Lyman 450 Question???

[Whitespider]

I am the new proud owner of a used Lyman 450 lube-sizer, purchased from billyb along with some sizing dies and top punches.

(Even though I posted a “Straight Shooter” I’ll take this opportunity to say dealing with billyb was a pleasurable experience, the 450 was clean, well packaged, included all the small parts, wrenches and shipped quickly.)

Of course, I wouldn’t have know if all the parts were included if the manual hadn’t also been included. You see, I’ve never even watched someone use a lube-sizer. billyb had disassembled the unit enough to fit the flat rate box and wrapped or bagged the pieced to protect them during shipping. I wouldn’t have had a clue how to assemble the bewildering array of weird looking pieces without the manual.

OK now the question. I’ve used some Lee push through dies, and I’ve opened them up with emery cloth to the diameter I required. I was thinking I could do the same with the Lyman dies, but they came with this sliding steel plunger inside that baffled me at first. But now that I’ve looked at how the 450 works I’m assuming the plunger is to keep lube from squirting out all over the place, as well as eject the bullet. So, how much can I open up the sizing die before I’ll have problems with this plunger/lube squirting?

Hope I don’t sound like some sort of idiot?

[DickK]

The answer is very simple. The lube flows through the sizing die, what Lyman calls the "H" die into the grooves of the boolit. The "I" die, the plunger, is the same diameter, actually a little less, that pushes the bullet up through the sizing die.

You don't want to change the size of the plunger relative to the sizing die, since they are really matched in size. If there is too much of a difference then lube will be all over the place

You really want to fine the correct size sizing die with its corresponding "plunger".

I hope this helps.

[454PB]

I've opened up Lyman/RCBS sizing dies .002" without a problem of undersized "I" plunger.

If you where using a heater, or a thin lube, it might be a problem, but not with 50/50 unheated.

I'd suggest that you measure the "I" plunger and see how it compares to the inner diameter of the sizing die. If it's .001" smaller, you will be OK. Any more than that may require a new "I" plunger.

[Kraschenbirn]

I've lapped a Lyman die out .001-.0015 without any appreciable lube leakage, even when using a heater with Jake's Ceresin Purple. The key is keeping the lube warm enough to flow without "running". I made my own heater set up and use an infrared thermometer (from Harbor Freight) to set the temperature.

Bill

[montana_charlie]

I'll relay this anecdote as 'background information' to help you decide how close the 'I' must fit the 'H'.

I bought a Lyman 459 size die because it is the biggest they make for .45's. Due to their manufacturing tolerances, it actually squeezed my bullets down to .458".

What I really had my heart set on was a die that would allow me to lube as-cast .460" bullets without sizing them down. That made the Lyman die totally unsuitable for me.
I elected not to open the die because I was worried about the fit of the pin becoming sloppy.

I contacted a member who makes 'custom stuff' and bought a .460 sizer from him. The interior was perfect, but I didn't like the shape of the top end of the 'I' pin, and it was too long.

Rather than reshape and shorten the pin made for the .460 die, I just inserted the one from the Lyman 459 die. (Remember...that pin fits in a die that is actually .458" inside, so it's diameter is only about .457.)

I am still using the ".457" pin because...
The cupped top shape is better at preventing lube under the bullet base.
It is short enough to use with long bullets in a Lyman #45.
The .457 pin actually fits closer in the .460 die than the custom pin which came with it.

So, it appears that three thousandths undersize will work well...if you go easy on the pressure.

CM

[dubber123]

Pretty much what the others have said. I have opened many .002" with no leakage, One I did open to .003" over, and it leaked a bit. I swapped in a pin that fit a little better and all was well.