Lyman J Shell Holder Question

[carp4]

I'm setting up my grandpa's old Truline Junior press for 9mm Luger reloading. I have the press, dies, #55 powder measure, and priming post. All I need is the shell holder. I know I could use the J to X converter and modern shell holder with a T priming punch, but I'd like to find an original shell holder. Does anyone know the correct number for 9mm in these old shell holders? I think it's 12 from poking around on the internet.

[dsh1106]

Number 12 is correct

[carp4]

Thanks! I'll keep an eye out for one.

[carp4]

The website won't allow me to post a WTB thread, so I'll have to wait on that. Too new I guess.

[Pressman]

You need 30 days and 30 posts to get into Swap & Sell

Ken

[smithnframe]

Check ebay!

[carp4]

Been checking, nothing right now but I have a saved search.. [emoji106]


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[dsh1106]

PM me, I think I have an extra.

Scott

[carp4]

PM sent!

[Green Frog]

So what’s your status? Are you loading 9 mms yet?

Froggie

[carp4]

Yep, learning as I go!

[Pressman]

Mr Frogperson, did you notice what he has on the left? Probably the most cantankerous press ever invented. If Carp4 can make that press operate, he can do anything.

[dsh1106]

I have one of those presses !!!! IMOP the only issue is the finicky priming system, as one wiser than me said "the prime-o-matic system is a mickey mouse setup".

I'm still looking for the elusive cast iron version.

Scott

[carp4]

I love having the two stations. There are actually 3, but i don't have anything that would work in the middle station. The press works really well for resizing 556 to 300 BO. Resize in one then swage the primer pocket in the other. Also nice if using a separate factory crimp die in addition to the bullet seating die so you can do both steps on the press.

A magnet sticks to mine so I'm assuming it's cast.. if aluminum is the other option.

[Pressman]

A wise person once described them as a Quezy Loader. The cast iron version is the best of the three versions, you could likely break an aluminum press by sizing on the front stations. .

As for dies, the rear die is the sizer, the front two were for the expander/decapper and seater. It's possible to make them by turning down the upper section of a standard die as they thread in from the bottom. I have some older Redding dies that are small enough to actually thread in with no modification. Finding the original sizers is difficult, they seem to be very scarce.

[carp4]

Interesting. This press was passed down along with the Truline Jr. I haven't bought any other presses. Resizing the 300 BO is a lot of pressure, I guess it has held up because of being cast like you said.

[Pressman]

If I were you I would get a die made for the center hole, rather than risk breaking it. Using a carbide die to size handgun cases is OK, but the Blackout puts a lot of strain on parts that weren't designed for that.
The first models were cast iron, though few were made before the switch to aluminum. As Scott mentioned above, there is some collector value to the cast iron models.

Ken

[Hamish]

Mr Frogperson, did you notice what he has on the left? Probably the most cantankerous press ever invented. If Carp4 can make that press operate, he can do anything.

Sir, you have impugned the honor of Lyman and a wonderful press. En garde! [smilie=s:

[Pressman]

Hamish, I have to admit, as strange as the design is, that it does work, though maybe not for the mechanically timid. And, of course Mr. carp4 is not attempting to use the priming system. :neutral:

[Green Frog]

I’ve only had direct contact with one such press, and the owner had it set up for 25-35, IIRC. He had an old Hepburn set up as his groundhog gun for use in Eastern VA. Fortunately for my sanity, I was able to avoid further contact with it. :coffee:

Froggie

[Hamish]

Hamish, I have to admit, as strange as the design is, that it does work, though maybe not for the mechanically timid. And, of course Mr. carp4 is not attempting to use the priming system. :neutral:

“Absorb what is useful, discard what is useless and add what is specifically your own”-Bruce Lee

That would be a hard "No"on the priming system.

carp4,

As Ken says, anything that puts a lot of pressure on the outboard stations typically results in the threaded "ear" breaking off, so, forewarned is forearmed.

[Hamish]

I’ve only had direct contact with one such press, and the owner had it set up for 25-35, IIRC. He had an old Hepburn set up as his groundhog gun for use in Eastern VA. Fortunately for my sanity, I was able to avoid further contact with it. :coffee:

Froggie

Yous guys thinks you're comedians. [smilie=l: It's not like it's an RCBS Green Machine,,,,,,,:veryconfu

[carp4]

Appreciate the knowledge.

I don't have the parts for priming on it, I just use a hand primer. I think the priming stuff got lost when my grandpa passed away. I do have the metal tool box it came in. These two presses sat around in my dad's barn for over 10 years. He gave them to me when I decided to learn how to reload.

I'll start looking into a stronger O frame press for resizing brass. I'd hate to break the Queezy Loader.

[dsh1106]

You have one of the early models if it's cast, these are the rarest of the group. I have the aluminum version along with a few die sets and a couple of priming setups.

As mentioned earlier, don't put to much stress on the outboard stations as they are prone to breakage if over stressed. These were designed for de-capping, neck sizing, priming and seating only.

I've loaded everything from 38 specials to 30-06 with mine as well as swagging 12 gauge slugs.

Nice press you have there!!!

Scott

[3006guns]

I've never been a big fan of presses that lowered the dies over the cartridge case........just seems to spit in the eye of good mechanical design. Of course, that's just my prejudice so it doesn't mean much. I have to admit though, it looks like it should make a dandy door stop.........:)

Okay, enough rancor. Many of these presses were built back in the "golden age", when everyone was trying to find the best combination of tool and process for reloading. We can thank Pacific for standardizing the 7/8" x 14 die and the first viable C style press but the other manufacturers were trying to "one up" the competition, claiming their system was "better".

Back to the original question.....my Truline has an adapter that accepts RCBS type shell holders, which eliminates a LOT of problems. I don't know who made it, but I suspect C4HD from years ago. It simply locks in position with the original Lyman set screw and you snap shell holders into it. It might reduce the throat opening about 3/8" or so.