Lee Precision 4 Hole Turret with Auto Index - info needed.

[Dark Skies]

For the last twenty years I've been perfectly happy with my slow coach Lee Challenger press as my reloading needs were only in batches of 50 to 100 rounds and mostly reloaded for my bolt action rifles and have never felt the need to crimp. I'll continue to do so with this press.
I've been doing the same with pistol calibre rounds for my under-lever too - and frankly without any issues and perfectly happy with the accuracy.

However, a recent thread regarding the latter and reasons why I should crimp peaked my interest and I thought maybe I could do better when reloading for my .357, .44, and .45 Colt fed rifles.

I shoot a lot of these rounds at my indoor club (when not shooting for competition targets) - easily 100 rounds per night and quite often twice per week. So the thought of adding an extra process into the routine for large-ish batches flicks my lazy bone into thinking maybe I should get more automated.

I'm ONLY interested in Lee products. I love them. Don't care how good / arguably better the other much more expensive presses are - I can't afford them and more importantly ALL my dies and equipment are Lee so I know everything will work together as designed.
I've never had a bad experience with Lee - it works and works well for my needs.

I don't want a progressive press that does everything. I'm a tad wary of the full deal that pops in a primer, dumps in the charge and plops a bullet in place. For one thing when these things go wrong I foresee bother having to fiddle about untangling the mess. I don't like bother. Also ... I hate the idea of merrily cranking away to find something has gone awry with popping in primers - leaving me with charged cases but no primer - or primed cases with no charge but a bullet stuffed in and crimped.

I know all these things can be caught with regular stops and inspection - but that still leaves you with a suspect batch if you catch an issue. I'm a bit of a plodder - I like to SEE that each and every round has a primer and powder before I progress to putting in a bullet. For this reason I hand prime all my prepped brass and individually fill with powder in batches that I keep in a wooden stand before final assembly.

So because of the above I'm minded to get a very simple four stage press that's cheap and me friendly.
I've been thinking of getting a Lee Precision 4 Hole Turret with Auto Index (part number 90932).

My question is: for this or similar models in the Lee budget range is it possible to remove the rotating plate into which the dies are screwed leaving the dies still in place? I like the idea of buying spare plates so that I can leave all the dies for each calibre in place and swap between as required without fiddle-faddling about for each session.

It looks like this:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lee-Precision ... SwuxFY1PaF

[bradaz11]

Yes

[Dark Skies]

Ta.

[bradaz11]

I'm a big fan of my Lee turret. I do have multiple plates, so one for each die set.
The Lee auto drum powder measure is also awesome. Perfect for pistol calibers. You can set a drum for the right charge and store with the dies

[phaedra1106]

I'd advise getting the Classic Cast turret instead, better made and taller so it can also be used with rifle calibres like 308.

Lee part no. is 90064

[bradaz11]

I'd advise getting the Classic Cast turret instead, better made and taller so it can also be used with rifle calibres like 308.

Lee part no. is 90064

yes, this

[Dark Skies]

I'd advise getting the Classic Cast turret instead, better made and taller so it can also be used with rifle calibres like 308.

Lee part no. is 90064

Sounds like a good choice.

[ukrifleman]

I'd advise getting the Classic Cast turret instead, better made and taller so it can also be used with rifle calibres like 308.

Lee part no. is 90064

I second this advice the Lee Classic is sturdier.

I use Lee die sets exclusively for the 17 calibres I load, all screwed into their own turrets.

I use the indexing rod for the 2 pistol calibres (44-40 and 45 Colt) plus a Lee auto disc powder measure screwed to the turret and a Lee safety prime and can crank out up to 200 rounds/hour once I get a rhythm going.

As you say, the Lee classic allows you to monitor every stage of the reloading process.

The Lee Classic turret is a great piece of kit for the money and if set up properly, will give years of service.

One word of advice which I learnt the hard way, make sure all the play is taken out of the turrets when setting up your dies.
I full length sized a batch of 7.5x55 Swiss brass and none of them would chamber, I had to pull them all and do them again, a complete PITA!

ukrifleman