Lyman M Dies vs RCBS Cowboy expander

[ron brooks]

I was wondering would I be better off ro just buy the RCBS Cowboy expander for cast bullets in the sizes they are offered (I am an RCBS fan) or to just go ahead and buy the tried and true Lyman M die?

Thanks,

Ron

[Swagerman]

Hello, are you asking about the Lyman MR die in 310 size? MR, meaning muzzle resizing.

Not familiar with the term M dies by Lyman...but willing to learn. :mrgreen:

Jim

[C A Plater]

Hello, are you asking about the Lyman MR die in 310 size? MR, meaning muzzle resizing.

Not familiar with the term M dies by Lyman...but willing to learn. :mrgreen:

Jim

This should help clear things up: http://www.lymanproducts.com/lymanproducts/dies.htm

[SharpsShooter]

Save yourself a pile of cash and just buy the Lee Universal Expander Die. It will do almost every caliber you might imagine and cost less than $15. Lyman M dies are fine if you want to buy one for every diameter you need.


SS

[ron brooks]

THe lyman M dies are expander dies made for expanding rifle cases to take cast boolits. They have the same type of expander as is used in pistol cartridges. They are a two stage expander.

Ron

[SharpsShooter]

"THe lyman M dies are expander dies made for expanding rifle cases to take cast boolits. They have the same type of expander as is used in pistol cartridges. They are a two stage expander."

That is correct, but the Lee die is a "one die for all calibers" expander die used for the purpose of expanding case mouths to accept cast boolits. They work great and are very cost effective also.


SS

[ron brooks]

Sharpshooter,

I looked on Midway to take a look at the Lee universal expander and couldn't fin it. Could it possibly be called something different?

Thanks,

Ron

[ron brooks]

Sharpshooter,

I found it, it is a Universal Cast Bullet Expander.

Ron

[SharpsShooter]

That's the one. I'm using it for 45-70, 30-40, 30-06, 8mm, 303 and 22 Hornet. It would take 4 or 5 M dies to do the same chore as the single adjustable die.


SS

[dromia]

Me I'm a Lyman "M" die fan, I'm not knocking the Lee its just that they do two different jobs.

The Lee bells the case mouth, hence its adapability to many cailbres.

The "M" die however puts an elarged step in the case mouth before the belling function starts.

This step seats the bullet square into the case mouth and ensures good alignment when seating.

Yes you do need one for each calibre but for me its worth it when loading cast.

[grumpy one]

Now you're making me feel incredibly lazy. I keep separate 30-calibre M dies for 30-06 (an M2, or long body) and 30-30 (an M1, or short body), so I don't have to adjust them each time I set up, I just screw them down to the lock ring and get just the amount of bullet-start that I want. I set up to be able to push them in with my fingers about the height of the gas check, so the bullet is not just concentric with the case, but held straight as I insert it into the seating die.

Geoff

[MGySgt]

Geoff - I use 2 different 45 cal - 45/70 and 45/90 - I don't think that is lazy, just quicker to setup and more uniform. I also ordered from Lyman the larger expander buttons for the 45 cal. .4575 vice .4500

The difference between the Lee and Lyman - your internal size for the Lee depends on your sizer die. Most of the target shooters either have M dies that open the nect to .001 to .002 under bullet diamter. This creates a more uniform neck tension. The target shooters that don't use an M die, don't resize their cases, just seat the next bullet and crip it.

Difference in group size between a uniform expansion (neck tension) and not could be a inch or better on paper at 100.

Ok - hunting load - 1 in or 2 in at 100, not much differnce, but 200? and I want all the accuracy that I can get out of my casting, sizeing and lubing work.

Me - I will stick with my M dies - It works for me.

Drew

[beagle]

I've sure had better luck with the Lyman M die over the RCBS neck expander die and I have some of both. The stepped M die seems to do much better than the abrupt angle on the RCBS die.

May be just my preference./beagle

[454PB]

I use a homemade version of the Lyman M die, but I'm able to change the tips to suit the situation. All I did was drill a hole in a piece of 7/8" X 14 rod and add an allen set screw. As calibers are required, I build an insert. I have one of the Lee universal expanders and I like it for standard sizes, but this homemade one is the ticket for custom expanding (like .309- .310-.311 rifle boolits)

I can open up the resized case so that no lead is shaved.








http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v16/eddard49/Homemadeneckexpanders.jpg

[Bret4207]

I feel like a real slug! I have M-dies and the Lee and the RCBS version. I still end up using a pair of needle nose pliers to give the case amouth a quick twist and it's done. Maybe if I had a dedicated press for belling or a progressive I'd use them. Too slow for me.

[fecmech]

I think you can still buy just the caliber specific end for the "M" dies from Lyman. Much cheaper than a seperate die for each caliber. Just screw the end off the rod in the center of the die, the dies are all the same.

[ron brooks]

Fecmech,

I was wondering about that. Didn't see them listed at Midway though. Need to order them from Lyman direct?

Thanks

[MGySgt]

Ron,

Yes call Lyman. They do make alternate sizes too!

[ron brooks]

MGySgt,

Thanks, I'll check with them.

Ron

[grumpy one]

I think you can still buy just the caliber specific end for the "M" dies from Lyman. Much cheaper than a seperate die for each caliber. Just screw the end off the rod in the center of the die, the dies are all the same.

That is how I got one of mine - I had a Lyman M1 with a "22R" insert, and I don't load 22, so I just bought a 30R spud and screwed it on in place of the 22 calibre one. Of course it still says "22R" on the top, but I can live with that.

Initially I used a single M2 die for 30-30 and 30-06, just by making a second lock-ring of width exactly equal to the difference in case length between 30-30 and 30-06, and screwing it on for 30-06, but removing it for 30-30, so I got a perfect result for both without having to adjust anything. It worked well, but it had to be set up so that when the extra lock-ring was installed, I didn't quite get full thread engagement in the press. That had no functional effect whatever, but it didn't seem quite neat enough so I duplicated the whole thing for each calibre. Quite wasteful and self-indulgent, of course.

Geoff

[QuAppelle]

You actually need two M-Dies to cover everything. Get one for long cartridges like the .30-06 and one for short cartridges like the .45 ACP. This gives you a long body and short top screw in the long M-Die and a short body and long top screw in the short die. If you have an intermediate length cartridge like the .35 Remington, swap top screws so you have a long body and long top screw or short body and short top screw. Extra expander plugs were $6 a few years ago. There is an extra large I.D. long body for the .50-90. I understand that regular top screws fit it too.