Progression

[blkside]

So I am leaning towards the Lee Classic Turret simply because I don't think the use per value aspect is there... I want to be able to load 100000000 rounds a day but likely 100 would be max.
For 178 shipped I can get :
Lee Classic Turret ($100)
Lee Auto Drum ($36)
Lee Charging Die Kit ($20)
Lee Turret 4 hole (spare) ($10)

That's pretty decent in my book. Then if I go Big Blue the LCT can be relinquished to low round count loading...

Stilly anything I am missing besides Dies and supplies (Can you post a lic of your setup)

[DougMurray]

Stilly:

Thanks for your explanation but I well understand the difference. I simply wanted to point out that either the Lee turret or progressive would most likely be replaced soon down the road if he really got into it. Sorry for maybe confusing things.

[AdamVIP]

Id swap to a Coax press for quicker die changes and put some money into a powered trimmer.

[Michael in California]

Just pointing out that with the lnl you are stuck paying money to change calibers. Many Think that if they already have dies then they can switch between calibers without extra costs.

No, you are not. You can use it conventionally by threading in your lockringed dies as you see fit. Nothing about the LNL bayonet bushings requires actually using that feature. It is, however, darned nice to use.

[stilly]

So I am leaning towards the Lee Classic Turret simply because I don't think the use per value aspect is there... I want to be able to load 100000000 rounds a day but likely 100 would be max.
For 178 shipped I can get :
Lee Classic Turret ($100)
Lee Auto Drum ($36)
Lee Charging Die Kit ($20)
Lee Turret 4 hole (spare) ($10)

That's pretty decent in my book. Then if I go Big Blue the LCT can be relinquished to low round count loading...

Stilly anything I am missing besides Dies and supplies (Can you post a lic of your setup)

I do not know about that powder drum, but if someone had told me to buy a uniflow or LNL dropper with case activated linkage in the first place, I could have saved about $50 because I have no need for it now. (That combo will set you back around $150 for both parts. I recently found a USED RCBS QC powder dropper for $48 incl shipping on fleabay though and once I get my case activated linkage, I will be setting it up and updating with new picz.)

As it is, the Lee auto disk pro (round) that is meant for this press does work decently once it gets settled in, but you need to spend the money for the adjustable charge bar, riser and the swivel (unless it comes with them) IF you want to run it with the priming on the press. (priming on THIS press is probably one of the safest and BEST I have ever seen; it is nearly flawless.) The good news is those are still Lee products, so expect to pay about $10 for each of them.
BUT, since you are ALSO loading .223 and .308, you MIGHT need to get the double disk kit to go with that auto disk pro. The max charge with the adjustable charge bar is around 21.96gr of H-110. I do not know what that translates to in 4664 or other rifle powders that are like little pencil leads (Win748). But you might run out of capacity there so DOUBLE CHECK that the DRUM that you are considering can also handle that, else you will be reduced to single stage action until you buy a better dropper because who wants to have to weigh your brass and primer, charge to proper weight, then put it back on the turret? Well, I GUESS that is still 100+ rph, but it can certainly be faster.

If you get ANY Lee die sets, they come with a PTX or Powder Through eXpanding (charging die) die in - Well, at least for pistols they seem to come as:
1. resizer/decapper
2. PTX (with the powder dropper on top)
3. seater/crimper

Also, by purchasing Lee dies you also get a powder dipper AND shell holder for that caliber. Lee documentation tells you how to use that dipper if you just wanna put a funnel on the top of your PTX die.


My setup has not changed, but it has gotten messier in the background, here is a thread on how I had mine setup:

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=885280

Since Powderfunnels.com is now gone, There are still bushings you can buy to EXPAND and charge with a uniflow or LNL type of powder dropper. And of course, the PTX die that comes with Lee dies works in conjunction with the Lee powder pro, but I am unsure about the drum.

Doug: okay. I was not 100% certain and I wanted to take no chances on making an assumption.- And you may very well be correct, but EVEN after I had my Loadmaster for 1.5 years after purchased, I still never bothered to mount it since I had that turret. The only reason why I mounted mine was because 10k 9mm had to be made. And since it was not for me, I had no desire to sit at the press for such a long time. I took out the press and fired it up and in 3-4 sessions I had 10k rds made.

