Lyman 310/TrulineJr die help please.

Hello all. I receved a Trueline Jr press from my dad when he passed away last spring. Im trying to A) see what dies I need, and B) what dies I have. I have read the charts, but a lot of it makes no sence to me. OK, to start, Im going to be loading 38spc/357mag on it. Does anyone know what dies I should be looking for? What numbers will be on them? OK, so next I have a few dies that came with it. I have a decaping/resize die that is marked 218-B-CMR and a die that looks like a bullet seater, and maybe a crimp die that has 218-B-DA on it. I also have a bullet seeting/crimp die that has most of the number worn off. I do see that the ending number is 38.. so im hoping thats for 38/357. Any help will be great!! Thanks.

Paul

I am not an expert by any means, but this should help some with die identification: http://www.castpics.net/subsite/Lyman310/default.html . You will also need J style shell holders.

Yes I have the shell holders. I have a one that my 38's slide right into, and a bigger one that was probably for 45acp. I checked out link, but doesnt realy list the numbers Im reading off the dies.

Thanks for the reply!

You have the Combination Muzzle Resizer, which resizes and decaps in one operation, and the Double Adjustable bullet seating chamber, which seats any style of bullet to any depth, for the .218 Bee. If you have "J" shellholder #10, you are all set to reload the .218 Bee with jacketed bullets. If you have the expander die "S" with expander plug "225" you can load cast boolits. Run the case in deep enough so the shell is slightly belled.

For the .38 or .357, you need the combination muzzle resizer die, which should be marked "38SP" or 38-357," double adjustable seating chamber #95 and "J" shell holder #1 (or, if your cases have large primers, #3). You also need the expander die "SPS" with an expander plug marked "358."

AWESOME!! Thanks for the info!! Well I have zero use for the .218Bee stuff, so I will have to see what holder I have.

OK I have a expander die, and I can almost make out a 35* [*cant see..but could be a 8] a space and a 38... its all scrached up from plyers, so cant make out more... the plug in it is marked 311.

OK.. so one more thing.. I will be reloading 22Jet also. I have the three die set for that, but wondering if that will use the same shell holder as the 38/357? Im guessing so, becouse its based on the same case.

Your "expander die" is more likely a seating die with the bullet seating punch set to match the standard .38 roundnose bullet 358311. The seater die should support the cartridge case and guide the bullet into it. An expander die is hollow inside (doesn't touch the case at all) with a thicker plug with the diameter to which the plug will expand and bell the inside of the case.

Your .38 shell holder will work with the .22 Jet. And you shouldn't have any trouble trading those .218 Bee dies for a .38/357 set.

Thanks! Well just so happands that dads casting stuff I got included a Lyman 358311 mold!!! Its all coming together!

So I had a second to check out the shell holder. On the top I saw a "1" but there were scratches next to it so I can't tell if its followed by a "0" making it a 1 or a 10. I did not have a chance to pull it and really study it though. A jet case fit it... but I have no idea what a .218 bee is, so that might mean nothing

S1120, check out some of the older threads in this forum concerning the Tru-line Jr's lots of good information about this nice little press.

You can also obtain from Lyman a J to X shell holder conversion, that allows you to use the more common modern shell holders on the TL Jr. They also sell priming post that will function with the conversion holder.

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Originally Posted by 44Vaquero

S1120, check out some of the older threads in this forum concerning the Tru-line Jr's lots of good information about this nice little press.

You can also obtain from Lyman a J to X shell holder conversion, that allows you to use the more common modern shell holders on the TL Jr. They also sell priming post that will function with the conversion holder.

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Thanks. I have done some searching, and searching for info on the TLJr is what brought me here. Seems to be more info here on this little press then anywere. And the members are pretty kind, and helpfull. Without that.. "Ingnore the newbee" attatude of some of the other gun boards!

So other then the J style holders being hard to find, is there any advantege to going with the adapter, and new style holder?? By the time I get the adapter, the holder, and the primer rod I would be over the price of the J holder. Granted, Im looking for a common one, and if you had some odd ball cartege you were loading for I could see..

So Im on the hunt!! Ill put the Bee dies up for sale when Ive been here for a bit. Have some time, and posts here so you all know Im not a jerk. :)

No, there really is not an advantage between j and x shell holders other then availability. Some people will say that the conversion holder eats up space for reloading longer cartridges, since I only reload pistol calibers on my True Line Jr its not an issue.

Truth is while I enjoyed playing around with the 310 style dies, I have switched the press over to a 7/8 x 14 plate and use it regularly for my low volume pistol calibers.

How does that plate work for you? I have one 38/357 normal style decap resize die, and was tossing around getting one hole drilled and tapped for it. If I need to use 4 310 size I can always get a adapter.. Do the plates swap easy? I could get one setup with normal dies for 38/357. and one set up for Jet, and swap.

Well I lucked out. the shell holder in the press was a #1 !!!! So Im now set for my Jet, and just need to pick up 38/357 dies, and they should be easy enough to find.

From a strictly cost based stand point, the plate is expensive. I already had everything else and only a few 310 dies so it made sense for me to get one. For you drilling/tapping one hole may be a better choice.

Swapping them out only takes 5 mins and a wrench. One thing to remember about this press is it is small. When you set up your dies make sure that the shell holder does not come in contact with the die body at the top of its travel. At cam over the press exerts a great deal of pressure and repeatedly slamming into the die can crack the press.