Lube and sizer Recommendations

[TXCOONDOG]

Doing the PC, Allox and 45-45-10 thing. I'm not intersted in pan lubing but I'm considering buying a lube and sizer.

Any brand recommendations ?

Are there lubes that do not require a heater or should I just buy a heater and be done with it ?

Any recommendations for a lube ?

I'm currently loading for pistol calibers (9, 10/40, 38/357)but will start casting for a 300 Blackout, 45-70 in the future and who knows what else. I live in Texas where the weather is hot in the summer with mild winters. However, I'm a hunter and hunt all over and may be hunting in the winter where temps may be around 0.

Thanks in advance.

[lightman]

The Star is the fastest and most expensive. There are several mods to make it even faster. The Lyman, RCBS and Saeco all work well but are slower. There are dies that will size bullets using your loading press but I prefer a sizer. A heated base is nice. I have gone to one of the high temp lubes and the heated base is required for those type of lubes. There are lubes that don't require a heater. Check out the sticky on lubes for lots of info. There is not a wrong choice here as they all work fine. For the record, I have been using a Lyman for 40+ years, but I really want a Star or Magma unit.

[TXCOONDOG]

My goal is to buy once and prefer to get a machine that can size, GC and lube in one operation.

Just new territory and hoping to save some headaches.

[daloper]

Try to find a used Star sizer and order your dies from Lathesmith here on the forum. As for a heater I mounted mine on a sheet of aluminum that was 3\4 " thick and use a travel iron to heat it up to get the lube flowing. I monitor the temp at the base of the sizer and turn it off and on as when needed. I will look into getting a PID for it and then I can move it between the lube sizer and my casting pot. I am about 50 - 50 between lubing and PC. My brother prefers lubed over PC so I run some through the sizer for him.

[TXCOONDOG]

Are the dies, top punches, etc interchangeable between sizers ?

[LenH]

I have a RCBS & a Star. I use both for different applications. The Star is the fastest, but then again I ain't running a race.

The Star is a nose first push through Lube/Sizer. I bought on about 4 years ago and just added an air cylinder to it and I did it on the cheap by gathering the
parts needed for the conversion. I got a 25 watt oil pan heater and a lamp dimmer chord for the heater. I ty to do what I can myself and the air cylinder and heater
I was able to complete for about $70.

+1 for LaithSmith on the star dies. He does great work for a reasonable price.

[Larry Gibson]

A used Lyman 450 or a new 4500 is also a good bet. I have four 450s and use them quite often. My oldest I've had since '68 and it's sized, lubed and GC'd a bajillion cast bullets over the intervening 49 years. If I get another it will be a 4500.

If you get a new 4500 throw the Moly Lube away and use the alox lube. When done with that order some BAC from Lars (White Label...LsStuff.com....add on bottom of this forum) which will do very well for everything you mention. It does not require a heater unless you use it in a very cold garage/shop. If you begin to use cast bullets at higher velocity (above 2000 fps) the Lar's NRA 50/50 and 2500+ are my choice. Neither requires a heater.

Larry Gibson

[TXCOONDOG]

LenH,

I'm not running a race either as I reload for precision, learning, enjoyment, etc.

My only press is a single stage and a Redding (made in 70's) powder beam scale. I only own one powder measure and use it for range plinking pistol loads.

[gwpercle]

I've been using a Lyman 450 since 1973 with soft lubes. Perfectly happy with it.
Nothing has broken or leaked. With one cycle of the handle it lubes , sizes and seats gas checks.
You do have to learn how to properly adjust boolit depth and use the pressure handle...
A lot of people have trouble because they use too much pressure and/or don't have the depth adjusted correctly. I prefer soft lubes and believe heated lubes might cause some problems when too much pressure is applied. Learn to use it , there is a very fine line between just enough and too much pressure.
In my mind soft lubes work better....you never recover a fired boolit one with the lube groove still filled....I have found many filled with hard blue or red lube !
Gary

[Echo]

I have a Star and a couple of Lachmiller's (predecessor of the LAM), one set up for heat, the other nude, and have had Lyman's, but sold them on ebay, liked the Lachmillers better. LAM & Lyman use the same G/H/I dies. My recommendation - go on eBay and find a LAM for ~$80-90 delivered. They hardly wear out, so no issues there. G/H/I dies are also sometimes available in a size you need, but I think you should probably just check the cylinder throats and order a G/H pair a thousandths over the largest of the throats. And I use NRA loob exclusively...

