Lyman/Ideal 310 help

[ktw]

I've had it in the back of my mind to pick up a 310 tool and dies some day for one or more of 30-30, 45 colt, 32 H&R, etc. I am aware of the 310 shop, but making the purchase hasn't been a high priority.

I'm on the road this week and one of the gun shops here in the town I'm staying in has a 'pile of old stuff' that includes a number of 310 dies sets, a couple of 310 handles and a Trueline Jr turret press. Not all of it is well labled or even priced.

I picked up what appears to be a packed in cosmoline, complete 5 die set plus shell holder for the 45 colt for $16.50. The owner wasn't in today and the sales guys wasn't up to dickering over the unpriced items. I'm interested in going back later this week for either the Trueline Jr or a set of the tong handles, possibly a two-die? 30-30 set.

I haven't had much luck tonight turning up a die set reference or 310 tool instructions on the internet. I was wondering if one of you might have a scanned copy. It would be a lot easier to evaluate what was there if I had some kind of reference showing me what a complete die set consisted of for the various calibers and what the functions of each die in the set was.

-ktw

[Swagerman]

ktw, I looked in past threads here on Lyman 310 dies, this might be a lead for you. This fellow seems to have a list on some of the old 310 dies.

Jim



Posts: 252 I have a short list

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Dan in NC

[woody1]

I've had it in the back of my mind to pick up a 310 tool and dies some day for one or more of 30-30, 45 colt, 32 H&R, etc. I am aware of the 310 shop, but making the purchase hasn't been a high priority.

I'm on the road this week and one of the gun shops here in the town I'm staying in has a 'pile of old stuff' that includes a number of 310 dies sets, a couple of 310 handles and a Trueline Jr turret press. Not all of it is well labled or even priced.

I picked up what appears to be a packed in cosmoline, complete 5 die set plus shell holder for the 45 colt for $16.50. The owner wasn't in today and the sales guys wasn't up to dickering over the unpriced items. I'm interested in going back later this week for either the Trueline Jr or a set of the tong handles, possibly a two-die? 30-30 set.

I haven't had much luck tonight turning up a die set reference or 310 tool instructions on the internet. I was wondering if one of you might have a scanned copy. It would be a lot easier to evaluate what was there if I had some kind of reference showing me what a complete die set consisted of for the various calibers and what the functions of each die in the set was.

-ktw
I have scans of the Ideal Quick Reference Chart. 2 pages. How do I get them to you? Regards, Woody

[woody1]

I've had it in the back of my mind to pick up a 310 tool and dies some day for one or more of 30-30, 45 colt, 32 H&R, etc. I am aware of the 310 shop, but making the purchase hasn't been a high priority.

I'm on the road this week and one of the gun shops here in the town I'm staying in has a 'pile of old stuff' that includes a number of 310 dies sets, a couple of 310 handles and a Trueline Jr turret press. Not all of it is well labled or even priced.

I picked up what appears to be a packed in cosmoline, complete 5 die set plus shell holder for the 45 colt for $16.50. The owner wasn't in today and the sales guys wasn't up to dickering over the unpriced items. I'm interested in going back later this week for either the Trueline Jr or a set of the tong handles, possibly a two-die? 30-30 set.

I haven't had much luck tonight turning up a die set reference or 310 tool instructions on the internet. I was wondering if one of you might have a scanned copy. It would be a lot easier to evaluate what was there if I had some kind of reference showing me what a complete die set consisted of for the various calibers and what the functions of each die in the set was.

-ktw
I have scans of the Ideal Quick Reference Chart. 2 pages. How do I get them to you? Regards, Woody

[ktw]

I have scans of the Ideal Quick Reference Chart. 2 pages. How do I get them to you? Regards, Woody

ktw at solaria dot sol dot net

I appreciate it.


And thanks for the reply swagerman. Unfortunately, that link does not work for me (access prohibited by YAHOO)

-ktw

[floodgate]

ktw:

...and I have a handy little cheat sheet from Lyman with instructions for use of the later 4-die set (which combines decapping and neck resizing in a single die, but the process is basically the same). PM me an s-mail address and I will make a copy and get it off to you tomorrow. (I'd offer to scan it, but with dial-up it takes forever to send, and the quality is poor.)

There's also a good writeup on the 310 tool, its history and operation in the 1995 14th Edition "Handloaders Digest", pp. 128-136, if you have a copy of that issue handy.

For the .45 Colt you will want the "small" handles with the shorter die-thread nozzle; the .30-30 will require the "large / long" handles with the longer nozzle. At those prices, get both sets of handles, and any the complete die sets for other cartridges you want to load for.

The Tru-Line Jr. press started out by using the 310 dies, but the later version with the two-piece linkage (a straight, blued metal link driving a second, L-shaped link on each side) used dies having full-length sizing capability for pistol cases and shorter rifle cases like the .222 family, the .22 Hornet, etc. They take a special shell-holder, but you can get an adapter from Lyman that takes RCBS-type ones. The priming system is pretty poor on these, but priming separately in the 310 tool gives you a chance to inspect and clean pockets as I prefer to do.

