Lyman or RCBS

[tomme boy]

I am looking to get a lubesizer. Never used one. Which of these two seems to be the better of the two? Advantages or disadvantage of either? Die cost? Top punches? Totally lost here folks. Guide me in the right direction.

[Bret4207]

RCBS, hands down. Just a better tool overall plus people say they have a no questions asked warranty. That hasn't been my experience though. It's still better than Lymans.

[Reload3006]

Trust me you dont want a Lyman get the RCBS or GO whole hog and get a star never look back.

[41 mag fan]

RCBS is what I was told to buy if I didn't want to spend the money on a star. I got 2 now.
Sizers either RCBS or Lyman will interchange. RCBS is more expensive than Lymans.
Top punches...contact the perfessor on here. His punches are top quality and cheaper than Lyman and RCBS.
One thing about the perfessor you'll notice if you contact him, his customer satisfaction is of highest priority.
I've got about a half dozen top punches from Keith, even when I get new molds in from NOE or Miha I contact Keith and get one of his punches.
Besides when buying off the perfessor, you're supporting a member of this forum.

[sparky45]

What's the problem with a Lyman? I have a 4500 and it works exceptionally well, at least I haven't had any problems yet.

[462]

Ford or Chevy?

I have a Lyman 4500 and a 45 and would buy either again. I've never found any differences between either company's customer service, whether in warranty or not.

+1 on buying top punches from theperfessor

[williamwaco]

Ford or Chevy?

I have a Lyman 4500 and a 45 and would buy either again. I've never found any differences between either company's customer service, whether in warranty or not.



I have owned and used all three - 45, 450, and 4500.

There is no question in my mind that it is possible to build a "better" machine but I see no deficiencies in any of them. I don't need a "better" machine.




.

[chboats]

Either will get the job done but it is hard to beat RCBS customer service. I would buy an RCBS sizer and Lyman dies and top punches.

Carl

[Reload3006]

well i bought a brand new lyman 4500 and have been argueing with Lyman about it ever since. Mine will not accept the sizing die. Fits my 45 perfectly but won't go in my 4500. Lymans answer is send it to us and we will let you know if we will fix it or not. after reading several other reviews and other people that I know that have them all have told me the same thing Lymans quality control has gone down hill badly. It breaks my heart too because I have a lot of old lyman Ideal dies Molds and as stated earlier lubrisizer but evidently thats the lyman of yesteryear not the lyman of today. I paid 186.00 for the 4500 + almost 20.00 more to get it shipped to my house .. it doesnt work. now I have to pay another 20. to get it shipped to Lyman so they can tell me IF they will fix it or not? all i can say about Lyman CAVET EMPTOR..(Buyer Beware)

[Tumble Bug]

The Lyman and RCBS are both of similar design and construction. They both do the same thing and do it equally well.

Some people have stated that RCBS dies will fit the lyman and vise versa. Sometimes they might and sometimes they might not. As far as I know, neither Lyman nor RCBS has ever stated that their dies would fit some other brand of machine. Obviously, their manufacturing specifications are close but not exactly the same. So don't get tangled up on that one. The one thing that you can count on is the Lyman dies will fit the Lyman and RCBS dies will fit the RCBS.

If you think you might want use bevel base bullets then you will most likely not be happy with either of these two machines as they will both put lube in the bevel base area. Not exactly something you want. You'll spend a lot of time wiping off that extra lube. The same situation applies to lubing gas check bullets while "not using" gas checks.

The Star Lube Sizer from Magma Engineering is in approximately the same price range (in it basic configuration) as the Lyman and the RCBS and it will only put lube in the grooves that you want it in (if you set it up that way). So, if correctly setup, it will not put lube in the crimp groove nor the bevel base while lubing the desired grooves.

Because the Star has a straight through design it is a lot faster than either the Lyman or the RCBS. All that you have to do is to put bullets in the top. Each stroke of the handle pushes that bullet into the sizer die and also pushes a bullet out the bottom.

If you prefer the Lyman brand, get a Lyman. It is a good machine. If you prefer the RCBS brand, pay the extra money and get one of those. It also is a good machine. But before you decide on either of those, do your self a favor and check out the Star.
Go to youtube and punch in STAR Sizer. There are some interesting videos there.

Nuff said!

[Sonnypie]

I have Lee push through's.

http://img.timeinc.net/time/2007/50_cars/yugo.jpg

Yugo.... :lol: :holysheep

[Bret4207]

The Star Lube Sizer from Magma Engineering is in approximately the same price range (in it basic configuration) as the Lyman and the RCBS a

TB, the Star is $100.00 more than the RCBS. The dies run $45.00 each. How do you figure they're about the same price?

[Tumble Bug]

Bret4207:

I didn't say it was the same price.................. I said it was in the same "price range" and I stand by that.

Magma's "lube Master" machine is just under $8,000....... That is not in the same price range.

Thanx for your post and have a Great Day!

[MT Chambers]

All my Lyman and RCBS as well as aftermarket fit both makes, the only pro to the Lyman is the built in heater avail. on the 4500 which is nice but not adjustable. I would get the rcbs and a heated Lyman base, the Lyman will break at the "link" if you pull too hard, I've broken 2 doing slightly oversize, hard bullets...IMHO

[avogunner]

I bought a (well) used Lyman 450 over 25 years ago. It came with a .457 sizing die that I don't use but I have sized thousands of .452, .358, and .309 boolits since then. I haven't had any issues with it at all....it's a good machine.

[Mk42gunner]

H&I die and top punch costs are a wash between the Lyman and RCBS, they are supposed to work in either machine. I usually buy Lyman H&I dies because they are cheaper, and I make my own top punches.