[g17]

Lyman 45 and 4500 serve me well. Cabelas currently has the 4500 with heater on sale if it's a consideration.

[Beagle333]

Are the dies, top punches, etc interchangeable between sizers ?
Star dies, no.
Saeco dies, no.
But Lyman and RCBS dies will interchange.

[Cheshire Dave]

I have both Lyman and RCBS and prefer the RCBS. My Lyman is old though and the new ones are probably fine.

[dragon813gt]

Buy once, cry once and purchase a Star. Or buy a RCBS LAM. I can't recommend Lyman because of their lack of customer service. It really depends on your needs. A Star is the Cadillac and will size a lot of bullets fast. But I don't like them for pointy rifle bullets.

I will warn you, LAMs have a tendency to reproduce when you're not looking [emoji23]
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa39/dragon813gt/TimeToMakeAmmo/ACF6C248-CB0F-4700-AE81-1C3807FC5952.jpg (http://s198.photobucket.com/user/dragon813gt/media/TimeToMakeAmmo/ACF6C248-CB0F-4700-AE81-1C3807FC5952.jpg.html)

[FISH4BUGS]

My goal is to buy once and prefer to get a machine that can size, GC and lube in one operation.

Just new territory and hoping to save some headaches.

I know this has been said before, but the Star is the best way to go. I use Magma hard lube with a Midway heater, and I can do up to maybe 1000 rounds an hour if I really concentrate and go heads down and don't take breaks.
I do 380, 9mm, 38, 357 gc, 44 and 44 gc and 45 acp.....all in one step like you want. Shooting cast in machine guns eats up a lot of lead so productivity is important.
Placing gas checks on the bullets slows you down a bit but it is still far faster than any other way.
This is one piece of equipment that you should spend the money on.
Lots to learn on how to make it work but it is absolutely the best.
You will NOT regret it.

[MT Chambers]

For me there is only one choice, the Star, so don't start buying top punches for the other machines or sizing dies as you'll end up with a STAR.

[toallmy]

I think the amount of boollits you want to size and lube should be considered , there is a big difference in 100 at a time or a 1000 at a time . The push through sizing dies work fine with power coating , or pan lube and will seat a gas check to . I use a magma lubesizer for most of my sizing , but I want to do a bucket full at a time the dies run around 40 dollars . A lee sizing die is around 25 dollars , and I believe NOE makes one as well . I can't speak as to the Lyman , saeco , or RCBS because I have never used them , but they seem to have a lot of satisfied customers and sizing dies are to be found quite reasonable just a little slower in production , but that is not a bad thing . At times I find myself pan lubing or dipping a few just because I feel like it , but I have not regretted the magma lubesizer at all .

[bobthenailer]

IMO if you shoot enough to use a semi progressive press to reload then you need a Star/ magnma sizer
Over the years ive owned a lyman 45 and 450 , two Saecos and a RCBS got rid of them all about 25 + years ago I now have 2 Star's ,

I have let a few casting buddies who had previously been using Lyman, Saeco & RCBS l/s, use my star and the all bought stars after using mine.

[dverna]

Quantity needed and productivity desired are factors. All the machines work and do not require an advanced degree in engineering to adjust and operate. So far I have mainly lubed/sized pistol bullets so all my experience is with the Star and nothing will top it.

I have two Lyman 45's for some rifle bullet work if I ever get around to it. I did not want to have to do a die and/or lube change on the Star for a couple of hundred rifle bullets at a time.

[TXCOONDOG]

My son-n-law has a progressive press and lives 12 miles from me so the Star makes the most sense.

Thanks All.

[lightman]

Thats not a bad choice. There is a little bit of a learning curve to setting it up, but its not rocket science. I think you'll be pleased.