Turret Press or Single Stage

[Stud Duck]

After a hiatus, I'm getting back into reloading, but I need a press.

I'm a hunter and target shooter, however I do not shoot competition. I'm just a guy who enjoys little clover-leaf sized groups at 100 yards and wanting to produce the most concentric ammo I can.

I currently have an MEC Marksman on backorder, but I've had numerous people tell me a turret press, specifically the Redding T-7 is the way to go. Either way, they're both on BO.

What are your thoughts on the aforementioned presses? Will the T-7 produce accurate concentric ammo without a lot of fuss?

Thanks.

 

[JMS597]

It has for me. I checked the completed rounds with a concentricity checker and they were within .001-.003.
I understand the threshold for bad concentricity starts at .004". Just something I read. If that's wrong, I'm sure someone will be along to correct me.

I shoot short range benchrest, score and Hunter with those rounds.

I've never had an MEC Marksman press.

 

[NateHaler]

I've used turret (turr-et), single stage, and progressive setups. Various brands: red, orange, green, and black/silver (Harrell's turret press, like this: http://harrellsprec.com/index.php/products/harrells-tooling-turret-press-by-henry-harrell).

Depending on how much time you want to spend, the type of press matters. However, for your purposes, I think any of them will load ammo of sufficient quality. If you start measuring stuff (except safety issues, like powder charge) before you shoot groups, you may go slightly crazy. The target will tell you the story, given a sufficiently-large sample size. (There was a story years ago in 'Precision Shooting' magazine. The writer had painstakingly sorted his handloaded ammo prior to a match, measuring runout, weight, etc. Put all of the rejects into a separate box. Mistakenly took the rejects to the match, and did GREAT. So, you never know...)

Good luck finding a setup. I am just amazed and appalled at what has happened to the supply, based on the insanity of the worldwide reaction to the so-called pandemic.

 

[6ShotsOr5?]

I use a T7. I believe there is no inaccuracy caused by the turret vs. using a Big Boss but I could be wrong. Think of it like a Big Boss with benefits. Now, if you think the MEC is gonna make more accurate loads for you than a Big Boss, then you’ve just got to answer whether you want to give up the benefits. If you think that you cannot shoot the difference in the loads, then to me the T7 is a no-brainer.

 

[Stud Duck]

I've used turret (turr-et), single stage, and progressive setups. Various brands: red, orange, green, and black/silver (Harrell's turret press, like this: http://harrellsprec.com/index.php/products/harrells-tooling-turret-press-by-henry-harrell).

Depending on how much time you want to spend, the type of press matters. However, for your purposes, I think any of them will load ammo of sufficient quality. If you start measuring stuff (except safety issues, like powder charge) before you shoot groups, you may go slightly crazy. The target will tell you the story, given a sufficiently-large sample size. (There was a story years ago in 'Precision Shooting' magazine. The writer had painstakingly sorted his handloaded ammo prior to a match, measuring runout, weight, etc. Put all of the rejects into a separate box. Mistakenly took the rejects to the match, and did GREAT. So, you never know...)

Good luck finding a setup. I am just amazed and appalled at what has happened to the supply, based on the insanity of the worldwide reaction to the so-called pandemic.

Turret: got it!

Thank you.

 

[tominboise]

I have and use the Lee Classic cast 4 hole turret press. My runouts are usually .0005-0.001", using Redding body dies and Lee Collet dies. The beauty of the Lee set up is the ability to set up your dies and never touch them again. I have my dies on a rack ready to go.

 

[NateHaler]

Lee makes some really good stuff. Sure, it's not as expensive, nor does it have the cachet of some other brands, but the proof of the pudding... Of course, I have 4 presses (that I can find, sigh...) so the OP may consider jumping in with a Lee -- assuming they are available, I haven't checked -- and then down the road decide if you need/want something else. My first priming tool was a Lee. Then I bought a few others, but I keep using the Lee because it works and is very comfortable. And it was less expensive than any of the others!

 

[Stud Duck]

I have and use the Lee Classic cast 4 hole turret press. My runouts are usually .0005-0.001", using Redding body dies and Lee Collet dies. The beauty of the Lee set up is the ability to set up your dies and never touch them again. I have my dies on a rack ready to go.

That's exactly what I'm looking for in a press. I want to set my dies and not touch them. I'm assuming that is the advantage of a turret press.

