Lyman Case Prep Center

[Three44s]

I was just loaned a Lyman Case prep station.

My case prep is the Hornady unit with the case trimmer built in. It came up used on the net several years ago and I snagged it.

I have always felt that the Hornady unit was too slow and after operating the Lyman, I am sold on the Lyman. It beats the big Hornady tool seven ways from Sunday.

I do not have the newer style Hornady shell holders that the big Hornady tool requires for case length trimming so I can not relate to that aspect of it but in regards to chamfering cases the Lyman beats it hands down.

This loaning of the Lyman (from a member) came up because I was complaining about the amount of hand cramping I was getting with my Hornady unit.

Well, the Lyman is so much faster that I had no pain after doing inside and outside of the necks of the better part of a full size 39 oz. coffee can of 223 cases just length trimmed.

I can not speak about longevity of the units but I know there have been some pretty bitter folks about the plastic gears giving out on the over priced Hornady. I know that a lot of folks have pulled their hair in trying to talk to the Lyman folks about other tools and issues not related to their prep center.

Someday I might just build my own!

I see the advantage in having select ability in speed for these different cutters and brushes.

The VLD inside neck chamfering tool should be run slowly as it is plenty aggressive. But the outside chamfering tool should be run fast because they are dull as a post in my experience.

Other jobs likely fall somewhere else.

Three44s

[DCB]

I have a RCB's case prep machine about 20 yeas old. I have done Thousands of pieces of brass and the tools for the inside outside are still sharp and cut good.
I think the speed is good and the plastic gears have been greased a couple time and show no wear.
I got it for the hand cramping problem. I can do a few hundred before my hand get tired. Some times I use a fuse puller that I modified to hold the brass. It helped some.
The tools are easy to change to what ever configuration you need to work the brass.
If i had to get another machine I think the Lyman would be my first Pick.
I set mine on a piece of wood and that reduced the noise quite a bit..

[Three44s]

To my taste the VLD inside neck chamfer tool turns faster than needed on the Lyman and about right on the Hornady but it cuts very aggressively.

The outside chamfer tool is so much less efficient and the extra rpm of the Lyman is a God send. That is the station that kills my hands on the Hornady.

Uniforming primer pocket depth and inside deburring flash holes would also get a boost with the Lyman’s faster rotation speed as well.

I radius my primer pocket entrances with military brass with a Wilson trimmer and their crimp removal cutter after swagging them with the RCBS II.

Undoubtedly another factor for hand cramping is the difference in the case and hand positioning being vertical with the Lyman, but the Hornady being horizontal.

Three44s