I bought the Lee Classic turret press recently to speed up rifle calibre reloading. I have a LNL AP but prefer the control a turret press gives for inspecting each step in reloading rifle size cases. I already have a heavy duty Simplex Master turret press but wanted the auto index feature of the Lee. Well, the Lee works great for shorter cases but doesn't handle the 30.06 in auto index mode. I don't regret the purchase but I should have read the fine print in Lee's literature where he states auto index doesn't work in rounds over 3 inches. Actually he doesn't say it like that.The ad says "The long stroke allows rifle cases over three inches long to be loaded using the automatic index." What he really means is that cartridges (not cases) with an overall length of 3 inches (plus a thou or 2) might just work in auto index. Powder drop station is OK as is the powder check station (RCBS). Inserting the projectile is OK but rotation then hangs up with the loaded round and finally what really jams up the process is Lee's own factory crimp die. Back to the old reliable Master turret for the long cases I guess.

I am a bumbling newbie but my Lee Classic Cast Turret Press seems to work fine in auto index mode for .30/06. I am using Redding dies and am not crimping.

I agree with Old Coyote. I've loaded tons of 30.06 for an M1 Garand and never used a Lee factory crimp die or any other crimp die for that matter. I suggest eliminating the crimp die and just using a bullet seater die. I think you'll find your rounds will work just fine.

Regards,

Dave

Here we are folks, another satisfied Lee customer!

I read somewhere that most users do not leave the auto indexing hooked up. I don't find it convenient for the way I load, but before I disconnected it I made sure it worked. It worked on all cases including .30-06 and 8x57mm. Possibly there is more that you did not read? Lee has instructional videos on their website, too.

Checked the Lee website and couldn't find any instructional videos for the Classic turret just for the old turret press. I can't get them to download anyway. I also checked out YouTube. Nothing there either. Read the instructions again. No, I am not making any mistake, Lee states down the bottom of the middle page "The Auto Index is usable on cases with overall length of 3 (and )1/16 inch or less." Most loaded 30-06 is 3 and 1/4 or a little more. The 8X57 case is significantly shorter. The problem I was experiencing was the loaded round was still in the die as the turret begins to auto index as the ram is moved down. With the seating die the projectile hit the bottom of the die (an RCBS) but still managed to index. I had improved the situation by unscrewing the die further out of the turret giving the loaded cartridge more room. Thats works OK because I am not crimping in that die. I might try a 308 seater die instead to leave even more space between the bottom of the die and the shellholder. I think the limiting factor here is the distance between the shellholder and the bottom of the turret. I'll measure it tomorrow. However because the Lee crimp die works only by hard contact between the shellholder and the die no adjustment is possible and the loaded cartridge really gets jammed in the die if you try to index to the next station. I have "solved" this problem by removing the round as I lower the ram but before the auto index starts to operate. So, yes it can be made to operate in auto index mode with some manipulation of dies and technique. Pity Lee didn't make the ram travel a quarter of an inch longer given the 30-06 is a reloading "standard".