To buy one or the Other Lyman vs RCBS Lub sizer

[edctexas]

I need to get a lube-sizer and can decide between RCBS and Lyman. I have good luck with RCBS and their service has been good. But I hear that both lube-sizers have problems. Any suggestions?

[DeanWinchester]

RCBS
Hands down.

[Kevinakaq]

great read to start with -

http://www.castpics.net/subsite2/HowTo/Choosing%20a%20Sizer.pdf

[chsparkman]

I have both. In my experience, the Lyman is easier to use, since it is easier to access the lube reservoir and the ratchet is simpler to use than the RCBS T-handle. I have my RCBS set up for hard lube with an old Midway heater and two Lymans, one with Ben's Red and one with SPG. They all do an equally good job.

[Mike W1]

There seems to be a lot of fans of the old Lyman 45. I wasn't one of them! So I got the RCBS and never looked at the new Lyman's at the time so can't say about them. The only thing I didn't like on the LAM II was the sliding T handle but that's easily changed at little expense. Pretty sure I got this tip on this forum

Use a ¼” drive ½” 6 point socket with a slot cut in it to allow a bolt to go through the top of the luber screw and you can eliminate that annoying double ended ball to apply pressure. The ¼” drive socket wrench works much nicer. I cut the slot with a metal angle grinder. And you’re not messing with the factory setup. Think I paid $1.59 for the socket!

[engineer401]

I wasn't impressed with my Lyman 4500. It was sloppy. I bought a Star and never looked back. I would go with the RCBS as it isn't a 4500.

[chsparkman]

MikeW1 that's a great idea I'm going to try it.

[HangFireW8]

My first 4500 had top and bottom holes 1/4"out of alignment. This was right after the first election of Prez 44. I sent it back and they sent me another one that was "close enough". How the first one ever got made, let alone through QA is beyond me.

Well the first job of QA is really just to find an excuse to ship it. Using statistics comes in handy for hiding the realities of poor manufacturing.

[Mike W1]

There's a guy on Cast Bullet Assoc. has a LAM II for sale with a heater for I believe $145.

[Guesser]

I've used a 450 and a Lam I for 30 years. I sold off 2 Lyman 450's and replaced them with a new Lam II. The Lymans do the job but the RCBS is easier and stronger all round.
And when I went looking the RCBS was substantially cheeper than the 4500.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

I have five Lyman 450 sizers, three 45s, one ideal, one Cramer [SAECO] and one RCBS. If I could only keep one it would be the RCBS hands down. I actually prefer the Lyman 45 to the 450. The ram on the 450 wears out pretty fast, I only have one that is still wobble free. None of the 45s have that problem. I find it is much easier to change dies on the 45. It is easier to change dies on the RCBS than the 450. The SAECO is rugged and does a great job but the dies and top punches cost about twice as much. That is not a big problem if you only have one or two guns to make bullets for but most of us have many more than that.

[monadnock#5]

I have both a Lyman 450 and a RCBS LAM II. I like both. Hard lube in the 450, soft lube in the LAM II. The "real issue" for me is X amount of production over Y amount of time. One doesn't get me where I want to be any faster than the other, even using the sliding T handle. I'm gonna fix it anyway, just because. Thanks Mike.