That's why I size my water dropped boolits same day.
That's why I size my water dropped boolits same day.
Wayne the Shrink
There is no 'right' that requires me to work for you or you to work for me!
any hard alloy should be sized asap - especially if they tend to harden over time , the #45 isnt the most robust of machines and any machine will break when used beyond it's capabilities, It does work wonderfully well within reason ( love it for my lil 22's !! )
Je suis Charlie
if it was easy would it be as worthy ? or as long of lasting impression ? the hardest of lessons are the best of teachers [shrugz]" To sit in judgment of those things which you perceive to be wrong or imperfect is to be one more person who is part of judgment, evil or imperfection."
Wayne Dyer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLzFhOslZPM
Looking back at this thread, I should have upgraded to the 5/16" bolt the first time I broke this shoulder bolt....I broke the replacement bolt I procured back in January last night...Going to drill out the hole for the thicker bolt tonight...
Last edited by bruce drake; 05-11-2016 at 07:07 AM.
I Cast my Boolits, Therefore I am Happy.
Bona Fide member of the Jeff Brown Hunt Club
replaced the broken bolt with a 5/16" 1.75" length bolt tonight. I used a dremel to cut the bolt head to fit into the new hole and used a compression washer and a nylon/steel locknut to secure the bolt in place.
Ideal should have offered this upgrade to their Lyman 45s to help the owners of their sizers who didn't want to upgrade to the 4500 series...
I Cast my Boolits, Therefore I am Happy.
Bona Fide member of the Jeff Brown Hunt Club
Ive been sizing .4615 405gr slugs cast from WW lead down to .459 and for this very reason, sizing a day or less after casting. Boy those are tough! I think part of it also is the lube I'm using and that its in a 65 degree basement.
For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast. Eph. 2:8,9
Some heat on the lube will ease the pressure needed to size the boolit. A hair dryer or better yet a Harbor Freight heat gun works great if you don't want to spring for a lube heater.
For very hard boolits I would size down by .001" then change sizer dies for the next .001". I did not keep the 45 very long. I have 2 older RCBS luber/sizers plus a bunch of Lee push thru sizers for tthe Hi-Tek coated boolits.
If the OP still has problems he could use a Lee push thru first then run them thru the 45 to lube them. Extra work but better than breaking the 45.
I'd say I made the right decision when I dedicated my 45 to my BPCR boolits. Soft lead, mostly no sizing to speak of, home made lube warmer (1/2" aluminum blocks big enough to mount the 45, 450 and LAM II on, drilled and cartridge heaters installed - first use on the 45 I found out how hot that sucker could get as I had lube all over the bench and floor , got a rheostat to switch between the 3). Works good for what I wanted it to do.
Ed
CW3 USA (Ret)
VFW Life
American Legion
DAV Life
NRA Benefactor
TX State Rifle Assn Life
SAF Life
NY State Rifle and Pistol Assn Senior Member because I don't have to fight that fight in TX
JPFO Member
GOA Member
Just like casting, it takes a "feel" to know when your pushing the machine too hard.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast. Eph. 2:8,9
I have owned many Lyman 45 sizers over the years and never broke anything on any of them. Several years ago I sold five on the S&S Forum at once, I'll never do that again. I am currently using three along with six other sizers. I hate changing dies.
A GUN THAT'S COCKED AND UNLOADED AIN'T GOOD FOR NUTHIN'........... ROOSTER COGBURN
For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast. Eph. 2:8,9
And many of us are using a instrument that was made 75 years or longer ago. Parts do fatigue over time even with proper usage of the equipment.
I Cast my Boolits, Therefore I am Happy.
Bona Fide member of the Jeff Brown Hunt Club
Why would anyone get mad at a tool that probably hasn't been made for at least50 years? The 45 is a very useful tool, but it has limitations. Don't want to live with the limitations? Get a 450 or 4500. There is a reason Lyman now makes the 4500.
I really like my 45 although its only sizer Ive ever had. Got it in a collection of old misc. reloading/casting stuff 20 odd years ago. Kinda where I got started casting. The screw on my handle is constantly backing out and I have to be ever watchful. Is there a fix for that? I guess locktite comes to mind but? I didn't know the true purpose of the top cap, I had put a dust cover(rubber cap) over mine when I replaced the pressure screw and plug. Guess I'll have to get a replacement. This site is a wealth of knowledge!
Drill your old cover out to 5/16" iirc it'll then fit over the longer threads on the new rod
As for the handle coming loose ...ummm actual handle ? ( which is a press fit ) or the pivot point ? ( which the early ones had a shoulder bolt and later models a pin with a cotter key ) if it's the shoulder bolt one clean the threads and use a square shaft big screwdriver with a wrench ,crescent or other,to get it good and tight,one can use locktite but I've never found the need if I had clean and tight threads,if you do use locktite allow it to fully dry before using
As for guys complaining about 70+ year old tools ...they're only jealous 'cuz they may not work so well after 70+ years
Je suis Charlie
if it was easy would it be as worthy ? or as long of lasting impression ? the hardest of lessons are the best of teachers [shrugz]" To sit in judgment of those things which you perceive to be wrong or imperfect is to be one more person who is part of judgment, evil or imperfection."
Wayne Dyer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLzFhOslZPM
I use the Lee push thru first, then lube with the 45's. It's very gentle on my lubers that way. I even have three No. 1 lubers and if I size with the Lee die first, they should also outlast me.
KE4GWE - - - - - - Colt 1860, it just feels right.
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |