Switching from Auto-Index to single-turret for .223?

[Guest]

Hi guys,

I am still very much a newbie to reloading. I purchased a Lee Auto-Index press earlier this year and have done some 9mm with it. Now I want to try some .223/5.56. I am thinking of buying a Single Turret press kit http://www.midwayusa...stage-press-kit

Although the auto-index press is nice, I find that I spend more time and frustration checking each shell as it passes through the various stages (check for powder, etc.). Also refilling the primer tray every 100 rounds is a headache (they 'never' start feeding properly...)

I am speculating/ asking for opinions on if I could reload .223 just about as fast with the single stage press. I would probably set up to do say 500 rds in a single sitting on a Saturday evening and then be done with the whole batch. I think all the dies and such would be the interchangeable between presses. Would this still be the case if I went with another brand of single-stage press? (i.e. are all die threads/lengths the same standard?) If I liked the single-stage enough, I might want to start using it for 9mm as well.

Thanks!

Edited August 19, 2012 by Guest

[mikegideon]

Your link IS to a single stage press. I have been loading rifle on a single stage (Forster Coax), but getting ready to load a bunch of 223 on my auto indexing turret press. You can defeat the auto indexing if you like. Single stage is just slower because you have to handle the ammo a lot more. The only thing I ever check is the powder charge. I've loaded over 1000 rounds of pistol on the turret, and never had it fail to drop a charge.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/814175/lee-classic-4-hole-turret-press

Lee makes two differen't turret presses. This is the good 'un

[Guest]

Your link IS to a single stage press. I have been loading rifle on a single stage (Forster Coax), but getting ready to load a bunch of 223 on my auto indexing turret press. You can defeat the auto indexing if you like. Single stage is just slower because you have to handle the ammo a lot more. The only thing I ever check is the powder charge. I've loaded over 1000 rounds of pistol on the turret, and never had it fail to drop a charge.

http://www.midwayusa...le-turret-press

Lee makes two differen't turret presses. This is the good 'un

Yes, sorry, my link was a link to the one I was looking at buying.

So on the one you linked, all (3) dies still get loaded, and you go through a full loading cycle at once, one round at a time, I think. This does seem faster than a single-stage. Plus the powder would drop at the front position, where it's easier to watch/check. M

Would I still use the same powder measure I use on the auto-index press, but remove the lamp-switch-chain and throw the powder lever by hand? How do you prime on the 4 stage?

That press you linked may be just the ticket.

Thanks

Edited August 19, 2012 by Guest

[mikegideon]

Lots of good videos out there. A lot of folks size, deprime, and trim in a seperate stage, and leave the sizing die out of the turret.

[Guest]

Thanks for the link!

That does look good, although not much different than my current press in which the dies are stationary and the shell plate rotates. I guess with my press, I could take off the automatic shell-loader and use it like the one in the video.

Since the primer function is the same on either press, maybe I need to just figure out how to make the primer feeder work better.... that's been my biggest headache. Must be the operator, not the equipment.

[mikegideon]

Lots of little things with bottleneck rifle that don't come into play with pistol loading. If I'm going for the highest quality, I use my forster press, an RCBS hand primer, and my RCBS Chargemaster. I'm going to use the turret for .223 blaster ammo. I'll still size on the single stage, because I want to tumble the lube off and trim before I load new components.

[frankmako]

back in 73 i started with a single stage press. in 85 i moved to a dillon, but kept the single stage press for rifle. still today i use a single stage press for all my rifle loads. i did once set up the dillon for 5.56, but i got better rounds from my single stage so i went back. sometimes faster is not better.

[Jonnin]

223 is a pain no matter what you do. I do it this way:

take the rod out of my turret press.

Size and deprime.

Haul sack of brass over to the trimmer. Trim sack of brass.

Haul brass back to the press. Re-insert the indexing rod.

Proceed as you would with 9mm, prime/powder/seat/crimp on the turret.

If you did it single stage, it goes like this:

put size die in press.

size brass.

trim brass.

put powder die in press. Prime and powder. Remove brass and store it upright.

swap dies to seater.

Seat a round in each primed and powdered brass.

swap dies.

Crimp each round.

Done.

That takes a lot longer because it takes time to pull the brass on and off the press for each stage and it takes time to change dies. I keep a turret set up for 223, so the dies stay in the turret ring forever, and I swap turret rings to change caliber. Fast!

