Lyman Crusher II

[DHORNE]

Need a new press and I'm looking at the Lyman Crusher II, I will be loading mostly handgun but some rifle. Looking for the pro's and con's for this press, all input is appreciated.

[RobS]

The Lyman is a good press as I have a friend who has the exact one you are looking at. Having seen it and owning the Lee Classic Cast I prefer the Lee press. It is less expensive, built like a tank and every bit as sturdy as the Lyman. I also like the way Lee designed the ram as the primers drop straight through and into a tub instead how the RCBS and Lyman presses catch them in a tray. I reload mostly rifle on it and it has no problems with loading my longest case, the 375 H&H.

Here is a link that you can look at and check out the reviews.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=317831

[Lloyd Smale]

My first press was an orange crusher and it served me well for many years imo its every bit as good as a rock chucker.

[jlchucker]

Most of the time I pretty much agree with Lloyd's posts, but not this time. I had a Crusher II for a while, and wasn't impressed at all. I even had to send it back to Lyman once. When the Lee Classic Cast press came out I bought one, and have used it ever since. The Crusher II went (cheap) in a yard sale. That Lee Classic Cast press, to me anyway, is every bit as rugged as the Rockchuckers that some of my friends have. My Lyman had a habit of breaking linkage bolts, among other problems. Lloyd apparently got a better Lyman than the one I ended up with.

[winelover]

Buy a RCBS because they will stand behind their products---NO QUESTIONS ASKED! The linkage went bad on my Orange Crusher in no time at all. Sent it in to Lyman and it came back with over travel in the ram. I'm thru with Lyman products for the most part. My inexpensive RCBS JR 3 is a much better press than the more expensive Lyman and has loaded many more rounds.

Winelover

[Le Loup Solitaire]

The lyman, if you get one that isn't defective, will get the job done, but you will have to deal with spent primers bouncing out of that clumsy kangaroo pocket that they hang in front of the press and gets in the way. I gave a real older model that has no shift linkage and it works real well for me when I use it. RCBS makes good presses and they stand solidly behind what they make, but again they have the same type of primer catching system as the Lyman...with the same results-you have to empty it often and primers bounce out onto the floor. When I went shopping for another single stage I took a gamble on the Lee and was so pleased with it that I bought a second one. It is every bit as rugged as the others and you can adjust the handle, left or right handed, shorten its length/stroke and start-stop swing positioning. The spent primers you never see...they go down thru the ram into a tube that holds an awful lot of them or it can empty into a beverage can on the floor. Comes with an unconditional 2 year guarantee, but I can't understand how anyone can break one just doing regular loading operations. I have case formed on mine without any problem. I don't swage so can't speak for that. It has a good auto primer feed system available as an accessory, but the one that comes with the unit works real well. The price is reasonable too. LLS

[hickstick_10]

I have a crusher 2 and have no complaints, in fact I learned reloading on a borrowed rock chucker and prefer the lyman to it just for the fact that the lyman has one extra bolt hole at the back of the frame (RCBS press only had bolt holes an eather side).

Makes for a much more rigid setup.

[DHORNE]

I had a Lee press for years and was pleased with it but wanted opinions on the newer pressess.

Thanks for the input, still researching different pressess. :smile:

[John Guedry]

I have the Crusher II and am well satisfied with it.

[RobS]

I had a Lee press for years and was pleased with it but wanted opinions on the newer pressess.

Thanks for the input, still researching different pressess. :smile:

The press you are looking into is a good press should it come to you with no faults. You mentioned that you had a Lee press for years............which press did you own as their Classic Cast has not been out for but a few years now. The cast iron press is night and day difference between their cheaper aluminum presses.

[DHORNE]

I have had a Lee turrett press for about 20 years, it has been well used and has become worn. With the newer pressess out there I wanted to see what I could find out before I spend the money for hopefully another 20 year press.