This may be a dumb question, but what is the difference between a turret press and a progressive?  I am looking to start reloading and wondered which would be better for my purpose, either the Lee Pro 1000 in .223 or the Lee Classic Turret press???  From the way it sounds, they are pretty much the same so thats why I need your advice.  Also, which is better/worse than the other and why?  I am wanting to get started in reloading 223 but don't want to invest a $1000 just buying the setup to get started.  Thats why I plan on starting out with a Lee if possible......

I have two Pro 1000's and two Lee Turret presses.  It's my opinion that you'll be best served reloading .223 with the Lee Classic turret press, especially since you're just starting out.  The Classic turret is what I use for .223 reloading.  I've been reloading for 25 years and for various reasons I don't like to load rifle rounds with a progressive press.  The Lee Classic turret rotates the four die head with each lever pull.  The four die head allows a final crimping function.  Thus setup a round is produced in four pulls of the lever.  I like a progressive press for handgun rounds and a complete cartridge is produced with each pull of the lever.  

my .02,

Do you mean the Classic Turret press???  I assume thats what ya mean....  Also, what is the actual difference in the two besides the 3 and 4 hole?

Turret Press........

Normally, a turret press has a single station for the cartridge to be held. The dies are arranged on a turret. Like a tank's turret. The dies are already set and ready to go in the turret. So, some folks will do an entire batch (say a hundred cases) then, after a station is completed, the turret will be rotated into position for the next die station.

Recently, some mfns have "automated" the turret to switch stations as you pull the handle.........so with each pull, a new die station will come into play. It'll take several handle pulls to produce a single round of ammunition.

This automated turret does away with "batch processing." Though, the "automated" feature can be disconnected IF you wanted to.

Progressive Press.........

With a a progressive press, there are several cartridge cases on the shellplate (inline or in a rotary arrangement) with die stations above each case ready to process them. The handle is pulled and multiple cases are processed at each die station. The pulling of the handle will produce one round of ammunition with each pull of the handle.

Then, depending on the progressive machine.......it could be an automatic process that will forward the cases to the next station with the single pull of the handle or you may have to supply the manpower to move the cases to the next station.
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I never owned a turret press.

With my progressive press, I've found that when doing straight wall pistol cartridges (like 9mm, .38 special, .45 ACP) with a carbide die set.......the production of ammo can be greatly increased over a single station press.

As for a progressive machine with bottle necked cases (like .223 Rem. or .308 Win)........well, because of the way I like to do things, I will mostly use my single station press.

HTH.

Aloha, Mark

I'm PM'd you with the answers.  Aloha Mark always had good things to say.   Glad he chimed in.

Also, the Lee Turrets "auto rotate", like Mark mentioned.  Kinda speed things up.

Thanks alot guys.... After reading up and your little input helped me figure it out for sure......  And I do have a manual on order, just waiting to get it.  Thanks, Nathan