Lyman T Mag 2

[Lefty Red]

Anyone actually use one?
Looks great and $160 shipped!

Only really negative flaw is the deprived cup being small.
I deprime/resize/prime on my Classic Cast. So this issue doesn't effect me.

Also, yes I know there is a press from Lee called the Classic Turret Press. And it's a good press. But I'm not asking about it.

And then there is the bomb proof Redding T7. And I'm not asking about it. Maybe it makes me uncomfortable and I'm not man enough for it. Maybe it's Common Core.

I know the RCBS's turret press had massive head flex. I couldn't resize a 38 case with it!

Jerry

[Maven]

Jerry, I've had and used my T-Mag press for 20 yrs. and am 100% pleased with it. The T-Mag has a bolt which you can adjust to eliminate turret flexing. Btw, I only load .357- and .44Mag. on mine and save rifle brass resizing and sometimes forming on my Lyman Orange Crusher.

[Lefty Red]

Thanks Maven,
I forgot to mention it would be only for pistol calibers. And then only the flaring, powder charge, and seating/crimping operations. I do all my case prep and priming on a single stage.
Really wanting it for the 380 and 32 ACP calibers. Friends have gotten in into these pocket pistol calibers and I really enjoy shooting them and as carry BUGs. I won't shoot over 100 rounds a month out of the mouse bottom feeders. But wanted a good turret to mount to my inside reloading bench.

Jerry

[pkie44]

T-Mag II would work great for your needs.

[labradigger1]

I have one I bought from cabelas bargain cave. Used it for a couple years straight with no problems, then one day I decided to set the die so the ram would cam over. That was the end of that press when the cast iron that droops over the front of the bench broke. Not sure if it had runout on the turret or a bent turret bolt but from the get go you would set the back rod with a .010 feeler gauge and it would be about .040 when you turned the turret 180 degrees.
All in all I would not recommend one. Ymmv

[flashhole]

For $160 you could get the Lee Classic Turret (that you weren't asking about) and a set of Lee dies and a Lee Auto Drum powder dispenser and have a better system than you would with the Lyman.

[Guardian]

I had an older version of the T-Mag as my first press. It was used when I got it, so who knows what it had been through. Anyway, the turret separated from the press body one day when I was resizing 270 WIN. My guess, in retrospect, is I didn't have the bolt at the rear adjusted far enough up and the flex finally got the better of it. That part's my fault, or someone before me.

I attempted to contact Lyman on multiple occasions to get a replacement turret bolt. Never heard back from them. I was fool enough to buy other Lyman stuff since then. I had their larger sonic cleaner, which developed a leak. Never heard back from them on that either. Both of those were their fault.

About the only thing I will buy of theirs anymore is M dies, since I haven't found anything better. The T-Mag isn't a bad press, but I wouldn't gamble on Lyman's service.

You weren't asking about it, but save your pennies. The T7 is worth it!

[Lefty Red]

For $160 you could get the Lee Classic Turret (that you weren't asking about) and a set of Lee dies and a Lee Auto Drum powder dispenser and have a better system than you would with the Lyman.

I highly doubt it's a better system than the Lyman. I found the CTP to have too much play in the turret head for my liking. To the point I had to hold the turret down so it wouldn't raise up with the case going into the dies. I never had a constant COL with it.

At least with the Lyman the rear bolt keeps the flex to a bare minimum.

Jerry

[Lefty Red]

I had an older version of the T-Mag as my first press. It was used when I got it, so who knows what it had been through. Anyway, the turret separated from the press body one day when I was resizing 270 WIN. My guess, in retrospect, is I didn't have the bolt at the rear adjusted far enough up and the flex finally got the better of it. That part's my fault, or someone before me.

I attempted to contact Lyman on multiple occasions to get a replacement turret bolt. Never heard back from them. I was fool enough to buy other Lyman stuff since then. I had their larger sonic cleaner, which developed a leak. Never heard back from them on that either. Both of those were their fault.

About the only thing I will buy of theirs anymore is M dies, since I haven't found anything better. The T-Mag isn't a bad press, but I wouldn't gamble on Lyman's service.

You weren't asking about it, but save your pennies. The T7 is worth it!

Yeah, decide to hold off and pick up the Redding T7.
and you are the third person to tell me about Lyman's poor service.

Jerry

[jmorris]

I have an older one, used it for just about everything at one time or another, largest being 300 win mag.

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o213/jmorrismetal/reloading/DSC02166.jpg

[Lefty Red]

I love the classic Lyman orange!

