RCBS Turret. Why?

[Capybara]

As a very satisfied owner of a Lee Classic Turret, have had a look lately at the RCBS Turret. While I love RCBS gear and have several pieces from them, to me, this press makes no sense.

1. It costs almost as much as a new progressive press (RCBS Turret msrp is around $320.00 for the press alone, Dillon 550 is only about $100.00 more, Hornady LNL AP is about $100.00 more also) Why would one invest so much money into a turret when for a few bucks more they could be in the progressive world?

2. The RCBS Turret has six positions on the turret head. Why? I can think of a four die set possibly, what else could you even put in the fifth and sixth positions that would make sense within a normal workflow? Press mounted CH4 Swager or ? Just trying to figure out the logic behind the design.

3. A new turret for my LCT costs $12.00. A new RCBS turret costs $48.00. I reload four pistol calibers so to even have preset turrets for each pistol caliber would cost me another $150.00 on top of the press, assuming the new press comes with one. A little extravagant it seems?

I get that RCBS makes great stuff, I agree. We have a lot of time in on the reloading club's Rockchucker, I have several sets of RCBS dies, scales, etc. Great customer service too. But from a marketing/strategic standpoint, did they just blow this one or are the other mitigating factors I am unaware of?

[BigBronco]

Your thinking 4 die pistol sets. Most RCBS die sets are 3 die sets. The designed to leave dis set for multiple calibers. Not being a semi progressive. Now if you think bottle neck rifle it will hold three sets.

When My T7 is in use I still batch load however it is handy when something needs to be re done or catching up with that one that got overlooked.

[Top Cat]

Essentially what you are saying is that the Lee Turret is a good piece of gear and a good value at it's price point.

I would agree with you.

I do have friends who agree that the Redding Turret is the best turret press available, and is fast enough for their uses.

The last time I checked the Redding was not that much more $$$.

[sghart]

The RCBS Turret is a good, not great press. I have one and I am quite happy with it.

I, too, use the Lee Classic Turret press for several pistol calibers. I love it and I think the Lee Classic Turret is a standout in value and performance. I use a Dillon 450 that is exclusively for 223. I love the Dillon also and I can see why die hard Dillon fans are so proud. They make a great product. I have a Lee Classic Cast iron single stage press and a Lee Pro 1000.

I use my RCBS Turret for my rifle calibers that I shoot cast lead in. In each head I have the standard full length sizing die, a collet neck sizing die, a case mouth expanding die for over-size lead bullets, a powder through die for my powder throw, a bullet seating die and a crimp die.

I have at least 5 turrets set up this way. Yes, it was an investment but I like it.

When I say that the RCBS is good, not great, is due to the slop in the turret head. The amount of slop varies greatly from turret to turret. Any RCBS forum you read will have this well documented. A little play I don't mind but to fix the looser ones I went to Grainger and bought a pack of universal arbor shims. The pack comes with several shims in varying thickness. For each turret I found the appropriate thickness of shim and that shim stays with that turret. Minimal flex. Problem solved.

Also, the priming system on the press is a bit awkward. Mine quit a long time ago and two separate calls to RCBS for replacement parts has been fruitless. So much for the "legendary" RCBS customer service.

If you load pistol or rifle with three dies then you can get two calibers per turret.

All in all I like the RCBS Turret. If I didn't it wouldn't be on my reloading table.

At this point in my life I can afford any reloading set up that I want. And this is what I use.

YMMV

[Capybara]

Thanks for the feedback and education guys. Sghart, Interesting how you have filled up that head with dies. My next stop will probably be a Dillon 550 or 650 but now I can better see why some like the Redding and RCBS Turrets. I have a long way to go before I will be tired of my LCT though, such a great little press for the money. I just ordered the Inline Fabrication Case Ejector kit for mine and am adding some LED light to it also.

https://inlinefabrication.com/collections/lee/products/case-ejector-for-the-lee-classic-turret-reverse-rotation

[fguffey]

I have a Lyman Turret, I do not use it but I have it. I also have a 6 position Herter, In the old days the 6 position could be sent back or ordered with 12 positions. I used it for forming cases starting with the forming die and then the final sizing with the sizing die. When going from 30/06 to 8mm57 and 7mm57 it was easier to leave the dies set up just in case there was a mistake.

I also have the two ram Herter press, when forming I thought it was the best choice.

I have one Lee press, not sure what it is but around here it looks out of place with the large white nob on the handle.

F. Guffey

[JagerDog]

Redding T7. 2-3 calibers. Still batch process. Prime off the machine or Lee Auto-Prime II (gets a bit crowded though).

[Dooder]

I have a t7 as well. Thing is a beast and its awesome. Think of it as useful of a tool as a single stage but x7. I'll have a universal decapper and then three rifle calibers. Lately it has a powder drop and then 44mag and 50ae loaded up on it.

Its kind of an intermediate volume set up. Stuff I don't need a progressive for or won't fit and in quantity thats low enough to not need a progressive but would take too long in a single.

I will say that the t7 dwarves the rcbs and lyman turret presses.

[dwalker]

the best turret press ever made was the Texan, and I really need to find one to buy..

[JagerDog]

the best turret press ever made was the Texan, and I really need to find one to buy..

Hmmm...Have you tried a T7?

[stilly]

As a very satisfied owner of a Lee Classic Turret, have had a look lately at the RCBS Turret. While I love RCBS gear and have several pieces from them, to me, this press makes no sense.

1. It costs almost as much as a new progressive press (RCBS Turret msrp is around $320.00 for the press alone, Dillon 550 is only about $100.00 more, Hornady LNL AP is about $100.00 more also) Why would one invest so much money into a turret when for a few bucks more they could be in the progressive world?

2. The RCBS Turret has six positions on the turret head. Why? I can think of a four die set possibly, what else could you even put in the fifth and sixth positions that would make sense within a normal workflow? Press mounted CH4 Swager or ? Just trying to figure out the logic behind the design.

3. A new turret for my LCT costs $12.00. A new RCBS turret costs $48.00. I reload four pistol calibers so to even have preset turrets for each pistol caliber would cost me another $150.00 on top of the press, assuming the new press comes with one. A little extravagant it seems?

I get that RCBS makes great stuff, I agree. We have a lot of time in on the reloading club's Rockchucker, I have several sets of RCBS dies, scales, etc. Great customer service too. But from a marketing/strategic standpoint, did they just blow this one or are the other mitigating factors I am unaware of?

It is my opinion that the LCT is THE FASTEST turret made currently. The reason to get the RCBS Turret is to load up utility dies, like resizers and swagers and what not or multiple 3 die sets perhaps. I was going to get it but then I realized that I wanted the Redding with 7 holes. Really I wanted a Hollywood press, but those unicorns are hard to find ion good condition, so I was going to settle for a Redding T-7. Only because I wanted to do all of my resizing without having to go to the cabinet.

[dwalker]

Yes, have you tried a Texan?

[JagerDog]

Yes, have you tried a Texan?

No. Had a Texan shotshell reloader for decades. Where/how does the Texan outshine the T7?

[dwalker]

No. Had a Texan shotshell reloader for decades. Where/how does the Texan outshine the T7?

I like the way the Texan works and overall construction. There are things I like about the Redding but I really love the Texan press.

[BigBronco]

I guess I should dust off that 12 station Hollywood I have.