 

[Stud Duck]

Lee makes some really good stuff. Sure, it's not as expensive, nor does it have the cachet of some other brands, but the proof of the pudding... Of course, I have 4 presses (that I can find, sigh...) so the OP may consider jumping in with a Lee -- assuming they are available, I haven't checked -- and then down the road decide if you need/want something else. My first priming tool was a Lee. Then I bought a few others, but I keep using the Lee because it works and is very comfortable. And it was less expensive than any of the others!

Trying a Lee turret might be a good idea. If I need to upgrade later I will and if it does what I want it to do, great.

 

[std7mag]

Set the dies up In the turret.
If your changing cartridge (243 Win to 7mm Rem Mag for example) simply twist the turret, lift off & put the turret with the new cartridge in and go.
Same rifle to pistol cartridges.

I have the Lee 4 hole turret. My first press, and still my go to.

 

[marchboom]

The idea of a turret press is great. A Lyman turret was my first press back in the early 70's & it still works great. Set up your dies once and never touch them again. The problem is when you have a lot of dies. The cost of extra turrets (especially Redding) can be prohibitive.

I would suggest the Forster Co-Ax (you knew that was coming). Set up the dies once and you're done. Dies changes are just as fast as the turret. Accuracy is excellent.

 

[tominboise]

That's exactly what I'm looking for in a press. I want to set my dies and not touch them. I'm assuming that is the advantage of a turret press.

Yes - no more screwing dies in and out. I did it enough using my RCBS press for years. I use mine for all rifle cartridges and some pistol loads (like heavy 44 mag, when I am only loading up 10 or 20 to go hunting). I also do pistol load development using the turret, to iron out the best loads, before I set up the Dillon 550 and go to town on a bunch of reloads (I have two sets of dies for each handgun caliber - one set in the turret, the other set in the Dillon).

 

[Twicepop]

At one time and maybe still, the good folks at Sinclair's said the Redding T-7 was the only turret press available that was capable of turning out benchrest quality ammo.

 

[skeeljc]

Stay with the MEC Marksman. I have been using mine for about a year now. It will produce ammo with concentricity less than .002" t.i.r. with Redding dies. It utilizes a positive stop (does not go over center) which will hold neck bump within .001". I have used it direct mounted on the bench and with the stand. Right now I prefer the stand.

 

[robert8904]

I have a T-7 with two extra turrets. All of the positions index perfectly with the ram. The turrets rotate very smoothly and easily. It disassembles easily for cleaning and lubing. Each turret comes with a specific bushing, don't mix them. Spent primers drop through the ram into a flexible tube. I load lots of near zero runout rifle ammunition on the T-7. I highly recommend it.

 

[Stud Duck]

I realize dies have more to do with runout than the press, so......for those of you who are using the Lee Turret; what is your T.I.R. running and what make/model dies are you using?

 

[MGYSGT]

I use the RCBS single stage (Rock Chucker). I have been using it for 20-25 years. I am retired and have the rest of my life to change dies and reload.

 

[tominboise]

I realize dies have more to do with runout than the press, so......for those of you who are using the Lee Turret; what is your T.I.R. running and what make/model dies are you using?

I typically use Lee Collet dies and Redding Body dies for my bottle neck cartridges. Depending on brass quality, typical runout is 0.0005" - 0.002". Average runout overall is probably 0.001-0.0015". I load the standard hunting rounds in the US, up to 30-06.

I am referring to TIR of the cartridge neck, using the Sinclair concentricity tool.

 

[Stud Duck]

I typically use Lee Collet dies and Redding Body dies for my bottle neck cartridges. Depending on brass quality, typical runout is 0.0005" - 0.002". Average runout overall is probably 0.001-0.0015". I load the standard hunting rounds in the US, up to 30-06.

I am referring to TIR of the cartridge neck, using the Sinclair concentricity tool.

What's not to like? Great ammo.

 

[AWS]

I have two of the Lee cast classics on my bench and eight four hole turrets set up for one or two cartridges, love the setup. I've been down the road with a lot of presses in the past 50 yrs. I keep a HD O-press set up for heavy case forming and and old Lyman Junior turret press(w/7/8x14 head) set up with Lee quick trim trimmers which works out for me as I can use the same 223 trimmer for 20P and 6x45 and the 204 for 22-204, 6mm-204 and 25-204 a lot of trimming with out having to change pilots the other two spaces are my 222 Rem and 22-250.