Lube Sizer Advice Needed

[timtonya]

I currently cast 40, 44 mag and 45. The 44 is pan lubed and the other 2 is tumble lubed. I'm able to buy a lube sizer but not sure which one or if I should just keep pan lubing/tumble.

[hawgfan]

personally I think pan lubing BITES, lol. I pan lubed for about a year before I bought my Lyman 4500. The Lyman is all I have used so I can't say anything about the other brands. The only bad thing I can say about the Lyman is the excess lube that it puts on the bottom of the boolits. This doesn't happen all the time but it does happen. I really want to try a Star Luber. I think that will be my next purchase, if I can ever wear out my Lyman 4500.

[timtonya]

The star is out of my price range. I only have the one mold that has lube grooves. The others are Lee tumble molds.

[gmsharps]

The Lyman sizer works fine just a bit slow compared to the Star. I have used a Lyman for a long time and I usually use it for rifle bullets and odd size pistol stuff. Depending on how much you shoot as to is it worth while for the star. Once I tried a star I was hooked but have kept the Lyman also.

gmsharps

[avogunner]

I have three Lyman sizers, a 450, 45, and a #1 and all work great for me. Proper depth adjustment, adding a little heat (light bulb), and not over pressurizing the lube reservoir will minimize (mostly eliminate) the lube under the boolit issue. Yes, yes, the Star sizer is the "best" but the overwhelming majority of casters use the Lyman or RCBS LAM and are perfectly satisfied. Keep an eye on the swapping and selling section here, every now and then a good deal comes along on a used one.

[HATCH]

If you aren't doing thousands of boolits then a lyman is just as good as any other sizer.
The Star sizer is the way to go if you are doing large quanities of the same boolit or if time is a factor.
But if you are doing little batches (under 500) of boolits then the lyman will be more suited to your needs.

Problem with the lyman is that you will need a top punch for every boolit.

[pworley1]

I have 4 Lyman 45's and a 450. I have no complaints. If you set the depth correctly the lube goes where you want it.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Look for a used Lyman.

[timtonya]

What about the Saeco/Redding? Also can you use the machine on tumble lube type bullets?

[cbrick]

If you aren't doing thousands of boolits then a lyman is just as good as any other sizer.

A straight thru sizer (Star/LEE) will size more concentrically than the in & out sizers so I guess "just as good" is a relative term.

What about the Saeco/Redding? Also can you use the machine on tumble lube type bullets?

I would highly recommend the RCBS or Lyman in & out sizers over the Redding, they are at least equal quality or better and less money. Yes, you can use them to size tumble lube boolits.

Rick

[Walter Laich]

Problem with the lyman is that you will need a top punch for every boolit.

.
Since I cast pretty much only RNFP, one of the perfesser's custom flat nose punch works for me. I can even use the same on on 45s and 38s as the 38s don't completely go into the sizer.
.
Oh, yes I rebuilt my two 450 using the new bodies that I got from Lyman. At the time they traded out the bodies for free--sometimes life is good.

[454PB]

I have the Lyman, Star, and Saeco. The Star is the winner, although it does take more time to adjust. The Saeco works on the same principals as the Lyman/RCBS, but I prefer the handle mounted on the front rather than the side as the Saeco is.

But they all produce a good boolit if the operator does his part.

[timtonya]

Well.... gonna go with the Saeco. I like the spring loaded lube feature.

[MT Chambers]

I would have thought that the Saeco cost as much as the Star, be proactive and get the Star!

[cbrick]

$200 for the SAECO in & out sizer and $250 for the Star straight thru sizer.

If your gonna like the spring on the SAECO your really gonna love the lube pump on the Star.

Rick

[timtonya]

$325 for the Star and for the money you shouldn't have to use lead shot to close some of the lube holes.

[MT Chambers]

You don't have to use lead shot to plug holes, most have dies that match the bullet grooves, this tells you how people value the Star and how it does the job much faster and ensures better concentricity. I have 2 Lymans, 2 RCBS, and 3 Stars, all set up for use and the hands down winner is the Star, I dread having to use the other machines but I have 30 or 40 dies for them.

[timtonya]

If I had high volume, I'd buy the Star but don't. I possibly lube 200 bullets at a time.

[hawgfan]

HAWGFAN, Lube on base of boolits? I only get that when the boolits are either bevelbase or if they don't need sizing much, but if I size over a thousandth I don't get lube on bases.[/QUOTE]

Bevelbases are the worst, but I get a little on flatbases as well. I only size 40sw and 9mm, out of those, 9mm is the worst. I have sized thousands of boolits with my lyman 4500, and it has put lube on the bottom of the boolits from day one. Now I'm not saying that I'm doing everything right, it could be me. I think it's just me wanting an excuss to buy another sizer lol.

[gwpercle]

Tim,
The best money I ever spent was on a lubricator/sizer. It is so nice to use them. Being frugle ( poor ) and moderate volume I have been using a Lyman 450 since the 1970's . never had any problems , as long you adjust the depth correctly and use a very light touch on the pressure handle. Most people's problems are user error because I can adjust and work the handle so no lube gets under a flat base etc. etc. You just need to practice with it a bit...there is a learng curve.
And don't size hardened bollits, that puts stress on the linkage it wasn't designed for.
So a used Lyman 450 in good shape would be ideal, shop around you can find them.

Gary