Just got a Lyman Lube Sizer ? ?

[hylander]

Never used a Lube sizer before, I have always pan lubed.
So I need some guidance :oops:
It is a Model 45
It is old but seems in good shape, I was told the dies are interchangeable with RCBS.
Got a .357 and .451 die with it.
Paid $20 so I think I got a great deal.
Where to get a .452, .358 and .311 die, I guess I need top punches too ?

[theperfessor]

The 45 holds the dies in place by using a setscrew that engages a groove around the die body. I don't know if RCBS dies have this groove or not.
The 45 is not as strong as the 450 or 4500 but it is a very nice unit when used within its design limitations.
$20 is a great price for a working 45.
The top punches are interchangeable between all Lyman and RCBS units. I can't help you with finished dies but I can supply nose punches, see my sig line.

Jon B in Glencoe here on the forum has some parts, instructions, etc. maybe he will see this and chime in.

[Digger]

You did real good if it's in decent shape ... the 45 has it's own fan club here and as you use it , you will learn more about it .
Just be aware from the gitgo that the weak spot is the lever ......as with anything mechanical , it has its moments , just don't force it to much until you get the feel ....
the sizers are ocassionaly available here from members , from lyman themselves and the major reloading suppliers ... you will get more info from more members here .
Side note if down the road you should need a new screw shaft and piston , Lyman still sells a newer rubber o-ring version that fits.
You will have a lot of fun with it .... Excellent buy !

[Tenbender]

I have a 45 and I'm building a heater for it now.

[georgerkahn]

Congrats on your new lub/sizer! I have one 45, and a few others. The two "cautions" I offer include the one already given re the 45 not being the strongest out there -- 'specially handle area -- and perhaps I've been lucky, but have never broken mine. You MUST use either soft at room temp lub, or heat it a bit. On this site you'll find "solutions" to address this -- all good ones -- from buying Lyman's heater, to placing it on an inverted clothes-iron, to using incandescent lamps' heat adjacent to it.
My second caution is re the lock nut for H&I die on bottom -- a very fine thread, I understand it can easily be stripped. I gently screw back-wards til I feel a wee "click", and then -- using finger strength only -- start screwing it down, clock-wise. The Perfessor (a WONDERFUL gent on this site) also manufactures a marvelous wrench -- well worth the $$$ imho -- to start this nut.
You have, indeed a great addition. For the top punches, there are folks on this site who make them to your specs -- and :( I know I have resorted to eBay :( -- where a few vendors, as well as Optics Planet, purvey them.
BEST!
georgerkahn

[pworley1]

I have three 45's and 2 450's. The 45' get a lot more use than the 450's do. You got a very good deal, the dies were worth that much, I hope you enjoy your purchase.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Never used a Lube sizer before, I have always pan lubed.
So I need some guidance
...snip

hylander, you have come to the right place ;-)

read these

the manual.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?34525-manual-for-a-Lyman-45

instructions on disassembly and lots of photos to help you see if you have all the original parts...these things are over 50 years old, many times parts have been substituted.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?166565-Lyman-45-buying-guide-and-cleanup-instructions

as mentioned, the handle and linkage are the weak parts to the 45. Here is a thread where I addressed those issues...food for thought.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?107488-Do-you-have-a-broken-non-working-Lyman-45-lubsizr&highlight=
Be sure to read to past post #20 ...where I made the Rev II handle and linkage

[Beagle333]

You can hone your two dies out by a thousandth and it won't hurt a thing.

There are a lot of threads on how to hone out a die.

And, you can get some Lee push-thru dies (if you don't already have them from pan lubing days) and size the boolits before running them through the 45 and they'll go down through the dies and back up as smoothly as churning butter! :grin:


Here's how Buckshot says to hone out a size die....

How to hone a size die
by Buckshot
Oft times we find ourselves needing a bit more girth in a bullet to please a particular firearm. And, as
sometimes happens the size we need isn't available or we don't want to pay for the custom manufacture of
one. You can do this yourself and accomplish very accurate results for just a few cents worth of materials
(not counting the size die) and a bit of time.
What you will need:
1) A size die that is as close as possible to what you want
2) A length of steel rod that is close to 3/4 of the diameter of the existing die, and long enough to
protrude at least 2" beyond both ends of the die.
3) Wet or dry emery paper of 320, 400, and 600 grit. If you do need to remove more than a couple of
thousandths you should also include 220 grit. Actually the 400 will finish the inside well enough, but
hitting it with a bit of 600 sure slicks it up.
4) Oil. Most any oil will do.
What you do:
The paper should be cut long enough to extend out either end of the die, almost as long as the steel rod.
Wrap your starting coursest grit paper around the steel rod a couple times and apply some oil to the paper.
Insert the covered rod through the size die. With just your thumb and a couple fingers on each end of the
rod, roll it up and down your thigh (while sitting) applying only mild pressure. The reason for using a rod
as large as possible, is to keep from tapering the inside of the die, by having a slender rod bend under
pressure.
This will get your pants leg fairly well oiled up, so use old pants. Or you can staple a bit of cloth to a
length of wood. Most any surface that the die can turn on is fine. I use a piece of mud flap screwed to a bit
of 2x4, and clamp it in the vise, and it's a good working height.
Roll the steel rod occasionally as only a small portion of the paper is in contact with the interior of the
die. You should also swap the die end for end every now and then to make sure the metal removal is as
even as possible. Remember the throat of the die is tapered to admit the bullet and we're only wanting to
open up the actual sizing portion of the die.
When you check your work you don't need to put the die back in the press. Just drill a hole in a board
bigger than the bullet and place the die over it. Place a bullet in the die and tap it through. Remember to
leave a bit of metal to remove for your polishing down to final size with the finer grit paper. The first
time I did this I just took it down to where I wanted it without thinking of the finish. It works, but you do
need a bit more effort to get the bullet in and out, and it just isn't the right way to do it!
Your existing plunger will still be fine in the honed out size die, unless you opened it up several
thousandths. Even then it may still work fine, but you'll need to pay more attention to the lube consistency
and the amount of pressure you exert on the lube reservoir.

[Geezer in NH]

I have 2 45's and 1 450 and have had less problems with the 45's. But the only problem I had with the 450 was a broken handle that Lyman replaced in 3 day's. No idea why it snapped but the replacement has been in use since the late 90's.

[hylander]

Thanks
Will RCBS Dies fit ?

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Yes on the RCBS