Lyman Products costomer service

[curiousgeorge]

I don't know what anyone else's experience has been lately with Lyman's customer service, but I'm a little disappointed with them.

I called asking to buy an expander button to bell the case mouth for a set of 45 ACP dies. The gentleman I spoke to was very nice, but had no idea what that part was. He told me he would have to pull the schematics. After looking at them with me explaining and explaining what it should look like, he said he understood. He sent me a decapping rod!!!!

I called back yesterday, spoke to another gentleman, who again was very nice, but still had no idea how a set of pistol dies were used. I finally asked him if he knew what an "M" die was. He said "Yes, of course, but they don't come with pistol dies. We sell them separately." I tried to explain that that was essentially the same as what goes in the pistol dies and all that I wanted was an expander button for a 45 ACP. Told me all he could do was sell me the entire stem with button because now it's listed under one part number. I'm supposed to have one coming, but keeping my fingers crossed that it will be correct.

Does Lyman use an outside company for this instead of in-house people? If they are Lyman employees, can they really not know anything about a set of dies?

I miss Karen Griffin.

[BigAlofPa.]

I think people not wanting to work. Is affecting things across the board. Lyman maybe farming some work out. I had a bad Esperance with capitol one recently. I miss typed my phone number. And couldn't receive a code to set up my online account. They wanted me to take a pic with my cell phone via their web site. I couldn't get it to work. Round and round with the CS. Finally i said cancel the card. I don't need this stress. Well then he comes up with an easy solution. To call me one my phone to verify my number. Im like why didn't we do that to begin with! Foreign person BTW.

[ReloaderFred]

Lyman makes and sells a lot of different products, other than reloading dies. The persons you spoke to may not work in that department of the business, so unless they are reloaders, or involved with reloading dies, it's understandable that they may not be familiar with an expander stem for a specific die. Their knowledge base in that section may be limited to what is on the computer screen in front of them. Who knows, your interaction with them may have been a learning experience for them.

Lyman's display at the SHOT Show is quite large, and the reloading die section is just a small part of the booth. It's one of the larger booths in that part of the show, and the variety of items they sell even surprises me when I browse through there, and I've been using their products since 1963.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Shawlerbrook]

The reservoir of skilled dedicated workers has dried up. It will only get worse until just about everything is automated.

[1hole]

...but still had no idea how a set of pistol dies were used. I finally asked him if he knew what an "M" die was. He said "Yes, of course, but they don't come with pistol dies. We sell them separately."

Lyman does not use "expander buttons" for straight wall cases. Last I looked all Lyman handgun dies include a decapper stem/pin in their sizer dies and their handgun sets include the excellent "M" die for expansion/flair. Lyman's separately sold "M" dies are for bottleneck cartridges.

Incompetent customer service help? Like everyone else, Lyman has to hire from those who apply for a job. There are few competent reloaders looking for work at customer service desks.

If they are Lyman employees, can they really not know anything about a set of dies?

Yes.

[15meter]

We had an NRA certified range instructor AND reloading instructor at one club. He was on the range trying to sight-in several 22 rifles for the youth program. He had the VERY END of the barrel sitting on a stack of sand bags and could not get the rifle to group. I had him pull the bag under the stock, gun started grouping and got it sighted-in. Next rifle he pushed the sand bags out to the and started cursing the junk rifles the club had bought. It was time to leave.......

Some time later he was lecturing me on how dangerous it was to load cast in modern calibers. "It will blow them up, they weren't designed for those things!"

There was talk of a party when he quit the club. He stomped off because he wasn't getting his way when he wanted to schedule stuff on the rifle range.

[John Guedry]

The first dies I ever bought was a Lyman .38/.357 set. Its a 4 die set and included was an expander die that featured a provision to mount the powder measure on top. Expand case/drop powder no trouble at all. I may be unusual but have never had a need to call Lyman customer service.

[Kraschenbirn]

Over the years, the few times I've called Lyman Customer Service have yielded mixed results; some good, some less than satisfactory. In other words, 'bout the same as any other major market manufacturer.

