Between the Lymans and RCBS, which is the best, most trouble free???
Between the Lyman 45, different style 450, and 4500.
Then Lyman compared to the RCBS.
I have 1 45, 2 450, 1 RCBS.
I had a Star but sold it.
Dies easier to find for the Lyman RCBS.
Between the Lymans and RCBS, which is the best, most trouble free???
Between the Lyman 45, different style 450, and 4500.
Then Lyman compared to the RCBS.
I have 1 45, 2 450, 1 RCBS.
I had a Star but sold it.
Dies easier to find for the Lyman RCBS.
Wow, I was asking myself this exact question...sold my star and regret it to this day
Shoulda kept the Star, best by far!
depending on how many different size dies you have is the question, I've only used a Lyman 4500, but have at least 20 dies I guess, the dies are a considerable investment. After lurking and finally joining this site I made the decision to move up from the lee sizing dies and into a real lube sizer. I'm satisfied with it but if I were going to do huge volumes the star has a bullet feeder you hook up to it. considerable investment. its about the same thing with progressive presses, the investment in caliber conversions for Dillion can add up real quick. I went with Hornady and the investment over the years in more than 20 shell plates is about twice what the press cost was.
so having more time than money I look at it like trade off. the Lyman gets the job done well but there might be better options that cost more.
I powder coat most of my bullets these days so I mostly use the Noe bushings or Lee push through sizers. That said, My Saeco lube sizer does a very good job and I'd have no problem recommending a Saeco. Gp
I have a Saeco/Redding, an RCBS and a Lyman 450..........the Lyman has been my workhorse since 1972!
Sounds smart to me farmbif we all get to choose how to dispose of our disposable income.
I have a Lyman sizer and Lee sizers and they work for me. I tend to go with the least expensive reloading gear that does what I want done lots of different cartridges adds up to a lot of dies and molds. I prefer to spend my money on guns and components.
We all get to make that choice.
I've accumulated a good number of Lyman/RCBS dies.
Kind of wish I still had the Star, but not missing it.
It went to a good home.
I haven't needed to use the RCBS, the Lyman 450 is working fine so far.
The handle on the 450 just feels strange to me.
I may just try the RCBS.
Save for the star. You can find deals on fleabay or on this site. I got a fully decked out original Star on EBay with feeder and a die (happened to need that size) for $250 out the door earlier this year. Very happy with that. Now I have one dedicated to BP lube and one smokeless.
Most of my sizing is done on two Stars, one with a heated base. I have Lyman/RCBS sizers for the low production calibers that don't justify the price of a Star die. I would still keep an RCBS/Lyman around to install gas checks even if I had every Star sizer die needed. They both have their place. I have been buying Ideal/Lyman 45 sizers here for years, and have several in reserve. They will go to my grandkids. You can never have too many molds or sizers.
Tony
I currently have 2 RCBS Lub-A-Matics and owned and extensively used the Ly. #450 until I stripped the die retaining nut*. Of these, the RCBS is far more robust, especially the die retaining nut, but a bit trickier to use.
*obsolete thread; still have all the parts, minus the body, though.
I have an accumulation of Lyman 45s for general use. I like the looks of them. If you are using the Ideal or the usual Alox-beeswax lubes, and only sizing a thousandth or two, they are fine. Dies and wrenches are easy to get, and switching out dies and punches is pretty straightforward.
For the kind of “hard” lubes that require heating to flow, big and/or hard boolits that need to go down several thousandths, I use my Lachmiller, which is now the RCBS. When changing dies, use the ram to seat the die and hold the retaining nut down while you turn the nut backwards. You’ll feel it kind of “click” into position in the threads, and then you turn it forward to screw it down, gently holding the ram against it as you do.
I have a Star that is left set with a .454” die for my .45 Colt boolits. Running an afternoons’ production through the thing is very quick, but changing settings for different located lube grooves on different designs is a messy business, and changing out dies and resetting them even more so. It’s only really justified if you have bottom pour furnaces and gang moulds cranking out tons of boolits to amortize the setup time. I have a weakness for hand-operated machinery, and it’s a fascinating example of such, but for somebody who shoots 50 rounds at a time, and has dozens of calibers to feed, it’s not very practical, and, unless you luck out, very expensive.
Haven’t tried the 450, 4500, etc. The RCBS is the same design, with a stouter handle and linkage.
So far I have acquired 2 45s a 450 and a 4500 all Lyman.
For all my pistol plain based bullets I rely on the 45’s with a soft lube (Lyman alox and the black stuff)
Anything that requires gas checks and rifle bullets go thru the 450 or 4500 with the preference on the 450 even though it still has the original weird handle. It has more to do with the force required to seat and size than anything else plus I can mount them to the Lyman Heater
I like the RCBS the most. It is strong with plenty of clearance around the work area; more so than the Lymans I think. But then I use it to size rifle bullets and only when I have to. Most lubing is done on a battery of Lyman 45's, 1 Ideal, 1 Crammer. Again, I rarely actually size. The 450 and 4500 break handles - pure junk. I don't get the whole heated lube deal. I have some Stars, a Phitzer, a couple Meepos, and several Pope style lubers. When you say "best" I say for what? I like tumble lube bullets.
As noted the cost of sizing dies adds up quickly. Unless you are made of money, I think most people stick with whatever type they start with since the only dies that interchange between type or brands that I am aware of are the Lyman and RCBS. Even there issues of fit can come into play.
The in and out from the top of the Lyman/RCBS doesn't really make for a fast operating system, unlike the Star.
As for myself, I started with an RCBS Lubamatic and have accumulated numerous dies; and a couple of really cheap Lyman 450's for different lubes. Have I mentioned that changing lubes is a Royal PITA?
Robert
Best....
How many bullets?
How many types of bullets?
How many different lubes?
For me “best” is a mix of machines/processes.
Don Verna
just a thought, any of these machines can be set up for "push through" sizing. You just have to monkey around with it more to get it set up.
Have several Lyman 450's and a RCBS LAM II and a good selection of dies for both. Started with the 450 and being lazy picked up more used ones on this and other forums, each gets a die and top punch for the calibers I cast for. The RCBS is a replacement for an original RCBS that stripped the lock nut threads and was returned to RCBS for repair. They sent me a new LAM II. I would say the RCBS is better built with sturdier threads on the die lock nut and excellent alignment, but the system for adjusting lube pressure and refilling the lube reservoir is awkward at best. Did modify it to use a ratchet wrench. With the 450 it is easy to check lube level in the reservoir and add lube. Have one Lyman (orange) that is so poorly aligned, about 1/8" off, that I have set it aside for repair when winter comes. Did have a SAECO for a short time, got it cheap set up for 45 ACP SWC and it worked but the ergonomics on the handle didn't play well with my arthritis so gave it away.
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 |