Congratulations on the purchase. Lots of good advice above. I'll 2nd not trying to size a bullet down too far. Just remember its not a swaging press! And I'll add another "like" for White Label Lubes. Good stuff, Good people!
Congratulations on the purchase. Lots of good advice above. I'll 2nd not trying to size a bullet down too far. Just remember its not a swaging press! And I'll add another "like" for White Label Lubes. Good stuff, Good people!
Friend Michael, having scanned your thread quickly, I can’t find where you list which bullets you want to lube and for what kind of shooting. This is important. Many of us who have been using this exact press for decades keep going back to the old NRA formula of 50-50 ALOX-Beeswax formula (still available from Lars/White Label I believe) and one or two H&I dies with appropriate top punches and you’re good to go. Don’t feel like you’ve got to rush out and get every diameter of sizing dies, a half dozen kinds of lube, a heater, etc, etc. Start slow and experience the press then add to what you have as you need it.
One thing you really must have is the wrench to control pushing the lube. The earliest ones I have had were specially made and marked for Lyman by Chapman. Later, they just included Chapman wrenches. Hint: You can probably go to your local auto parts store (Auto Zone, Advance Auto, Fisher’s, etc) and get a similar one there for just a few bucks and not worry about ordering one.
The other item you’ll need is the die wrench. There are other wrenches you might be able to use, but the Lyman unit works. If you didn’t get one with your purchase, find and buy one… you can probably still order one by phone from Lyman.
Enjoy your new purchase. My dad bought one new back in the Seventies and I bought another in a thrift shop 20 years later. They work!
Froggie
"It aint easy being green!"
You wont need a " Heater" if you simply use soft lubes ...
Soft Lubes work better . I've reclaimed way too much range lead with hard lube still in the boolit lube grooves ... it needs to go in the barrel .
Bought my 450 in 1973 and have never used a heater . If cold , hair dryer , heat gun or shop lamp will warm up the unit ... my method is not to size/lube when it's that cold .
The Lube/Sizer is the best boolit making thing I ever spent good money on ... one cycle of the handle produces a sized , lubricated and gas checked (if needed) boolit ...ready to shoot !
Nothing is faster ! My lube of choice Lithi-Bee (1 part lithium grease - 3 parts Beeswax)
Lucas Red-N-Tacky grease is my choice .
Almost forgot .... Congratulations on getting the Lube/sizer ...
you are hereby awarded a golden ... ATTABOY ...
Gary
Last edited by gwpercle; 11-17-2022 at 03:23 PM.
Certified Cajun
Proud Member of The Basket of Deplorables
" Let's Go Brandon !"
I have one with a heater and several without. I mostly only use three. All the lubes I use are from LsStuff.com BAC for velocities up to about 1200 then carnuba blue up to about 1800 then carnuba red. Only the carnuba red needs the heater.
NRA Benefactor Member NRA Golden Eagle
The easiest way I have found to get the old lube out is to gently heat the press body with a propane torch after removing the H&I dies and the lube plunger. I have cleaned three lubrisizers out and boiled the first one, the next two I used the torch.
To answer the question about trying different lubes-- The first few I will finger or pan lube before going to the trouble of changing lubes. If they both are acceptable you can also just run the new lube on top of the old lube.
I'm also not sold on the idea that the top punch has to exactly match the boolit. My most used top punch is a one inch long section of ¼" rod. It works for flat nosed SWC and also RN rifle boolits as long as they are ACWW or harder (haven't tried real soft alloy).
Robert
For lube, I use Ben’s Red. The formula can be found here on the forum. You certainly don’t need a heater if you use Ben’s red. Having the right top punch can be great but not really a big deal if you don’t have one. If you need to alter the profile of a top punch heat it up put some hot glue in it and while the glue is still soft stick the bullet with the proper nose configuration into it and you have a bullet specific top punch. Sooner or later the hot glue will wear down but it sure is easy enough to replace it.
Long, Wide, Deep, and Without Hesitation!
That's how I do it if I'm switching from my hand gun mystery junk to Orang Magic for rifles.
If I'm going the other way, I leave the good stuff in and add the mix for slow movers as needed.
I've gotten my RCBS sizer pretty hot and it hasn't burned off or scorched the paint yet either.
In school: We learn lessons, and are given tests.
In life: We are given tests, and learn lessons.
