Lyman or RCBS sizing dies?

[gishooter]

I've got a new Lyman 4500 and getting set up to start lubing rifle bullets. Which sizing dies do you guys recommend? The RCBS has the holes in the groove(was told that was better) or just use the Lymans?

[markinalpine]

I can comment on the Lyman resizing dies only. They have four sets of two holes spaced at 90 degrees. Each set of two holes almost matches the two lube grooves of a Lee 452-255-RF, and does a good job of filling them in. I lube about 4 or 5 boolits with my lube concoction before I have to give a 1/4 turn of the pressure handle, but the lube is pretty stiff, 3 parts by weight of beeswax, 1 part carnauba, with 2 Tbs Smiling Mink Leather Waterproofer per pound of wax. I have other boolits and lube dies I haven't tried yet.

I looked at a Lyman 357 lube die that I haven't used yet, and compared it to some 120 grain boolits I've cast that have just one fairly wide lube groove. Since the Lyman lube die has sets of two lube passages, I'm expecting that I will only have to push the boolit down far enough to get the wax into the one groove, but that experiment is for the future.

I don't know if the RCBS lube dies fit the Lyman 4500.

Hope this helps, and good luck,
Mark :coffeecom

[StarMetal]

I can comment on the Lyman resizing dies only. They have four sets of two holes spaced at 90 degrees. Each set of two holes almost matches the two lube grooves of a Lee 452-255-RF, and does a good job of filling them in. I lube about 4 or 5 boolits with my lube concoction before I have to give a 1/4 turn of the pressure handle, but the lube is pretty stiff, 3 parts by weight of beeswax, 1 part carnauba, with 2 Tbs Smiling Mink Leather Waterproofer per pound of wax. I have other boolits and lube dies I haven't tried yet.

I looked at a Lyman 357 lube die that I haven't used yet, and compared it to some 120 grain boolits I've cast that have just one fairly wide lube groove. Since the Lyman lube die has sets of two lube passages, I'm expecting that I will only have to push the boolit down far enough to get the wax into the one groove, but that experiment is for the future.

I don't know if the RCBS lube dies fit the Lyman 4500.

Hope this helps, and good luck,
Mark :coffeecom

Mark,

You are correct on your description of the Lyman die having more rows of lube holes. This is particularly noticed with sizing long loverin type rifle bullets. With the single row RCBS style sometimes very long bullets can't be pushed in the die deep enough to lube the very top grooves. I prefer the Lymans over the RCBS although I have both.

Joe

[Guesser]

I use both, as I buy nearly all my stuff used, I find that for hand gun bullets it is simply adjustment for stroke that allows both types of dies to perform as designed. I don't know if there is a difference in the lube gallery of an RCBS press that makes the die work differently. I just adjust to compensate until I get what I want.

[BCall]

I use both, and the Lyman dies are better for Loverin type boolits. The only problem I have had is when using the RCBS Lam II, if I try to use Lyman dies to size a short boolit, like the RCBS 22-55-SP or the Lyman 225646, I cannot set the down stop shallow enough to keep from getting lube on the nose of the boolit. I have to use RCBS dies, as the lube holes are much lower on the die. I didn't seem to have this problem with the Lyman 450 or 4500 sizers, only in the RCBS. I hope I explained it well enough. Otherwise, the Lyman's are fine, most of what I have are Lyman. Billy

[gishooter]

Thanks for the info. I'm casting up a bunch of 311291s and 314299s. I'll be making some 311359s in the future for M1 carbine. The only pistol round I cast for is 45ACP. I've got a Lee .452 push thru for that.
Would the Lyman size dies work well for the 22 Hornet to 223 Remington cast bullets?

[BCall]

I mostly cast 22's, and The Lyman dies worked well in the Lyman sizers, I only had problems when I used the Lyman dies in a RCBS sizer. HTH, Billy

[StarMetal]

Thanks for the info. I'm casting up a bunch of 311291s and 314299s. I'll be making some 311359s in the future for M1 carbine. The only pistol round I cast for is 45ACP. I've got a Lee .452 push thru for that.
Would the Lyman size dies work well for the 22 Hornet to 223 Remington cast bullets?

The Lymans work well with them all as far as I'm concerned. For that matter the RCBS's do fine. I have no trouble swapping brands of dies in my Lyman sizer. They are suppose to be made to a min-max dimensions. It's not like they are two entirely different dies. I believe RCBS pretty much coppied the Lyman 450 with some refinements.

Joe

[jtaylor1960]

Both have worked for me but it takes more pressure on the lube when using RCBS.I would assume because of the difference in the amount of holes.When I can get either in the same size I will order Lyman for that reason.

[Calamity Jake]

I use both in my LAM and have no problems.

"RCBS 22-55-SP or the Lyman 225646, I cannot set the down stop shallow enough to keep from getting lube on the nose of the boolit. I have to use RCBS dies, as the lube holes are much lower on the die."

Bcall, plug the top lube holes of the lyman H&I sizer with #4 shot then you won't get lube on the nose of them iddybiddy boolits.