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Thread: Lyman 45 buying guide and cleanup instructions

  1. #141
    Boolit Buddy
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    Great thread!! I have managed in the space of three months to get three 45s. One was new in the box that was given to me for placing a new rear sight on a rifle. It was never used. The bullet caster that owned it said the 45 was his second one and did not need it. I found another at a yard sale for $10.00 included 6 dies and top punches. That one was used and abused. The bullet lube had hardened and I used the method illustrated in this thread to remove the bullet lube (same black gunk!!) I disassembled the 45 and cleaned off the 20 years of dust and crude. That 45 I use for sizing my rifle bullet. The third 45 was from a bullet caster who broke the bottom off the internal pressure screw and had upgraded to a newer Lub and sizer. I give him $25.00 for that one. I ordered a new Pressure nut and screw and cleaned up the lub and sizer. I set this 45 up for sizing my .45ACP bullets.

    I have a very small machine shop and did several mods to the older "H" dies. These are the dies without the groove for the O-ring. These are the dies where the lube squeezes up between the die and the sizer. I threw the older dies in my lathe and cut an O-ring groove in them. Place an O-ring into the groove and no more lube coming up out the sizer. Another mod that I did was modify the Lyman 450/4500 Gas Check seater for the Lyman 45 lube sizer. The Lyman 450/4500 Gas Check seater fits only the smaller threaded sleeves on those lube sizers. I simply milled the slot in the Lyman 450/4500 Gas Check seater for the larger threaded sleeve that are found on the Lyman 45 lube sizer and it fits perfectly!! I have yet to try it out.

    When you find these older lube sizers they are a great bargain.

    Cheers

    --fjruple

  2. #142
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    Just a heads up.
    I have recovered some of the Photobucket photos from the original few posts ...it's a time consuming process. I fear they will be quite small, but hopefully shows enough detail. I will fix the original posts as time allows.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    “If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.”
    ― The Dalai Lama, Seattle Times, May 2001

  3. #143
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by JonB_in_Glencoe View Post
    Just a heads up.
    I have recovered some of the Photobucket photos from the original few posts ...it's a time consuming process. I fear they will be quite small, but hopefully shows enough detail. I will fix the original posts as time allows.
    They messed with so much of my stuff on so many different forums too. Your pics look alright, and the guide is great. I'm looking into a 45 myself, so I think it'll be a big help. Thanks!
    ______________________________________________
    Aaron

  4. #144
    Boolit Buddy nhyrum's Avatar
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    I apologize for reviving such a dead thread, but I seem to have run into a bind with my 45, literally.

    I've lubed about 1000 bullets, 10th my and 452, since receiving mine, and suddenly, I couldn't get a bullet out(was a 300 grain 452)

    At first, I thought the center punch of my die bent, as I had to pound it out(in a gentle-ish, non marring way) I chucked it up in my drill, put some lapping compound on it and gently spun it in the die. That loosened things up.

    Anyway, I got it to the point where everything moves, but I can feel some binding. If I put a 40 cal bullet in my 452 sizer, so things move more, but no stress on the press still, it slightly binds at the buttom, sometimes.

    But, here's the kicker. As soon as there's ANY sizing being done, I have to pound it out. And it goes in stiff.

    I'm thinking either my two guide rods are bent, or there's too much slop, and that's why everything works with no tension, but as soon as any tension occurs, it binds.

    Any ideas? I did do a search, but my searching skills may be sub par, so I apologize.

    If my guide rods are just bent, will either 5/16 tool Steel rod, threaded, or a but welded on top, or 8ish inch long(mine measured about7 3/4") 5/16 bolts, with a notch cut at the bottom suffice?

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  5. #145
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    It's tough to deduce your problem from the symptoms you've explained.
    You don't mention anything about your lube?
    Have you heated up the press?
    Have you tried putting oil on the guide rods and lube reservoir exterior?
    Is your 452 die new? The center post shouldn't be bent and I wouldn't hone it smaller. I would have suggested to polish the inside of the die.
    A Lyman 45 won't bind if the guide rods are too loose, from my experience anyway?
    But if you disassemble it, you could roll the guide rods on a flat surface to see if they are bent.

