Lyman MAG 25 Broke

[dannyd]

My Mag 25 started dripping around the nozzle. Lyman said they couldn't fix it but for 175.00 they would send me a new one. Glad I kept my six Lee pots

233612

[mattw]

Wow, really a leak in the weld around the nozzle... not just a drippy nozzle. They will not send a replacement pot? That is a black eye for them.

[Smoke4320]

does not even looked welded .. looks like JB Weld

[dverna]

I was once considering buying one but got a Master Caster instead. Not very good support from Lyman. Hope you new one works out better for you. I would try to fix it. Maybe a good welder could do it. Then sell the new one.

[jimkim]

This is the Lyman I know. I had heard good things about them recently. It looks like they're slipping again.

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[Smoke4320]

Its Chinese made. We need a few other mag 25 owners to look at their nozzles and tell us if they see welds or metal puddy around their nozzles

[dannyd]

That's lead dripping out took me by surprise thought the PID unit would go first. They should have how to make the pot down pat after all these years. Won't being getting another one but it was fun while it lasted. Some of my Lee pots are 30 years old and still going, but they are China pots too.

[dannyd]

The MAG 25 only has 1year warranty and no spare parts in US.

[rogerreloader]

You have a private message.

[Lloyd Smale]

I had pretty good luck with lyman 25s. One time an element burned out and lyman sold me a replacement. When I lost them in the barn fire I replaced them with two rcbs pots that have worked without problem. One thing about rcbs is they will 999 times out of a 1000 fix or replace anything for any reason. I just contacted them last week because the cutter head on my power trimmer was getting dull after MANY MANY thousands of trim jobs. They put a brand new one in the mail that day for free. When I need loading gear I look at Dillon and rcbs first. No two companys in any industry have better customer service. Hornady is pretty much right up there with them too. Lyman is way down the list in customer support. Lee is even better to deal with when you have problems then lyman ever was.

[Static line]

Those Chinese workers are sneaky people.I had to take three manifolds for my 9n Ford tractor back to Tractor Supply because they leaked.The TS clerk and I discovered that they had put silver/gray putty on the manifold to make it look flat.When the heat got to it from firing up the tractor,the putty blew out." Lyman beware!

[farmrboy]

I won't buy anymore Lyman anything. I bought a 4500 kit that was missing the heater. Customer service said to email the receipt and they would send a heater. Then she changed her mind and said to return the whole kit and get it replaced. Then she incinuated that I was lying. I wasn't going to wait several weeks for a replacement and pay to ship it back so I bought a heater and decided there are better places to do business with. I like Lyman equipment but their lousy CS ran me off.

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[mac60]

That's lead dripping out took me by surprise thought the PID unit would go first. They should have how to make the pot down pat after all these years. Won't being getting another one but it was fun while it lasted. Some of my Lee pots are 30 years old and still going, but they are China pots too.

The Lee pots are made in the U.S.

[dannyd]

I don't think the parts are made in the USA. Also everyone think about one thing your cell phone, tablet and computers are all China made.

[Carrier]

But the Lee pots are a whole lot cheaper to buy. It’s hard not to get **** that has been made in China but I will not pay big bucks for something that used to be made in North America that is now made in China just for the brand name.
Many times it’s almost impossible not to but if there is any chance I will.

[dannyd]

But the Lee pots are a whole lot cheaper to buy. It’s hard not to get **** that has been made in China but I will not pay big bucks for something that used to be made in North America that is now made in China just for the brand name.
Many times it’s almost impossible not to but if there is any chance I will.

I have 6 Lee pots 4 20lbs. and 2 10lbs there good pots. Casted over hundred thousand bullets with them.

[Carrier]

I have 6 Lee pots 4 20lbs. and 2 10lbs there good pots. Casted over hundred thousand bullets with them.

I only have one 10 lb and so far works good.

[Walks]

It's been 3yrs since I bought anything from Lyman.
I bought 2 Brand New Molds. A #429667 4cav & #429244GC 2cav. They both dropped at .428dia with LINOTYPE !?!?.
I called Lyman, explained that they were way undersized. Had to return the molds on my dime.

Received new molds 2 weeks later. Something seemed fishy. I had kept the original paper work. I checked, both molds were made by the same person on the same day and they inspected by the same person on the same day. I called Lyman Cust Serv and screamed bloody murder. The Cust Serv Rep (a young female) could not understand the problem. She had no concept of bullet casting.

Then I remembered an email question that I sent to HANDLOADER Mag. They referred me to the Lyman Tech Mgr. (the Guy who writes/edits their Reloading Manuals).

I checked my Email archives, sure enough I still had his email address. I sent him an email outlining the problem. He sent me a response to mail the molds DIRECTLY TO HIM PERSONALLY.

They came back 2 weeks later. With sample bullets that measured .431dia dropped using #2 alloy.

He's retired since. Guess the Corporate types drove him out.

I haven't bought anything except small replacement parts from them since. And the New style handles.

It's literally Heartbreaking to see an old line American Co. broken by corporate types with no understanding of the Company they are supposed to be running.

[dannyd]

I only have one 10 lb and so far works good.

Each one does different types of lead.

[Lloyd Smale]

there serviceable pots but cast with an rcbs pot a couple times and youll be digging in your wallet. that said id buy a lee WAY before id buy a lyman today. Not that lyman pots are junk. Far from it. there almost as good as an rcbs and a 100 bucks cheaper. But then the first time something goes wrong with it your going to spend that 100 bucks anyway. All said if your on a budget and I understand some here are and some aren't into casting as much as others the lee pots are hard to beat for the money.
I have 6 Lee pots 4 20lbs. and 2 10lbs there good pots. Casted over hundred thousand bullets with them.

[georgerkahn]

After reading the replies, I haven't seen one addressing your problem. I, too, am happy that both the heating element and PID still function. If it were my pot, I'd heat it up and drain as much -- hopefully ALL -- alloy out of it. After cooling, I'd put a stainless steel brush in my Dremel -- kind of like those used for cleaning primer pockets -- to get every molecule of melt out, and finally using same brush with some Iso alcohol. I'd then put something -- anything to snugly fit the drain hole to keep epoxy from getting into it -- followed by my generous mix of J-B weld. At the "worst", I reckon you'd be better than before. But, as long as the area you're to put the epoxy on is 101% grease free, and you have ensured you're not getting it in the hole you need -- by gum & golly -- it might be worth a try!
Good luck!
geo

[Lloyd Smale]

wonder if a guy couldn't fab one out of a mig welder torch tip. Or a gas orifice from a furnace.

[Greg S]

Talkng to Lyman customer service is useless. I just throw it away now and stay away. Bullet molds, the same. Bought an undersized 452651. Returned and received another undersized. Feel like sending it back telling them to keep it but it is just throwing away another $7 postage. Don't get me started on their case trimmers.

[Alan in Vermont]

This may all be totally irrelevant but,,,,

Back in the time-frame of mid to late 1970s Lyman introduced a 20# pot, the MoldMaster XX. That was when I was casting a pretty fair volume of 429421 to keep up with my IHMSA and practice shooting. Bought one from Midsouth. I was one proud puppy. Right up to where it started leaking!

It wasn't dripping from the spout, it was dripping from where the spout attached to the bottom of the pot and the lead was running out the bottom of the outer jacket. The pot shell was Aluminum, the spout was, IIRC, Stainless Steel although it may have been just plain Steel. As a side note the hole in the outer jacket, around the spout, was big enough that you could the see red glow from the heating heating element reflecting off the mold guide.

That pot got returned, I don't recall if it was through Midsouth or directly to Lyman, but I don't remember us having to pay return shipping. We were sent a new pot. Proud owners again and pleased at how easy it was to get things set right. But relief was brief, in short order the second pot was leaking the same as the first one did.

I decided there was no use in sending the second pot back, chances were just too good that another replacement would fritz out the same way. Again IIRC, (remember this is going back 40 years on memory alone) I think the pot was held in the shell by small screws, not the rivets RCBS uses. At any rate I got the pot out and found that the spout was loose. The spout was flanged on the inside of the pot and secured by a nut on the thread lower portion outside the bottom of the pot. I think the flange inside the pot might have been hexagonal and could be held with a socket & extension while the bottom nut was turned with a regular wrench.

That fixed the problem temporarily but had to be repeated regularly as it would start leaking again.

At one point I removed the spout in its' entirety to try to determine why it kept loosening. It turned out that it was that the nut was loosening. The Al of the pot was slowly creeping out of the area between the two steel surfaces of the spout. Maybe it was getting hot enough to flow slightly or maybe it was differential expansion between dissimilar metals. At any rate the pot was getting thinner where the spout was holding it under compression.

I knew it was just a matter of time before it got thin enough to crack or tear completely away and precipitate a disaster of greater or lesser proportions and it was retired.

At some later time Lyman started using a Stainless Steel pot on the MoldMasterXX so they must have become aware that they had a dog on their hands. I think I gave the carcass away when someone was going to try to get a SS pot to retrofit it.

[dogmower]

That's lead dripping out took me by surprise thought the PID unit would go first. They should have how to make the pot down pat after all these years. Won't being getting another one but it was fun while it lasted. Some of my Lee pots are 30 years old and still going, but they are China pots too.
the lee costs $65 and the lyman almost $300. for that money, I'll keep my lee and the occasional drip. When it finally dies, I'll just go buy another one. I've got 6 years and THOUSANDS of rounds through my first lee. At this rate, I'll be nearly 85 years old when the money comes out even, in another 25 years.

[dannyd]

[QUOTThat's lead dripping out took me by surprise thought the PID unit would go first. They should have how to make the pot down pat after all these years. Won't being getting another one but it was fun while it lasted. Some of my Lee pots are 30 years old and still going, but they are China pots too. E]
the lee costs $65 and the lyman almost $300. for that money, I'll keep my lee and the occasional drip. When it finally dies, I'll just go buy another one. I've got 6 years and THOUSANDS of rounds through my first lee. At this rate, I'll be nearly 85 years old when the money comes out even, in another 25 years.[/QUOTE]

I just like buying new reloading or casting equipment, may try the RCBS next.

[dogmower]

oh, I got that bug, too. I keep buying parts and building AR's. I've heard good things about the RCBS furnace, and the Lyman, too, for that matter. I think they can do better, especially since it's new. The only Lyman products I've had that let me down was one of their tumblers, but I beat the snot out of it.

[Taterhead]

My first furnace was a Mag 25. When it arrived from Midway, I went as far as unboxing it in my living room. I looked it over for a day or two. Never turned it on, but had that feeling like it looked like cheap Chinese electronics. The last straw was the mold guide not being compatible with most. Midway gladly accepted my return, and I promptly ordered a Pro Melt. Probably a good decision.

[LongRangeAir]

I don't know so much about the JB weld suggestion. It is rated at 600f.

[Mal Paso]

I don't know so much about the JB weld suggestion. It is rated at 600f.

JB Weld is Epoxy=Plastic. Will eventually break down from heat when used on mold handles. Melting pot, no way.

Silver bearing brazing rod would be the lowest temperature solution I would use.

[rbuck351]

If is a steel pot, I would braze it with regular brass rod. I aluminum, I would lathe a new bottom spout from aluminum and have it tig welded. Should be a permanent fix. Probably cost as much as a new Lee 20 lb pot unless you can do some or all of the work yourself. I have a Lee 10lb pot that I bought in the late 70's that is still working fine.