Cool old lyman 310 dies/press

[jugulater]

i was making my usual rounds yesterday, looking at all the new inventory at my local gunshops and pawnshops when i made a awesome find at my favorite shop to do business at. theres was a little brown box sitting on the bottom shelf of the reloading section, when i pulled it out i found, much to my surprise a dusty collection of 310 dies, a Tru-Line Jr. press, and a set of 310 tongs. what surprised me even more is the shop owner had assumed they would never sell and offered my the whole box for 75 OTD, i quickly paid him and ran out the door. This is my first time messing with the lyman 310 stuff and it may be a start to a really expensive addiction.

just thought that you fellows would enjoy seeing some of this older stuff cleaned up and preserved for another generation

[ascast]

you really should have left that stuff there. they multiply fast than maggots in the hot sun.

[jugulater]

im already getting the urge to buy more... its all a downward spiral from here. lol

[ascast]

a couple of those set look like big rifle I can help you figure it out

[Dframe]

What a great find! A little cleaning and some orange paint and you'll be off and running.

[jugulater]

i figured out the dies. i did some research and found a chart that matched the numbers on the dies to calibers, i have ;
- seater and sizer/decapper for .303 British
- seater and sizer/decapper for .250-3000 sav
- seater and sizer/decapper (missing decapping assembly) for .222 rem
- full five die set for 30/06
- a .303 Sav seating die

some of the little screws for the lock rings are gone and all but one set are missing the little decapping pins. the little press is all there and cleaned up good, although im not sure if i want to repaint it.

[Char-Gar]

Old reloading equipment has seen use and have a story to tell, if they could speak. I am not not one for repainting. I do remove any rust, old grease and such to get them back to work again, but I don't try and restore or paint them.

Your Lyman Tru Line Jr. press is a Generation 1 press, made between 1949 and 1957.

[jugulater]

i had read about the difference between the Gen 1 and the later models. didn't quite understand what they were saying till i looked at a picture of side by side comparison.

now i need a SMLE so i can use the .303 British dies!

[Char-Gar]

i had read about the difference between the Gen 1 and the later models. didn't quite understand what they were saying till i looked at a picture of side by side comparison.

now i need a SMLE so i can use the .303 British dies!

The difference is the linkage. Here is my Gen 2 with the 2 piece/compound linkage.

[jugulater]

mine being the non-compound model probably lacks the power of the compound model, but i doubt it will be an issue with most 310 dies being neck size only.

i saw some discussions on other forums were the Tru-Line Jr. was called weak and obsolete. after playing with it and loading some 30-06 on it i feel the statments about its strength and usability are false when using it for its intended purpose

[Char-Gar]

mine being the non-compound model probably lacks the power of the compound model, but i doubt it will be an issue with most 310 dies being neck size only.

i saw some discussions on other forums were the Tru-Line Jr. was called weak and obsolete. after playing with it and loading some 30-06 on it i feel the statments about its strength and usability are false when using it for its intended purpose

There are many many people on this board and other boards, that believe obsolete equals inferior and inferior equals unusable. Old reloading tools may lack the bells and whistles of more recent tools, but as you correctly stated, they are plenty usable for their intended purpose.

I can't speak to the relative strength of Gen 1 and Gen 2 presses, having only owned and used Gen 2. I can say that Gen 2 presses have plenty of leverage and bulk to smoothly full length size handgun cases. Mine is set up for 38 Special/357 Magnum.

[pworley1]

Those are great little presses.

[Green Frog]

Run away, run away! You are about to descend into a deep, deep hole from which there is no escape!


OOPS, looks like it is too late.

Your next step should be a PM to BrassMagnet on this forum. He has sort of become a "clearing house" for putting together sets of odd caliber dies as well as connecting those who have them with those who want them. You may also want to find the 310 Shop on the inter web to locate other items you desire. BTW, the 30-06 and 303 "push in" dies (no threads, use a vise or hammer to push shell in, then drive out with a rod) will full length resize brass for those (or other calibers) and show up regularly on flea-Bay and at gun shows, etc. Welcome to the Madness!

Froggie