First post here: Want to buy lube sizer, Thoughts?

[ketland]

Hi all, This is my first post here. I am a long time muzzleloader shooter making the transition to Black powder cartridge, and would like to add a lube sizer to my quiver of loading tools. I have used the search function here, and have read and educated myself to the best of my ability, however still am having difficulty deciding which brand lube sizer would best suit my needs. I am casting from a hundred to a few hundred bullets at a time, so a unit such as the star does not seem a good fit, and the "majors" RCBS, Saeco, and Lyman all have their supporters as well as detractors. Certainly there must be some smaller outfits making quality lube sizers. Help me out here to get started on the right foot, whoever the maker. Calibers I am loading for range from .38 pistol, to 45-90 rifle.

Regards, Ketland

[littlejack]

Ketland:
Welcome to the CastBoolits sir.
I have had my Lyman 450 for about four decades, and it seems to work well enough for me as to not want a different type/brand. I just recently bought a Lyman 45 from one of our members, to use with my black powder boolits.
I would keep an eye on the Swappin ands Sellin site, as they come up there quit frequently. The Star is supposed to be the top of the line unit for lubesizing. I have seen them in use, and they are faster than the Lyman and RCBS. The RCBS, and the Lyman would probably be the two most popular lubesizers in the world. You can make your choice from there.
Regards
Jack

[ketland]

Thank You littlejack, I am glad to be here.

[Mk42gunner]

Welcome aboard.

From the amounts you stated, one of the in and out sizers should work fine. I like the RCBS Lubamatic better than the Lyman 450; but they both work. I haven't used either the LAM II or the 4500.

Sizing dies are just about everywhere, and top punches are easily obtained or made.

If you aren't in a hurry, I definitely recommend buying used; new prices for lubrisizers will choke a horse.

Robert

[MTtimberline]

I'd go for the RCBS LAM unless you can get the lyman at a good price. I have no experience with the star but would love to try one someday as I've heard nothing but good things about them. RCBS customer service is excellent.

[cbrick]

If your black powder cartridge rifle is for competition consider that the straight thru sizers will size more concentric than the in & out sizers. Next consider that the biggest investment in a lubrisizer is the dies. If you think that in the future you'll be adding additional calibers & firearms to your casting and would want to move up to the Star you would need to start over buying dies. If your going to stick with casting the Star is faster but that's only one benefit, another benefit is one flat punch for each caliber, not a poor fitting nose punch for each bullet. It may be worth the investment to start out with what you may well end up with in the future.

Rick

[ketland]

I was leaning towards the RCBS. Seems most are satisfied with the quality, and their customer service is reported to be excellent.

[EDG]

For BPCR you cast the bullet close to final size. The Lube/sizer is just used to apply the lube and does very little sizing. I the two common models I much prefer the RCBS with its heavier linkage and larger ram. RCBS cutomer service is much superior to Lyman. The chances are that if you find a used tool it will be a Lyman. Just make sure the ram is not wobbly in the casting when in the full down position.

[ketland]

Found an RCBS, and ordered a couple of sizing dies and top punches. Tip O' the hat to all for the advice, and to the forum. Also found a great top punch chart here which was a big help.

[plainsman456]

I e-mailed RCBS the other day about some parts for a lam2.
The bullet ejector rod and some o-rings.

They e-mailed me that the parts were on the way.

I told them that it was an old well used one and it didn't make any difference.

Got to love a company like that.

[USMC87]

Even though I am a dedicated star user I can say that RCBS has always sent replacement parts for my equipment and dies at no charge. Companies like that are hard to beat.

[ketland]

Well my first lube sizer arrived today, had to get the lyman 4500 because the RCBS is totally out of stock everywhere.
I cleaned the unit up of all it packing grease, set it up, put a stick of SPG lube in, and went to town on a batch of 158 grain
round nose .38 bullets. Everything worked as advertised, and the function was essentially flawless. I didn't wipe off the piston carefully enough, and bled a bit of black color into the front of the SPG lube which I wiped off and discarded, but that was the only glitch. Happy days, and I am looking forward to doing a lot of work with this unit.

[427smith]

if you want to lube a few hundred at a time ,RCBS or LYMAN is fine. I only cast a few days a year and size a few days a year. 1000 in the afternoon for 6 or 8 days in a row. you'll want a STAR

[BruceB]

My intro to lube-sizing was administered by a Lyman 45 back in the '60s after a VERY BRIEF purgatory with a Lyman 310 hand tool.

When the 45 WORE OUT after years of "hard labor", I replaced it with a 450. There are now three 450s in my shop and at least a couple dozen sizing dies. (They tend to multiply.... I found one of them at a small local gunshow, with FOURTEEN sizing dies, for $35... a good deal, indeed!)

There are no plans to replace or upgrade the 450s. My dies are a mix of Lyman and RCBS, plus a few custom-made ones as well.

The system works very nicely for me.

[ketland]

I take it that the reason for having multiple lube sizers is to run each one with a different type of lube?

[Iowa Fox]

I have 3 gray 450s, one RCBS LAM 1, and one Star. I would recommend the 450 or LAM for your launch into lube sizing. Good deals are still out there if you snoop around.

[labradigger1]

i have used 2 lyman 45's and a gray 450 for a couple of years, it is handy having multiple sizers as you do not have to change out dies and top punches. i picked up the 45's at an estate auction for 27.50 each and paid 10 buck for the 450 at a moving sale with 5 dies. good deals are still out there. i read about people having leaking issues with the lymans but fwiw i have not had trouble

[ketland]

Well I have the new 4500 sitting on my bench loaded with SPG at this point. So far its working fine. I have no complaints about its construction. The heater attachment that came with it appears small and easy to install, just spins into a threaded hole.