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I just got a Lee 4 hole turret press kit. I also got most of what i need to reload some rounds except for brass and primers .

I just got my safety primer installed it and while i was checkin it out i wondered what you do after you lower the ram and carefully seat the primer.
Do you have to short stroke the next three strokes at the bottom so you don't over seat the primer with the next three strokes ?

I gotta say the safety primer looked like something from the dollar store and had no instructions except how to install the bracket which was on the press instructions.
When i took it out of the box and brought it to the press it turned out to be so simple a three year old could have put it on.
Med

No, no. Every pull should be a full stroke. You won't affect the primer seating, but if you won't make a full stroke, you will affect the OAL seating depth and you'll find that you will have trouble getting consistent loads (speaking from experience with said Lee Turret press :-) )

Not sure where you're located, but I could help you work through the process if you're in the Austin area.

I agree, never short-stroke on the Lee turret as you could possibly damage the plastic flange inside the turret bar rotor (or whatever it's called). They are inexpensive and easy to reinstall, but a pain if you are in the middle of a reloading session. It won't affect the primer at all, as far as I can tell, and the Lee Turret is the only thing I've been using for a few years.

Just got this reply from Lee.

"Yes, you press in the primer at the bottom of the first stroke. It requires some pressure to do this.
At the bottom of the 2nd station, you just lower the ram to a point where the turret has indexed. No extra pushing."

I didn't think you could keep pounding on the primer at the bottom of each stroke after you seat it. i am just gonna keep an eye on the primers when i first start reloading.
You guys do any casting? I want to do that also if i can find a cheep supply of lead.

Med

To get the length close, back out the depth of the seater, put a factory round on the shell plate and raise it up in tho the die. then lower the seating depth till it touches the round in the die. Make a bullet and measure the length. Adjust as needed.

After about 1500 rounds mine is stating to stick a little. I am almost sure that little plastic ring that turns the indexing rod needs to be replaced. Lee sells them for 50 cents or so.

As others have said every stroke should be a full stroke.

tubular031 wrote:After about 1500 rounds mine is stating to stick a little. I am almost sure that little plastic ring that turns the indexing rod needs to be replaced. Lee sells them for 50 cents or so.

As others have said every stroke should be a full stroke.

Yep, you'll need to replace it periodically. It used to be made out of nylon, not sure now, but it is an easy job to replace.

Also, every stroke should be a full stroke!

You can't complete your stroke to the bottom on stages 2-3 and 4 with out compromising your primer.
I see no need to go beyond the twist on your index rod before starting back up.

I did try to adjust the seater when i first found issue but didn't have any luck.

It looks like a machined socket head bolt under spring tension that wouldn't adjust in or out.
Were you able to adjust yours by turning the bolt in or out? I turned both ways and it did not move at all . I also tried the large primer seater as well and it was the same.

I gotta get to the range and make some empty shells to load.

Med

med wrote:
I see no need to go beyond the twist on your index rod before starting back up.

You're right, as long as the turret has indexed to the next station you are good to go.
I took the rod out of my press, found that I could load faster without it, since you don't need to go all the way down after the primer is seated.

As for pounding on the primers once it has been seated, that doesn't really happen unless you are very heavy handed on the handle. It takes deliberate effort to seat a primer, and normal lowering of the ram to the bottom would not bother the seated primer in any way.

Have fun reloading!

Fosforos wrote:...
You're right, as long as the turret has indexed to the next station you are good to go.
I took the rod out of my press, found that I could load faster without it, since you don't need to go all the way down after the primer is seated.

...

I tried that after my plastic flange piece went bad the first time. I couldn't keep up any momentum compared to using the auto indexer. I used my right hand to stroke the cartridge into the die, pull it down a little, then rotate the turret by hand, and my left to grab the next components for the next step. It works, but took longer for me.

Sometimes I make up loads using the press like a single stage. I take the rod out then, too.