I like to know if you can load rifle bullets like the 06 without removing the auto index?
I have a lee turret press (not the classic)
I find it to work excellent with pistol bullets but I have to remove the auto index rod to prevent the turret to cycle and work the press in single stage to load the 30-06 and the 38-55 Winchester.
I was thinking in upgrading to the classic press.

Not sure I know what your basic question is. Sounds like you answered your own question about disconnecting the auto index on the Lee turret for rifle cartridges. ???

If you want to use it like a single stage then yes you can remove the auto-index. You can also get a single stage Classic press.

For reloading 30-06, you could:
1. Buy a Classic Turret press.
2. Use your current turret press as a single stage.
3. Use your current turret press as a turret press, and simply manually advance the turret from one position to the next.

Darrel

I have a classic turret press and it's pretty much the same . Keep your current turret press and manually index it, or buy a single stage for your longer rifle cartridges. I bought a Lee breech lock press to do my 06', 243, and 7mm. Nice little press.

I have a lee turret press (not the classic)
I find it to work excellent with pistol bullets but I have to remove the auto index rod to prevent the turret to cycle and work the press in single stage to load the 30-06 and the 38-55 Winchester.


I don't have a Lee turret press (either variety) and am curious why you have to work your press in single stage mode with rifle cartridges?

The Old Guy

Tog:I have the same puzzle.why.I suddenly know why:)the dies wont clear the cases when it turns.I dont know about the classic as I have the older turret.I use it as a single anyway as I do rifle in batches.and the Lee 1000 will only do pistol.the big Lee press will however.I like the turret as my dies are all in turrets.I cant se the sense in the breach lock.when the turret will do better.the Hornady lock is a solution to a press problem.they could not make a turret with out whole redesign.

With the Lee Classic Turret press you can load 06' and longer rifle cartridges in, I guess we'll call it "turret mode" but you have to remove the auto index (sleeve?) thats just below the shellholder, on top of the ram, and manually index it. As far as the Turret press doing a better job of than the breech lock press is purely subjective. It will however probably do it faster.

TOG:
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The newer, Lee Classic Turret press is a taller press, and can automatically index from station to station with the long, rifle cartridges. The older, original turret press could automatically auto index with pistol cartridges, but required manual indexing with rifle cartridges. This is because the indexing, (rotating from die to die) occurs while the case is being lowered. The older press will start spinning the turret before the die has cleared the case, thus jamming the operation.
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Darrel

With my classic cast I usually manually index everything I load except 30-06. I find that the dies will clear the empty cases, but will catch on the tip of the bullet. When I have done this with an exposed lead soft tip bullet it has actually deformed the tip.

So to answer your question, you would probably not be able to use the auto index feature with the classic. This difference might be in which dies you use. I use Lee dies.