Lubrisizer - unofficial poll

[Bjornb]

I would be interested in knowing, from those of our members who are ONLY panlubing and/or tumble-lubing (i.e. who don’t own a lubrisizer of any kind) the following: if you were to acquire a lube sizer, which brand would you prefer? And secondly, which caliber would you set it up for initially? Now, before y’all start wondering why I’m asking these strange questions, let me assure you that there’s a method to my madness. There may be some surplus reloading equipment (in excellent condition) becoming available for deserving members, and I’m trying to get a handle on what the needs are for a lube sizer amongst the boliteers. Thank you for your time.

[Magana559]

I personally would go with a RCBS LAM because RCBS is located here in California and they have great customer service.
As for the sizing die, I would like a .358 because I love plinking with the 357.
The next would be a .311 for my 30 cals.

[zidave]

I'm only familiar with the Lyman models so I would probably say the 45 or 450.

The primary caliber I would be sizing for is 7.62x54r. .311 to be exact

[woodsxdragon]

Not familiar with any models. I'm just tumbling my stuff now. If I had one is probably go with something in 45. That's the reason I started casting and reloading. To feed my black hawk and 1911.

[Baryngyl]

Not familiar with any models. I'm just tumbling my stuff now.

This is me also, the only ones I really know a bit about is the LEE push thru as I have looked at maybe getting some of them.
I need to eventually get sizers of one type or another in .224, .285, .308/.309, .429/.430 and .458/.459


Michael Grace

[Lead Fred]

Im a cheap skate, only pan lubed rifle and tumble lubed pistol here

[brstevns]

Been using the Lee alox lube for years. Shooting unsized cast but if I were get Lee sizer dies I would get a .358 die and a .452 die. From what I read I would choose RCBS or Lyman because they use the same sizer dies

[starmac]

I haven't tried any lubrisizer as of yet, but I suspect any of them is better than pan lubing. I still need to pickup a 225 lee push thru, to round out what I have so far.

[Old Scribe]

Not familiar with any models. I'm just tumbling my stuff now.

I don't cast that many boolets at a given time, and like Lee Alox - works for me for now.

[plmitch]

I pan lube what ever needs lubing for the most part, don't care for tumble lube. Taught my granddaughters how to do so also.

[Trelan]

So far on my quest for casting boolits, I have only tumble lubed. A Lyman 450 or 4500 would be a great addition to a casting bench. So far I have been working with .452 for my 1873 Colt and Ruger P-90

[Outpost75]

Anything I can't tumble or pan lube goes through the Star. Two sets of dies for the Star, .358 and .452, for .38 Spl.and .45 ACP

[Minerat]

I pan lube so far and have a Lee push through sizer for my 41 mag. If money was not a consideration I'd probably go for a Star with a 0.453 or a 0. 311 to start other wise a Lyman 4500 or 450.

[Outdoors]

Recently got my first luber/sizer, so my thought may be helpful.
I got a lyman 450 for the following reasons. Commonly available, and relatively inexpensive. Easy to rebuild and parts are still available, plus it can share dies with the RCBS (which would also be a fine machine). I've rebuilt mine but not got it into production yet- still need appropriate dies.

First dies to set up for - 358 for 38/357, them a 30 (.311 and .314). I intent to do some flat nosing and bumping in it when I am all set up. Those dies should let me run all of my 38 options, flatten some heavier rn bullets for 30-30, and bump up noses for my enfields.

Pat

[sparky45]

I have NEVER pan lubed; personally can't stand the mess of "traditional" lubes. I have Lee push through sizers; Lyman 4500; and a Star. I now only use the Star and a couple of the Lee push through sizers cause I ONLY PC my cast. No need for that messy crud in my dies, on my hands/clothes or in my Star. I have Lee push through sizers in .355; .356 and for the Star I have .358; .429; .451 and .452 they meet almost all my needs. 4500 is probably going to go out the door.

[Jtarm]

The primary caliber I would be sizing for is 7.62x54r. .311 to be exact

.311 sounds a bit small if you're casting for a Russian 91/30. Russian rifles generally like.312 to .314, though they do vary considerably. Plus I think I heard the Finnish guns are pretty tight.

Someone mentioned needing a lubrisizer. The only advantage I see is speed. I am still of the belief that nose-first is the way to go for accuracy, especially for rifle bullets, but I have no evidence to base that on.

Like others said, if money were no object, I'd own a Star.

[DeanWinchester]

For many years and thousands upon thousands of rounds, I pan lubed. Too cheap and too stubborn to do otherwise. Just this last few months I've picked up an RCBS LAM and a Lyman 450. I will never go back. I set the RCBS up to do my .308 and I won't be monkeying with it. My 450 is for everything else. I've only done a few hundred so far but I get embarrassed and ashamed that I never got one these things before! Difference is night and day.

