Lyman 4500 Lube-A-matic

[Rockchucker]

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=458891

I'm thinking about ordering this lube a matic, and other than the lube and dies is there other parts needed?

What do you think of this press compared to others, and will I need the heater. I live in the panhandle where it's always hot in the summer and cool in the winters.

Rockchucker

[wallenba]

First, consider getting the 4500 with the heater, for harder lubes and cold weather it is a must, for Florida maybe not. (I lived in the panhandle, Tyndall AFB 1960-1963) It is a little more but worth it. Second, order extra sticks of lube as filling the passages to the die will use a lot of a stick. Third, you will need top punches to match the style of bullet noses you are lubing, visit Lymans web site, find: bullet casting-then lube/sizer equipment- then top punches, also I think there is a sticky here somewhere listing all. The heated unit is in stock at Graf & son.

P.S. If you go to the other post here about 'warming rcbs lube-a-matic' you will see a few of those guys are in the sun belt too, something to think about.

[462]

Better, still, Lyman has a kit that includes the 4500, a gas check seater, ladle, ingot mould, and furnace for about $140/$150. Also included is a stick of their moly lube -- throw it away -- it is messy to work with. Check with MidwayUSA and MidSouth.

I don't have a heater, but it's probably worth having. I clamp a low-wattage lamp next to the reservoir, when needed.

[Rockchucker]

Is there a chart anywhere that shows all the top punches for the different boolit shapes, and what would a good lube to start out with? If I do order this luber I'll have several Lee sizer dies for sell.

[wallenba]

Ditto on the moly lube 462, unless you want to save it to lube some bicycle chains or garage door openers.

Just kiddin, not that soft!

[wallenba]

Found that list, http://www.castpics.net/ go to the side bar for top punches.

[Rockchucker]

Thanks for all the replys, I've have ordered the 4500 from Graft & Sons w/heater, Now I'm trying to locate all the dies and punches to go with it.

Hey wallenba, I live in Callaway, Florida. not far from where you lived. Small world.

[madman]

1 plus fro what 462 said with one addition there newest Lyman manual is also included. I purchased the same kit from Cabelas for 125.00 + tax a couple of months ago on sale.

[jimkim]

Here's the link to Madman's kit. http://www.cabelas.com/prod-1/0012555210657a.shtml It has gone up a little, but it's still a good deal.

[AZ-Stew]

Sorry I didn't see this earlier.

I've been at this casting business for about 35 years and I've never had a need for a heater for my Lyman #45 lube/sizer. Yes, I've been in Arizona for 25 of those years, but the heat here has nothing to do with it. My casting and sizing is done indoors in an air conditioned room. With the exception of a few years when I had to work in the garage, this has always been so, regardless of whare I lived.

I'm not familiar with most of the home-brewed lubes the guys here use. I've always used 50/50 Alox/beeswax and have been satisfied with its performance. It is a relatively soft lube that does not need a heater. I would think it would be a really runny disaster if used with a heater.

The commercial casters use some very hard lubes that approach the hardness of parafin wax. These lubes require a heater. In my opinion, they offer no advantage over 50/50, except that they survive the handling inherent in the commercial bullet business. As far as performance in shooting, I see no difference.

Bottom line, if you use soft lubes you could have saved the price of the heater and bought a couple more die sets.

Regards,

Stew

[462]

How did I forget the casting handbook? Good reading, a handy reference, and another reloading manual, all in one.

[JIMinPHX]

The Moly lube that comes in that kit is actually a very good lube, from a lubrication standpoint. I've managed to get gas checked boolits up over 3,000fps with no leading using that Moly lube. Unfortunately, like others have said, it is a mess to work with. It also dries out & shrinks if you leave lubed boolits out in the open for too long (days). On the up side you don't need a heater for it, even if you lube in a 50 degree room.

So far, I've gotten away with not having a heater on my luber. When I run a hard lube, I just wave the propane torch over the gizmo a few times until it gets warm & then I start running boolits through it. I normally don't do more than about 200 boolits at a time & that just doesn't take up enough time for the thing to cool down.

[Rockchucker]

I know most folks here make their own lube, but being new to the Lyman 4500 lube sizer I bought a couple tubes of the Lyman orange magic so I could get started faster. Question, Is this lube ok until I can get into making my own?

[wallenba]

I use Orange Magic, it works good, very little smoke, no leading in my low velocity loads, and it has a high melting point, but is a smidge hard. Plus it smells good, and can be used indoors. Some give off bad fumes.