Lyman 55 measure: knurled drop tube, ???

[nitro-express]

312199

I bough this 55 used and this is the only drop tube it came with. What puzzled me was it was not like any of the other drop tubes that came with my other 55s. All the other ones are threaded 5/8-310.

Was this drop tube an option for some obscure application or ????

A mystery to me.

Nitro

[pworley1]

Most of mine are like that one,

[ascast]

that is for "not mounted on the tru-line jr" model. The thread mount you mention is to screw into the the of the Tru-Line Jr press. Your should have a bench mount c-clamp cast in.

[nitro-express]

Thanks, that mystery solved.

I have 4, all have the C clamp. Most likely the more common configuration. If I've learned anything, it's Lyman was not afraid to make subtle changes in production. At one time you could order specials right from the factory.

Nitro

[Green Frog]

Early on, the Lyman 55 came with knurled drop tubes, some blued steel like yours, and occasionally aluminum in the white. Designed with a clamp to hold them to bench or shelf, this part of the design was a holdover from the previous #5. The earliest also had the older style three slide adjustment (no knurled adjusting screws) but IIRC, this feature was the first to be upgraded. The body casting including a clamp for bench or shelf seems to have remained all through production.

Bonus fact::Another change was the “knocker” on the front. Until about the time of the Leisure Group, the old one piece cast iron unit was retained from the #5 design. About the time the #55 turned grey they went to a turned steel weight swinging on a flat piece of what looks like spring steel. Back in the eighties I even tripped up a Lyman Historian with that tidbit… he had never noticed the change!

Froggie