Lyman 55

[Willbird]

I'm curious about the knocker. Do you have to use both hands to operate the 55...one for the charge handle, one to lift and drop the knocker...need a third hand to hold the empty brass case? I'm no sure how it works but don't see any way to put the knocker in use other than manually as it's not connected to anything such as the handle.

I never use the knocker, but it would I think be used after the up stroke but before the down stroke

Lift handle
lift and drop knocker,
Lower handle

[Larry Gibson]

ColColt

Take the time to learn the 55 and you will like it. I have been using 55s (have 3) sine '68. The adjustments aren't hard to use and with the knocker very accurate and consistent charges can be thrown. I use the knocker up to 3 times, depending on powder, to accurately settle the charge. The only powders the 55s do not work that well on are the longer extruded powders like old 4831, IMR4350, etc. With newer short cut powders, H4831SC, the RL series, AA4350 etc., the 55's are very accurate. With small charges of powder such as 2 - 3 gr of Bullseye the 55 is also very accurate and consistent. I've tried numerous others over the years and haven't found any as consistent as the 55 over a broad range of powders.

Larry Gibson

[ColColt]

I'm getting anxious to receive it...not too many things you buy these days are nearly as old as you. I was three when they made this one. Hopefully the instructions will dispel any ignorance on my part.

[45-70 Ranger]

Glad you found one! As it say above, my was made wayyyy back in the day. Got it from my great uncle and he used it to load BP in a .45 colt. I have used this very same #55 for over 45 years and it has never skipped a beat. As the others said, the "stick" powder can be a pain, but ball and flake flow like a champ. The only thing I ever do with mine to keep it happy is to clean it out with a light bit of air from a small compressor. A touch of graphite on the rotor and it meters like the day it was made....whenever that was!

I think you'll enjoy this old system as it has proven itself over the years!

Wade

[ColColt]

A touch of graphite on the rotor and it meters like the day it was made....whenever that was!

I think you'll enjoy this old system as it has proven itself over the years!

This one I just bought was made back in 1949...talk about an old timer! Things made today won't last that long. I've got a Sears Coldspot refrigerator I bought in 1977 and it's still going. They don't want anything lasting that long today.

[smoked turkey]

I thought I'd add a comment about the knocker use. When I throw a charge with mine (I have surely loaded thousands by now since I've had it over 40 years) I usually tap the charging handle at the bottom of the stroke two of three times after throwing the charge by lifting up on it a very short cycle of about 5 degrees. That helps settle the powder in the hopper as well as ensure that all powder has dropped from the tube. Like some have stated you get to know the feel of the measure after a while and know which powders you can trust to be consistent. That said I usually don't use the knocker.

[azjohn]

I have 2 and use them for my handgun loads. You can get the 7/8 x14 adapter so you can mount it on your press if you want PN# 7392036. I notice it is not shown in your picture. Lyman also offers a baffle PN#7767758 if you don't want to make one.

[Willbird]

The 7/8-14 adaptor is cool for another reason, if you have something to mount the measure on (I use one of the 1/4" thick things bolted to the bench top )you can slap a uniflow in the same setup, or your lyman 55.

[Oldtimer]

I have had one of these since the late 60's. Cast iron, and brass construction, if taken care of, will never wear out. I have never had it to exceed .1gr. A little jerkey with long grain powder, but flows like silk with flake, and ball . Love it!!!

[ColColt]

I can't say I care for this measure much...at least for now. I received it yesterday and tried it out by putting in a small amount of HS-6 powder in the hopper and sliding the small brass slider out to where it read "6". I threw maybe 6-8 charges by using the handle like I do my Ohaus DU-0- Measure...forward and up, tap back down, tap. The charges varied between 5.6-6.4 grains. That's not too good. The other sliders were pushed in all the way with only the brass one out and locked. Well, it may be just a look-see item to mount on the bench.

[Johnny_Cyclone]

..The other sliders were pushed in all the way with only the brass one out and locked...

I find that it's best to run the powder deep. If you're running shallow by only using the brass slider the powder shears off over a wide area making for inconsistencies. If you run the powder deep you expose less to shearing and you get increased consistency..

Per the owners manual printed 6/77 :

..All powder measures are of basic design and the operator does have to acquire the knack of using one to obtain the best results. As you no doubt have noticed, fine grain powders will measure quite accurately, and it is the coarse grain ones that usually give the most trouble due to the fact that the coarse grains are caught between the edge of the rotor or cylinder and the body of the measure, causing distinct jump when granuals are cut. We suggest that you use all three sliders whenever possible which would give you a narrow deep opening rather than a wide shalow one, such as when using #1 and #2 slides for the same powder charge.

