What's the difference between the RCBS LAM and LAM2?

[KevH]

What's the difference between the RCBS LAM and LAM2?

[Guesser]

The LAM; Lam I, is the first generation by RCBS. The LAM II is the current production and has a few changes and improvements over the original first design. I have and use one of each, they both work well, so well in fact that I sold off my Lyman 450's and have only the 2 RCBS machines now.

[Mike W1]

Don't quote me on this but I believe the I had a ratchet for the pressure screw and the II uses a double ball sliding gizmo. Most prefer the I because of that. Mine is the II. A simple socket with a slot cut in it easily converts you to use a 1/4" ratchet.

[Rich/WIS]

Had a LAM that stripped out the die lock ring, sent it to RCBS and they sent me a LAM II. Did not like the sliding handle pressure screw so did what Mike W1 did. The cap on the reservoir screws on and is a bit of a pain when refilling or trying to check lube levels. Works great but IMO is no better or worse than a Lyman 450.

[15meter]

A simple socket with a slot cut in it easily converts you to use a 1/4" ratchet.

I drilled a 1/4" cross hole through a road find socket then took off the little rod with the balls on the end and bolted the socket in place. It was 3/8 drive road find so that's what I used. It makes the socket a captive part of the lubrisizer so I don't have to go looking for it.

Works much better than the silly little rod.

[Land Owner]

The rod serves me well. It is not merely about "turning a handle". Once adjusted, a quarter turn on the LAM II and it squirts a uniform fill out of the boolit's lube groove(s). The pressure is different for each softer/harder lube. The hand becomes accustomed to the feeling of applying lube pressure in the same sensing way it applies pressure through a held primer tool.

[Mike W1]

The rod serves me well. It is not merely about "turning a handle". Once adjusted, a quarter turn on the LAM II and it squirts a uniform fill out of the boolit's lube groove(s). The pressure is different for each softer/harder lube. The hand becomes accustomed to the feeling of applying lube pressure in the same sensing way it applies pressure through a held primer tool.

As does a "click" on the ratchet. Either way works but I prefer the ratchet. Another little note, when using the rod I found it useful to apply a little loctite to the balls as they tended to loosen with use.

[15meter]

The nice part about the ratchet is that it is always with in two or three clicks of the ratchet of being in the same place, pull with left hand enough for two clicks, push back and you are ready for the next boolit. No sliding the little rod back and forth or binding on the sizing lever if you forgot to move the rod out of the way. The ratchet is never in the way.

YMMV.