Lyman quality control

[Bill8914]

I have purchased Lyman equipment for 60 years or so. I just got one of their Mag 25 bottom pour pots and they are slipping in quality. The limit screw is bent and will not stop the shut off rod. The plate it is attached to is not level either. The mold heater block is not level so your molds will not stand up on it. It has tripped my GFI circuit twice now. Took me an hour to figure that out cause it has never tripped on me before and I run a lot of different things on it.
Nice looking unit - wish they had told me where to put the bitter end of the little spring, guess it goes under the handle where it is pinned at the pivot stud.
Nothing I can't fix - but darn it I should not have too.

[megasupermagnum]

I never was a fan of Lyman. Some of their stuff is usable, but I always considered them bottom quality. I do have a few of their molds yet, but even those were always iffy no matter the time. Most of my Lyman stuff has now been sold off. I would recommend a Lee, and that isn't good enough, go right for a Magma. I've not heard good things about the Lyman or RCBS casting pots.

[DGV]

Made in China. Right on the box on mine anyway

[Ozark mike]

Every thing is goin that direction nowadays especially electronics very little is made with pride jus bean counters lookin for handouts. It's gonna take ww3 before anyone will wake up and smell the roses

[GregLaROCHE]

I have a 45 cal boolit mold from Lyman. It came for free with a gun I bought, so I can’t complain too much, but it is full of chatter marks where it is cut to form the driving bands. Makes ugly boolits.

[smithnframe]

I have many 50's and 60's vintage Lyman molds that are of excellent quality. I also have a 60's vintage bottom pour furnace that still works like a champ! I had a Magna a few years ago that was a piece of @#$%.

[salpal48]

The Cheapness in Industry has been Going On for years , Nothing New. The American buying public want and demand cheap products. Loading products are no different. Quality and cheap does not Compute . Loading products were @ one time Top workmanship. People Are Cheap , I.m Cheap. Made in China Because it's Cheap. US companies can't Make products in the US. It's too expensive
Remember the Moto "Cheap Is Good , Expensive Is bad". Soon China will Be too expensive for the US public. soon they will be training penguins to do the work. ' "Made In Antarctica By penguins"

[murf205]

"Made in China". Thanks a lot Bill Clinton. I hope renting out the Lincoln Bedroom was worth it-to you that is.

[farmbif]

Lyman quality has been slipping for decades. about 20 years ago when a whole bunch of molds were cut way undersize, and when did beagling become a common practice, probably started counting beans too closely and decided to forego any checks on how far cherries were worn down. cheap plastic frames on the beam scales. sight quality took a nose dive long ago. but they still do produce very good load data manuals giving real tested loads and including new powders. with the looks of newly designed web site and addition of new lines of dies and other reloading gear they will put more stock in quality control. all business should take a look at what has happened to Remington and not just walk but run in the opposite direction, I guess we will see.. I don't know about anyone else but I would rather save up a bit longer to get higher quality stuff than buy a bunch of cheaply made junk. ive still got my fingers crossed that I'll come across an old Lyman mould-master still in the box covered with dust at a yard sale somewhere. but I'd much rather have two lee bottom pour pots than one digital electronic current production one.

[John Boy]

The only time Lyman molds were quality is when they bought out Ideal and were using Ideal cherries

[GregLaROCHE]

I bought my first press in the early eighties. A Lyman turret press. It came in a kit with everything needed to get started. I still use that press the most today. I have a Rock Chucker, but only use it for tough resizing or depriming military brass. Lyman used to make quality, but so did a lot of other companies until the owners sold out to China.

[hermans]

In the beginning of my casting/reloading career, when I guess all Lyman products were still made in the USA, I bought a few of their items because it sometimes was the only products we could get here in South Africa. Today the only Lyman item I still have is their powder measure stand.....the rest I either sold or tossed, the quality for me was always a bit iffy.

[megasupermagnum]

The one area Lyman excels is sights. I love their peep sights, their folding sights, and their front globe sites. Their reloading manuals are very good as well.

[BigAlofPa.]

Im very happy with my Lyman brass smith turret press. And my brass smith powder throw.

[gwpercle]

That electric melting pot will probably pull 1500 watts , best to have it on a clean line with no GFI circuit or other appliances on it ... the breaker could keep tripping if too much load is placed on it .

[bob15]

What size breaker is on the GFI outlet. Those outlets can also be very sensitive to higher loads.

I find it funny that I haven't had any issues with the Lyman equipment I've bought over the years: dies, presses, molds, etc. Maybe I have been just lucky?

I will admit that my Lyman pot is probably 40 years old, but it also doesn't get used as I prefer ladle casting using a Waage K4757 electric pot http://www.waage.com/.

[murf205]

That electric melting pot will probably pull 1500 watts , best to have it on a clean line with no GFI circuit or other appliances on it ... the breaker could keep tripping if too much load is placed on it .

Good advice. That is 12.5 amps at least when it is starting to melt. Separate circuit is a good idea.

[salpal48]

I have been using Lyman equipment since the mid 60's. recently purchase the prep center and some new loading dies. Never a problem. it might be the fact that some loaders on this forum are chronic complainers

[FLINTNFIRE]

I have one of the newer rcbs pots it is running along just fine , I did contact them for the newer valve , am running it even though I bought a older promelt , as I want to see if it is junk , so far a year or more no other issues , have bought several lyman presses as good as my rockchucker , have a few molds and the ones I have are fine , I find that all companies can let a dog out .

Yes I wish it was made here in the U.S. , but working the last 40 plus years I have seen the workers mentality of do as little as possible just good enough to get by attitude , and the corporate as much profit with little concern about the quality , printed directions from china leave a lot to be desired , some assembly required should read may or may not have all parts and parts may or may not fit .

[MT Chambers]

AFAIK Lyman products are made of steel mostly which puts them way above the others' products made of pot metal and plastic, my only complaint is that some molds come out a little bit undersize. I have lots of Lyman products and rank them right up there.