Lyman vs Saeco Part I

[bdoyle]

How does the 457125 compare to the Saeco #881 size wise? I have the Lyman but it is very tempermental due to the block size vs bullet size. The Saeco looks as though the block will hold a even temp even as a double cavity. The Lyman drops at .459-.460 with 20:1.
Brian

[carpetman]

bdoyle how does 457125 compare to 881? Well 457125 is 518.871 times bigger. Glad I could help.

[Timberlake]

bdoyle,

Depends on which Lyman you compare the Saeco 881 to. Lyman 457125's come in many different sizes. I know, I have several.

I don't own a Saeco 881 but I borrowed one and cast several hundred bullets with it (thanks to Dean). The Saeco is the winner, hands down. Bullet quality is good and so is the casting consistency. I've got 700 cast that don't vary one grain in the lot. I'll a buying a Saeco soon! By the way, the NEI 1881 is a pretty fair bullet also, and being Aluminum, is less fatiguing to cast.

TL

[13Echo]

I've never used a Saeco mould but I do have a brand new Lyman 457125. It is a very good mould. I just cast my first set of bullets and was getting good ones almost immediately. Once I had cast the first 10 bullets in this brand new mould almost all were keepers with less than 1gr variance for 45 of the 50 with most falling less than +/- .4gr. The bullet is clean and smooth, and round, almost like a custom mould. I've heard only good things about Saeco, but I don't see how it could be better than this Lyman. Of course the Lyman Postel mould I have from 4years ago is not so good, with obvious tool marks, and .001 out of round. I hope the new mould is going to be the rule rather than the exception. YMMV

Jerry Liles

[bdoyle]

Timberlake, 13echo, thanks for the help. I guess I will have to sneak the Saeco in between some of these group buys. But I hadn't looked at NEI.

And a very special thank you to carpetman who reminded me of the mathematical aspects of our hobby :)!

Brian

[Buckshot]

.............Every Saeco mould I've bought has been superb. Not every Lyman mould I've bought has been so. I don't have either of the moulds you mentioned, but like 13 Echo I have the Lyman Postell and it just never seemed to drop a run of consistant boolits. I bought the Saeco #745 as a replacement, and as I said above it's a superb mould dropping a slug head and shoulders above the Lyman.

Maybe Jerry and my Postells came from the same run:D ? COme to think of it I also had a Lyman 40 cal 410gr Snover that was the absolute pits too. Maybe their blocks are just too small?

.............Buckshot

[bdoyle]

" Maybe their blocks are just too small?"

IMHO, there lies the problem. I have felt for a long time that if I could get Lyman designs in RCBS or Saeco blocks I would live a happier life.

Brian

[powderburnerr]

It seems that Saeco uses a different type of metal for their mould blocke and they always seem to work better .just my experiance ....Dean