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Thread: Best lube & sizer

  1. #1
    Boolit Mold A Nimrod's Avatar
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    Best lube & sizer

    Hi All just got a LC45 Marlin and a 250 gr bullet mold and was wanting to know which make sizer and bullet luber combo I should get?

    TIA a Nimrod
    Remember, the two bywords of the "New" Democrats are BAN and CONTROL because they fear FREEDOM.

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy
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    I don't know if it's the best and I am also of limited experience but if you have to buy the whole set up you might consider the Lyman casting kit which includes the 4500 sizer, 8lb electric pot, dipper, cast loading handbook and a few other things.

    The price for the kit is very reasonalbe compared to buying the sizer alone. Of course there are other more expensive tools as well as bottom pour pots and so on. Just my .02cents.

    I am sure you will get plenty more suggestions to ponder.

  3. #3
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    Depends on what you want to do and what you want to spend. The Star is a class act especially if you want thousands of boolits of the same diameter done speedily, it has no peer. I sold mine.

    If you are like me doing batches of say 200 boolits at a time in different diameters for different rifles and calibres then the RCBS or the Lyman is good, they are what I use. The RCBS is probably the one to look at as their product support is second to none. I have three RCBS and two Lymans, only one was bought new.

    The SAECO is also a fine sizer but their dies are expensive, the Lyman and RCBS ones are interchangeable and cheaper. I have a SAECO but its not on my bench as I haven't sprung the dosh for alternative dies, it used to be set up for .357" which I don't shoot any more.

    For lube you won't go far wrong with White Label lubes, thats all I use now except for some LBT blue for some specific applications. The link to White Label is at the bottom of the page under LsStuff. Its run by Lars45 who is one of us so deserving of our support for making a fine product at the cheapest price around.


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  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master

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    It really depends on your casting needs. There are some really good sizers but they are expensive. Do you shoot 100 rnds a month or 1000 and how much are you willing to spend?
    Aim small, miss small!

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by A Nimrod View Post
    Hi All just got a LC45 Marlin and a 250 gr bullet mold and was wanting to know which make sizer and bullet luber combo I should get?

    TIA a Nimrod
    No need to get any just yet. Marlins like fat bullets. Chances are excellent that your bullets do not need sizing. Cast a hundred, lube them however suits your fancy, and then think about whether you need a lubrisizer. Liquid Alox is the most popular method of lubing without sizing, but there are many others. If you do get a sizer, I would suggest a .454 die.
    Sometimes you gotta wonder if democracy is such a good idea.

  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy Marine Sgt 2111's Avatar
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    Longer than I care to take credit for, years ago I started with a Lee cast boolit kit in which you placed your cast boolits into a small pan, poured in molten bullet lube, let it solidify and cut the bullets out which a "cake cutter." You then drove the bullets through a sizing sleeve with a special punch and a mallet.

    I then purchased a Lyman 450 and used it for the next 36 years, repairing it as needed. I still have it and use it. 21 years ago I bought a magma auto luber and used that in a cast bullet business along with a Star that I used to size small lots of bullets (under 1000). Within the last year I purchased a SAECO and it is a fine press and does a great job. I have never owed a RCBS luber and sizer.

    Which is the best? Lyman is the cheapest and you can swap dies back and forth with RCBS dies. I am in the midst of seeing which sizes the best between the 450 and the SAECO. Same diameter sizer, same bullet, same load just one bullet sizer in the 450 and the other in the SAECO. I will write of the results later.

    The Star is a fine sizer once you get used to setting it up, keeping notes of the setups and operation. White Label lubes are simply the best for the money.
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  7. #7
    Boolit Master Jack Stanley's Avatar
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    The LEE push through sizers that fit a loading press work well if they happen to have your size .

    The RCBS I think is the best entry into the lube/sizer market , rarely would you need their customer service but it far outshines the compitition in the same price range .

    I have two Star machines to handle most of my lube sizing . I found both of them used and at a very reasonable price . I suggest them if a lot of bullets are to be made .

    Lube ? I use everything from LEE liquid Alox , the 50/50 Alox mixes and LBT Blue , it really depends how fast I'm gonna shoot them .

    Jack

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master fredj338's Avatar
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    Star/Magma hands down. I started like Marine, Lee pan lube & hand sizer. Then a Lyman, worked well but slow. The Star is great, once you get it setup, 1200 bullets an hour is easy. With the heated base, WL Carnuba is tough to beat. If you use a lot of GC bullets, I would probably go Saeco or RCBS.
    Last edited by fredj338; 08-25-2012 at 07:48 PM.

  9. #9
    Boolit Bub
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    Need help with SAECO

    I'm leaning to getting a SAECO but having read the reviews at MidwayUSA, it appears that their seals breaks easily and leaks lubes.
    If you own this lubrisizer and have experience with it, could you kindly share your experiences, please?

    It also appears that the SAECO lubrisizer does not come with everything. Can you confirm that for every caliber I want to use it with, I'd need to get:
    1. die
    2. punch

    Is there anything else?

    Currently, I have a Lee's push-thru sizer kit but I found out that the punch that came with it cannot fit into my Dillon 550B. So, I'd be forced to buy an el cheapo $28 Lee single stage press to make this work, together with extra shell holders.

