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Thread: Tips on using Lyman all American turret press

  1. #1
    Boolit Master


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    Tips on using Lyman all American turret press

    Hello all,
    I recently purchased a Lyman all American 4-hole turret press. I have noticed the turret does not lock into position. I'm thinking about using it as a dedicated 45 ACP press which is a good thing as it came with the #2 shellholder, a design specific to this press.
    Does anyone have any experience with this press that can lend some operation tips?
    Thanks,
    Rick

  2. #2
    Banned

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    Mine locks into position!

  3. #3
    Banned

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    I’ve been using mine for 50 years!

  4. #4
    Boolit Buddy
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    It should index at each station. If memory is correct there is a ball bearing under the turret above the small support ring.

    Be careful if you have a decapping die in the rear most position. When you raise the ram it gets very close to that die. A long decapping pin can make contact.
    I am still using mine bought around 1970.

    There is a shell holder adapter so you can use "standard " shell holders.

  5. #5

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master

    gwpercle's Avatar
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    CH4D had a shell holder adapter for the wooden handled A-A I picked up at a Flea-Market in dire need of some TLC ... early 70's it looks to be .
    The turret moves into each position and holds firmly until I move it to the next station .
    Maybe yours is worn if it wont stay in place during operation like sizing .
    I have it set up for a dedicated 357 Magnum loader right now , leaving the dies set up and adjusted .
    I use it like a single stage ... sizing a batch of 50 or 100 ... then moving to the next station ...etc.
    CH4D had a replacement priming arm / cup / spring so I could prime on the press .
    I like it ... but I also pick up stray kittens and lost puppies and bring them home too !
    Gary
    Certified Cajun
    Proud Member of The Basket of Deplorables
    " Let's Go Brandon !"

  7. #7
    Boolit Master


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    Thanks everyone, and keep 'em coming. This press seems to be in very good condition and used very little. I'll have to check into the detent ball.
    Thanks again,
    Rick

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    I bought mine used around 1970 and it is still one of my favorites. I never could get the primer feeder to work well so I don't use it. Mine has the adapter for rcbs shellholders and longer primer primer punches. I hand feed the primers and fully load one round at at time rather than batch load. The four station heads make it perfect for this. I assume your detent ball is gone.

  9. #9
    Boolit Grand Master
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    RickinTN, your All American press should definitely lock in place for each station. I’m guessing someone took yours apart and lost or left out the detent. I would be afraid to try to use it without the detent for fear of hitting the shell crooked and damaging it.

    I believe you should be able to find a schematic somewhere on the InterWeb and figure out from it what’s missing and needs to be replaced. Trust me, these presses are worth the effort to get it working.

    Froggie
    "It aint easy being green!"

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master
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    PS to last; I set mine up as a dedicated unit for loading 327 Fed Mag. They aren’t really all that hard to change, but if you can leave it set up for one caliber, you can load up a bunch of them very well and very quickly. Setting up a dedicated 45 ACP press sounds good to me.

    Froggie
    "It aint easy being green!"

  11. #11
    Boolit Bub
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    I agree there is either a stuck/frozen steel detent ball in the compressed position, a broken index detent spring or a detent ball somehow missing. All turret style presses have some method of holding the die in alignment after Indexing.
    Benefactor Member of NRA

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    pm me will tell you how to fix

  13. #13
    Boolit Master
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    sent him info the problem he has is the black ring under the turret . the set screw is loose.

  14. #14
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    Thanks for helping him. That turned out to be a new problem area I would not have thought of. Good Work.
    Ken

  15. #15
    Boolit Grand Master
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    And the collected experience and wisdom of the forum works again! When you stop to think how long it has been since Lyman introduced this press and how long it’s been since they discontinued it, we shouldn’t be surprised that some are exhibiting age induced problems. I’m just glad this one was solved so quickly and this old warrior was able to be put back to work doing what it should. I just love a happy ending.

    Froggie
    "It aint easy being green!"

  16. #16
    Boolit Master


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    With the help of too many things I now have the press apart, at least for the most part. The lower ring hasn't been removed but I did recover the detent ball and spring so reassembly should go smooth.
    I just have a couple of questions about the press. The rod on the rear, which seems to support the turret from the rear.....Is it a support column of sorts? Also the short, maybe 1" tell piece which seems to be threaded into the rear of the press, just in front of the column....any ideas on what it is and what it does?
    Thanks everyone for the help,
    Rick

  17. #17
    Boolit Master


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    I have also just noticed the center shaft rotates. It won't screw out and I didn't measure how much it turns but a good guess is a full rotation. I can't see the detent ball system working with it rotating.
    Rick

  18. #18
    Boolit Master


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    I found the short knurled bolt in front of the column is a stop screw, used to adjust primer seating depth.
    Rick

  19. #19
    Boolit Master



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    If someone has a set of the original instructions with a parts list, it would be great if they would reproduce it in a PDF form so AA owners could run a copy. That would be a valuable aid to their fellow reloaders. james

  20. #20
    Boolit Master
    metricmonkeywrench's Avatar
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    Timely thread, I’m working on setting mine up for .38 wadcutters my first challenge after getting the turret to turn and lock in the detents was to align with the shell holder/die. Took a bit of trial and error with the black ring/setscrews to get it right.

    For the primer depth stop/decapping die interference I flipped the screw to come up from under the ram and that seemed to help, but I’m likely going to take it off and store it away as I’m never likely to use the press priming system.

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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