Lee Loader

Just wondering how many here use the classic turret press the way Lee designed it to be used, with four stations filled with Lee dies, including the powder through expanding die. I load 45 ACP, 9mm, 380, 38/357, and 223 this way. Never had a problem, visually check each case for powder level, Very consistent according to my Chrony, never any primer problems, don't know why anyone would use it differently but to each his own I guess. However using it the way it was designed has worked wonderfully well por mois. Hope this doesn't hurt anyone's feelings because I don't mean to. I think some here are just inveterate tinkerers and have to "improve" anything they touch. Incidentally I have used RCBS and Redding dies in the past but have always gone back to Lee. They just seem to work better for me.

I've done it a number of different ways over the years but this year decided to get getting everything standardized the way is should be to include primer seating and powder charging on the press. In the past and as a cast bullet shooter, I've done my bottlenecked case expansion off the press but starting late last year, had Lee make custom Ez-X-Expanders so that now takes place when I size the case. I'm not doing much experimenting anymore, with 28 different cartridges out of 45 firearms, just loading my tested inventory loads keeps me busy enough.

I'm even thinking about getting multiple bullet seating dies for cartridges that are chambered in more than one firearm. For instance, the 30-30 Win; I have five rifles, and each one of them uses a different COA. As each gets set up this year, they each will also have their own drum for the Auto Drum as each is using a different powder/charge.

No, I find that working it in reverse with a case ejector speeds up loading by 25 to 30%. I also prime off the press.

Don't know ht you men by "different". I got my turret at least 12 years ago, mebbe longer and when I was setting it up, it would index with every pull of the handle. That "got in the way" for setting dies so I removed the auto-indexing parts. At first I hand indexed the press, going through all the stages, but I always preferred "batch loading" so I started doing one or two steps at a time (size/deprime, index, then flare and mebbe prime and finish off at a later time). I usually keep a few hundred processed/primed brass waiting for a charge and bullet. For me this keeps me more "in touch" with my reloading and feels faster. (progressive and semi-progressive presses/reloading don't fit my lifestyle and I like reloading, all steps of it).

Mine's not modified and I'm a tinkerer.

Mine works great as is for my 9mm reloading. For my .38 sp WC and .30-30, I batch load still using the press w/o indexer

My current setup is my RCBS lil dandy PM then an empty spot then the seating die and crimping die. I have found that my Uniflow PM doesn't fit straight in the turret without interference from the handle so I began using my lil dandy, the #9 rotor throws just under 6 grains of Alliant's BE-86. I put a case in and charge it, then bring the handle down partway, set the bullet, turn the turret 180°, seat the bullet then crimp the case.
I prime off press so this works out pretty good. Actually really good, I just assembled 200 rounds of 9mm in 45 minutes (and 17 seconds if you want to get technical). Was pretty surprised that it went so quick.

The other day I was loading up some 357 mags. I setup 4 dies, 2 seating dies and 2 crimping dies. Was not hard at all to get the 2 seating dies to match. The crimping dies were set pretty close to the same amount of crimp (roll crimp, pretty heavy as the loads are very heavy and intended for my carbine). I didn't keep track of the time it took to load those but it seem a lot faster than using the single stage press. Over all very happy with my press.

Still need to get my adapter/ riser made for my Uniflow so I can mount it right on the turret

I pretty much use it as intended, except I already had almost all my die sets before I bought the Classic Turret. The only Lee die set I use is for .380 Auto. I do use Lee powder thru expanders for all calibers. I also use Lee factory crimp dies on some pistol calibers. (9mm and .380) I prime on the press, but don't use the Safety prime system. I have never been able to get them to work reliably. I only load pistol calibers on the press.

I have used Lee exclusively for some years. However as I have gained experience I have refined and adjusted my processes.
I deprime with my old Challenger press and debulge handgun brass.
I prime with the Lee Bench prime and resize with the Breech lock Challenger press.
I now load all my handguns on the Loadmaster. All Lee dies except bullet feed and powder lockout dies.

I use the classic Turret for my rifle loading. I deprime and resize as listed above.
Then reload on the turret with Lee dies and inline farbrications bullet feeder and auto ejection mod.

All my resizer dies are Lee
Turret press
Sta. 1: Lee auto drum powder measure
Sta. 2: Inline fab Bullet feed
Sta. 3: Lee bullet seat
Sta. 4: Lee FCD
Loadmaster
Sta. 1: Lee auto drum powder measure
Sta. 2: inline bullet feed
Sta. 3: RCBS lockout die
Sta. 4: Lee Bullet seat die
Sta. 5: Lee FCD