Lubrisizers

[High Desert Hunter]

Well my Lyman 450 bit the dust this past weekend, blew the threads out on one side. I have had this sizer for about 5 years, and have lubed several thousand bullets, but still feel that it was a piece of junk and probably made from pot metal. As I do not want to invest in all new sizing dies, I am looking at buying an RCBS lubrisizer, with the hopes that it will last longer than this one has.

Dave Beeman

[wmitty]

Would you consider a step back to the Ideal or Lyman model 45? I bought one recently off ebay and it is a very strong and well built machine. Every part aligns correctly as near as I can see. I am very pleased with it. About $60 with shipping.

[Crash_Corrigan]

I hve one that I would not part with. It does a beautiful job and with LAR45's Red Carnuba Lube I am pushing 2700 FPS with a 224646 Lyman Boolit with a GC. I load .38's/357 and .45 ACP also and it does an outstanding job. Ya need to use a heater in the cool weather (Vegas does get cool somewhat) but after you get the stuff up to 100 degrees it flows real good and ya need to turn the crank after about 30 boolits or so on the .45's and much less for the .22's. They are fairly cheap @ Midway and you can make your own heater with a garage sale iron. It takes up little space and can be removed from your bench with only two bolts. It is well made and it does not take a brain surgeon to make good boolits with it.
Good luck, Dan :castmine:

[lovedogs]

Have you talked to Lyman? They might warranty your unit.

[High Desert Hunter]

I think, even if they did warranty the equipment, I am going to upgrade, for now, I have decided on the RCBS because I can still use all of my current sizing dies. I have cursed the Lyman for garbage, but it did serve it's purpose, their master casting kit got me into bullet casting, and for that I thank them. I know that the older machines were built better, and I appreciate the offer, but I believe my mind is made up. On one side of the die opening, the threads are almost completely gone, and it happened on my 1st ever 357 bullet, now I shall have to wait to shoot the 50th Ann. Ruger until after I get back from fiber optics class next week. Thanks for the inputs.

Dave

[3sixbits]

My first lube sizer was a Lyman No. 45. I used this lube sizer for many years until the day I used a friends Star. The No 45's days were numbered at that moment. The Star, even non Magma turbocharged is so far ahead of the competition, that it's not even close. Yes I know the die situation and it does cost money to switch over, but as the years go by and the pounds of metal, that go through these tools mounts up, the money seems rather insignificant.

[dromia]

I'd get onto Lyman, it should do better than that.

What happened exactly? How were you using the machine?

I've got a 450 alongside the RCBS unit on my bench and think they are both excellent machines. The ratchet pressure lever on the lyman is a plus over the RCBS but after that no difference that I've noticed from the years of usage I've given them.

[Scrounger]

I'd get onto Lyman, it should do better than that.

What happened exactly? How were you using the machine?

I've got a 450 alongside the RCBS unit on my bench and think they are both excellent machines. The ratchet pressure lever on the lyman is a plus over the RCBS but after that no difference that I've noticed from the years of usage I've given them.

Dromia, as CarpetMan will no doubt inform you, RCBS will send you the parts necessary to convert your RCBS lube feed lever to a rachet feed like Lyman. You apparently have the Lubrisizer II, the Lubrisizer I (One) had the rachet feed like Lyman.

[Cherokee]

I have a #45 since 1967, a #450 used for over 20 years, #4500 and Star. All work great but each has shortfalls. Work within their limitations.

[Sundogg1911]

I have a Lyman 450, and 3 Stars. the Stars are superior IMHO for sizing, but I still like the Lyman for seating gas checks. I have/am slowly converting everything that I used to 450 for over to the Stars (I bought the 450 long before I knew of the Stars) except for the 3 bullets that I gas check. I will keep the Lyman for that purpose, and I really like the ratchet handle. :-D
I'll have to admit the Lyman has held up great, and i'm not the type of Guy to baby tools. :twisted:

:castmine:

[dromia]

Thanks for the heads up Scrounger, I'll give RCBS an email. :-D

[zipdog]

Dromia, as CarpetMan will no doubt inform you, RCBS will send you the parts necessary to convert your RCBS lube feed lever to a rachet feed like Lyman. You apparently have the Lubrisizer II, the Lubrisizer I (One) had the rachet feed like Lyman.

Scrounger, I asked RCBS about this and they said it couldn't be done. Could I have been misled?

[carpetman]

Converting an RCBS to ratchet feed is not a just change parts deal. It requires a modification. The lube bolt(for lack of better name)is shortened to just below where the toggle slides through. This stub is hexed to fit the ratchet. Mine was done on milling machine. Probably could be done with file and hacksaw by a very careful person. Another makeshift way to do it would be drill a hole and tap it and epoxy a bolt into it and the bolt head would accept the ratchet. RCBS did provide the bolt I modified and the ratchet. I could easily put the old bolt back in and convert it back to original----you are not altering anything that "butchers" it.

