Older lyman presses...some took special shellholder?

[Throckmorton]

a friend was given an older Lyman press but doesn't know if it takes standard shell holders or not.
was it the All American that was needing special ones ,or ??

thanks !

[ktw]

The Lyman All American and the Lyman TrulelineJr presses took something called the "J" shellholder (it was designated part "J" in the old lyman catalogs). I am pretty sure Lyman still sells a converter for these that allows you to use regular shell holders in them.

If you come up empty at Lyman I may be able to find an extra converter kicking around here.

-ktw

[shotman]

I have quite a few in some sizes. They are on feebay from time to time, the convertion is fine . If you dont load the mag rifle Like 300win. Midway has the set . Around $13 I think. Also some in swapping for a good deal.

[Green Frog]

Ditto to the 2 previous replies. A couple of extra things to consider...
1) a special primer assembly is used with this converter (called oddly enough, the "Special T.") and you can only single prime, not use the priming arm and tube, IIRC.
2) as ktw mentions, you do lose a not-insignificant amount of throw, depth, whatever you want to call it when you use the adapter. This becomes critical only if fairly long cartridges are being used.

I have an All American that came from the John Amber auction, and it has one of its holes bored and threaded oversize for the Lyman (proprietary) shotgun loading set-up, which is fine if you only load shot shells occasionally or are willing to put up with real slow production. It works great with the brass shot shells so popular with CAS or shooters going to tropical regions, though! When you want all four stations for a regular metallic cartridge, the large hole has a bushing to come down to standard 7/8 X 14. This press is very heavy and quite accurate for a multistage.

Regards,
Froggie

[BruceB]

The All-American has worked very hard on my bench for over forty years to date(!).

In that time, the "J"-style shellholders were the first ones I used, but over the last ten years or so I've used the adapter for Pacific/RCBS-style "modern" shellholders.

I routinely load the .416 Rigby on this press, so loss of travel surely hasn't affected my use of the machine. I intensely distrust the thin brass tubes used in the primer feeder, and discontinued its use many years ago. Placing the primers on the post one-at-a-time doesn't slow me down much at all.

[Throckmorton]

just found out that the letters 's t' are embossed into the frame,sounds like maybe its a Spar T model? would this take regualar holders.?

thanks for all the replies !

[cobbmtmac]

yes, mine does.

[Green Frog]

Throckmorton,

AFAIK, the only full-sized Lyman presses that used the J-type shell holders were the All American and the Comet. The Comet sometimes came with the larger threaded die hole, but was otherwise a normal C-type press except for the shell holder. There were also several previous Lyman presses that used the J-type or even some special J-type holders relieved for a special primer feed. After these two however, I have only seen the universal shell holders that Lyman cataloged as "X-type." :roll:

As turret presses go, the All American is quite unusual in the form of its compund leverage and the movement of the dies vs the shellholder. There's no mistaking that design for anything else from Lyman. 8-)

HTH ~ Froggie
:coffeecom

[KCSO]

I currently have mounted a Tru Line Jr, a TLJ compond leverage, an Armoury, an AA, a Spartan, a Spar T and a little hand operated Orange thingee. The TLJ's and the AA have a complete set of J's and adapters by Vega Tool and Machine. The others are all standard shell holders and I use Lee's. I actualy use my TLJ's I have them all set up to decap and when I come homme from a shoot my grandkids decap all the brass prior to cleaning and reloading. I am stillnot sure how I ended up with a collection of Lyman Ideal stuff but I am rapidly working my way to one of everything and a set of spare parts. My oldest working press is the Spar T that I have used since 1975 and a AA that I bought shortly after for $5 at a garage sale.

[Throckmorton]

Sounds like he's good to go with regular shell holders then.

thank you all !

[Bret4207]

I have both the AA and Spar-T. Great presses. Often they can be picked up cheap if dust covered and filthy. I don't think I have $20.00 in both of mine.

The Spar-T used regular SH, the AA needs the "J" type, I will get an adapter, but since mine came with the standard 308/30-06 holder I'm good for a lot of loading as is.

[Adk Mike]

I have an AA I picked it up from an Estate for nothing. I use it with an M Die and a couple seater dies for rifles. I do my sizing on a Rockchucker. It makes a neat setup.

[jhrosier]

My AA has loaded just about all of my handgun ammo since the late '60s.
I have a Dillon Square Deal parked right next to it but the hassles of switching calibers on the Dillon keep it set for just one caliber most of the time.
I've loaded quite a bit of rifle ammo on the AA over the years but there is a Rockchucker about two feet away that sees most of the rifle loading.
I have the special shellholders for a couple of calibers but use the adapter with standard shellholders for many others with no problems, excepth the dinky screw that holds the shellholder in the adaper backs out. I should replace it with a nyloc screw one of these days.
The primer feed that came with the AA never really worked very well and has been stored for the last 25 years. I grab a case with one hand and a primer with the other so manually feeding the primers doesn't slow me down too much.
I can load about one hundred rounds per hour whithout straining myself. That's plenty fast for me.