    Thanks!
    Last edited by arthury; 08-19-2012 at 11:21 PM.
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  10. #10
    Boolit Master


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    I bought a Lyman 450 some time ago, and have had nothing but good luck with it. I cast/load/shoot between 400 - 1000 rnds per month, depending on weather and budget. Nothing has ever broke that I didn't cause, and replacement parts and dies are readily abailable and relatively cheap. And contrary to what I have read here, Lyman customer service has not been bad at all. (just lucky I guess)

    But if you are casting for one caliber and shooting a small number of rounds, the Lee sizer that fits on your press would seem to be the easiest and most cost effective way to go. IMO
    "with liberty and justice for all"...must be 18 or older, not available in all states, void where prohibited, some restrictions may apply. D. Stanhope


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  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    If you're buing new and can swing it, get a star. If you find a deal on used lyman 450, pick it up to get you started.

    I started pan lubing and using a lee sizer, then I traded into a lyman 450. I got to borrow my buddies star for a few months and have been spoiled ever since.

  12. #12
    Love Life
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    The Star is great. I had one, but sold it. It was to fast for my tastes.

    I currently have a Lyman 45 filled with speed green (soft lube) and a Lyman 4500 with heater for my Thompson Blue Angel (hard lube).

    I cast close to a bo'jillion boolits this winter so now they sit idle. They lube fast enough fo rme, lube well, and the sizing dies are relatively cheap.

  13. #13
    Boolit Master




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    I only have one. A Star, and I'm not sellin it !!! Might get another one, though... enjoy Mike
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  14. #14
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Love Life View Post
    The Star is great. I had one, but sold it. It was to fast for my tastes.

    I currently have a Lyman 45 filled with speed green (soft lube) and a Lyman 4500 with heater for my Thompson Blue Angel (hard lube).

    I cast close to a bo'jillion boolits this winter so now they sit idle. They lube fast enough fo rme, lube well, and the sizing dies are relatively cheap.
    Reminds me of a saying

    No such thing as too fast, too much money, or a woman too beautiful.

    I don't plan to get rid of my 450 when I get a star, but I'm at a point where I have little free time and getting as many bullets produced in my presure free time, the better.

  15. #15
    Boolit Grand Master fredj338's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Love Life View Post
    The Star is great. I had one, but sold it. It was to fast for my tastes.
    .
    Not even sure how that is possible.

  16. #16
    Boolit Master


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    No such thing as "Too fast, too rich, or too good lookin'"!!!!!!!

    But I can see where one would not want to spend the time necessary to set pu, start up and shut down a Star with all the ppumps and air pressure, etc. Sometimes the simple life is better, and cheaper!
    "with liberty and justice for all"...must be 18 or older, not available in all states, void where prohibited, some restrictions may apply. D. Stanhope


    "The remedy for evil men is not the abrogation of the rights of law abiding citizens. The remedy for evil men is the gallows." Thomas Jefferson

    "To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them." George Mason Co-author of the Second Ammemdment

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by fredj338 View Post
    Not even sure how that is possible.

    I got rid of mine for a similar reason, the Star excells at sizing and lubing boolits at a rate no other lubesizer can compare with.

    For my shooting needs however I cast lots of different boolits with lots of different diameters with different lubes in batches of no more than a couple of hundred boolits at a time.

    Changing over the Star was just too much of a faff on for me and my needs are better served with half a dozen or so RCBS and Lyman sizers, I find them easier and quicker to change over and set up than the Star and I can have multiple lubes available. If I do need a bit of volume on occasion then I have a Meepos push through luber.

    All this kit bought second hand over the years for less than a new Star.

    However if I was shooting 500 plus rounds a week of ther same boolit same size same lube then I'd get the Star back out.

    Horses for courses.


    For fine firearms and shooting requisites visit my Web Site by clicking the link below:

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  18. #18
    Boolit Buddy
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    If you will be shooting large numbers for a pistol only get the Star.Rifle and pistol ? Get an RCBS.

    Horace

  19. #19
    Boolit Grand Master fredj338's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dromia View Post
    I got rid of mine for a similar reason, the Star excells at sizing and lubing boolits at a rate no other lubesizer can compare with.

    For my shooting needs however I cast lots of different boolits with lots of different diameters with different lubes in batches of no more than a couple of hundred boolits at a time.
    Horses for courses.
    I am not sure setting up a RCBS is any faster than a Star IMO. Dies coe out & go in, top punch, same same. The trick to setting up a Star for diff caliber is using one or two top pounches & keeping measurements for the diff bullets. I cast & size maybe a dozen+ diff bullets in diff calibers. Keeping measurements for the top punch makes setup easy.

  20. #20
    Boolit Buddy
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    Where the RCBS/Lyman do well is when you have several Boolits that are the same diameter but, with different amounts of lube grooves and different spacing. But all I have is boolits with single lube grooves and all I own now is Stars. I find the die switch over takes less then a minute. And I dont have preset punches for each Boolit (that would work good). Before I put the die in -I just hold the boolit up to the die and line it up with the holes then see where I want the punch to bottom out in referece to the top of the die.

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    Bardo
    Last edited by Bardo; 09-07-2012 at 04:25 PM.

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BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
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