Lyman PA die

[lotech]

What is a Lyman PA die?

[Pepe Ray]

IMMSMC, PA stands for precision allignment. I believe it's a seating die.
Pepe Ray

[lotech]

Thank you- makes sense now as I look at the die.

[dromia]

Do a Search there was a couple of threads discussing these dies a few months ago.

[trap shooter]

yes it is a seating dia great dia to bad they make it any more

[Char-Gar]

The Lyman PA straight line seating dies uses a spring loaded collet much like the Vickerman without the side window to insert the bullet. The bullet chamber is more generous in size than the Vickerman making them most cast bullet friendly.

A few years back a fellow bought a storage shed full of Lyman reloading company products that had belonged to a distributor who had gone belly up. There were hundreds of these PA dies in every caliber. He sold them on Ebay and I bought about a half dozen in various calibers and have found them to work just fine.

[1hole]

I have several of the old Lyman PA seaters, including for the very first dies I bought back in '65 actually. Got a couple more from the eBAy guy a few years ago. No PA die I've ever seen came with a spring. But it seemed like such a good idea that I added light return springs to all of mine as soon as I got them. Herter's used to have a simular short sliding collet seater.

The current Hornady and RCBS "comp" seaters are nothing more than variations of the simple original design. It's single advantage is to the manufactor, in that the die body can be used for almost any cartridge, only the sliding sleeve needs to be changed. And it works okay, there's nothing special about it but it is efficent enough. I actually think the Lyman, with it's three piece adjustable die body to accomidate variable case lengths, is perhaps the most useful version of that basic design.

[Wally]

I have a PA die for the .243 and a sleeve & seater screw in .30 Caliber...I'd like to add a spring, as the sleeves get suck on the top of the ram stroke--what size spring do you use?

Thank you...

[1hole]

"what size spring do you use?"

I'm a pack rat who saves most anything I think may be handy some day. I had some salvaged springs that fit. All I can tell you is look for a light wire spring with the correct diameter and length (or cut one shorter, as I did) to fit above the sleeve and under the seater plug, it's not critical at all. I know some Lowes stores have assorted springs in their hardware section...maybe you could find something that will work in there?

You may be able to readjust the body parts in such a way as to avoid sticking the sleeve in the up position.