SAECO Luber/sizer value...?

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

what is a really clean one worth these days?

Rich

[Le Loup Solitaire]

Probably a hundred dollars-maybe a little more even if used. Worth it! Redding is selling the new ones for a lot more than that. I have two of them: one is 25 yars old -black crinkle finish and the other is around 10 -redding green. They're fine machines and just go forever. The only little pain is that one has to use the saeco nose punches which are the screw-in type-so no interchangeability, (and they ain't cheap) with RCBS or Lyman. I got around that by having a machinist friend build me an adapter.

[creekwalker]

Yep, really clean ones are going in the $100.00 + range on evil bay. Ditto on the Saeco dies and nose punches being more expensive than RCBS or Lyman. Still and all I like the Saeco for rifle bullets.

Creekwalker

[45nut]

I got around that by having a machinist friend build me an adapter.

can you post a pic of the adapter?

[Calamity Jake]

"I got around that by having a machinist friend build me an adapter."

So have your machinets firend make you an adapter for the Saeco to take RCBS/Lyman TP's!
I did for mine.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

I would do that but I have just about all of my household goods and loading shop in temporary storage while my new home is being built. Essentially it is a short cylinder shaped device about 7/8' long with two stages. The smaller diameter end is threaded for the upper member of the saeco sizer( I forget the exact thread size but it is a standard one) and next there is a slightly larger ring about 1/16" thick to act as a stop for it.The larger portion is about 5/16" thick and 3/8" long and is counterbored on the bottom to accept the shanks of the RCBS/Lyman top punches. About half way up this larger portion is a hole drilled and tapped for what I believe is a 8x32 very short screw which holds the shanks of the RCBS/Lyman punches in place. Its no great invention and anyone having some metal lathe savvy can form one without too much time or trouble. It works well especially with pistol boolits, but if the gizmo is made too long then it is difficult to get long rifle boolits in under it when the non Saeco punches are in place.. Hope that this helps.

[twidget]

Here is one I made:

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb217/twidget47/Saecoadapter1.jpg

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb217/twidget47/Saecoadapter2.jpg

I had a Saeco top punch that I didn't need so it was sacrificed to make the adapter. I used a drill press to and a 17/64th bit to drill the recess for the Lyman stem, and a hacksaw and file to make it shorter. With a bit of careful work the hole was centered and straight. If you try this be careful not to go too deep - the diameter at the bottom of the threads is about the same size as the drill bit. It's longer than a Saeco punch, but it works with a Lyman 311291. It could be made shorter by shortening the Lyman punch stem. I use a dab of bullet lube to hold it together. The threads are 5/16-18, a common size.