RCBS Lube-a-Matics...better or worse

[Gene Pool]

Gentlemen,
Regarding RCBS Lube-a-Matics, are the new ones any better, any worse, or about the same as Lube-a-Matics made 35 years ago. A friend and I share my old one and I am trying to justify letting him keep it and buying a new one.

Thank you in advance for your inputs,

Gene Pool

[dragon813gt]

The new ones are nice because they have a solid base and can't leak out the base plug. I don't like the ratchet for increasing the pressure. I will buy an older one anytime the price is right. They both lube bullets well so at the end of the day it's personal preference.

[tomme boy]

What ratchet? The new ones don't use one. Or have they changed? I bought one two years ago and it had the rod with a ball on each end.

[fred2892]

What ratchet? The new ones don't use one. Or have they changed? I bought one two years ago and it had the rod with a ball on each end.

Ratchets? Rods? Balls? In my collection I have a 1978 made LAM and it came to me with a ratchet. Pictures please of rods and balls, always interested to see how any of the equipment we use was orignially accessorised.

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[dragon813gt]

Wrong term. I don't like the threaded rod assembly w/ the handle and knobs at the top. Like I said, it's personal preference.

[Guesser]

I have and use one of each. Both do the job admirably well. Sold of all my L450's.

[tomme boy]

Yep had them both. I like the rod with the balls. That did NOT sound right!

[shoot-n-lead]

Yep had them both. I like the rod with the balls. That did NOT sound right!

[30Carbine]

This topic got real bad real quick, almost g*y even. just sayin

[Taterhead]

I am a brand new caster. New baby smell, and all that. Cast my first bullets yesterday, in fact. I'm setup to coat, and that's been my plan. But the tactile appeal of sizing and lubing bullets has me looking hard at a LAM II. PC or Hi-Tek is probably more practical for my auto-loaders.

I've wondered about the old LAMs vs the newer LAM IIs and what are the differences. Thanks for the input guys.

[Mike W1]

I am a brand new caster. New baby smell, and all that. Cast my first bullets yesterday, in fact. I'm setup to coat, and that's been my plan. But the tactile appeal of sizing and lubing bullets has me looking hard at a LAM II. PC or Hi-Tek is probably more practical for my auto-loaders.

I've wondered about the old LAMs vs the newer LAM IIs and what are the differences. Thanks for the input guys.

The most noticeable difference is the old models used a ratchet to apply pressure to the lube and the newer ones use a sliding rod with balls on the end. I preferred the ratchet and the new one can easily be adapted to a 1/4" drive ratchet wrench by using a ¼” drive ½” 6 point socket with a slot cut in it. Used a 1/4" disk in my grinder to cut the slot. No other mod needed.

[Yodogsandman]

The LAM IIs are stronger and less likely to crack in the front.

For PC and Hi-Tek the Lee push thru sizers work better. Little flakes from the bases of PC get in the dies of the RCBS. After a while the flakes gouge the boolits.

[Elkins45]

I like the new version because of the solid bottom, but I don't care for the rod and ball pressure screw handle. I have seen a post where one enterprising person sacrificed a cheap socket by cutting two openings opposite each other to slip over the shaft so he could use a 1/4" ratchet

[kiwi]

I have both models the older one I got second hand 35 years ago it died 2 years ago bought a LAM11 to replace it has a bad habit of bending rifle boolits where the original didn't, I size my boolits with a push through die and only lube them in the LAM11 it's ok with pistol boolits, also have 3 Lyman 450's that I use for pistol they tend to bend long
rifle bullets, seriously considering getting a SAECO lube sizer any one got opinions on them good or bad, I know a star is the best option but are very rare down here,
I only know of one and so far it's not for sale, can get the new Lyman 4500's at wholesale but are they worth buying heard some negative reviews on them.
Regards
Robert.

[SierraHunter]

I prefer the older ones, but that's what I grew up using, so it's what I'm used to.

[fred2892]

I have both models the older one I got second hand 35 years ago it died 2 years ago bought a LAM11 to replace it has a bad habit of bending rifle boolits where the original didn't, I size my boolits with a push through die and only lube them in the LAM11 it's ok with pistol boolits, also have 3 Lyman 450's that I use for pistol they tend to bend long
rifle bullets, seriously considering getting a SAECO lube sizer any one got opinions on them good or bad, I know a star is the best option but are very rare down here,
I only know of one and so far it's not for sale, can get the new Lyman 4500's at wholesale but are they worth buying heard some negative reviews on them.
Regards
Robert.

The saeco is great quality, tight and accurate. The downfall is that the handle is a bugger to use as its at 90° to what you need. If you have space to mount it on a bench end it should be ok. Another negative is that dies over here are almost twice the price of lyman/RCBS equivalent.
I have a LAM and a 4500 mounted ON my bench. The saeco lies unused UNDER it. I believe the LAM produces better bullets than the 4500 which at 10 years old feels sloppy compared to my 1978 LAM.
I too yearned for a star but as I mainly cast for rifle I fear the star would join the saeco under the bench if I ever bought one.


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[kiwi]

Thanks fred2892, I sell my Boolits so having a bend in them is not good, most popular is .30 cal so I need size dies from .309" to 314" the saeco would be a bit pricey to setup
but I do have plenty of bench space I think it is worth it, I used over 15,000 30 cal checks this year so could probably justify the price,
Take care with your 1978 LAM mine was of the same vintage, the thread holding the die nut flogged out and the lube pressure rod and base as well it is beyond repair it had a good run I've had it since 1983 and used it nearly every week since, the last 5 years it has done untold number of boolits it out lasted 2 450's,
One of the things I like about the saeco is the dies have a nut on the bottom and don't require a thread in the body like the LAM's and 4500,
The Star would suit the way I size rifle boolits I seat the gas checks with a push through Lee type die then lube them in the LAM or 450 that should work ok in the star
as well that way the lube sizer would not bend the boolits and I get to QC the boolits twice before they get lubed,
Pity I live so far away I would take the saeco off your hands the freight would be more than the sizer is worth,
Cheers
Robert.