Questions - Lyman 44 Special Dies

[JoeJames]

Last weekend a cousin gave me a box of Lyman 44 Special dies that a friend of his had given him. He knew I was an irredeemable nut about the 44 Special. I already have an RCBS set of 44 Magnum/44 Special dies with carbide sizer, etc. But I am always scrounging.
The dies have the following stamped on them - I have numbered them 1, 2, 3, and 4 -left to right.

1. EXP CH (size?) and decap
2. 44 SPE - FL full length sizing die
3. LYMAN EXP - CH seating and (crimp?)
4. 44 SPE - DA (size?) and decap

Wondering the following:
does #1 size, and if so it does not appear to be carbide?
#2 - is it carbide or require lube?
#3 - I know it seats, but does it also crimp
#4 - does it size as well as decap?

262007

[Valley-Shooter]

Last weekend a cousin gave me a box of Lyman 44 Special dies that a friend of his had given him. He knew I was an irredeemable nut about the 44 Special. I already have an RCBS set of 44 Magnum/44 Special dies with carbide sizer, etc. But I am always scrounging.
The dies have the following stamped on them - I have numbered them 1, 2, 3, and 4 -left to right.

1. EXP CH (size?) and decap
2. 44 SPE - FL full length sizing die
3. LYMAN EXP - CH seating and (crimp?)
4. 44 SPE - DA (size?) and decap

Wondering the following:
does #1 size, and if so it does not appear to be carbide?
#2 - is it carbide or require lube?
#3 - I know it seats, but does it also crimp
#4 - does it size as well as decap?

262007That first one is a decapper expander. It doesn't size. It's old, they don't make them like that anymore.

#2 is the sizer. Most likely a steel sizer. You have look if there a carbide ring pressed into it.

Can you post a pic of the dies disassembled?
Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

[JoeJames]

That first one is a decapper expander. It doesn't size. It's old, they don't make them like that anymore.

#2 is the sizer. Most likely a steel sizer. You have look if there a carbide ring pressed into it.

Can you post a pic of the dies disassembled?
Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk
Good news on #1 - nothing wrong with an extra de-capper. No carbide ring I could see in #2.
On pics dis-assembled - the decapping rod on #3 is locked up, and is soaking in liquid wrench right now, along with the locking ring on #2; if I can free them up I will post pics. They first appeared to be in decent shape, but some of the dies are locked up due to rust. The seating die #4 has a perfectly shaped seater for SWC's which I will use, and that's why I was wondering of it also crimped.

[Valley-Shooter]

That's to bad some the parts are locked up. They do look good from the outside.
I hope you get them apart without damage.

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[JoeJames]

Even though the locking ring on the full length is frozen, I have an rcbs carbide sizing die anyway. I hope I can salvage the seating die because I really like the configuration of the seating plug - perfect for swc’s.

[Green Frog]

At one time both Lyman and RCBS offered different seating plugs to fit various bullet nose shapes. The last RCBS set I got for 32 revolvers came with both RN and a SWC/WC stems and the box was so marked from the factory.

Doesn’t Lyman still sell that Universal Depriming Die? I haven’t looked for it recently but it was a stock item for many years for those who like to remove primers before tumble cleaning, etc.

Froggie

[JoeJames]

I will size like I’ve always done with my rcbs carbide die. I may use next the Lyman 44 Special neck expander/decapper die. The Lyman seating die seats only - does not crimp; so that would be next. Then use my rcbs seating/crimping die to just crimp. My, getting into precision bench rest loading. Still thinking it out. I do like the idea of separate seating and crimping, though.