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Thread: Lyman Grand American

  1. #1
    Boolit Master

    Join Date
    Jul 2014
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    39.7594° N, 84.1917° W
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    Lyman Grand American

    I picked this up last year, it was in pretty rough shape.

    I did a partial restoration (powder coated red, re-blued the steel), I have to fabricate the top plate for the shot and powder jars.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails 20190622_151405.jpg   20190622_151417.jpg   20190622_151423.jpg   20190622_151429.jpg   20190622_151532.jpg  

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    Last edited by dsh1106; 06-23-2019 at 08:08 AM.
    Scott

    You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who they think can do nothing for them.

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
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    Central VA
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    Scott, did you ever get much history of the Grand American? They weren’t made long or in very large numbers, I know. Are you actually loading enough on it yet to really evaluate it compared to newer “more modern” units? It looks like it has the potential to really crank out some serious volume of quality ammo as a shooter at the Grand would need.

    BTW, am I correct that production was limited to 12 ga only? I wonder if there were any experimental or prototype examples in 20 ga or smaller or whether they held the line at 12.

    Congrats on a quality restoration project!

    Froggie
    "It aint easy being green!"

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
    LUBEDUDE's Avatar
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    Dec 2008
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    East Texas
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    That looks fantastic! Nice job.

    I don’t recall ever seeing one complete, only partials in rough shape.

    Please post pics of the completed project.
    TEAM HOLLYWOOD

    NRA- LIFE TSRA-LIFE SASS-LIFE

  4. #4
    Boolit Master

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    Thanks Charlie,

    The history of this press is short, I believe it 1st appeared in the #42 handbook (1960) and was dropped after 1964, I don't believe it made it into the #43 handbook. This press was only made in 12 gauge according to the 42 manual. I read somewhere that about 1000 presses were produced, not sure where that info came from. Based on what I've seen show up at guns shows and on ebay over the last 30 years that number seem reasonable.

    I believe the advertised production rate on the Grand American was over 200 per hour once you found your rhythm. I know I could never do that with this machine with modern plastic hulls.

    Scott
    Scott

    You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who they think can do nothing for them.

  5. #5
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    Jan 2022
    Posts
    2
    I recently acquired one of these Lyman Grand American reloaders, complete, except for the crimping plug. Does any one have a picture of one of these and the dimensions so that I could make one?

  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Kentucky
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    458
    Nice job Scott. I wish we lived closer. I've got a bunch of old shotgun components I would give you just to see someone use them up.

    Ever reload shotgun primers?

    Steve

  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
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    Northern Michigan
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    8,901
    Very nice job on a rare press.
    Don Verna


  8. #8
    Banned
    Join Date
    Jan 2022
    Posts
    46
    Looks good!

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check