I'm looking to start reloading .40 primarily and I was looking at the lee single stage breech lock press or the lee class turret set up.

My question is this more a difference in reloading style? doing 1 bullet at a time with the turret vs doing all de priming at once then your priming, then your charging, etc etc in a single process with the single stage?

I feel I would be more inclined to do each step fully before moving on to the next. I would like some comments on this but to me it would seem faster then doing 1 round at a time?

Also Ive tried to find a video or instructions on how the lee auto priming hand tool works. I cant imagine its easy to align perfectly with out using some sort of press/machine type process.

lastly whats the difference between the lee breech lock anniversary kit and the lee breech lock kit.


http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=423081

vs

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=121744

thanks for the support!

I have a single stage, Hornady Classic and load a lot of .40.

It seems from your post that you would use the turrent press to complete one round before proceeding to the next.

I don't have a turret press, but I thought the idea was that you have all your dies set, but still completed each stage on a batch of brass.
(i.e. first size/deprime them all, then move the turrent to the next stage, etc.)

I could be wrong........

The turret press can be used either way.  I prefer to use a batch method.

oh ok so it can be used that way. So whats the difference then, just not removing the dies each time your moving to the next step? The breech lock has the quick remove dies so it doesnt seem it would be too much of an issue.

The advantage to the turret is if you want to do small batches then it is faster than changing out dies.  Lee also has the quick change shell plate so that you could switch between calibers quickly and easily and not worry about adjusting the dies.  They also make a turret that can auto index so it is more like a progressive press.  

I have the Lee hand prime and the only downside is you have to buy the special shell holders for it and after a hundred rounds my thumb gets sore.  The shell holder lines up the primer pocket with the ram just like on a press.  The other thing is they don't recommend Federal primers, I think it is due to a worry about detonation with a 100 primers in your hand all pointing up.

get yourself the lee pro 1000 I have it for 40 and 45 and trust me I can crank out way more rounds with it than a single stage.

IMHO..........LEARN on a single stage.

IF, you are a little further along on the "experience scale and know what you're looking for" you may elect to use a turrent press.  I'd leave the progressive presses until you've had time under your belt and truely knew about adjustments and what's happening at each stage/position.

Anyway, LEE sells two different "breech lock kits."    One with an on press primer station (a littler cheaper then the other one) and one with the hand primer tool w/ various shell holders.  I'd get the one with the hand primer cause, that is how I like to do things.  

I'd also do "batch loading," to start.

Again, that's ME.

But, what you choose, is up to you.

Aloha, Mark

PS.........IMHO.......

IF, you like to just make 1 or say 20 rounds or so, then head out the door, a turret press is good for that.  

IF, you like to make fifty, a hundred or more at a time...........the single station and batch processing is GTG.  With the breech lock "quick change".........there is not much difference from the turret press.  The time you'll spend with set up........is what use to be the big factor.  

But then, getting the powder measure to drop exactly what you want, is a big factor in the time spent during a caliber change over.

Thus, to get the advantage of the turret, you would want a complete set up of dies and powder measure all set and ready to go in the replaceable turret. That, can get expensive.

Also, you'll note that the single stage presses come in "kits" at a beginners price.  

Most turret presses don't.  

One exception, is the LEE #90928 turret press kit.  But, it comes with a disk powder measure.  The downside to the disk powder measure is in trying to get the weight adjustment "exactly where you want it."

With a regular hopper style powder measure, you could adjust the drop weight right where you want it.

Anyway, once you've mastered the single station and IF you still want more production then, go to the progressive.

excellent info guys, yeah i think I've read enough to know to start on a single stage and im not worried about cranking out high volume.

thanks for the info on the priming, that was one of my main confusion areas. Now if I could only find some primers...

The Lee auto-prime works pretty good for the $$. I have two. They do wear on my thumb and first finger after 100 or so. I batch load on a single stage Rockchucker. Run through the sizer/decap die in batches reaching 1000, switch dies and repeat. I can load 1000 .45acp a week in the evenings, but I have no life.
I use a RCBS Uni-Flow powder measure and it speeds the charging process GREATLY. Once it is set, it will throw within .1g if proper technique is used.