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SQLGeek wrote:

Boxerrider wrote:
I have Lee's Classic Turret and believe it is a great place to start.

Have you had issues with the auto-indexing? I've been reading about that some lately but I'm not clear for which Lee turret that seems to be happening.

Four stations is as many as I've ever wanted to use - I like seating and crimping revolver rounds in separate steps.

Do you crimp with the Lee factory crimp die? Choosing a press seems to be just the start of the adventure. Die selection will probably have me tied up for a while too.

Whatever you choose, get at it - you're missing out on the fun!
Jeff

I am getting there. I just bought an AR and enough ammo to keep me shooting for a while so I'm scraping my pennies together. I just built my workbench in the garage and I will put in some shelving this weekend. It's been fun just planning this all out and seeing it come together. A nice break from pounding away on a keyboard all day for work.

Thanks for the advice. For the money, the Lee Turret does seem to be taking the lead. The Kempf kit seems to be a good way to go to get started:

https://kempfgunshop.com/Kempf_Kit_w/_L ... -6575.html

Do you use the auto disk or auto drum powder measure?

I have not had any issues with the auto-indexing, although I can see why some people do. The turret is rotated by a square rod with a twist in it. The rod runs through a plastic housing that clamps to the ram, and floating inside of that housing is a square plastic ring (ratchet on Lee's parts list). If you short-stroke the press (change directions while that ratchet is in contact with the twisted part of the rod) the ratchet will bind. If you force it, then the ratchet will strip and the press will not auto-index until you replace it ($0.50).

I use Lee dies, and for some calibers, their factory crimp die. I have been happy with it for handgun rounds, and really like it for rifle rounds. Even though they are both called "factory crimp die", the method is completely different.
In most die sets, the bullet-seating die both seats the bullet and crimps the case mouth. The crimp is adjusted by screwing the die body in or out, and the bullet depth is adjusted by screwing top knob in or out. By using separate dies, I am able to adjust the crimp without changing the bullet depth.

I use the auto-disk powder measure and like it a lot. There are some powders it doesn't play well with, but I think that is universal. For rifles I use a separate measure off of the press to throw low charges, then go to the scale and trickle up to what I want. It's slow, but those are low volume and I don't mind. You've probably read that some folks handload so they can shoot and some folks shoot so they can handload - I'm somewhere between those. I just got an AR and don't load for it yet. When I do I'll seek a powder that will allow me to do the whole operation on the press.

The Kempf kit looks like a pretty good way to go - not a bunch of stuff you either won't use or will immediately replace. I bought accessories piecemeal, as I could afford and/or found good used deals on them.

Enjoy!
Jeff

SQLGeek wrote: I appreciate the advice and if four stations would really be suitable, then I can always throw the Lee Classic Turret into the mix. I do like the idea of having two different calibers loaded up on the T7 though....

I have Lee's Classic Turret and believe it is a great place to start. Four stations is as many as I've ever wanted to use - I like seating and crimping revolver rounds in separate steps. With rifle ammo two stations often get the job done on their own. Extra turrets are inexpensive so I dedicate one to each caliber. If you want to save time changing calibers, then you can dedicate a powder measure to each one too.
The turret press runs as slow as you want while you're learning or tweaking a set-up, and can turn out a lot of ammo quick once you get used to things. If you find it meets your needs for some calibers but doesn't make enough fast enough for others, then step up to a progressive for the high-volume ones and keep the turret for the rest.

Whatever you choose, get at it - you're missing out on the fun!
Jeff