I bought a used RCBS Lubamatic, and have no real complaints. They can be a bit slow compared to a Star, but I am not doing thousands at a time so it doesn't really matter.

Robert

[Bret4207]

Bret4207:

I didn't say it was the same price.................. I said it was in the same "price range" and I stand by that.

Magma's "lube Master" machine is just under $8,000....... That is not in the same price range.

Thanx for your post and have a Great Day!

No offense man, but when something costs 50% more than something else they aren't in the same relative price range.

[trench]

oh, man, the Star is 3x as fast, easily. To make casting worth your time, you simply must be able to cast 1000 or more bullets per hour (including cleanup and melt times) and size-lube 2000 or more per hour. The only way to make such rates occur is to use multiple 6 cavity molds, a hot plate to warm and keep warm the molds, a 100 lb pot over a propane fired plumber's furnace, and Star sizer. With 2-3c each in the materials, and $$200+ even in the 100 bullet an hour setup, and since you can buy cast bullets locally for $80 a thousand or so (ask at the gun store for an IPSC or IDPA club contact, then ask THEM who is a local caster) you are only saving 6c per bullet. You want to risk fires, lead poisoning, etc, for $6 an hour? $50 an hour barely makes it worth doing, really.

[Catshooter]

If not a Star (they're not for me) then RCBS hands down. If nothing else, just for the warrenty. I have used their warrenty three times. Not because what they sold me broke but the used equipment of their's that I bought was missing parts. Told them the truth each time, and they still wouldn't let me pay, not even shipping.

Lyman has become one with the Corparate America Hive Mind and cares only about the bottom line. Pleasing customers is waaaaaaaaaaay down the line.


Cat

[Bret4207]

oh, man, the Star is 3x as fast, easily. To make casting worth your time, you simply must be able to cast 1000 or more bullets per hour (including cleanup and melt times) and size-lube 2000 or more per hour. The only way to make such rates occur is to use multiple 6 cavity molds, a hot plate to warm and keep warm the molds, a 100 lb pot over a propane fired plumber's furnace, and Star sizer. With 2-3c each in the materials, and $$200+ even in the 100 bullet an hour setup, and since you can buy cast bullets locally for $80 a thousand or so (ask at the gun store for an IPSC or IDPA club contact, then ask THEM who is a local caster) you are only saving 6c per bullet. You want to risk fires, lead poisoning, etc, for $6 an hour? $50 an hour barely makes it worth doing, really.

I sure hope this is sarcasm of some sort.:holysheep

[Catshooter]

Oooooo, Bret, look out! We're risking lead poisining & fires & all manner of other things! Who knew?

I don't know about you, but since I found out I'm living on the edge (being a boolit caster!) I deceided what the hey and ran with sissors today! OOooo! Ooooo! Danger, danger.

I don't think it's sarcasam Bret, I think he beleives it. Don't know what he thinks he's doing on this site but I don't think he'll be around long. Don't think he'll have much to contribute, do you? :)


Cat

[Bret4207]

I dunno, He just did a post on home defense where he went all tactical and wanted people shooting 5-6 rounds s second while wearing ear muffs. Hard to judge what he's doing so far.

[Catshooter]

Five or six rounds a second? Sheeeeesh, what a weinie. I can do 75 or 80 from my 500 S&W, counting reloads.

What a maroon.


Cat

[DLCTEX]

I'm beginning to think this guy gets his jollies from being..abrasive (to say it so that it doesn't get censored).

[Balduran]

And here i thought i reloaded and cast boolits cuz i liked doing it.
I suppose i need a fine tune ajustment, anyone got a 2X4?

[CGT80]

I have an RCBS LAMI. My dad bought it in the 80's. The threaded shaft and base plug were damaged along with the adjustment screw that sits under the die. I called RCBS and they sent me the parts free of charge. I had to wait a long time for some of the parts to be machined, but I eventually got them along with some new seals. The press works great now. I use a lyman heating plate under the press.

I have not used a lyman press. I saw a pic of a press with the handle offset to the right of the machine. This would allow you to keep your right hand on the handle and move the bullets with your left hand, and possibly make it more comfortable. Now I have to go google that machine to fix my curiosity. Anyway +1 for RCBS.

[Floydster]

Lee push thru's for me too--retired my lubesizers for now, am using Alox lube for all my pistol cast bullets--great results, no leading, lube bullets, run them thru the sizer, two more light coats of Alox and good to go.

[jcw1970]

Bite the bullet and buy a Star. You won't regret spending the extra money after you've used it. Sure it's faster but it's also more productive. I've got 3 of them(cause I'm lazy and have one for each type of lube I use) and I won't ever go back to a lyman, rcbs, or whatever. They aren't the fancy setup with the bullet feeder and air feed cause I don't size that many at a time. I do have one with a lyman heater on it for the hard lube. People say," oh you can only do pistol bullets with a star, you can't do a spire point bullet with one." wrong. As far as dies and top punches, lathesmith on here does a great job of making them and is priced below magma.

[quasi]

Lyman or RCBS? The answer is always RCBS over Lyman, everything RCBS makes is better than the Lyman equivalent.

[45-70 Chevroner]

I think RCBS makes better equipment over all. But I have had a Lyman 45, and a Lyman 4500 for a long time and they both work great. The 45 I have rebuilt once.

[Freightman]

I have Lee push through's.

http://img.timeinc.net/time/2007/50_cars/yugo.jpg

Yugo.... :lol: :holysheep
I have a push through also, but it has LEE on it, would love to have a star but not in the books now, some day. I like RCBS's CS it is top notch.

[chambers]

Choose RCBS over Lyman, just because of warranty.