[TenTea]

Going old school tried and true...
Decided on a Lyman 45 which is currently in transit.
Have been pan and tumble lubing several years along with using Lee sizing dies.
Will set it up to size 358, 452, 454 with top punches 460 & 495.
Looking forward to all the initial set up stuff including clean and refurbish of the old Lyman once it arrives.

[jmort]

I am sticking with pan lubing for certain rifle boolits and tumble lubing for handgun. Want to try dry tumble PC. There is always something faster/"better." I enjoy the whole process. Getting a 1050, motorizing it and using jacketed bullets would save even more time than most anything short of buying ammunition. Yes, lubrisizers are time savers, but that does not mean pan lubing is foolish.I don't need another contraption. No thanks, I will just take my time and enjoy the process. But I "get it" that a motorized 1050 or a Star lubrisizer are really cool. Just not my style.

[dale2242]

I am very satisfied with my RCBS lube/sizer.
I have used it on tens of thousands of boolits.
The interchangeability of the RCBS/Lyman dies and top punches is a great feature....dale

[twc1964]

I have never used a lubrisizer as i have been casting for about 3 months. i have been using 45-45-10 for the few i have loaded so far. i have been looking at the rcbs and older lyman 45 for a while to get a really good deal but usually they pop up when the bills are due. sizers i would need to buy are .452 and .358. .452 For now because that's my only mold for now.

[waltherboy4040]

Been looking at the rcbs and lyman both seem good. Tumble lubing with 45 45 10 seems to work in 9mm and 40sw so far.

[BrassMagnet]

Does this thread give you any ideas?

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?242412-Auction-Lyman-45-w-Punches-amp-Dies&highlight=

[500MAG]

I would say most of us started out the same way. I tumble lubed for many years and never had any issues regardless if they were tumble lube boolits or not. Heck, I didn't even size them when I was only loading 357 & 44. I then purchased the Lyman 450. I love reloading but I hate lubing. Once I started PC'ing I didn't turn back. If it weren't for .223 I probably wouldn't use traditional lube any longer.

[BrassMagnet]

I am still of the belief that nose-first is the way to go for accuracy, especially for rifle bullets, but I have no evidence to base that on.

Like others said, if money were no object, I'd own a Star.

There is no nose-first option with the Lyman or RCBS. It is also my understanding that the Lyman and RCBS are more messy than usual if you use a bevel base boolit.
I use the Star. My Lyman is only the backup plan.
I believe base first gives more accurate boolits. For base first to work well, the nose punch must be a good fit.
For accuracy, a little damage to the nose of the boolit is not a serious problem for most bullets.
If you are using a jacketed bullet with the nylon tip and damage the tip don't expect any accuracy at all.
If you damage the base of any bullet don't expect any accuracy at all.
If you use a Star and don't have a top punch which fits correctly, then a nose first die is a good option to allow you to size and lube them.
I believe some bullet designs are inherently inaccurate and I refuse to cast any more of them or purchase any more moulds in that style. Experiments with accuracy in them have been inconclusive on why they are inaccurate. No defects were found with weighing, visually inspecting, measuring with a micrometer for roundness, or any other inspection technique which was tried. The boolits were truncated cone design 9MM boolits. Most would shoot straight, but some were wild flyers and when fired at longer ranges were clearly tumbling.

[Cag40Navy]

It looks like Brass is giving away a lubesizer.... Hmm....

[Remmy4477]

I've seen a few Lymans here and there. Never owned or used one!! Just one of those "extras" that is out of my budget! They make a sizer in .442 ?

[BrassMagnet]

It looks like Brass is giving away a lubesizer.... Hmm....

Hmm....

Yes.

More details in a week or two!

Like my buddy George says, "I have a few good leads!"

[dragon813gt]

I never bothered w/ pan lubing. I just saw the mess and wasted time so I started w/ tumble lubing and Lee push through sizers. I still use them for something like a hollowbase wadcutter because of the speed and because of the following. I eventually upgraded to a RCBS LAM1. I currently have two of them and they are set up for different lubes. But they have one major issue. They will fill the hollow base of a wadcutter w/ lube. I could flip them around but you have to run them deep and to much of a chance for skirt damage. I recently purchased a Star w/ all the options. The plan is to semiautomate it w/ air so I don't have to pull the handle anymore. The LAMs destroy my elbows for some reason. Fortunately life, in the form of a newborn son, has gotten in the way of the automation plans so I'm still pulling the handle on the LAMs when I have a few spare minutes. Well that's my plan as I currently have no free time.

