On Lubing Only...?

[daddyseal]

I am ONLY talking about Lubing in this question, Not Sizing, OK?
Is a Lyman Lubesizer really That much better than pan lubing?

[ShooterAZ]

Personally, for me it is. When I first started casting I experimented with making my own lubes and pan lubing. It works, but is a pain. I found that for me it is easier and less mess to use a lube sizer. Is it better? Perhaps not. For some folks who don't need or want to size their boolits, pan lubing might be a better choice. The cost and quality of White Label lubes make the choice an even easier one for me.

[dromia]

Concur.

I've never had success pan lubing.

I do better just smearing the lube onto the boolit by hand than pan lubing.

Wth the lubesizer I can also seat gas check as I lube.

[montana_charlie]

It depends somewhat on lifestyle.

To begin, I don't lube many bullets at any one session. The 'mass production' ability afforded by pan lubing isn't something I need.

Then, I prefer to keep my reloading activities confined to a small corner of my den.
At the same time I like to avoid monopolizing the kitchen for periods of (like) an hour or two at a time.
And ... I purely hate to clean up a mess in the kitchen that consists of materials other than food items.

For my 'lifestyle', the lubrisizer works best.
What's your lifestyle like ... is the answer you need to figure out.

CM

[genesis]

Is a Lyman Lubesizer really That much better than pan lubing?

That depends on your application. Better? IMHO, no. But they're required to seat a gas check. I pan lubed for years. I prefer oversize boolits. So if I did use a sizer, which I do on rare occasion, I use oversize dies. Now I shoot mainly Lee 38 caliber tumble lube design wadcutters at around 750 FPS in my Ruger GP100 and they work great!

Don <><

[daddyseal]

It depends somewhat on lifestyle.

To begin, I don't lube many bullets at any one session. The 'mass production' ability afforded by pan lubing isn't something I need.

Then, I prefer to keep my reloading activities confined to a small corner of my den.
At the same time I like to avoid monopolizing the kitchen for periods of (like) an hour or two at a time.
And ... I purely hate to clean up a mess in the kitchen that consists of materials other than food items.

For my 'lifestyle', the lubrisizer works best.
What's your lifestyle like ... is the answer you need to figure out.

CM
My lifestyle is slow and easy...being retired, there is no rush.
I have a full garage and 2 large work benches to work on, although I also have installed a bench in a spare room of my house as a reloading room...it's climate controlled, which I like in Very cold times and very HOT times, here in Texas.

My main issue is little money...and buying Lyman lubesizer dies for all the 9 calibers I reload makes it less feasible that pan lubing.

[ShooterAZ]

You might want to check on "swap & sell" here or on ebay for a used Lyman or RCBS sizer. Also keep in mind you don't need to buy all the dies & top punches for all your calibers all at once. Start with the few that you use the most, and go from there. That is what I did...go one step at a time.

I bought a new RCBS sizer for $165 if i recall correctly. So for $2-300 you will be in business. You will not regret making the investment. Just call it an early Christmas present to yourself.

[daddyseal]

You might want to check on "swap & sell" here or on ebay for a used Lyman or RCBS sizer. Also keep in mind you don't need to buy all the dies & top punches for all your calibers all at once. Start with the few that you use the most, and go from there. That is what I did...go one step at a time.

I bought a new RCBS sizer for $165 if i recall correctly. So for $2-300 you will be in business. You will not regret making the investment. Just call it an early Christmas present to yourself.
Thanks,
I tried selling something on "swap & sell" when I was pretty new here (3 months ago), and the moderators told me I couldn't yet...so, now I'm on probation until mid-August.

[fredj338]

No, a Magam/Star luber/sizer is really that much bette than pan lubing IMO. I like all my bullets to be uniform size for 100% reliable reloading/functioning. I can lube & size about 1500/hr in a Star from start to finish. Can't touch that w/ a RCBS or Lyman & pan lubing then sizing thru a Lee, painfully slow. $250 for a Star is a bargain for a volume shooter. For the gc shooter, I think the Lyman/RCBS/Seaco are a bit easier to work with.

[daddyseal]

No, a Magam/Star luber/sizer is really that much bette than pan lubing IMO. I like all my bullets to be uniform size for 100% reliable reloading/functioning. I can lube & size about 1500/hr in a Star from start to finish. Can't touch that w/ a RCBS or Lyman & pan lubing then sizing thru a Lee, painfully slow. $250 for a Star is a bargain for a volume shooter. For the gc shooter, I think the Lyman/RCBS/Seaco are a bit easier to work with.

