auto indexing question

[Nsghunter]

My press has arrived and I am finally getting to read the book.
Mr Lee, as well as everyone else it seems, does not auto index rifle cartridges. I was curious why not?

I am using, will be using, Lee classic turret press.

 

[mr.big]

I would guess the cost to produce such a press would be more than 99.9% of the reloading public could stomach ,

 

[Nsghunter]

I'm confused. I can load rifle cartridges in my press. I just can't do it in auto index. If you don't mind, why would it cost more to design? Mind you, I haven't started loading yet. Thanks in advance.

 

[DaveB]

I do not know the answer.

It was my understanding the turet press would work just fine for rifle brass.

What is the Lee Press model number?

 

[Hunter 257W]

So you are saying your new press doesn't (and isn't supposed to) auto-index to the next die each time you pull the handle? I'd say cost is the major reason why some cheaper presses would be designed that way. The mechanism has to have more parts to index itself. More parts cost more money. I know very little specific info about progressive presses so wasn't aware that nobody makes an auto-indexing loader that can handle rifle cartridges?? The only progressives I have are two old LEE's - the specific model I don't recall - that I use for 45 Colt and 9mm Luger. I have each press dedicated to a specific cartridge so there is no time wasted in die adjustments when loading. The mechanism that particular model uses to index is fairly simple. It's a hex steel rod about 5/16" across the flats with a twist in it that fits inside a hex shaped hole in center of the die plate. Each time the ram moves the die plate up & down through a stroke, the twist in the 5/16" rod indexes the plate the proper amount to align with the next die station. Sometimes it DOES take a slight twist manually to rotate it that last degree or two but for the price of these presses I can't complain.

I know you've already bought the press but I think it's a mistake to start loading with a progressive. You can't see the individual steps nearly as well as you can with a single stage press and you are a lot more likely to end up with some mangled brass and messed up cartridges. If you DO find yourself in a bind, always remember that safety trumps everything else. Back up and find out what you've done wrong before proceeding when you get into trouble.

 

[Nsghunter]

It does auto index but Mr Lee says in his manual to remove the auto indexing rod before loading rifle.

 

[Nsghunter]

I don't think it's a true "progressive" it loads one case through four stations before creating one round. It doesn't load a new round with each pull of the ram like the Lee 1000 or the other.