Newbie RCBS LAM II issues...

[WildcatFan]

I've installed the die and punch, and adjusted according to the instructions. However, there's resistance when I try to pull the handle down. I don't have to pan lube these first, do I?

.309" for my 30-30.

[Airman Basic]

There is going to be some resistance, depending on how much your boolit is sized. 2 or 3 thousandths, okay, more than that, getting harder. Hit it with a little WD40, if it makes you feel better.

[Wayne Smith]

Are you seating a gas check? If so this causes a little initial resistance as it crimps onto the boolit.

[WildcatFan]

No gas check. Y'all don't have to tumble lube first do you? Reason I ask is that the instructions tell me to hand lube a bullet first.

[WildcatFan]

It was hard to pull the bullet up, too. I don't think it went all the way down into the die

[Airman Basic]

Did the boolit get lubed? Enough pressure on the reservoir? If not, push the sized boolit back in and get some lube going. The rest will be easier.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

The first boolit should be lubed, when the Die is brand new, or if you clean the die of all lube residue. you can just smear some lube into the die also.

[WildcatFan]

Ok, so I went back out and plunged the bullet all the way down. It was really hard to get it back up. No lube added yet. I'll get that going next. I don't really wanna use the lube RCBS sends with the LAM, but it's all I have.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Getting some Lube residue inside the die will make all the difference in the world.

[Elkins45]

Getting some Lube residue inside the die will make all the difference in the world.

^^^This. I didn't do this with a brand new sizing die once. Once. I was seriously afraid I was going to have to remove the die and pound out the rod with a punch and a hammer. That rust preventative they coat the dies with has ZERO lubricating properties.

[10mmShooter]

once you are statisfied the LAM and dies have some lubrication, just a note I find that I have different bullet types that are more difficult to "pop" out on the upstroke. An example is my .358 die that I size my 158g Keith SWC, always a bit of extra resistance on the upstroke, on the other hand my .429 die for the same design in my 255g .44 Keith SWC always comes out easily.

Just a word of caution, I keep my Lyman 4500 well oiled at all times.....but you be cautious to NOT let any of your oil or grease from the ram, run or drip into your sizing die....the oil will transfer to your cast bullet and then when you go to reload it you will have an oilly bullet in contact with the powder charge.

I'm very picky about my finger tips with sizing/lubing to make sure you don't pick up any oil and transfer it to your cast bullets.

[detox]

Harder alloys can be difficult to size, especially if sizing .002 and over. I first run all bullets thru the Lee sizer, then lube in the RCBS lubrisizer.

[Land Owner]

Your difficulty may be how much torque has been put on the twin "Tri-loc" nuts on either side of the Handle Link Pin.

See the next-to-last page in http://www.rcbs.com/downloads/instructions/LubeAMatic_2_Instructions.pdf for the location of these nuts and untighten one of them 1/8th of a turn with a 7/16" wrench and you should be good to go.

I am trying to keep mine tight enough that the handle doesn't fall on its own and whack me in the knuckles - again. Double nutting for me is the way forward I think, or purchasing new tri-lock nuts...