If you want to do it that way, just leave the index rod out and use 1 hole on the turret. Its now a single stage press.

Edited August 20, 2012 by Jonnin

[mikegideon]

223 is a pain no matter what you do. I do it this way:

take the rod out of my turret press.

Size and deprime.

Haul sack of brass over to the trimmer. Trim sack of brass.

Haul brass back to the press. Re-insert the indexing rod.

Proceed as you would with 9mm, prime/powder/seat/crimp on the turret.

If you did it single stage, it goes like this:

put size die in press.

size brass.

trim brass.

put powder die in press. Prime and powder. Remove brass and store it upright.

swap dies to seater.

Seat a round in each primed and powdered brass.

swap dies.

Crimp each round.

Done.

That takes a lot longer because it takes time to pull the brass on and off the press for each stage and it takes time to change dies. I keep a turret set up for 223, so the dies stay in the turret ring forever, and I swap turret rings to change caliber. Fast!

If you want to do it that way, just leave the index rod out and use 1 hole on the turret. Its now a single stage press.

Yep. I have one set of Lee .223 dies that live on a turret head, another set of Lees for the coax, and then another set of Reddings for making good ammo on the Coax. I don't use a powder drop on the single stage. I use my electric trickler.

[Guest samoanbob]

I've stopped using the indexing rod on my Lee turret press completely. I found that I wasn't always fully indexing to one of the four detent positions and I was ocasionally catching the edge of the shell on the side wall lip of the die. I also like to spend a little more time on case prep and inspection so reloading in four continuous stages wasn't working for me. Basically, I use mine as a single stage to deprime and resize a bunch of cases all at once, then I inspect/trim/prime this same batch of cases. The last three stages I use the press by manually indexing the turret for the fill, seat, and crimp stages (click-click past the resizing die to the fill position again). Using this method also shortens the handle throw between each of the last three steps because I don't have to cycle the handle all the way down to index to the next stage. I load 5 different calibers and have a separate turret plate for each. Once my dies are set on the turret plate, I never have to mess with them again and can use the same process for all calibers. I haven't produced a double load yet but I have forgotten to index past the sizing die a few times and pushed a live primer out of the case and onto my garage floor.

[mikegideon]

If it's not indexing right, you probably have a worn part. I would fix that, since Lee parts are dirt cheap.

[Dolomite_supafly]

Forget the breechlock press. I bought that same setup when I first started and had to buy stuff to replace everythign in that kit.

These are all available at Midway Usa. They normally have coupons online so you can save money as well.

lee-perfect-powder-measure

lee-auto-prime-hand-priming-tool-shellholder-package-of-11

frankford-arsenal-micro-reloading-electronic-powder-scale-750-grain-capacity

lee-auto-prime-hand-priming-tool

lyman-electronic-scale-powder-funnel-pan

lee-classic-cast-breech-lock-single-stage-press

hornady-lock-n-load-press-and-die-conversion-bushing-kit

hornady-electronic-caliper-6-stainless-steel

You will be way ahead by buying individual items than a "kit". Most kits have items you do not need or the items you do need are junk. You will need the dies to load your caliber but other than that you have everything to load in this list and the best part is everything on this list is decent quality except maybe the Powder Measure.

Dolomite

[Jonnin]

If it's not indexing right, you probably have a worn part. I would fix that, since Lee parts are dirt cheap.

it is probably the plastic guide for the rod, which wears out after a while.

I did not care for the hand primer, the press works just fine for me. Otherwise that list above is dead on, you could still use the turret press if you prefer. Look at the LEE site for refurbished goods, sometimes you can score a press for 1/2 price and they make sure the refurbs are as good as new. It is very hit or miss on what they have though.

[Superman]

If I was just starting out I would get the Lee classic turret press. I do not have one, but thinking real hard about getting one instead of a full progressive press. It seems to me that you could use it to load one round at a time or use it like a single stage and just turn the turret by hand to the next die instead of swapping dies like with a single stage. Right now I have 2 single stage presses, I set them up to size/decap and then flare the case mouth. Then I will prime with the lee hand primer. Then I set one press up to seat bullets and the other to crimp. I charge a case with powder seat the bullet then crimp, then move on to the next case.

[Dirtshooter]

Hey FrankMako, what kind of Dillon did you set up for 5.56? I was thinking of getting a 550 to speed up the process as I now use a RCBS single stage and it is s-l-o-w.