[BrassMagnet]

I never bothered w/ pan lubing. I just saw the mess and wasted time so I started w/ tumble lubing and Lee push through sizers. I still use them for something like a hollowbase wadcutter because of the speed and because of the following. I eventually upgraded to a RCBS LAM1. I currently have two of them and they are set up for different lubes. But they have one major issue. They will fill the hollow base of a wadcutter w/ lube. I could flip them around but you have to run them deep and to much of a chance for skirt damage. I recently purchased a Star w/ all the options. The plan is to semiautomate it w/ air so I don't have to pull the handle anymore. The LAMs destroy my elbows for some reason. Fortunately life, in the form of a newborn son, has gotten in the way of the automation plans so I'm still pulling the handle on the LAMs when I have a few spare minutes. Well that's my plan as I currently have no free time.

I tend to believe that "cranking the handle" with air or hydraulics can be dangerous.

So:
1. Get an air cylinder to put constant pressure on your lube. It doesn't "use" air, so once it is pressurized it will stay pressurized until the lube stick runs out.
2. Get a roller handle! That "file handle" is hard on your hand!
3. Use an adjustable heater for your lube. I heat hot lube or cold lube because it takes less force to lube your boolits!

[dragon813gt]

Many things are dangerous. I work on industrial steam boilers, which are bombs, everyday. Using pneumatics to run a star is simple so I'm not worried in the least.

[Pb Burner]

I'm a fairly new caster. Have been using 45-45-10 so far, it works, hand guns only so far. I will getting a lube sizer some day, probably RCBS. A Star would be the berrys, but will probably be outta my price range. Since the tumble lube is working so far, will probably buy more molds before I get a lube sizer.

[jeepyj]

I'm old school. I've been running a lyman 45 for years. My big breakthrough was when I started using a heater. For me if I let it warm for a half hour before I start lubing I can go through a hefty
pile of boolits in an evening. A while back I found a spair 45 for short money so I decided to pick up for "just in case". Last week I found a 450 for even shorter money so I added it to the pile. I would like to pick up an extra heater and then I'd leave one set for 358 since I shoot 75% of that diameter then swap the other between the 44 and 45. Btw I've never tried pan lubing.
jeepyj

[BrassMagnet]

Hmm....

Yes.

More details in a week or two!

Like my buddy George says, "I have a few good leads!"

Isn't anyone paying attention?
I thought Baryngyl (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/member.php?10037-Baryngyl) would for sure!

[rmatchell]

I think George is up to something again, better keep an eye out for him.

[Baryngyl]

I been watching this thread as people post more to it.

BrassMagnet, I saw your post about an update in a week or 2, was waiting for it to see what you had to say. I just went and read the thread again that you posted the link to, looks like you were the winner and are going to do your special event (whatever exactly it ends up being).



Michael Grace

[Bjornb]

The Magnet works in mysterious ways........but the outcome is usually good!!

[jmort]

There is no mystery, like the confederate General Forrest, he gets there firstist with the mostest.

[BrassMagnet]

I think George is up to something again, better keep an eye out for him.


I think George beat me to it. The sizer is gone. I can't find it anywhere. I might be missing more, too. Likely sizing dies and top punches.

[rmatchell]

Look like we better set some traps again.

108370

[shooterbob]

Well I haven't done any lubing yet. I've been having to buy cast boolits. I've got my smelter ready to start but I don't know what I'm doing enough yet to trust myself lol. I also just found a scrap yard for lead finally. I haven't even bought a mold yet so I'm a bit premature I guess.

[multigunner76]

Ive stayed away from lube sizers for now. Need to read and learn more about them. Ive been casting the TL boolits for a while and seem to have good results. I have used another Lee mold that I have and tried the pan lube method. It worked ok but just takes too much time that I dont have right now. For me its easier to just order the Bayou Bullets and use them. I can never get enough cash togather to buy a sizer and dies. Maybe one day I will buy a lube sizer but its not in any near plans.

[GhostHawk]

I'm casting and sizing with Lee push through sizer, I'm actually running each bullet through the sizer twice, first to size and put on gas check, second trip to remove excess lube.

Time for me is not an issue, I have hours to fill.

Once I got my lube right everything started working.

[Cowboy_Dan]

Just getting started myself. I was thinking starting out with the Lee sizers, but if money wasn't so tight, I would go with the RCBS for their customer service. Probabl start with sizers in .314, .430, and .459.

[shoot-n-lead]

I only tumble lube and don't foresee my going to a lubrisizer as what I do now works well for me.