Boolit lube/sizer

[flutedchamber]

I want to get away from the Lee tumble lube and Lee size dies. What would be the most versatile lubricator/sizer for pistol and rifle boolits? Perhaps the option to heat the lube would be useful.

Thanks for the advice.

Roy

[sledgehammer]

How much do you want to invest? I use the Lee system and recently started using a Lyman 450. I like the Lyman, it does a great job for me. Haven't tried the Star system but everyone seems to love it. It's way out of my budget, besides, I don't shoot enough cast to justify the $$$ for one.
I use Lee for my TL style boolits, and Lyman for the standard lube groove.
Jon H in AZ

[Lloyd Smale]

Star hands down if you dont mind ivesting a little more money. You wont regret it.

[44man]

Star is the best. My RCBS does OK as would a Lyman, however the Lee still makes the straightest, most even sizing. I just smear Felix lube in the grooves by hand and run through the Lee. A little slower but still beats changing size dies and/or lube for every boolit in my RCBS. A job I hate.
I can't afford to have a separate one for each lube.

[arkypete]

I have two old Lymans for sizing and lubing any cast bullet using a gas check. I have a Star for any cast bullet not using a gas check.
Jim

[Boomer Mikey]

I have 2 RCBS, 2 Lyman 450, and 2 SAECO sizers. the RCBS sizers are the strongest, the SAECO's are the most accurate. The Lyman's get used only for 30 caliber and smaller or when I want to use a different lube.

SAECO dies are superior quality and I prefer H&I dies from Lyman in the RCBS and Lyman sizers, they seem to be a little better quality and cost less.

If I were to pick one for general purpose use it would be the RCBS with it's larger, stronger 1" ram.

I haven't tried a STAR but I've heard good things about them.

Boomer

[Springfield]

If you do more than 500 bullets a month then get a Star. If not, then maybe something else. My time is worth something and the Star has paid itself back in time saved and ease of use many times over. I have 3. One with a bullet feeder/air luber, one for large bullets that won't fit the feeder and the other just 'cause .

[Sundogg1911]

I have a few Stars and a Lyman 450. The Stars win hands down for me. They're way fast compared to the others and you can lube BB style boolits without gettin' lube all over the bases. You don't need special top punches because you can size nose first. I have 3 main flat top punches, and they work for every caliber that I cast (and that's pretty many)

[Buckshot]

................Sizing a boolit, pushing from the base or 'nose first' is the best way IMHO. You do not need any nose punches so you save that expense plus it deletes a possible alignment issue.

If you pan lube, hand lube, or tumble lube then Lee is the best (for all the above reasons) and least expensive way to go.

If you need to lube and size at the same time, then I suspect the Star is the way to go. I don't own one but it meets all the requirements of the nose first sizer.

Next up is probably the Saeco. It's main claim to fame is that it appears to do a better job of having the boolit and lube-size die on the same axis. Less chance of having the boolit enter the die off kilter.

Finally you have the RCBS and Lyman machines. Same basic machine. Dies and nose punches will interchange between the two of'em. I have both of these and I prefer the RCBS. It appears to have a longer sleeve in the casting for the ram to move in. It's simply mechanics that a longer sleeve will better support the ram. It's easy to apply a bit of lateral pressure on the ram linkage.

In addition to that, the linkage has some play in it and it does not push the ram down perfectly straight. This causes the ram and it's sleeve to wear over time and a press like these (especially in a garage climate) will begin to show fore and aft movement of the ram. Basicly the ID of the sleeve becomes somewhat hourglass shaped and this will tilt the boolit as it is pushed into the die.

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