Again....I was not talking about sizing...Only Lubing, friend
(of course uniformly sized boolits are important)

[paul h]

It comes down to how you lube and what works for you. Personally I found I wanted to reduce the time I spent lubing, so for me, the lyman was a big plus over pan lubing.

If you're content with pan lubing, than you'll likely think the lube/sizer is just another gizmo that sucks up $ that you could put into lead, lube, powder and primers. If however you're trying to reduce the time it takes you to produce cast bullets, then the lyman will likely turn out to be a tool well worth the $.

[mdi]

I pan lube and tumble lube. I don't have a lubersizer and have no plan to buy one. I use the "toaster oven" method and have successfully (and neatly) done so for mebbe 12 years (heating the bullets in a pan with lube in a toaster oven, and popping the bullets out of the cooled lube cake or cutting the bullets out of the cake with a "cookie cutter"). I either make my own lube or purchase from White Label Lubes. I can do 5 or 10 bullets or a panfull of 100 bullets ay a time. I can then size if I choose to (Lee push through sizer die) or shoot as cast diameter. For tumble lubing, I rarely use Lee Liquid Alox, but like xlox from White Label and usually make 45-45-10 or dip lube in a thinned xlox. I can spend 10 minutes a day lubing or go for a big batch and work for mebbe an hour. These methods are a little more involved than a lubersizer (drop a bullet in the lubersizer, pull the handle and remove a lubed bullet), but the results are every bit as good...

[daddyseal]

I pan lube and tumble lube. I don't have a lubersizer and have no plan to buy one. I use the "toaster oven" method and have successfully (and neatly) done so for mebbe 12 years (heating the bullets in a pan with lube in a toaster oven, and popping the bullets out of the cooled lube cake or cutting the bullets out of the cake with a "cookie cutter"). I either make my own lube or purchase from White Label Lubes. I can do 5 or 10 bullets or a panfull of 100 bullets ay a time. I can then size if I choose to (Lee push through sizer die) or shoot as cast diameter. For tumble lubing, I rarely use Lee Liquid Alox, but like xlox from White Label and usually make 45-45-10 or dip lube in a thinned xlox. I can spend 10 minutes a day lubing or go for a big batch and work for mebbe an hour. These methods are a little more involved than a lubersizer (drop a bullet in the lubersizer, pull the handle and remove a lubed bullet), but the results are every bit as good...

You have confirmed my preference to pan lube. I can use the same White Label Lubes...and do 50 or more at the same time whatever caliber they are...no Lyman Lubesizer dies for each caliber.
I'm going to get a flexible pan at the grocery store.

What do you use for the "cookie cutter"?

[ShooterAZ]

One word to the wise, I went down the same road as you. Two of my five Lee push through sizers do not size as advertised...both on the small side which is not so good. Be prepared to hone them to the proper diameter if need be. I have not had this issue with any of the RCBS size dies I have. A micrometer is a must have for slugging and checking prper diameter.

[daddyseal]

One word to the wise, I went down the same road as you. Two of my five Lee push through sizers do not size as advertised...both on the small side which is not so good. Be prepared to hone them to the proper diameter if need be. I have not had this issue with any of the RCBS size dies I have. A micrometer is a must have for slugging and checking prper diameter.

Thanks for that.
Did Lee replace them?
I use my very accurate calipers very frequently...won't those do?

[azrednek]

I am ONLY talking about Lubing in this question, Not Sizing, OK?
Is a Lyman Lubesizer really That much better than pan lubing?

Back to the original poster's question. In my opinion and I pan lubed for several years. "Is a Lyman Lubesizer really That much better than pan lubing?" "I am ONLY talking about Lubing" NO, both methods will work equally as well doing the lubing. Now if you were asking about speed and efficiency my answer would be a Yes.

[ShooterAZ]

[QUOTE=daddyseal;1798696]Thanks for that.
Did Lee replace them?
I use my very accurate calipers very frequently...won't those do?[/QUOTE

Midway replaced one of them, a 358 that sized at 357. The new one was not much better. Still under 358. I ended up honing it out with fine emery cloth and a dowel.

And no, for measuring diameter calipers are not generally considered accurate enough. They are OK for oal etc, not for diameter.

[btroj]

How much better is it? Only you can answer that for you.

I don't pan lube anything but that's by choice, not because it doesn't work.

