Old vs. new Lyman sizing dies?

[mdatlanta]

Is there a big difference in old vs. new Lyman sizing dies?

I came across a "good deal" on a few older dies (they don't have "O-Rings") the other day, so I bought 'em. Well, last night the new Handloader mag shows up and I was scanning an aritcle about boolit casting where the author mentions older Lyman sizing dies, without O-rings, which he said sheared or shaved the bullet instead of squeezing or swaging it to size (I can't remember the exact wording). The author clearly implied that those older dies were inferior to the newer ones, and that he was basically snookered by the guy he bought them from. I wonder if I just made the same mistake. Are the dies without O-rings inferior?

Mike

:veryconfu

[SharpsShooter]

I have a few older dies and they work ok for me. I have bought 3 of the new ones in the past year and all were out of dimension spec's and were basically useless. I have stopped buying factory dies and have Buckshot cut me custom sizes. His work and prices are great and you get what you pay for in product.

SS

[KCSO]

You just need to be a little more carefull centering the bullet before you yank the handle. They work just fine as long as you don't try to size more than 3 thou or so.

[NVcurmudgeon]

The old Lyman die insides were wider at the top, then abruptly stepped down to the sizing diameter. They were a PITA to use because you had to center the boolits carefully as KCSO said. Newer dies, since the late sixties, taper tward the szing diameter. I started casting in the sixties, but was never very successful until Lyman changed their sizing dies and the NRA invented Alox lube. I believe the old Lyman dies were responsible for the still common belief that sizing ruins boolits. The "good old days" may have been old, but they were certainly not all good.

[monadnock#5]

My first set of Lyman dies came in a kit, cal. .38/.357. The sizer was completely useless. It made a step in the case, just above the rim, and 2/3 of the way around the circumference. That one went into the swamp, and I picked up a Lyman carbide sizer. Have been good to go ever since. One thing I really like about Lyman is that you can order seater plugs for just about every boolit profile under the sun. I like cast friendly companies.

Ken

[Char-Gar]

Those old style dies are not worth the effort to fart with them. I used the ones I had as a basis for custom dies. I have Stillwell ream the out to a larger caliber.

[454PB]

As far as the O-rings go, they are not needed. I've been making my own sizing dies for years without them. They don't leak any more than the factory made ones. The trick is to have the correct diameter on the top of the die where the retaining nut fits. If it were me, I'd see if the old "stepped" dies could be tapered.

[Bent Ramrod]

I glom onto the older dies when the alleged diameter is close and the price is right. It's pretty easy, with a small lathe, to polish out the step in the die with a dowel and a piece of 400 grit followed by crocus cloth. Old or new, the diameter stamped on the top of the die should be regarded with suspicion until the first boolit is sized and measured.