[trickyasafox]

I just recently got an RCBS in trade- now i have not used a lyman lubesizer, but I have but I can say that it works as advertised. I haven't tried any hard lubes in it yet.

[Scrounger]

I am re-committing to Lee Sizers. At least 4 or 5 times I have bought Lyman or RCBS sizers and every time I end up selling them because I'm cheap and I'm lazy and the Lee sizers are compatible with those character flaws. I am throwing on the market now an RCBS LAM I. Seems to be all there, although I've never used it. Someone saw fit to shorten its operating handle, but it seems to work OK anyway. For $60 shipped, it's yours.
By the way, I understand RCBS can no longer supply those little ratchet wrenches for the LAM I; I have 3 or 4 of them that I acquired from another source if anyone needs one, $5 shipped.

[TAWILDCATT]

I have 2 lyman #45 one I had since 50/60s the other I just got in yard sale in the box like new also a truline jr in 38.$10 for both and I dont feel guilty.
look at Rcbs and Kyman and Reading.there all based on lyman.if you look at old lyman cat you will find pictures of all.
seems Ohaus must make all the scales.I have a Redding scale that is twin to my Herters.
having said that how could one break a lyman luber.
Star is best but pricy.Mepos is like a Star but smaller.and the dies are like Saeco.
If you have been around long enuf you would have seen most all.
:coffee:[smilie=1:

[454PB]

To me, the part most likely to fail on the Lyman 450 is the fine threaded cap that holds the sizing die in the body, and I assume that is what failed on yours. They are very easy to cross thread, and those fine threads would be destroyed in short order if that happened. My two 450 sizers are 35 and 25 years old, and though I've had to rebuild and repair the operating linkage several times, the threaded caps are still fine. I position the cap on the die, then insert it as a unit. This keeps everything aligned and nearly eliminates the possibility of cross threading. I say "nearly" because someone might will try to muscle the cap threads, which is bound to strip the threads.

[MT Gianni]

I am re-committing to Lee Sizers. At least 4 or 5 times I have bought Lyman or RCBS sizers and every time I end up selling them because I'm cheap and I'm lazy and the Lee sizers are compatible with those character flaws. I am throwing on the market now an RCBS LAM I. Seems to be all there, although I've never used it. Someone saw fit to shorten its operating handle, but it seems to work OK anyway. For $60 shipped, it's yours.
By the way, I understand RCBS can no longer supply those little ratchet wrenches for the LAM I; I have 3 or 4 of them that I acquired from another source if anyone needs one, $5 shipped.

Sold Scrounger PM your way. Gianni

[mstarling]

Wow ... I guess I do not understand. The housing of my nearly 40 year old 450 is cast iron. Very early on I broke a linkage pin and replaced it with a grade 2 bolt. Has worked since.

It started to leak lube maybe 10 years ago and finally the thread on the rod gave out. I tried to push it too hard in the cold and it failed. My fault. Got the rebuild parts from Lyman for cheap and put a heater on it to prevent the cold problem from recurring.

This sizer has done 10s of thousands of bullets in sizes from .355 to .475 ... and I have no complaints whatever.

I also have an original Saeco (that I was given) and it too works fine.

Check the Lyman site for parts and review how you use the sizer. The 450 ain't a bad piece of gear.

[Morgan Astorbilt]

I'd had two Lyman 45's for about thirty years with no problems, and only switched over to the 450 about twenty years ago, when Lyman replaced the strap ram handle with a solid one. The 450 has much more power(leverage) than the 45, which is evident when sizing large diameter hard cast(straight Lino) bullets, more than a thou or two. With these hard .45 and up bullets, I was always afraid I'd snap the long slim cast iron handle on the #45. The worst feature of the 450, is the large diameter fine thread die retaining nut. This is VERY easy to cross thread when installing, and from your description of what failed, I'd bet the farm that's what happened. There's no pressure on the nut when sizing, and only minimal when ejecting the bullet.
I've never owned one, but I believe the Lyman and RCBS sizers are made by the same Mfg., and both use the same retaining nut.
Morgan

[Morgan Astorbilt]

OOPS!!! 454PB. Didn't see your post, and just about duplicated it. Sorry,
Morgan

[zipdog]

By the way, I understand RCBS can no longer supply those little ratchet wrenches for the LAM I; I have 3 or 4 of them that I acquired from another source if anyone needs one, $5 shipped.

I'll take one of those wrenches, Scrounger. $5.00 mo to be mailed.

