Wes and I have used LEE turret presses for years. But we scrap all the automation gadgetry and twist the turrets by hand.
All priming is done with LEE hand primers for feel - all cases checked for proper primer installation b4 charging.
We place primed cases in 50 count loading trays, charge them, check all 50 in GOOD light for charge level and move to the press.
When possible we'll set bullets on the cases by hand (this usually works with pistol loads) then take a load to the seating die which is set
to seat but not crimp - twist the turret to bring up the LEE factory crimp die - twist it back and pick up another case.
I can do 10-15 of them in the time it took to write this.
I do .223 by feeding charged cases from the right, bullets from the left. Same dbl pump on the press. (I'm right-handed)
Obviously I left out details like checking for OAL or describing the use of an RCBS powder thrower.
My rifle turret sets nearly all have 4 dies in them. FL size, neck size, seating and crimping.
A major value in turret presses over single stage is they pop in and out of the press ready-to-load. No fussing with
die adjustments unless you're changing something. I use the LEE Classic turret because I load more rifle rounds than pistol.
Wes has the lighter model and it has loaded WELL OVER a million rounds and still runs smoothly.
When we taught reloading we had 3 people on hand. To load volume for the owner, he charged his cases (by law), all 3 of us checked for charge level, I set the bullets, Wes cranked the handle.
We would commonly crank out 400-500 rds in an hour, all the time pointing out nuances in approach for him, pausing to check OAL, pausing to check any case in which the bullet fed too easily (press the nose against the edge of the bench - applying ~ 20psi pressure - and discarding any rounds in which the bullet set back.
We only had 6 loading trays at first so the owner refilled the trays Wes emptied, charged them - another triple check for charge level - and back into the flow.
Some hard, fast rules at our benches - ESPECIALLY with 3 guys loading:
-Only one powder on the bench at a time.
-No seating b4 checking charge levels
-Leave the balance and powder thrower settings for reference until the project is complete and the powder returned to the shelf.
As in all "how-to" subjects, this is not THE way to do it, it's merely OUR way. YMMV But if you're starting out, here's a set of steps to consider
as you adapt all the knowledge you're going to gain in your thirst to get it right.






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