OK People. Enough of this idle chit-chat.
This ain't your Grandma's sewing circle.
EVERYONE!
Back to your oars. The Captain wants to waterski.
Thanks for the replies. I just used a 1/4 inch deep well socket on a 1/4 ratchet for the lube wrench. I used a crescent wrench for the dye nut . To clean the old lube up I just used a heat gun and break cleaner to get most of the lube out. So sounds like I’m on the right track.
Apparently it came with a .358 dye already installed.
So right now I have in rifle 30-30 325c, 742 30-06, .450 RAR, 7.62x54r mosin , and a new savage .243.
I’m thinking I might cast for the .450 first so I can tame it down and enjoy shooting it at the range. But, that’s not set in stone I’d like to get that -06 out soon too.
Handguns I have 2 9mm’s sr9c and a sr9e. also a solid from iver Johnson 38 s&w wheel gun which I’ve been using Missouri bullet company RN boolits for and still have about 250 left. I’ve cast for the 9mm before I’ve gotten them to shoot well but, think I’m gonna stay with played target bullets.
I just bought 250 RNFP white tail bullets from Missouri bullet company so the 30-30 is set for the time being.
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Last edited by michael.birdsley; 11-17-2022 at 05:50 PM.
Michael - depending on how much size reduction will be required, and on how much time you wish to invest in the operation, you might consider a two step operation involving the lubesizer AND a Lee sizing die.
In my view the Lee dies do the most concentric job of sizing, while the lubesizer is tops for seating gas checks and applying lube. Maintaining alignment for base first sizing in the lubesizer is always suspect, and more dependent on the sizing die than on the part doing the pushing, i.e. best with minimal sizing.
I suggest you buy one of the little gas check seating devices from Lyman. They just hold up the internal plug (the "I" part of "H&I) so you can put some push on the gas checks before sizing them on to the bullet.
If I were doing it again I would have only one lubesizer die for each calibre, and that die would be used for gas checking and lubing, with nil or minimal sizing. Then size in the Lee die.
The Lee dies can do some serious sizing without losing concentricity. My most extreme operation is turning hard #U321297HP (.32 Special) bullets into .30-30. Bullets are .322" from the mould. I gas check and lube in a .323" die, then in succession run the bullets through .314" and .311" Lee dies. With springback they come out at .3125", and shoot like a dream. And the gas checks sure as Hell stay on!
Last edited by Wilderness; 11-17-2022 at 05:35 PM.
It'll be handy if I never need it.
Insomniac, agnostic, dyslectic - awake all night wondering if there is a Dog.
One thing to watch for is cross threading the sizing die nut. Start the nut with the wrench and "unthread it" until you feel the click, then go forward.
I can add to this one as well. Getting the nut started with the wrench provided can be a real chore. I start mine with a thin shifter.
I place the nut on top of the die, lower the ram onto it to square it up, then work it backwards and forwards with the shifter until I'm sure it's safely started. At that point I raise the ram and revert to the wrench provided.
It'll be handy if I never need it.
Insomniac, agnostic, dyslectic - awake all night wondering if there is a Dog.
I start my nut by lowering the ram and turning the nut with a wrench while the ram squares it up. Nary a problem.
I heat the nut & threads until the lube falls away, and it'll thread like any dry nut & bolt does.
Doing it cold and gunked up will produce cuss words you might not have ever known you knew.
In school: We learn lessons, and are given tests.
In life: We are given tests, and learn lessons.
OK People. Enough of this idle chit-chat.
This ain't your Grandma's sewing circle.
EVERYONE!
Back to your oars. The Captain wants to waterski.
I'm also a fan of White Label Lube. (BAC for me)
Old retired guy in Baton Rouge La.
You can't do without one of these clever little wrenches:
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/952262464
Seller is Paul Brown, and he has all kinds of spare parts for the 450 and 4500 sizers
Cognitive Dissident
The neatest wrenches for lube sizer dies are here:
https://www.artfulbullet.com/index.p...for-sale.3302/
Not cheap but for Lyman dies will avoid cross threading.
Also available for RCBS
John
W.TN
To square-up the nut while starting the thread, just lay a nickel on it and hold it square with the ram.
Cognitive Dissident
I don’t understand the wrench thing. I could take it apart and put the die nut back in with an adjustable wrench.
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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 |