Rusty

[jh45gun]

I guess Ignorance is bliss as to comparing as I just got a USED 450 that the owner said did thousands of bullets and I think it is great. I too figured out about putting the nut on the die to keep it straight. While the sizing dies that lee makes work fine I think this had got them beat for ease of use and seating gas checks. Though I will not throw away my lee dies they may find use too down the line if needed. Some one said you could make a heating element out of a old iron how do you do that info please.

[dubber123]

I guess Ignorance is bliss as to comparing as I just got a USED 450 that the owner said did thousands of bullets and I think it is great. I too figured out about putting the nut on the die to keep it straight. While the sizing dies that lee makes work fine I think this had got them beat for ease of use and seating gas checks. Though I will not throw away my lee dies they may find use too down the line if needed. Some one said you could make a heating element out of a old iron how do you do that info please.

I think you will find a thread by Morgan Astorbilt in the special projects section. Long story short, make up a steel or aluminum plate that the press can bolt to, and lay a common household iron on it. Iron heats plate, plate heats luber. You may have to fiddle with spacing the iron up off the plate to regulate the heat. Morgans article is much more informative.

[ben1025]

Tawildcatt: Your making me feel bad. How can anyone break a lyman. Well I did it yesterday. It was a new style 450. Been using lyman since 1970 with no problem till yesterday. Been using this one for probably 5 years. Had 5 others also. Have 2 left one broke one isn't. Sizing 400 grain 45 from .457 to.452 A hardness of bhn 8, For paper patching. I done probably 100 bullets and the screw from the handle which is about quarter of an inch sheared off. Now I don't fault Lyman as it was never intended to do what I was doing. I did oil the bullets. I did call Lyman for a replacement part kit. shipped for $24 and some change. I don't plan on breaking any more lyman lubrisizers but I got out a Lee .451 and found a 30 inch pipe for leverage and started sizing on one of my presses. Of course with oiled bullets. Seem to work just fine. I've used Lyman lubrisizers for 37 years and I think they are just fine. Also think RCBS is fine too. Don't know anything about the other brands. ben1025

[ben1025]

454PB: I think you are right about the nut being the part most likely to cause problems. As I said I been using a lyman for 37 years and up to yesterday never had a problem. I realized right off the nut could be a problem. I use a hair drier to soften the lube and always start the nut by hand. Like you I always put the nut on the die first. Never understood why Lyman put such fine treads on that nut.

[PAPABEAR]

I Would Contact Lyman. I Had Issue With Them A Few Years Ago, They Resolved It With Out Problems Or Delay. Beside What Have You Got To Lose.
:coffee:

--------------

[ben1025]

Papabear: I talked to the old gal at Lyman. 1/2 irish and 1/2 italian. She sounds about as old as me. Didn't ask about warranty. Seeing I'm italian and my wife is irish sounded alright to her. Breaking the sizer was my fault. Surprised the thing held up as long as it did. It was easier to work then the Lee. Didn't need a pipe for leverage. I sort of think if I asked she would of shipped the parts under warranty. The parts kit comes with new linkage, handle, and bolts. I'll have a near new sizer. I won't be trying to size .0005 again with such a big bullet. I have 3 paper patch moulds. I should of stuck with them. ben1025 AKA ben.

[theperfessor]

Recently picked up used Lyman 450 with slightly different problem - ram is off-center to sizing die cavity by signicant amount, probably .015" to .020".

I have my own machine shop so I could set it up on line bore it and make new ram, but I'm wondering if anyone thinks it would be covered by Lyman, even if I'm not original owner.

Anyone else have this type of problem? What was result?

[454PB]

Recently picked up used Lyman 450 with slightly different problem - ram is off-center to sizing die cavity by signicant amount, probably .015" to .020".

I have my own machine shop so I could set it up on line bore it and make new ram, but I'm wondering if anyone thinks it would be covered by Lyman, even if I'm not original owner.

If it was an RCBS I'd say yes, but Lyman is not as good to deal with. It's sure worth a try!

[theperfessor]

454PB: Yeah, I'll probably wait 'til after the holidays and give them a call.

I read on another thread about a fix for a press with a loose ram, but mine isn't loose, it's definitely bored off-center. I also read that the newer Lyman 45XXs had slightly smaller sizing die cavities and I don't want to buy new sizing dies, so even if Lyman would replace it with a new one I'm not sure that would be a good deal.

It looks like there's enough meat around the ram to enlarge the hole slightly to shift center far enough so that a new larger diameter ram could be used, or maybe sleeve the hole with a cast iron or bronze liner and reuse the original ram.

If Lyman blows me off I may try this just for the heck of it.

Anybody out there have any advice/experience trying something like this?

[zipdog]

By the way, I understand RCBS can no longer supply those little ratchet wrenches for the LAM I;

These can be found at www.mytoolstore.com/chapman/chaccess.html

[Scrounger]

And that's just where I bought them. But shipping kills you if you buy just one.