Jack

[THTanner]

I am new to this forum, was doing some research on old shell holders and such, and saw the chat about Lyman J shell holders and Special T primer posts. In this old collection of reloading stuff I have a Lyman J number 2 shell holder and both large and small Special T primer posts that need a good home. This stuff is used, a bit tarnished, but servicable.

[Bret4207]

I am new to this forum, was doing some research on old shell holders and such, and saw the chat about Lyman J shell holders and Special T primer posts. In this old collection of reloading stuff I have a Lyman J number 2 shell holder and both large and small Special T primer posts that need a good home. This stuff is used, a bit tarnished, but servicable.

Welcome to the asylum! Post an ad down in the "Swapping and Selling" section, they should go fast!:drinks:

[waksupi]

Welcome aboard, but please pay attention on the terms of service statement on the Buy and Sell page.

[ezgo]

Was there a shellholder made for the Lyman AA for 9mm?

What was the # stamped on it.

Thanks

[Bret4207]

ezgo- Welcome aboard. See if you can find an older Lyman loading manual, like from the 60's, they'll have the info. I'll try to remember to look when I get to the shop, but the only old Lyman manual I have in the house is #34 and that's long before the AA came along.

Here's a link to The 310 Shop- he lists "J" SH for sale.

http://www.cnyauctions.com/the310shop.htm

[ezgo]

Thanks!

[1hole]

"I am pretty sure Lyman still sells a converter for these that allows you to use regular shell holders in them."

The converter is listed in the curent Lyman catalog for $12.50, part #7095762.

[Big Boomer]

I purchased in the mid-1970s a new Lyman press - I believe the complete name was the Lyman All American Spar-T Turret Press. Is that one of the presses that is being referred to in these posts? 'Tuck

[1hole]

"...the complete name was the Lyman All American Spar-T Turret Press"

The "All American" and "Spar-T" were two different presses. The 6 hole Spar-T took modern, "X", shell holders and the older, 4 hole AA, took the previous "J" type shell holders, IIRC. If you got a new press in the 70s it was likely the Spar-T, unless it was old stock.

[Green Frog]

'Tuck, if it is all red, has four holes and works above the table with a compound linkage on a sort of roller mechanism on the press base, that's the virtually unique All American. If on the other hand it looks pretty conventional and has a grey body with a red turret top having 6 die stations, it is the later Spar-T. Each in its own way is an excellent press, but they are totally different animals. As 1-hole mentioned, the Spar-T would be expected to use the X-type ("RCBS style") shell holders, so is probably easier to work with at this late date, but then again, seeking out parts and solving problems is part of the reloader's hobby, isn't it?:mrgreen:

Froggie

PS IIRC, Lyman got on a kick for a while there of using that "All American" designation on a lot of stuff, like die sets, so it isn't outside the realm of possibility that that label got stuck on a set or package deal or something when you bought that press of yours, even if it wasn't the actual All American press! Somebody with some of the old mid '70s catalogs might be able to solve that question for you.

[Big Boomer]

Thanks Green Frog & 1hole ... my Lyman is the Spar-T turret press with six holes in the turret. Frame is gray with a red turret. It has been a good press though I did have a couple of problems with it. The station index ring cracked years ago and Lyman may have replaced it without charge (can't remember clearly - too long ago). Then more recently the set screw that holds the shell holder in place stripped the threads in the ram. Had to re-thread the thing with a larger screw that has a slot head (that I made from a small bolt and slotted with a small file). I still use that press for all my rifle reloading (.30-06, .243, .223). Used it as my first press for a lot of years before I got my first progressive, a Lee Pro-1000, then a Hornady Pro-Jector, then a Dillon XL650. 'Tuck

[shotman]

ezgo the J holder for 9mm is a 12 the 26 will work in a pinch but if brass is mixed some have a problem. The 40 and 357 sig is the problem also the no 3 will work for 7.62-39

[Mike W1]

The All-American Turret press was introduced in the mid 50's and discontinued in 1980. The Spar-T wasn't in the 1962 Handloaders Digest but was in the 1964 one. The shell holder for the AA I believe was called a J shellholder and 9mm Luger is listed as needing the #12.

[ezgo]

Thanks Guys!
I will start shopping for a #12 shell holder.

[Coldwater]

I have an ALL AMERICAN and looking for additional J Holders.

Please contact me if you have or know of someone who is willing to sell to me.