That turret is just a killer press though.

[dwalker]

I use the auto drum and it is super accurate and works great on all my presses.

I currently have several Pro1K's, a Loadmaster, a LCT and a single stage press at the house in CA. I use the loadmaster for all 9mm pistol ammo and sometimes .223 blaster ammo, and have Pro1K's set up for 45ACP, 38SP/357, and 30Carbine. I do my .223 long range and 300BLK ammo on the LCT and the 6.5CM,300WSM and 308 on the single stage.
.
The Loadmaster just runs. Every now and again it will flip a primer or some weirdness but otherwise it runs fine. I like the Pro1K but the priming system can be a PITA if you do not keep it clean. The LCT just plain works, but I do not use the priming system on it.
The Autodrum works 100% and is super consistent.

[blkside]

So i just picked up a LCT with 5 heads, the auto disk with all 4 disks, safety primers, scale and other odds and ends. I will mount it tomorrow and see what else is really needed...

Stilly, will you be my friend... lol

[blkside]

Just ordered the double disk kit, the riser and the charge thru dies and the adjustable charge bar....

[dwalker]

I really tried the auto-disc but the Auto Drum puts it in the weeds. It is especially nice to pre-set a drum for a powder charge and swap them in and out as needed.

[stilly]

I really tried the auto-disc but the Auto Drum puts it in the weeds. It is especially nice to pre-set a drum for a powder charge and swap them in and out as needed.

Ooooooooooooh. I see. This must be a NEW drum because I thought we were talking about that perfect powder measure. I see they ALSO have a drum they made called the Auto-Drum.

http://www.titanreloading.com/lee-autodrum-powder-measure

Blkside: you might want to consider having a second look at this auto drum. If it is not too late, I would say to pick it up and give it a shot before you use the auto disk kit.

I was thinking of the perfect powder measure, the only drum that I knew that Lee had. Now I guess they have two. The drum still needs a riser kit though if you intend to prime on the press, but it looks decent. I still have not used it, but now I want to buy one just to try it out. My opinion of the auto disk powder dropper plummeted once I got ahold of my LNL dropper, but then one day I had to make .44 mag and .45 and I did not want to unscrew the QC powder die and reseat it onto the .45 acp turret. So I loaded the .45 acp with the PTX die and went old school Lee Auto disk with charge bar and it all worked out nicely. Minimal setup, it is a great backup powder dropper for sure. It saved my butt that one time but I later went and bought another 3 QC dies for the lnl dropper. Never again will that happen.

[mjmagee67]

Might be a little late but........

550 is the most versatile progressive on the market. I own 2 and load anything from 9mm to 45-70 on it.

650 great press can also load anything. But can't deal with crimped primers.

1050 best press on the market. Love mine, I load 9mm on it it just sucks up the brass and spits out ammo. Don't have to worry about crimped primer 9mm mucking up the works.

The Dillon powder thrower is monotonouslly consistent. Much better than anything I have tried from Lee.

[blkside]

Ooooooooooooh. I see. This must be a NEW drum because I thought we were talking about that perfect powder measure. I see they ALSO have a drum they made called the Auto-Drum.

http://www.titanreloading.com/lee-autodrum-powder-measure

Blkside: you might want to consider having a second look at this auto drum. If it is not too late, I would say to pick it up and give it a shot before you use the auto disk kit.

I was thinking of the perfect powder measure, the only drum that I knew that Lee had. Now I guess they have two. The drum still needs a riser kit though if you intend to prime on the press, but it looks decent. I still have not used it, but now I want to buy one just to try it out. My opinion of the auto disk powder dropper plummeted once I got ahold of my LNL dropper, but then one day I had to make .44 mag and .45 and I did not want to unscrew the QC powder die and reseat it onto the .45 acp turret. So I loaded the .45 acp with the PTX die and went old school Lee Auto disk with charge bar and it all worked out nicely. Minimal setup, it is a great backup powder dropper for sure. It saved my butt that one time but I later went and bought another 3 QC dies for the lnl dropper. Never again will that happen.