    My first guess would be you are sizing too large of a boolit that is too hard.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    “If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.”
    ― The Dalai Lama, Seattle Times, May 2001

  6. #146
    Boolit Buddy nhyrum's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JonB_in_Glencoe View Post
    It's tough to deduce your problem from the symptoms you've explained.
    You don't mention anything about your lube?
    Have you heated up the press?
    Have you tried putting oil on the guide rods and lube reservoir exterior?
    Is your 452 die new? The center post shouldn't be bent and I wouldn't hone it smaller. I would have suggested to polish the inside of the die.
    A Lyman 45 won't bind if the guide rods are too loose, from my experience anyway?
    But if you disassemble it, you could roll the guide rods on a flat surface to see if they are bent.

    My first guess would be you are sizing too large of a boolit that is too hard.
    My lube is tac 1. Heating the press doesn't help.

    The 452 die isn't new, but I made it through about 250 300 grain Lee 452 gc bullets, water dropped wheel weights before it bound up, on the up stroke, sizing the bullet felt normal.

    I do notice, when just running the press, if I put a slight pressure to the right of the handle as I pull, it runs better

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  7. #147
    Boolit Buddy nhyrum's Avatar
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    Also, if I use my 401 die, it binds up a little as well. That one is new, but the center punch will fall out when I heat it up enough to melt the lube. My 452 die needs persuasion, which it didn't before

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  8. #148
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    another thought on binding on the up stroke.
    How tight is the screw that holds the die?
    If you tightened or re-tightened that screw, near the time you started having trouble, you may have warped your 452 die.
    Have you measured your boolits before and after sizing?
    Be sure to measure several spots on your sized boolits, to see if they are round ...or not round.
    That would also explain your center post binding.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    “If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.”
    ― The Dalai Lama, Seattle Times, May 2001

  9. #149
    Boolit Buddy nhyrum's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JonB_in_Glencoe View Post
    another thought on binding on the up stroke.
    How tight is the screw that holds the die?
    If you tightened or re-tightened that screw, near the time you started having trouble, you may have warped your 452 die.
    Have you measured your boolits before and after sizing?
    Be sure to measure several spots on your sized boolits, to see if they are round ...or not round.
    That would also explain your center post binding.
    I only lightly tighten the set screw. The 452 die is scrap now anyway, the first bullet that bound up, was so bad that it actually forced the die up with it, gouging out a channel where the set screw was.

    But, before that I did notice the die wasn't sizing the whole bullet. A little piece by the bullet seam wouldn't get sized, but I'm more inclined to believe that's a mould issue and not a die issue, since it doesn't matter the orientation of the bullet, it's always on the same spot on the bullet

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  10. #150
    Boolit Buddy nhyrum's Avatar
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    The press also binds up when I size my 40 cal bullets, which I did buy new, and wasn't in the press when it had issues

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  11. #151
    Boolit Buddy nhyrum's Avatar
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    I think I found the root of my problem... Bullets drop from the mould at .464, not .452, or thereabouts, like it should. Time to pop off an email to Lee.

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  12. #152
    Boolit Buddy fred2892's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by nhyrum View Post
    I think I found the root of my problem... Bullets drop from the mould at .464, not .452, or thereabouts, like it should. Time to pop off an email to Lee.

    Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
    That'll do it. Also after water drop hardening, the longer you wait before sizing, the more effort required.

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  13. #153
    Boolit Buddy nhyrum's Avatar
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    Yeah, I size right after dropping, within a day. Heat treat and then check and lube

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  14. #154
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    Well, it sounds like you are learnin' some stuff.
    ...

