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Thread: Questions - Lyman 44 Special Dies

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
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    Questions - Lyman 44 Special Dies

    Last weekend a cousin gave me a box of Lyman 44 Special dies that a friend of his had given him. He knew I was an irredeemable nut about the 44 Special. I already have an RCBS set of 44 Magnum/44 Special dies with carbide sizer, etc. But I am always scrounging.
    The dies have the following stamped on them - I have numbered them 1, 2, 3, and 4 -left to right.

    1. EXP CH (size?) and decap
    2. 44 SPE - FL full length sizing die
    3. LYMAN EXP - CH seating and (crimp?)
    4. 44 SPE - DA (size?) and decap

    Wondering the following:
    does #1 size, and if so it does not appear to be carbide?
    #2 - is it carbide or require lube?
    #3 - I know it seats, but does it also crimp
    #4 - does it size as well as decap?

    Click image for larger version. 

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ID:	262007
    Britons shall never be slaves.

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy

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    Quote Originally Posted by JoeJames View Post
    Last weekend a cousin gave me a box of Lyman 44 Special dies that a friend of his had given him. He knew I was an irredeemable nut about the 44 Special. I already have an RCBS set of 44 Magnum/44 Special dies with carbide sizer, etc. But I am always scrounging.
    The dies have the following stamped on them - I have numbered them 1, 2, 3, and 4 -left to right.

    1. EXP CH (size?) and decap
    2. 44 SPE - FL full length sizing die
    3. LYMAN EXP - CH seating and (crimp?)
    4. 44 SPE - DA (size?) and decap

    Wondering the following:
    does #1 size, and if so it does not appear to be carbide?
    #2 - is it carbide or require lube?
    #3 - I know it seats, but does it also crimp
    #4 - does it size as well as decap?

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	44 Special Dies.jpg 
Views:	23 
Size:	42.5 KB 
ID:	262007
    That first one is a decapper expander. It doesn't size. It's old, they don't make them like that anymore.

    #2 is the sizer. Most likely a steel sizer. You have look if there a carbide ring pressed into it.

    Can you post a pic of the dies disassembled?
    Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk
    Last edited by Valley-Shooter; 05-12-2020 at 01:02 PM.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Valley-Shooter View Post
    That first one is a decapper expander. It doesn't size. It's old, they don't make them like that anymore.

    #2 is the sizer. Most likely a steel sizer. You have look if there a carbide ring pressed into it.

    Can you post a pic of the dies disassembled?
    Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk
    Good news on #1 - nothing wrong with an extra de-capper. No carbide ring I could see in #2.
    On pics dis-assembled - the decapping rod on #3 is locked up, and is soaking in liquid wrench right now, along with the locking ring on #2; if I can free them up I will post pics. They first appeared to be in decent shape, but some of the dies are locked up due to rust. The seating die #4 has a perfectly shaped seater for SWC's which I will use, and that's why I was wondering of it also crimped.
    Britons shall never be slaves.

  4. #4
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    That's to bad some the parts are locked up. They do look good from the outside.
    I hope you get them apart without damage.

    Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

  5. #5
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    Even though the locking ring on the full length is frozen, I have an rcbs carbide sizing die anyway. I hope I can salvage the seating die because I really like the configuration of the seating plug - perfect for swc’s.
    Britons shall never be slaves.

  6. #6
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    At one time both Lyman and RCBS offered different seating plugs to fit various bullet nose shapes. The last RCBS set I got for 32 revolvers came with both RN and a SWC/WC stems and the box was so marked from the factory.

    Doesn’t Lyman still sell that Universal Depriming Die? I haven’t looked for it recently but it was a stock item for many years for those who like to remove primers before tumble cleaning, etc.

    Froggie
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  7. #7
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    I will size like I’ve always done with my rcbs carbide die. I may use next the Lyman 44 Special neck expander/decapper die. The Lyman seating die seats only - does not crimp; so that would be next. Then use my rcbs seating/crimping die to just crimp. My, getting into precision bench rest loading. Still thinking it out. I do like the idea of separate seating and crimping, though.
    Britons shall never be slaves.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check