If I upgrade powder droppers, it will be to a Frankford Arsenal Premium dropper. I wanted the Auto-drum but the kit had the disk. Ill run what I brung for now.

[dwalker]

If I upgrade powder droppers, it will be to a Frankford Arsenal Premium dropper. I wanted the Auto-drum but the kit had the disk. Ill run what I brung for now.

Well that would be a mistake, because the Autodrum is fantastic. I dropped over 500 charges the other night and random tests throughout the run- about 12 or so- did not vary more than .1gr and most were exactly 3.5gr.
It also cannot double charge and works perfectly with the Lee powder through dies and risers you have ordered.

The nicest thing about the drum though is that you can buy a set of drums cheap, adjust them to specific powder charges- for example I have drums pre-set for 3.2gr TG, 4.8gr CFE Pistol, 26.8gr CFE223, etc. and when I change loads or powders I do not have to fiddle with anything. I just swap in the drum and the same time I swap powders for the powder charge I need and done.

And it is super accurate, it is easily the most consistent progressive press powder measure I have seen, and you do not have to jack around with adding baffles or keeping the powder at a specific level etc. It just works.

The auto-disk.. meh it is OK but it can be finicky and can be VERY sensitive to how you are running the press. I still have three or four of them but have not touched them since I got the Auto-Drums (I have two now) and probably will end up just selling them off.

[blkside]

Well that would be a mistake, because the Autodrum is fantastic. I dropped over 500 charges the other night and random tests throughout the run- about 12 or so- did not vary more than .1gr and most were exactly 3.5gr.
It also cannot double charge and works perfectly with the Lee powder through dies and risers you have ordered.

The nicest thing about the drum though is that you can buy a set of drums cheap, adjust them to specific powder charges- for example I have drums pre-set for 3.2gr TG, 4.8gr CFE Pistol, 26.8gr CFE223, etc. and when I change loads or powders I do not have to fiddle with anything. I just swap in the drum and the same time I swap powders for the powder charge I need and done.

And it is super accurate, it is easily the most consistent progressive press powder measure I have seen, and you do not have to jack around with adding baffles or keeping the powder at a specific level etc. It just works.

The auto-drum.. meh it is OK but it can be finicky and can be VERY sensitive to how you are running the press. I still have three or four of them but have not touched them since I got the Auto-Drums (I have two now) and probably will end up just selling them off.

The only reason I like the FA is that it has a micrometer adjustment and it has rated great reviews.. If the auto disk doesn't do me well than I will grab an AutoDrum...

[stilly]

If I upgrade powder droppers, it will be to a Frankford Arsenal Premium dropper. I wanted the Auto-drum but the kit had the disk. Ill run what I brung for now.

Well there ya go.

Looking at the FA it looks like THAT is yet another copy cat drum system. The price looks good but I am not too familiar with FA and their machining.

I am willing to bet that you can also buy a Hornady or RCBS case activated linkage and it will plug right in. If I did not have the RCBS QC, I would make a move to pick up one of those FA drums. And if folks say it is that great, then it could be an ideal performer ESPECIALLY at a NEW price of around $65... It also looks new for 2016/2017. It was not on the market when I was looking for a dropper before.

ANY of these powder droppers you are looking at though SHOULD work well with your LCT. They are ALL designed to work on a press, but I bet you can buy the PTX expanders from Hornady and they will fit into the FA drum if you were to make the move to one.

I think FA is pushing forward to being a press manufacturer eventually. Right now they are like a cock tease in that they are not going all the way, but just rather licking the tip a bit, but they got a price structure similar to Lee, they are making all kinds of accessories, they are cheaply priced like Lee but they make a few more things in different areas and I bet soon they will be like- Hey, if we just make a FRAME, we will have a working press...

I will hunt down a FA dropper on Fleabay and see if I can make it work with the RCBS/HORNADY linkage and bushings...,