    Quote Originally Posted by nhyrum View Post
    The press also binds up when I size my 40 cal bullets, which I did buy new, and wasn't in the press when it had issues

    Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
    Quote Originally Posted by nhyrum View Post
    I think I found the root of my problem... Bullets drop from the mould at .464, not .452, or thereabouts, like it should. Time to pop off an email to Lee.

    Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
    If you applied enough pressure to this light duty press (lyman 45), to size some WD-COWW .464 boolits down to .452 ???
    Then who knows what damage you might have down to the press?
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    “If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.”
    ― The Dalai Lama, Seattle Times, May 2001

  15. #155
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    Quote Originally Posted by nhyrum View Post
    Yeah, I size right after dropping, within a day. Heat treat and then check and lube

    Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
    Why are making such a hard boolit?
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    “If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.”
    ― The Dalai Lama, Seattle Times, May 2001

  16. #156
    Boolit Buddy nhyrum's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JonB_in_Glencoe View Post
    Why are making such a hard boolit?
    Bear boolit. And just straight line penetration

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  17. #157
    Boolit Bub CeeHoo's Avatar
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    My first post on CastBoolits so please bear with me.

    Another No. 45 acquisition here. Got this one from a friend for free. He had never used the press or knew anything about it so no idea of the history. It appears to be in fair condition but it is missing some parts. For what I can tell, at least the depth control assembly and coil spring are not there. The grease pressure wrench is also missing.

    Thanks to JonB's excellent instruction I was able to disassembe the pressure nut and screw with little effort. The lube tube appears to be filled with lube something like Lyman Alox. Pressure nut is of the older style.

    As No. 45 replacement parts are hard to find where I live I'd like to ask if Lyman #4500 depth control assembly could be used with this press? Original parts would be nicer of course. Is the coil spring a must for proper operation? Is there a way to find one of those?

    Thanks for any help.








  18. #158
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    Quote Originally Posted by CeeHoo View Post
    SNIP...

    As No. 45 replacement parts are hard to find where I live I'd like to ask if Lyman #4500 depth control assembly could be used with this press? Original parts would be nicer of course. Is the coil spring a must for proper operation? Is there a way to find one of those?
    CeeHoo,
    welcome to the forum.
    I don't know where you'd get parts in the EU for the 45. As you may know, they quit making them in the late 1950s or early 1960s. Most of the threaded parts are a unique thread rate that is unusual or downright rare today, making substitutions nearly impossible without changing the threads. Which leads me to one of your questions, the answer is NO, the 4500 depth control assembly will not work, it's a different thread. The threads of a 4500 is quite coarse compared to the old 45 as you can see in this photo.
    Attachment 221946

    The coil spring is not necessary, but it's nice, as it will hold the handle up if you let go of it.

    Your die is a different looking, maybe custom made? I don't see any lube holes (ports) in the Die? Maybe it was used for just sizing? like with powder coated boolits.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    “If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.”
    ― The Dalai Lama, Seattle Times, May 2001

  19. #159
    Boolit Bub CeeHoo's Avatar
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    Jon, thanks for quick reply.

    Indeed, the die has no lube holes and is unmarked. It measures roughly .395" (could be .400" in reality) and the interior is polished quite nicely but I don't think it's factory-made. The top punch that came along is RCBS #429.

    OK, sounds like finding replacement parts is out of the question. I think the press itself would be worth of saving though as it doesn't seem to have the common faults you mentioned. I certainly wouldn't like to spend 300+€ for a #4500. I suppose a gunsmith could machine the replacement parts if critical measurements were known. Is there any chance to get a close-up or drawing of the parts?

    As a side note, the lower body has an extra hole that I have not seen on other No. 45 frames. I don't know its significance but it looks like it has been there for very long time. If it's bubba it must be a vintage one.

    Last edited by CeeHoo; 06-11-2018 at 02:30 PM.

  20. #160
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    I have no idea of the extra hole ?

    Attachment 222722
    Last edited by JonB_in_Glencoe; 06-26-2018 at 02:10 PM.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    “If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.”
    ― The Dalai Lama, Seattle Times, May 2001

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