Bill

[rbuck351]

I must be very lucky. I have never called any reloading tool company in my life and I'm 73 and have been reloading since I was 14. I have over 20 presses and over 40 die sets and have only had a couple of issues that I fixed myself. Having a lathe and a mill makes this kind of issue a non issue. I would rather fix stuff myself than deal with some idgit that doesn't know what he is talking about.

[1hole]

.... I have over 20 presses and over 40 die sets and have only had a couple of issues that I fixed myself. Having a lathe and a mill makes this kind of issue a non issue. I would rather fix stuff myself than deal with some idgit that doesn't know what he is talking about.

I enjoy using, modifying and improving small mechanical devices; guess it's part of why I enjoy reloading so much.

I've made or "improved" a lot of reloading tools and dies for decades. Especially possible since I finally got a decent 1/2" drill press, a 6" bench grinder, a modest 9" South Bend Mod. "A" lathe, a MAPP gas torch and a small Lincoln Electric MIG welder. (No mill but .... someday?)

Sadly, not many other reloaders have anything like that to work with and doing much metal work does require a shop and some tools.

[gnappi]

The reservoir of skilled dedicated workers has dried up. It will only get worse until just about everything is automated.

Yup, then who's left working to buy their stuff?

Funny down here the state is using public money to put in speed pass lanes on the interstate taking away lanes from motorists to do it, THEN charging us to use them!

Sigh. I remember when big box stores had retired professionals staffing their item specific departments... Electricians in the electrical, plumbers in the plumbing department, contractors in the building material department... now they grab a warm body at the least hourly wage they can get and bonuses all around for the executive staff.

Thank goodness for stores like Ace hardware, at least for now their folks know what they're doing.

[Iowa Fox]

Lyman customer service has been notoriously horrible for years. I won't buy anymore of their products or anything under their corporate umbrella.

I think the topper was when I called them to buy a mold sprue plate about 10-15 years ago. This forum had the part # listed for the mold number and the guys here had been ordering and receiving them. The day I called the old lady in customer service popped her cork when I gave her the part # I wanted. She went off on a rage wanting to know where I got the number. I politely told her the Cast Boolit forum and the guys have been ordering it and receiving it, well that really launched her to the moon. She had to take my phone number and call me back just to finish the order that I had the part number for.

I'm a slow leaner. After a couple more experiences like that I said no more Lyman products.

[Guardian]

I’m a slow learner too. My first press was an older T-mag turret. The turret bolt broke on that press while sizing 270WIN cases and I couldn’t get Lyman on the phone (prior to widespread internet availability). That press ended up in the trash

I have a couple orange tumblers, a 55 powder measure, a couple case trimmers, and a die set that have done well. I have a case length gauge of theirs that is cut to the minimum lengths, not the maximum, but it wasn’t worth the hassle to return it. After my experience with their sonic cleaner springing a leak and the second case of not being able to contact them, I’ve written them off.

I was interested in a Mark VII press, until Lyman bought them.

[hd09]

Better off making it your self or find someone who will make it for you. Lyman would have to be my last resource.

[toallmy]

Before I switched to the NOE insert I used Lyman m- dies but I had to get custom expander buttons made for all of them to load over sized cast boollits .

[Alstep]

All the above is why I like RCBS. Can't beet their customer service.

[30calflash]

I think you'll be seeing more of that as time marches on. Non gun people selling/servicing firearms. Even at an NRA booth at a M/L function I asked if they had many gun people working at the NRA headquarters and the answer was a solid no.

But it's not just gun stuff, it's automotive, home appliances, lawn mowers, etc. You can't be a tech after looking thru a few sales brochures.

[Outer Rondacker]

I no longer use the words customer service since the year 2019. Lyman is on my do not call list.

[lightload]

I have had good experience with Lyman's customer service the two times I used it. Nothing is similar to years past when most people in businesses knew what they were doing. This statement applies to gun manufacturers too. Funny story: several years ago a small college asked me to apply for the position of maintenance director. I know zero about anything to do with maintenance. I still can't figure that one out.

[murf205]

If you really want to pull your hair out, call ATT customer (dis) service! You'll want to kiss those people at Lyman after you do.