Lyman M die expander buttons ?

[Marlin356]

Back when, you could buy a short and long M die and then buy the expander buttons individually.
Now on the Lyman site, only complete dies are listed.

Anyone know a source for the expander buttons ?

[Taterhead]

Sorry that I'm no help with a source for individual Lyman expander assemblies. NOE's "M" style expander plugs might accomplish what you're looking for. You can obtain just about any size of M style expander plug, and they are used with a cheap Lee Universal Expanding Die.

Rifle expander plugs:

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/index.php?cPath=88&osCsid=udssbvslf3ucmibspl20o35pa1

Pistol expander plugs:

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/index.php?cPath=89&osCsid=udssbvslf3ucmibspl20o35pa1

[15meter]

Check Ç&H, they offer the body and expanders separately. Have not tried them yet. I need to call them to see if they can do an expander for the 416 Rigby. It doesn't fit in the Lee expander die.

[MOA]

C&H does them for just under 12 bucks each. But you need to check with Dave as to what die body they work in.

[Wayne Smith]

Call lyman, I believe they are uncatalogued but available.

[MOA]

Lyman like so many other firearms related businesses that have been bought up by the big holding companies have gone the way of the big box stores. No more side bar type items. They've done away with the nitch items and concentrated only on the 80 percent rule. Selection is toast, color, materials, makes no matter, only thing you now find is same run of the mill stuff offered by someone else. :-(

[Geezer in NH]

I bought 4 different buttons last summer from Lyman. It took the girl on the phone a few minutes to understand what I wanted but she did come up with them in the computer.

The whole deal took about 1/2 hour on the phone with her after finally getting to speak with someone.

[Marlin356]

LYMAN RESPONDED:

Good morning,
The M-Die plugs and stems are caliber specific, and we only sell the plugs with the stems. They are $7.53 each. Here is a link to the calibers that we have available
https://www.lymanproducts.com/brands/lyman/dies-die-sets/rifle-die-sets/rifle-neck-expanding-m-dies.html
Please feel free to give us a call if you need further assistance.
Best Regards,
Customer Service

[MOA]

LYMAN RESPONDED:

Good morning,
The M-Die plugs and stems are caliber specific, and we only sell the plugs with the stems. They are $7.53 each. Here is a link to the calibers that we have available
https://www.lymanproducts.com/brands/lyman/dies-die-sets/rifle-die-sets/rifle-neck-expanding-m-dies.html
Please feel free to give us a call if you need further assistance.
Best Regards,
Customer Service

Geeez Marlin356, these guys really need to get their act together. Here's just an example. I sent them a email last week re a neck expander for my 8x58RD roller that I use Hungarian brass for and I ask them if they made one in 8mm. Got an answer day or so later saying they did not make a 8mm neck expander. By looking at the link they sent you there is an 8x57 mauser at the top of the listing.......go figure. So, maybe I'll call an see if they REALLY have one available. ..or not.

[Smoke4320]

Geeez Marlin356, these guys really need to get their act together. Here's just an example. I sent them a email last week re a neck expander for my 8x58RD roller that I use Hungarian brass for and I ask them if they made one in 8mm. Got an answer day or so later saying they did not make a 8mm neck expander. By looking at the link they sent you there is an 8x57 mauser at the top of the listing.......go figure. So, maybe I'll call an see if they REALLY have one available. ..or not.

On a Phone call to Lyman nearly a year ago I was told they no longer sold just the expander buttons. Guess I should have called back several times till I got someone who would sell them .. Oh well happy with the NOE ones I purchased instead

Rather support NOE anyway at least he is trying to look out for us .. can't really say that for Lyman anymore

[MOA]

On a Phone call to Lyman nearly a year ago I was told they no longer sold just the expander buttons. Guess I should have called back several times till I got someone who would sell them .. Oh well happy with the NOE ones I purchased instead

Rather support NOE anyway at least he is trying to look out for us .. can't really say that for Lyman anymore

Ya just gotta love corporate shoe size IQ. It's no wonder America is turning into a third world country......anything above middle management is brain dead to their customers needs. Then when times get hard, who goes down the road but middle management on down.

[HangFireW8]

80% rule means younger, hungrier companies are going to eat their lunch.

Also happy with my NOE expanders in a Lee body.

[Hamish]

One Lee Universal Expander Die body and the pertinent NOE expander plugs to go into it, and it's all good,,,,,.

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/index.php?cPath=88&osCsid=51ljt8f12l8jkjddauf366omu6

[gwpercle]

If CH4D can't help you the best , even better than Lyman's , is a Lee Universal Case Expander and NOE expander plugs. $6.50 gets you just about any size you want and the Lee Expander can also be used to just bell case necks when you don't need the M step. Works really well .
Gary

[WALLNUTT]

What gwpercle said

[Marlin356]

One Lee Universal Expander Die body and the pertinent NOE expander plugs to go into it, and it's all good,,,,,.

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/index.php?cPath=88&osCsid=51ljt8f12l8jkjddauf366omu6

When I look at the Lee expander die, the 2 furnished inserts appear to have a female thread. The NOE plugs have a male thread. How does that work ? ALSO is the NOE male threaded stud the same as the one on the Lyman plug ?

[Taterhead]

When I look at the Lee expander die, the 2 furnished inserts appear to have a female thread. The NOE plugs have a male thread. How does that work ? ALSO is the NOE male threaded stud the same as the one on the Lyman plug ?

The plugs themselves are not threaded. They just drop into the die loose. The threaded adjuster at the top of the die controls the fine adjustments for depth.

[avogunner]

I called Lyman yesterday and yes, plugs are available but you have to call customer service (I ordered a .310 plug myself). There is limited availability though and I wanted a .359 but that one unfortunately is not made anymore. I need to pick up the Lee die and one of those NOE expanders....that's good gouge, thanks Taterhead.

[Hardcast416taylor]

Just a dumb question from an old man, what LEE die is required for using NOE plugs?Robert

[square butte]

Just a dumb question from an old man, what LEE die is required for using NOE plugs?Robert

The Lee universal expander die

[OS OK]

https://i.imgur.com/b7zGJoy.jpg

[dh2]

This is old but the part numbers may help
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?243728-Lyman-M-die-Expanding-plug-part-numbers

[dbosman]

Years back, I called Lyman for press parts (that were eventually shipped with no notice or charge six weeks later) and got no where and got a run around.
As I owned my own business and hoped my customers would tell me about service before doing anything else, I called the sales manager to tell him what the phone support was doing. I was polite. Apparently he was already aware of the issue and before I finished he offered to send me a new press. Got to get to the correct person sometimes.

[beagle]

Wayne's right. You just have to get a customer rep that is knowledgeable enough about their stuff to know where to look for them. Last time I bought them they were $5 each but that's been a while. Lyman is a gold mine of parts but their cataloging system sucks./beagle


Call lyman, I believe they are uncatalogued but available.