Lyman 452 die too long

[Dan H]

Just purchased a lyman 45 with a 452 top punch and die at a gun show.
The die sticks out of the body of the sizer about 3/8"-1/2" rendering the o ring useless, so the lube squeezes out the side of the die with hardly any pressure.
I'm wondering if this die is for a later model?
I don't think I have it in upside down because the rounded bottom seats perfectly in the body of the sizer.

Any input greatly appreciated.


Thanks

[45nut]

My guess is hardened old lube in the reservoir prevents fully seating the die. I would take it outside,, put a heat gun to it and remove the old stuff,, look inside if you can and also make sure the linkage is not part of the issue by preventing the die from fully seating. The odds of that die being too long are too long to compute.

[454PB]

A Lyman sizing die should be 1.557" long.

[imashooter2]

Did you get the instructions I posted for you over on the S&W forum?

There are no old and new style dies as far as the outside dimensions go. It is possible that you have a die for a different press. Does the die look like this?

[Buckshot]

............45Nut probably has the answer. The die body is a very close fit at it's base. The beveled portion of the die serves as the seal at the bottom against lube leakage. The die body OD should be real close to .702" and the press casting there at the bottom isn't much larger. Prolly have some crud down there blocking the die from seating all the way.

...............Buckshot

[Dan H]

imashooter2,

Thanks I did receive the instructions, and no the die I have has 4 holes down the side, but it is 1.557" long.
It looks to me like the bottom of the lube reservoir is keeping it from seating all the way.

I'll keep tinkering till I can get it to seat all the way.

Thanks for the input people.

[imashooter2]

Four hole dies are the same dimensionally as that picture. Make sure the set screw in the front of the base is backed out. Sometimes that screw can get covered by old lube and you might not know it's there. Make sure there is no hardened lube in the base preventing insertion, then start the die and pull the handle to use the press to push the die completely flush.

[montana_charlie]

It looks to me like the bottom of the lube reservoir is keeping it from seating all the way.

I can't even imagine what you are seeing that could cause you to make that statement. The 'lube reservoir' is the tall, black tube which the upper assembly slides up and down on. The 'bottom of the lube reservoir' is a full 3/8ths of an inch away from the die recess.

There is no way one could interfer with the other.

I would bet the press has been left with the handle up for a long time, and the ejector pin is up inside the die recess with hardened lube locking it in place.

I imagine that a combination of steel pin top and hard lube makes you think you see a recess that is too shallow for the die.
If that is true, you should probably boil the whole press until you get all of the old lube out of all areas...then start over.
CM

[Bula]

can you compare it to any others you own?

[Dan H]

Thanks folks,

The bottom was full of hard lube.
I heated it, ( with the aluminum plate/ iron setup) cleaned it and it seats all the way down now.
Bula, all Ive got is the 452 die. It's the only caliber that I size and lube with stick lube. I take more time and cast with a ballisti-cast 068 so they feed well in a Wilson Combat 1911.