Benefits of a Turret style press for precision rifle ammo?

Tim

Tim

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I have already a Dillon 550b and a Lee single stage. Both are mounted to a very solid bench.

I've been loading 6.5 Creedmoor using the single stage press and swapping dies (universal deprimer, sizing and seating) around using Hornady Lock-n-Load bushings.

Would I benefit greatly from a turret style press vs. the single stage? My concern is that even with the LnL bushings, having to re-install the dies each time will cause some variance in the loads. Maybe it's just my imagination, but it also seems to me that the bushing flexes somewhat in the press when under load.

This is specifically for precision rifle loads. For handgun and plinking, the 550 do just fine.

I've been eying the Redding T7
 
I use a Lee 3 hole turret with the rod removed. I set my dies once. I load 20 rounds at a time. When I'm done with one process I manually move the turret plate forward to the next process. Rinse/Repeat.
 
rantingredneck said:
I use a Lee 3 hole turret with the rod removed. I set my dies once. I load 20 rounds at a time. When I'm done with one process I manually move the turret plate forward to the next process. Rinse/Repeat.
Click to expand...


That's, like, 1/3 the price of the Redding. It can't possibly be any good.
 
I've been using a Lee turret press for going on 30 years and all I do is load rifle ammo. So far I haven't had a problem loading ammo that will group within .5 inch at 200 yards (I gave up sighting in at 100 yards years ago) with a SD under 10. Usually around 7. I bought another one on sale for under $150 just in case I wear this one out. I figure another 20-30 years and I'll have to replace it. :D
 
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The Redding T7 is rock solid. Consider the Forster Coax as well. Forget about using a Lee turret to load precision ammo. There's way too much flex and movement in those.
 
You can't go wrong with the Lee turrets. I use mine the same way Tom does. Set & forget & caliber changes take seconds.
 
Tim said:
I have already a Dillon 550b and a Lee single stage. Both are mounted to a very solid bench.

I've been loading 6.5 Creedmoor using the single stage press and swapping dies (universal deprimer, sizing and seating) around using Hornady Lock-n-Load bushings.

Would I benefit greatly from a turret style press vs. the single stage? My concern is that even with the LnL bushings, having to re-install the dies each time will cause some variance in the loads. Maybe it's just my imagination, but it also seems to me that the bushing flexes somewhat in the press when under load.

This is specifically for precision rifle loads. For handgun and plinking, the 550 do just fine.

I've been eying the Redding T7
Click to expand...

Been there and done that and I'm sure someone has won some big match somewhere using the T7 but the turret tilts under load. That's not a desirable feature in a press for precision reloading. All my bench rest and match grade fodder gets loaded on a Rock Chucker. A Dillon /550/650 can load match grade ammo but only if you ditch their powder bar system and weigh each charge separately and pour it in. Just my experience and opinion. YMMV.
 
If you're looking for the most repeatable performance the press will need to be straight line with the dies screwed directly into the press. Anything you put between the die and the press will introduce a degree of inconsistency. A turret press, no matter what the brand will flex by it's very nature of being off center.
 
I have two Lyman turret presses for decapping and sizing. 12 dies are mounted semi-permanently. The Forster is for powder, bullet seating and crimping.
 
Rockchucker for fl sizing when needed. Wilson hand dies and an arbor press for neck sizing and seating.
 
I actually did a lot of reading on this lately across a million forums and centuries of research and experience. The benchrest internet people say in terms of better ammo, swapping will not help you. Single stages, progressives, bushing/nonbushing can all load about the same until you start looking at runout and concentricity. Forster Co-Ax was built with minimizing run-out in mind. Bushing/press rigidity/wear in the press linkages/etc really only affect oal and variation from match bullet to match bullet can account for more than that due to variations in ogive, diameter, and where the seating die touches the bullet. Go Co-Ax or don't worry about it.
 
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I have not been loading for 30 years, or ever entered any long-range precision competitions. Take everything I say with a grain of salt.

I started with a 550 (still have it and use it) but I do 90% of my rifle loading on a Lee turret press. I've considered getting a Forster Co-Ax press, but I have not really seen where I think it will significantly improve the precision I've been getting, as I think there are too many other factors involved for me to think that the press is my limiting factor. I would still like to buy a Forster, for the simple reason that I am a gadget freak. :)

Yes, the turret introduces some play, but once you have gone full-stroke, with the die touching the shell holder, that inherent play becomes negligible since the turret is pushed to the top taking all the play out.

During the sizing operation, some loaders will adjust the sizing die up to adjust how far to bump the shoulder. This will introduce some variations depending on how stout the press is constructed. A really stout press will still have some play. The best way, IMHO, to take this play out of the equation, is to use the Redding competition shell holders, which have stepped deck heights. You pick the shell holder based on how much you want to bump the shoulder, and adjust the press so that it cams over during sizing. The play in the press no longer matters since the die references the shell holder every time. This is what I do for my precision rifle loads, using my Lee turret press.

During bullet seating, the play in the press can cause variations, but again it depends on what setup you are using. I've had excellent results using the Forster micrometer seating die. It fully encapsulates the cartridge during the seating process, keeping everything aligned, and is also adjusted for cam-over. Measuring run-out and OAL on my loaded rounds, I've had results as good as, or maybe even better, than using the Wilson chamber style seating die (which completely takes the press out of the equation).

So, I believe that limitations in a press can be mitigated by a combination of reloading procedures and methods.

But, if you think a better press MIGHT give you better results, go ahead and buy it or you will forever be questioning whether or not the press is negatively affecting your results.
 
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One of my shooting buddy/mentors was all Forster CoAx press for a number of years. When he started loading for 1 hole groups at 100yds he changed to Wilson in line dies and an arbor press. I'm not there yet but I am loading for 1 hole accuracy at 100yds and getting ready to start my first season shooting a series of bench rest matches across 2 states. New trends/fads in reloading (that I have not embraced) include using the Lee style lock nuts with the O ring to add "slop" to the set up as well as taking the spring clip out of the shell holder on the ram of your Rock Chucker for the same reason. For now, I'm sticking with my Redding bushing sizing dies and Forster Micrometer Seater dies. IMHO...the best thing you can do for LR precision reloading is to get a digital scale capable of +/- 0.02 grain and weigh your powder charges. ES will drop dramatically and low ES means low vertical dispersion at 1000yds. Good Luck!
 
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