cleaning a Lyman 450

[coalgeo]

Well guys, time to take the plunge - been more than 30 years since I fooled with this stuff. I need to clean the old lube out of my Dad's Lyman 450.

First question - should I buy a Lyman warming plate?

What is the best way to get the old, gunky black lube out of this thing?

Also, is it relatively easy or hard to swap out lubes? I will be using SPG for my black powder bullets, but probably something else (maybe?) for smokeless loads for .357 and .44 mags, 45 colt, 45 acp, etc. Open to any and all suggestions.
Thanks
Greg

[1hole]

Most, if not all, of that type lube will melt at temps below 212 degrees in boiling water. Plunk your 450 in a large pot of water and heat it until it boils the lube out.

When you take it out of the boiling water spray it with WD 40 and dry it off, let the residual heat help dry the innerds. You will have a clean lubrisizer ready to be refilled and used.

[floodgate]

coalgeo:

Probably obvious, but you should remove the G-H-I die, ejector punch and top punch first. As to changing lubes, you'll have to do this each time you switch. I keep two of these on my bench, one with 50/50 Alox or Javelina for smokeless, and the other with SPG for Black Powder - will probably switch to Felix' lube and Bullshop's next time around. So fill this one with whichever lube you want to work with first, and keep an eye out for a second Lyman #45, #450 or #4500 or the RCBS model (dies and punches interchange OK) for the other mix; they turn up here regularly in good used shape for $35 - $50.

floodgate

EDIT: Actually, the old black lube is probably OK for light to medium duty smokeless loads, if there is a lot still in it, just run it on out 'til it quits, and add new stuff. After a couple dozen boolits, the new lube will have pushed out the old. The earlier 450's tend to leak out the base of the reservoir. Bolt it down tightly over a sheet of gasket material to prevent that. The Felix and SPG lubes, at least, to not require the heated base, and for harder lubes, a shop-light aimed at the reservoir will get the lube flowing after a few minutes.

[coalgeo]

Thanks for the ideas. I think I will try using it until the black stuff works out. I have heard that SPG can be used for smokeless loads but it seems very soft. On the other hand, I have never pushed purchased cast bullets that hard and do not intend to do so with my own cast bullets.
Greg
ps - I have recently shot a bunch of my Dad's 255 gr SWC'w that have the black lube in them and had no leading problems. Don;t remember ever having a leading problem when I was younger and using these almost exclusively - is that a Herter's lube by chance?

[kodiak1]

1hole has it right have done both of mine a few times, when ever I try a lube I dispise into the boiling water for 15 minutes. Comes out clean as a whistle.

NOTE do not use MOMMAS favorite pot for this, an old steel 5 gallon pail works great.

Ken

[jhrosier]

I took the sizer out of mine and pumped out most of the (35 yr old) Lyman black gunk.
I put in White Label 2500+ and have lubed 5 or 6 hundred zebra striped boolits.:-D
They seem to shoot just fine, but I wonder how many more I will lube before the old stuff completely disappears.

BTW, the White Label lube is great stuff. If I had it 35 years ago, I probably wouldn't have given up on casting.

BTW(2), this forum is a great place to learn what it takes to make good boolits. If I had access to it 35 years ago, I definately wouldn't have given up on casting.:drinks:

Jack

[hotwheelz]

I just use a small propane torch to heat the press up all the lube will oose right out took 15 min with clean up. the boiling water idea sounds good to but I didnt have a pot big enough. Like others have said disassemble the press take out die, top punch, take out pressure screw, take die depth screw, and press handle and it will make the job much easier. I run 2 lubers now one for soft lube and one for hard lube Ive got a lyman model 45, and a lyman model 450.

[G. Blessing]

+1 on thanks for the info!

Nice to see this thread, I would have started it in a few days... I just picked up a used 450 on the 'bay...

G.

[GP100man]

i take the dies & the plate with o rings out & heat it with a heat lamp, place a container to catch the lube , i dont even demount my 450s.


GP100man:cbpour:

[Dale53]

The easiest way I have found to clean my lube sizers when changing lube is to suspend it over a disposable container (cardboard box, broiler tray, etc) and heat it up with a hair dryer or heat gun. Every thing runs out into the container (that I then pitch). Of course, disassemble beforehand as suggested.

FWIW
Dale53

[38 Super Auto]

I'm new to casting and lubing rifle bullets. Some of you guys have two lube rigs for pistol and rifle.

So, what do you look for in a rifle lube vs. a pistol bullet lube?

[miestro_jerry]

I use a blow dryer or the shops heat gun, take the die out and warm the sizer up and you will have goo under the sizer in a while.

Jerry

[GP100man]

i use lars45 carnauba red & have cleaned out my 450s the last time!!!!
check out lars45 stuff at the bottom of page.
good lube good prices & good people to deal with!!!!!

GP100man :cbpour:

[beemer]

I usually boil mine.

If anybody buys a new one clean it out to. I bought a new Lyman about two years ago. The chamber where the dies fit had a lot of fine metal shavings in it.

beemer