Doug Elliott / floodgate

[Four Fingers of Death]

I have two pairs of handles I picked up with 30/30 dies some years ago and a lagre set of handles with 45/70 dies I bought off someone on this board.

I also picked up a set of dies for the 38/357 magnum. Will these be useable with the handles that I use to load the 30/30?

PS, I love these tools.

They are easy to use, the dies are similar to the larger dies and the same principles apply to larger dies and presses.

Mick.

[ktw]

I have two pairs of handles I picked up with 30/30 dies some years ago

How many 310 dies consitute a full 30-30 set? I was assuming it was 4 or 5, depending on age, but given that it's a bottleneck cartridge I'm really not sure.

Not all of the sets I'm looking at are complete. Given the level of my knowledge of the 310 tools at this point it's kind of hard to tell what's missing and what's not.

-ktw

[woody1]

How many 310 dies consitute a full 30-30 set? I was assuming it was 4 or 5, depending on age, but given that it's a bottleneck cartridge I'm really not sure.

Not all of the sets I'm looking at are complete. Given the level of my knowledge of the 310 tools at this point it's kind of hard to tell what's missing and what's not.

-ktw
My 30-30 set has (1) decapper, (2) priming chamber (3) muzzle resizer [MR],(4) muzzle expander [M die type], and (5) DA [double adjustable] chamber. There's lots of die sets, later ones, that have the decapper and MR dies combined. There's also die sets that will say truline/310 that have no priming chamber, thus will be 3 die sets, ie MR/decapper + expander die + DA (seater). Almost forgot this...you'll also need an adapter die numbered (usually) the same as the priming die to adapt the handles to each different sized case. For 30-30 you'll need a number 6. Regards, Woody

[floodgate]

mick:

The whole subjest of 310 and Tru-Line Jr. dies and fittings is very complex; but for a quick answer, IF you have a little #1 screw-in adapter for the .38 / .357, and both of your handle sets are the "long" variety, you can trim the "nozzle" of one back about 3/8" until the pistol dies work OK. The "long" nozzle measures 1.425" from the inside of the handle to the outer end; the "shorts" mike 1.050". But try them first; isf the dies have long enough threads, you may get the pistol dies to work in the existing handle(s).

floodgate

[trooperdan]

As Floodgate said, he is 'da man" when it comes to this old Lyman stuff. Just wanted to add about the adapter needed for each caliber; it is the most often missing part of a set of 310 dies. It is nothing more than a small threaded ring that screws into the handles to guide the base of the case. You'll see the threaded recess in the handles where it sits. The number needed is the same as the number of the primeing adapter

[ktw]

What I currently have purchased:

1) 5 die 45 colt set with correct adapter ring ($16.50)
2) 4 die 257 Roberts set, with what I assume to be a correct shellholder (came with #3)
3) a used trueline jr (single toggle linkage) ($35)
4) box labled 30-30 die set containing 2 dies and a decapping pin assembly ($10). One of these appears to be a seater die for 30-30, I'm not sure what the other is yet - best guess from the references I have on hand are a seating die for 219 Zipper.

What's still there:

1) two usable 310 handle sets (dk gray, heavy) ($35 apiece)
2) Almost unused trueline Jr (double toggle linkage) ($65)
3) Die set boxes for 308 Win, 243 Win, 22 High Power, 38 Spcl - no guarantees on whats inside.
4) wide assortment of the pound in full-length sizing dies
5) good assortment of the adpater rings in 8-10 different sizes

I'm calling dibs on the second trueline but if there is anything else there that someone has been looking for for a long time, I should be able to make one more trip back there before the end of this week.

-ktw

[floodgate]

ktw:

My advice stands; see what he'll take for it all, and we can divvy it up here. PM coming.

floodgate

[trooperdan]

I'm kinda a 310 fan myself; I'd be willing to pitch in to help buy the whole lot. Don't know how we could divvy it up fairly though! :) Looks like I better check my 'stash and see what I "need" so I can make my want list!

[ktw]

I will go back sometime in the next couple of days and see what it will take to buy the whole lot. If it is 'reasonable" (i.e. a decent discount on the per piece prices) I will take the whole ball of wax.

I can front the deal, but I will be buying it under the assumption that some of you will be taking some of it off my hands (swap or cost plus shipping) and that I can move much of the un-needed remainder to someone like the 310 shop.

-ktw

[Four Fingers of Death]

Right! Thats what that piece is that I couldn't figure out, the adaptor. I have only had two tools previously that came with the dies, this is the first time that I have bought separate dies. Mick.

[DEVERS454]

I still use my old set of 310 dies for loading 44-40 with black powder.

I have my set for 357/38 that I use for "workup" loads where I don't need to full length resize. (although, I do have the FLR as well as M die and bullet sizer... COMPLETE SET!!! Wish I had one for 45lc)

My dad's tru-line Jr. is up at the cabin with 38 dies and a set of 30-30. He has a full lenght resizer for the 30-30 as well.