Lyman 45 buying guide and cleanup instructions

[clarksvillejoe]

Ratchet handle can be bought at Harbor Freight for about $5, works like a champ.

[Whole Bunches]

From an estate, I got an old Lyman 45. (Also got at no cost a .318" bullet sizing die and 4 boxes of .318" J bullets, and as soon as I have enough posts, I'll post to give that stuff to someone that has an old .318" 8mm rifle.) Took the 45 apart and today was cleaning out ancient dried lube. Looks pretty good to me; under the gunk, it's a nice orange color. However 1 part has me puzzled.

I've looked at photos and videos, and none of them show this part close-up enough for me to determine for sure if mine is broken, and thus I'd appreciate anyone with knowledge that could reply. The brass ring that's part of the pressure nut assembly has a "crack" in it. Don't know if it's designed as such or is really cracked. There was an extra used pressure nut assembly with it, and it has a "crack" in the identical place. I'm kinda thinking it's simply how it's designed. Here's a photo. Thank you for your help.

[Whole Bunches]

Never mind. I found the answer. The split in the brass ring is as designed. I can use as-is and don’t apply too much pressure, help seal it with part of a plastic baggie, or buy updated pressure assembly from Lyman. Search feature comes through again!

[skeettx]

Well done, well done
Enjoy the sizer
Mike

[Whole Bunches]

Well, a thin ribbon of lube escapes where the ring gap is. No big deal so far. Just pick it up and put it in my lube melting container. Plastic bag tip didn’t stay in place.

[Slahp]

I want to thank everyone for the posts, it helped me a lot in rebuilding my Lyman 45. It had a stuck pressure nut, broken handle

and full of hardened lube the posts made it easy to rebuild.

[metricmonkeywrench]

um Slahp… the T shaped rod is supposed to go thru the bottom hollow tube (depth adjustment) T part up so it can be pushed up by the bottom cross brace to push the center die rod (called part "I" of the H&I die) to push out the sized and lubed bullet. Where you have it now is where the top punch is supposed to go.

Otherwise great restoration

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Slahp,
welcome to the forum.
Looks like you have a couple Modifications on that one.

[Slahp]

Thanks for the advice. I had put it back together the way I had received it but didn't quite understand how it would work that way.

Of course the H&I die hasn't came in yet.

[Drydock]

What is that with the die retention screw? Looks like a chunk of metal missing?

[metricmonkeywrench]

What is that with the die retention screw? Looks like a chunk of metal missing?

Actually it looks more like the factory winged screw that held my bumper jack lug wrench to the trunk in my old 69 Dodge...

[Jim22]

I just restored one myself. A heat gun helped get rid of the old lube. Got it for $40 and for another ten got a heat plate in the box. The holes on the heat plate didn't match up with the holes in the sizer and they were drilled 1/4" while the heater was threaded for 5/16". Rather than risk drilling the heater I re-drilled the holes in the sizer. Worked fine.

[Slahp]

Its a big wing screw that came it. The threads are worn on the end and was brazed, I might have to Helicoil it depending on if it will stay tight.

[Drydock]

No, just atop the screw hole, looks like a chunk of meta missing, hopefully not a crack?

[Slahp]

Its been brazed, I cant see any crack. I cleaned it down to bare metal and cant see a crack. Looks funny in the picture.

I wont know until I try it.

[adirondak5]

Ratchet handle can be bought at Harbor Freight for about $5, works like a champ.

The original Chapman Midget Ratchet is still available , still made in USA , about $7

[adirondak5]

I picked up a Lyman 45 a while back . Was going to take it apart and clean it up , this thread kept me on track . Thanks all .
I didn't repaint , just took apart and cleaned all the old grease/lube off of it and put it back together . It will be earning its keep shortly .

[winshooter]

Now if someone will tackle a Saeco Lubesizer in the same detail I’ll be ready to get mine back in shape. Looks like all the information should apply though. Does anyone know if the dies are interchangeable between the Lyman and Saeco Lubesizer?
Thanks.

[Rayant]

JonB in Glencoe not to take any thunder away from you , this thread is great but do you know anyone who rebuilds #45's and then resells them?

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

JonB in Glencoe not to take any thunder away from you , this thread is great but do you know anyone who rebuilds #45's and then resells them?

Nope.
They use to show up in S&S on occasion, but now it's a rarity.