[Bullwolf]

I have two T-mags, an old large orange one, and a newer T-mag 2.

I've loaded practically everything on the T-mags imaginable, including rifles up to 300 Win Mag.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_187904efc51e484b72.jpg


The T-mag is just turret press though, and not a swaging press. While I have yet to break one, I'm sure it could be accomplished if you worked at it.

If you have the bench real estate the Redding T-7 is a very heavy duty turret press. I've looked at it a bit myself, but never wanted to spend quite that much for one.

I really like the smaller foot print of the Lyman T-mag 2. Luckily the few parts I've ordered from Lyman (a spare universal priming arm, and plastic primer catcher) haven't been a problem.



- Bullwolf

[shoot-n-lead]

I found the CTP to have too much play in the turret head for my liking.

BINGO...exactly the reason that I SOLD mine.

[sghart3578]

I found the same problem with excessive play in my RCBS turret. I went to Grainger Supply and bought a $5 pack of arbor shims and that was that. I have 5 turrets for my RCBS and each has it's own shim. I would have sold it a long time ago but I got a great deal on it with all of the extra turrets from the original owner who was selling it to get a Redding T7.

I size, de-prime, trim and re-prime on a Lee Classic Cast single stage.

I'm sorry to hear of your experiences with the Classic Turret Press. I love mine. I load 9 different calibers on it and it is awesome.

Best of luck,

Steve in N CA

[Lefty Red]

I found the same problem with excessive play in my RCBS turret. I went to Grainger Supply and bought a $5 pack of arbor shims and that was that. I have 5 turrets for my RCBS and each has it's own shim. I would have sold it a long time ago but I got a great deal on it with all of the extra turrets from the original owner who was selling it to get a Redding T7.

I size, de-prime, trim and re-prime on a Lee Classic Cast single stage.

I'm sorry to hear of your experiences with the Classic Turret Press. I love mine. I load 9 different calibers on it and it is awesome.

Best of luck,

Steve in N CA

I do the same with my CC! Awesome press, and even better with the Hornady LNL brushing.

I had better luck with bigger and longer cases in the CTP, but it was only with the indexing bar removed and holding down the head. It was constant adjusting even with that.

Jerry

[lightload]

I've loaded on a Lyman presses--Spartan, Spar-T, and T mag--for many years and never had problems. All turret presses have some degree of flex, and there are a couple tricks to compensate for this fact if the shooter sees a problem. Redding makes the king of turrets, but I can't say that the king(t-7)
.

[1bluehorse]

BINGO...exactly the reason that I SOLD mine.


And me also..........

[papayumyum]

I love my T Mag. Been using it since 1996. Everything from 9mm - 30.06. Great press.

[MakeMineLead]

I bought an Orange Crusher (single stage) in 1985. The ram was not well aligned w/ the die station. 15 years later, I sent it back. They switched the bare frame for a hammertone frame. Alignment was better, but not 0/0. I sold the Press.

[r1kk1]

I highly doubt it's a better system than the Lyman.
Jerry

Yes there is. Hollywood turrets such as the Senior turret use a 5/8" diameter swage rod to lock the turret to the base of the press. You keep mentioning the T-7. Save a little more and buy one. I don't care for current turret presses. I looked back in time and found mine. You will spend more money but there isn't a current production press that can do what it does with 8 stations.

take care

r1kk1

[Le Loup Solitaire]

I once bought and tried to use an older T-Mag (orange). The turret did not index correctly and was always slightly off center. I bought a second turret, installed it and had the same problem. Tried dealing with Lyman...no answer so I sold the whole mess to someone who said that they were able to fix thing like that. Good riddance. I have a very old orange crusher that works just fine and I still use it. LLS

[dudel]

I found the CTP to have too much play in the turret head for my liking. To the point I had to hold the turret down so it wouldn't raise up with the case going into the dies. I never had a constant COL with it.

Jerry

Wow! I thought I was the only one that had that problem with the CTP. Mine left the bench after a few short months. Fortunately, I didn't lose much on the transaction.

[Bonz]

I've used a Lyman T-Mag II for years now and have only come up with 2 issues : Have numerous turrets and have actually bought 2 that were drilled/machined wrong where "run out" was easily seen when turning the turret (Lyman replaced them). The other issue is the center bolt that secures the turret. If you exert too much pressure on the press, you can snap the bolt. Sure that its a safety designed into the bolt, so have a couple of Lyman OEM bolts on standby.