Lyman All American new setup

[Groovy]

Just got this off the bay last week. Strangely enough I just stopped by this site to get some info on cast bullets due to the rising cost of reloading components. I haven't reloaded since 2005. I have my bench in storage and had sold my old press in 2005. I am not ready to start casting yet so I am going to try some bullets from Dardas and Missouri Bullet Company based on the recommendations I've read here. Thank you for the information and most likely new hobby with casting.

What I need to do now is try different bullets in my needed calibers,9mm, 45ACP, & .308 to find what shoots best before I invest in molds and casting equipment. I'll keep reading here as this seems to be the most recommended website for bullet casting info. I still need to find Lyman J shell holders in #12 & #26.

[starmac]

Watch the swapping and selling section for your shell holders, they come up now and then.

I don't know if you can post in the want to buy section of swap and sell yet, but I have had good luck finding some not so popular stuff using it.

[44Vaquero]

Congratulations! I watched this one as it came-up on E-Bay. It's good to know it found a home with a new Castboolits member. The All-American Turret is a fantastic little bench-top press with a #55 on-top it makes for a great set up.

[Green Frog]

The J-type shell holders show up fairly regularly, but if you're too impatient to wait, Lyman still sells the conversion items to let you substitute "standard" modern shell holders. You will need the adaptor and large and small "Special-T" primer seating punches. I'm not sure that priming arm will work with the conversion or whether you will need to single feed the primers. Some loaders complain that you lose about 3/16" of throw between the turret and the shell holder, but the AA has so much room there you should have no problem with any but the longest cartridges.

I have an earlier version of the same press, just like yours but with one of the die holes having a larger diameter for shotshell reloading and a bushing included to use standard dies. Mine is also set up with Lyman's special die that bells pistol case mouths and drops powder at one station. I've got a couple of #55 powder measures like yours but I've set my press up semi-permanently for 327 Federal Mag and am using an Accumeasure so I can use fixed rotors and change my charges quickly and consistently. I love that press and the more I use it, the more quickly and smoothly it seems to operate for me. I hope yours does as well for you.

Regards,
Froggie

[seagiant]

Hi,
If you can't find the info you need here,IT DOES NOT EXIST!!! Welcome to the Asylum!

[Groovy]

I'm glad I got this one as there is another one with #55 measure that is already up to $275.00 with 2 more days to go. I am watching the swapping and selling section for shell holders. I read somewhere here that the 310 Shop has J type shell holders and I'm going to email them and see if they have the ones that I need.

[dragonrider]

My Lyman AA has a permanent place on my bench and is where most of my reloading is done.

Sea Giant, I think I saw that movie.

[LUBEDUDE]

Very nice specimen there Groovy.

They can be hard to find with complete primer systems.

[BruceB]

I'm a huge fan of the All-American turret press. I bought mine around 1967 and it has labored INTENSIVELY for me ever since that date.

However, I do NOT trust the priming system due to what I believe are valid safety issues, and I stopped using it decades ago.

1. The feed uses a hand-operated and SPRING-LOADED plunger. If one loses his grip on that plunger when feeding the new primer into the priming post, the plunger SLAMS back to the loaded primer tube at high speed.... a tailor-made situation for triggering an explosion.

2. If there IS a primer explosion involving that primer tube, it is made of very thin brass and offers virtually no protection to the operator, whose face is in close proximity to the tube.

I suspect that a steel tube could be welded or brazed to the upper of the two adjusting nuts on the feeder, which are used to set the height of the primer tube for proper feeding into the spring-loaded "shuttle" that carries the new primer to the priming post. Such a steel tube would greatly reduce the hazards to the operator.

I had actually intended to try this, but found that single-feeding by hand was so easy and quick that I didn't think it was necessary.

My A-A press has surely loaded well into the hundreds of thousands of rounds now, and shows no signs of wear beyond possibly running a tad smoother than it did when new. GREAT machine.

[jhrosier]

Any idea roughly how much an All American with the primer feed and a couple shell holders is worth?

Jack

[BruceB]

In excellent condition with a few shell-holders.... I'd happily pay $125-$150 for an A-A.

As detailed above, I don't think much of the priming system. Others may differ.

[LUBEDUDE]

I agree with Bruce wholeheartedly on the primer issue. I only like to have the Primer Assembly to complete my press from a collector's standpoint, though I use my AA press as well. In fact, my priming components are still in the box. I haven't used the primer system on my Press for reasons mentioned by Bruce.

[Green Frog]

I'm in the same mode as LUBEDUDE and BruceB in that I don't use the priming setup on my AA, but for a different reason. I like to use one of my hand priming tools to do the job, so I batch load by first sizing and decapping the whole lot and throwing them into a bin. Then I sit at the kitchen table and watch TV as I prime them with one of my hand tools. Then when it's time to actually load a box or two, it's back to the bench and the AA to bell each case and fill with powder (one station) and place the filled cases in a loading tray and inspect the whole batch one last time. Finally, I start a bullet in each case and use the next station to both seat and crimp the finished round. I have a Lee FCD in the 4th station, but to be honest I have yet to use or feel the need for it. Everyone has their own routine, but for my AA and loading 327 Fed Mag, this is mine. BTW, did I mention that I'm crazy enough to use separate presses and try to keep them set up for each of the various calibers I load for?

Froggie

[Groovy]

I have an old Lachmiller bench top unit for priming but I'm looking for a handheld to replace my broken Lee auto prime.

[LUBEDUDE]

Like Green Frog, I don't believe in changing dies either. Which is why I love 12 station Hollywoods.

However, I do use them and my AA as designed, as a Turret, not for batch Single Stage loading. I just single feed the primer post which is not bad at all.

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

I love my Lyman AA. It is permanantly set up for 500 SW. I also do not use the priming system on the press.

[salpal48]

I have been using my Lyman AA's since the 1960"s . all with the push buttom Primer. Not once was there a problem. If There set correctly they are 98% flawless . If one drops it's generally my fault. I really do not believe anything about primer explosion on old machines. I am always looking to buy Parts for them. If any one has any to sell let me Know
I have had more primer problems with the Lee and dillon .
Sal

[BruceB]

. I really do not believe anything about primer explosion on old machines.
Sal

I will just cite Colonel Cooper once again:

"The law of averages is faint comfort..... if YOU are the exception."


This is called "risk management". I (and apparently some others on this thread) choose NOT to continue using what we see as a possible hazard.

You are certainly free to do as you see fit.

There ARE documented cases of primer explosions in loading presses, whether you "believe" in them or not. They don't always occur on "old machines", either.

"Some have to pee on the electric fence to find out for themselves."

[Groovy]

I liked the fact that the press came with all the original equipment and a Lyman 55, but based on what I have read I think I'll stick to loading primers off the press. I have gotten some good ideas about loading and casting lead bullets but it's not just this forum that advises against using old primer tube systems or to only put 10 to 20 primers in the tube at one time.

[psychicrhino]

Welcome. Nice find.