If you prefer to shoot unsized bullets then pan lubing is an option. If money is rig then pan lubing makes sense.

This is a personal decision where we each need to match our needs, desires, finances, and who knows what other actors to decide what is the best option for ourselves.

[mdi]

I didn't like the flex/silicone pans. I use pie tins or cake pans (heavy thick ones that won't warp). I made cutters from stainless steel tubing reamed/honed to .360"-.365" for my .38/.357 and .435" or so for my .44 Magnums. Some fellers have used old golf club handles (tapered hollow tubing and cut at apprpriate length for correct I.D.). I believe there's a feller here that makes them and Waxmeister makes a good tool, but a whole lot of fellers make their own from a cartridge. I've not had a problem with the 5 Lee sizing dies being undersize (I have .358", .431", .433" from Ranch Dog, and .451" and .452").

[daddyseal]

I didn't like the flex/silicone pans. I use pie tins or cake pans (heavy thick ones that won't warp). I made cutters from stainless steel tubing reamed/honed to .360"-.365" for my .38/.357 and .435" or so for my .44 Magnums. Some fellers have used old golf club handles (tapered hollow tubing and cut at apprpriate length for correct I.D.). I believe there's a feller here that makes them and Waxmeister makes a good tool, but a whole lot of fellers make their own from a cartridge. I've not had a problem with the 5 Lee sizing dies being undersize (I have .358", .431", .433" from Ranch Dog, and .451" and .452").

Thanks Again, friend

[Dan Cash]

Daddy S. I pan lube exclusively. It is a practical decision, not a live style thing. Some lube will not work satisfactorily as a pan lube and I have found that those lubes are not a satisfactory lube period. Pan lubing takes about 2 1/2 to 3 minutes per hundred using my technique. I do have a Lyman lub/sizer which is used exclusively for seating gaschecks.

[daddyseal]

Daddy S. I pan lube exclusively. It is a practical decision, not a live style thing. Some lube will not work satisfactorily as a pan lube and I have found that those lubes are not a satisfactory lube period. Pan lubing takes about 2 1/2 to 3 minutes per hundred using my technique. I do have a Lyman lub/sizer which is used exclusively for seating gaschecks.

I like White Label's Carnauba Red...with that work, friend?

[fredj338]

Again....I was not talking about sizing...Only Lubing, friend(of course uniformly sized boolits are important)

Well friend, one goes with the other when talking luber/sizer?? It's not really possible to lube only in a aluber/sizer. Well, you can, but it's messy. So just giving you a heads up before you spend your money. The Star/Magma is easily worth two Lyman, RCBS or Saeco.

Pan lubing takes about 2 1/2 to 3 minutes per hundred using my technique.
Takes longer to melt the lube than that. Then you have to stack the bullets, then remove them, so I think it's quite a bit longer than 3min/100 total time.

[Dan Cash]

I like White Label's Carnauba Red...with that work, friend?

I have never used or handled that lube so can not say. I like my lube as all components are right handy. I live too far out in the sticks to chase exotic components.

[daddyseal]

I have never used or handled that lube so can not say. I like my lube as all components are right handy. I live too far out in the sticks to chase exotic components.

Would you mind sending me a PM with your recipe, Dan?

[Dan Cash]

Well friend, one goes with the other when talking luber/sizer?? It's not really possible to lube only in a aluber/sizer. Well, you can, but it's messy. So just giving you a heads up before you spend your money. The Star/Magma is easily worth two Lyman, RCBS or Saeco.

Takes longer to melt the lube than that. Then you have to stack the bullets, then remove them, so I think it's quite a bit longer than 3min/100 total time.

It does if you stand around and watch the lube melt and then cool. Flip the switch on the lube pot, stack bullets in loading block, flip into lube pan and go do something else until lube is melted. When lube is melted, pour it into the lube pans and go do something else productive until lube is ready to pop bullets out. Actual work time is 2 1/ to 3 minutes per hundred.
Dan

[mdi]

Well friend, one goes with the other when talking luber/sizer?? It's not really possible to lube only in a aluber/sizer. Well, you can, but it's messy. So just giving you a heads up before you spend your money. The Star/Magma is easily worth two Lyman, RCBS or Saeco.

Takes longer to melt the lube than that. Then you have to stack the bullets, then remove them, so I think it's quite a bit longer than 3min/100 total time.

I've read of a lot of casters that use "oversize" dies in their lubersizer to either install gaschecks or lube only, not size.