap turrets between the two without any adjustments. I think it would work fine. The distance between the shell holder and mounted dies being critical here. They should be the same between the 2 presses since the turret is the same (thickness) regardless.

Disadvantages would be I think I would end up with unused holes. I know I could just index past, but the empty holes would bother me. I'm anal like that. I like to trim cases after resizing as the resizing die can stretch cases about as bad as firing them.

Opinions?

[Ranch Dog]

Morning, I read through your post a couple of times, and I can't figure out exactly what you are asking for an opinion on?

It sounds to me like you have a 3-hole turret that you like using. You use two turrets to process your loads through six stations. Further, you have the CTP, but I'm not sure what exactly you use it for.

Why don't you just find someone who would trade with you, your CTP for a 3-hole press? I bet you could even find someone who to buy a 3-hole turret for you in exchange for the CTP.

[horseman]

Sounds like you have a system that works well for you. As for using the same turrets between the two presses, just change the 3 hole over to a 4 hole, you don't have to use the auto index on either if you don't want. Just remove it from the press. If having an "extra" turret hole bothers you I don't know what to say to that. Maybe put a powder cop die in the hole after the powder drop if that "empty" spot bothers you that much. Problem solved.

[greg_r]

Morning, I read through your post a couple of times, and I can't figure out exactly what you are asking for an opinion on?

It sounds to me like you have a 3-hole turret that you like using. You use two turrets to process your loads through six stations. Further, you have the CTP, but I'm not sure what exactly you use it for.

Why don't you just find someone who would trade with you, your CTP for a 3-hole press? I bet you could even find someone who to buy a 3-hole turret for you in exchange for the CTP.

The Classic Cast Turret is my main press. Im not getting rid of that one, it's much more capable than the 3 hole. For example, it's a pain loading 280 Remington on the 3 hole, a breeze on the CTP. The 3hole is just a second press I keep at the second house to give me something to do the 2or 3 nights there with nothing to do. I was just thinking of a way to maximize time without setting up dies each time.

[cj8281]

I just received my press yesterday so I am new to these. As I understand it, you want to be able to swap a loaded turret between two, a Classic Turret press and a regular Turret press. Not just two presses but two different designed presses. Looking at the design of these and figuring manufacturing tolerances, I think there maybe a very good chance that the two presses may not have the same exact distance from the top of the ram to the turret. The columns from the Classic maybe machined longer or shorter than the columns on your regular Turret press. The columns determine the positional height of the turret. Normally it doesn't matter that the columns of two different presses are not the same as you adjust the dies in the turret for the press you have. One way to check to see how close the two are, load and adjust a rifle die in a turret on one press and then swap it to the other press and see if there is a gap between the shell holder and the die or if the shell holder contacts the die before the ram is at full height of its stroke. Now if the two are close, I believe you can shim the Turret ring of the shorter press to match the taller press. Just my opinion but I think it is possible. As far as the extra hole, not sure of what to do about that.