Obviously, the wide shallow opening allows more of the powder granules to be lined up on the edge of the measuring pocket, which have to be cut when the handle is turned. Also, of course, all movements have to be uniform, and the knocker operated the same number of times when throwing each charge...

.. Keep handle in down position always except when throwing powder charge.

hope this helps out

Note: That in bold above is only because it was in bold in the owners manual.

[ricksplace]

I find that it's best to run the powder deep. If you're running shallow by only using the brass slider the powder shears off over a wide area making for inconsistencies. If you run the powder deep you expose less to shearing and you get increased consistency..

Per the owners manual printed 6/77 :



hope this helps out

Note: That in bold above is only because it was in bold in the owners manual.

Thanks for the info. I bought one of these at a local gun show last weekend and have not used it yet. I have used a Uniflow for 25 years, but couldn't resist the $20 price tag. The instructions make perfect sense.

[Iron Mike Golf]

I have used a Lyman #55 and have found it to be very consistent. +1 on running deep vs wide.

I have also used a Lyman powder-though M die for expanding and charging in one step on a turret press.

Did you add a baffle? That's important to consistent charges.

I use the knocker twice: handle up, tap, handle down, tap

[Sprue]

The Lyman has my seal of approval. If you want to load match loads just set it to measure just under your recipe then trickle charge for supreme precision.

I just use mine to day, its accurate with any powders that I've used.

Buy it if you can afford it ! You'll never lose any $$ if you decide to sell.

It measure better than my dillons using H335 for certain.

[home in oz]

It works well for me.

[ColColt]

Maybe it's a matter of understanding the sliders-I don't know. I only used one slider since I'm just loading pistol ammo. I slid the brass one out, locked it and just moved the handle up then down, tapping both directions like I do the Ohaus and it just wasn't throwing consistent charges. I can't get into the knocker thing but tap forward and then back like all others I've used and they did great...not the Lyman. It has a hesitation point some of the time like it's choking on the throw forward...sort of like it's cutting powder and I had no extruded powder in it. Well, this may be just a keep sake.

[selmerfan]

ColColt, your measure should have three "degrees" of making increments in load weight. First, sliding the entire brass cylinder out as a whole, then a sliding portion of the cylinder that is threaded for adjustment that takes up about the top 30% of the cylinder, then a finer threaded adjustment that takes us about 15% of the cylinder. If using pistol ammo you should never have to move the main cylinder, just the two finer adjustments. DON'T "SETTLE" THE POWDER USING THE HANDLE, USE THE KNOCKER!!!!! Maybe some will disagree with me on this, but the knocker is the key to the consistency of this measure. If you try to use the handle throw to settle the powder you're doing nothing more than moving the measure cylinder back and forth, further disturbing the amount of powder in each throw, as you're experiencing with inconsistent charges. Use the small adjustments and use the knocker. You'll like the measure MUCH better. It's much more than a keep sake, I've used the Herter's, Redding, RCBS, and Hornady. I own a Lyman 55 and now a Belding and Mull. The Lyman 55 is the fastest and most accurate I've used, the Belding and Mull is just as accurate, maybe a bit more so with extruded rifle powder, but it's slower. I'll NEVER not have a Lyman 55 on my bench.

[selmerfan]

Okay, so I've read through the thread after posting above. I still say "use the knocker!" Handle up, flick the knocker twice, handle down, flick the knocker twice. Takes 10 time as long to type as it takes to do, and I'm a fast typer. The knocker settles the powder CONSISTENTLY into the charging cylinder. ColColt, does your measure have the threaded adjustments on the cylinder, or is it the "pull" type? I've only ever seen one "pull" type, but if yours is the pull type to adjust the smaller adjustments, I found that to be a pain in the rear. If it is pull, sell yours as "vintage", then buy one with the threaded adjustments.

[ColColt]

I just recently bought the old version-not an up to date. this one was made in 1949 and has no screws per se that you loosen to slide the sliders out but a half moon sort of lock. I'm totally unfamiliar with the 55 but heard so much of them and seen them decades ago and saw they were still made, I figured they must be pretty good. Obviously, I haven't gotten the hang of it. I like old things and figured it was made better than those of today. It's "vintage" for sure as it's nearly as old as me and I'm 65.




Maybe I should just buy a Harrell's measure.

http://harrellsprec.com/index.php?cr...on=show_detail

[selmerfan]

Hmm, I haven't run that variety of Lyman 55...I think you'd find the threaded adjustment version MUCH better, but if you have the clams to drop on a Harrell's measure, go for it!