Turret Retirement...

[mikld]

Wasn't sure of where to put this so I chose a sorta "generic" sub-forum. Well, I'm going to put my well used (but still in excellent shape) Lee turret into retirement. I have absolutely no regrets buying the "old style" Lee turret 14 or 15 years ago and have loaded untold numbers of rounds from 9mm through 30-06, with ease. But I'm scratching an itch I've had for a long time; I purchased a Forester Co-Ax press w/extra shell plates. Delivery is scheduled for next Wednesday and I'm getting excited. I decided I ain't gettin' no younger and I saw one at Graf's on sale for $289.00, and I've been very satisfied with Graf's for many years so I typed in my CC number quickly before I changed my mind... I'm wondering if I will need to purchase Forster lock rings, as many of my die sets are Lee and a bunch are on Lee turrets...

I'll post my thoughts next week after I coon finger it fer a couple a days...

[GasGuzzler]

I'm putting my LCT back into service as of next week.

[horseman]

I bought one of the "original" Lee turret presses somewhere around 1995 and used it for several years. I bought it as a 3 hole turret non auto indexing. Later updated to 4 hole turret with auto index. Gave it to a young fella just getting started ( a friends son) in the early 2000's and I believe he still uses it. It was a decent press and I loaded a lot of 45 colt on that thing. I still had my old Pacific Multi Power then for my rifle stuff. Boy things have changed through the years since then...

I just bought a Co-Ax a month or so ago. Really like it. Haven't loaded much on it yet, about 40 rounds of 06' plus just some "foolin" around with stuff....I need to get out and shoot "a bunch" of 06' (couple hundred rounds) to fire form the brass THEN we'll get to work with the co-ax...

[daboone]

There are 2 things the CO-AX falls behind. First it is unsuitable for cast bullet sizing, second is bullet removal. I like a wack-a-mole better so that one is a pass for me. Other than that I can't find any fault with the CO-AX. I do miss my Lee turret but when downsizing happened it sadly had to go.

[horseman]

There are 2 things the CO-AX falls behind. First it is unsuitable for cast bullet sizing, second is bullet removal. I like a wack-a-mole better so that one is a pass for me. Other than that I can't find any fault with the CO-AX. I do miss my Lee turret but when downsizing happened it sadly had to go.

Agree, the Co-Ax doesn't do those two things although Forster does sell a bullet puller for the Co-Ax so we can kinda kick that one out. I have a stand alone lube sizer for my cast bullets and also use an RCBS "bullet whacker outer" so no issue there for me.....when I sold the Lee Classic Turret (and at that time all the Lee stuff I had to go with it) I recouped enough to buy a Dillon 450 for an (almost) across the board trade-off. Probably have another 100 bucks or so in the 450 after the caliber conversions. For me it was a good exchange. I've somehow since then "acquired" a bunch more Lee stuff.... So if I sell off all the Lee things I have now, what do "we" buy next Dan???

[daboone]

What do ya buy then ?? Well another gun and more Lee stuff to reload it of course. You know your an AA (ammo anonymous) dropout so just admit it.

[Ranch Dog]

I gave my original turret press to my nephew many moons ago, I love the kid but I really liked that press. I figured I had loaded 1/4 million rounds with it. It started life as a three holer as well, upgraded to the four, but don't really remember when I bought it other than it was a long time ago. My nephew was in high school and had gone beyond a Loader and a Reloader press (C press) so I gave it to him. He went on to college and became a LEO in South Texas. The press is still pumping out cartridges and he still has everything that I gave him.

That taught me a lesson, I won't give up my Classic Turret.

[mikld]

There are 2 things the CO-AX falls behind. First it is unsuitable for cast bullet sizing, second is bullet removal. I like a wack-a-mole better so that one is a pass for me. Other than that I can't find any fault with the CO-AX. I do miss my Lee turret but when downsizing happened it sadly had to go.

Good to know, but I never make mistakes and have to pull any bullets (if you believe that I got some property for sale just 12 miles west of Long Beach, CA you might be interested in.). While I do some bullet sizing on my Lee turrret, I have a nice old Pacific "C" press that I use for priming and will work well for bullet sizing. If that's the only 2 drawbacks, I think I'm gonna love my new press.

BTW are Forster lock ring necessary or will others work?

[daboone]

BTW are Forster lock ring necessary or will others work?

Nope I use Hornady, RCBS and some Lee. I do have several Forster as well. I was given 4 of the Sinclair SS lock rings, they work to but are way to expensive for my blood.

The Lee lock ring are loose fitting but I can't see any difference in the TIR with them and the Forster. After all the whole keyboard reloader wisdom is the self alignment reloading die/shellplate potential of the CO-AX.

I think the Forster lock rings have a fault in that the set screws are very easy to bugger up the Philips X. But that's my ham handed problem.

[horseman]

BTW are Forster lock ring necessary or will others work?

Nope I use Hornady, RCBS and some Lee. I do have several Forster as well. I was given 4 of the Sinclair SS lock rings, they work to but are way to expensive for my blood.

The Lee lock ring are loose fitting but I can't see any difference in the TIR with them and the Forster. After all the whole keyboard reloader wisdom is the self alignment reloading die/shellplate potential of the CO-AX.

I think the Forster lock rings have a fault in that the set screws are very easy to bugger up the Philips X. But that's my ham handed problem.

I've read a lot of reply's to the lock ring question and all pretty much mirror daboone's answer. That well may be, but my thinking is if Forster made the press then that's the brand lock rings I'm gonna' use. They oughta know what works best with THEIR press. Everyone seems to complain about the cost of the Forster rings, well I got a twelve pack for like 36 bucks and change. Sure you can buy some other brands a bit cheaper but I'm sure not gonna complain about a couple bucks difference in the cost of die lock rings when I just paid 300 bucks for the press. To me that's like driving 10 miles to save 2 cents a gallon on fuel. If I'm almost on empty and fill er' up that's a whoppin' 60 cent "savings" minus the 10 mile drive of course...look for better places to save the "big bucks", buy the rings from the guy who made the press....by the way, I did try the Lee "lock" rings, they will work o.k. if you remove the O ring, but not as well as the Forster rings. Also Dan the Forster lock rings I just received had hex head screws, (and not those cheezy brass easy to strip ones like RCBS uses) not philips head.