Lyman 310 Swap thread

[Noah Zark]

Jeff:

I'm pretty sure I have a spare .357 set, and IIRC it's in the long box with handles. It might be the only one I have that's in the the black and gray box diagonally striped box. Reminds me of an old ATSF locomotive. I'll check for sure when I get back home tomorrow.

I'll just PIF to you; people here have taken care of me PIF so it's my turn.

Noah

[Jeff H]

JUST got back to my computer.

Man, that is just awesome! I need to scour flea markets and garage sales and accumulate a bucket of 310 stuff to share.

I've got a mess of old Lyman SC moulds that I've PIF'd a few of elsewhere, but am just getting into the 310 stuff.

Thank you, Sir. IF you have it - awesome. If you DON'T STILL AWESOME!

[Green Frog]

The 32-20 die set for the 310 tool is sometimes pretty hard to find if you’re looking for one. If anyone here is looking, they should be able to do a quick search on that site under 310 dies and find it. Just to avoid negative response from the powers that be, would you be willing to answer a PM and give the link?
Like you, I was “passively shopping” and came up with a steel handle set with all the right dies, so I’m good for now.
Froggie

[Jeff H]

Yessir, give me a minute to find it again.

Did you get your pouch? I have developed a severe distrust for USPS and always follow up in spite of their claims.

[Green Frog]

Pouch arrived Friday as I was traveling back and forth to our Sporting Clay Tournament. It is a perfect fit for my Esbit stove plus alcohol burner and a little Nalgene bottle of alcohol. Gets my day pack organized.
I just got back from the basement with your universal decapping die in hand. I plan on going by the PO in the morning on my way to Dr’s office. Are you sure there’s nothing else on your want list I can look for? I might even want another pouch if you have one left!
Froggie

[Jeff H]

Dang, man! I never though of using it for a stove!

I use cheap, homemade pop-can stoves, which fit nicely into an aluminum almond can with an aftermarket, plastic cat-food can lid.

I have stuff I need, but am not mentioning it here. SO far, three people have jumped in and done things for me - GIVEN me things, and I have nothing to return.

THAT SAID, I have three of those pouches left and you are welcome to one, two, or all three

Just say the word.


Man, that stove thing intrigues me. I love that stuff.

[Eddie Southgate]

I looked at both big sites and did not see a .32-20 set of any kind . I did see several .30 Carbine sets that supposedly will with the correct adapter (3) and PC (10) load .32-20 . Ebay has one complete .38 set with steel transitional handles but at $199 is not too interesting unless money is no object. I did not search Ideal Reloading which sometimes brings up more 310 stuff than just searching Lyman 310 in all categories.

[Jeff H]

No, the seller has NO idea what he has. I asked him to post pics of the whole dies with the markings so others who know this stuff could see what they are considering buying. He did and I looked at the numbers and it LOOKS like he MIGHT have a 32-30 set, BUT the cartridge adapter in the handles is NOT for a 32-20, it's for the 38/357/222 etc. - a #2.

The seller IS trying though and is responsive. If you ask for a detail, I'm sure he'd find it for you. I did what I could do to get him to show stamps on dies and he was obliging.

[Eddie Southgate]

#2 is for .308 , .30-06 , 8mm ,7.7 jap , .401 Winchester, .22-250 , .300 Savage , 7mm , .270 Winchester, 6.5 Jap , .257 Roberts (some) and .250-3000 Savage
#1 is for .38 Special/ .357 Mag and .222/ .223

The set I saw that is the set I think you are talking about looks like mixed dies but I may be looking at a different set. Die body number for .32-20 is 29 body number for .38/.357 is 95.

If the seller is jtg80 and the ask price is $82.50 no two dies are for the same cartridge. It does have a #2 adapter in the small alloy handle . There is one .32-20 die and one .25-20 MR die one .32-40 die. The others I have no idea but it's not a set of anything.

If you can find a reasonably priced Lyman Ideal Handbook #40 there is a somewhat complete listing of the most commonly found 310 sets with the numbers for the different parts . Page 28 and 29 of that book will save you money and pay for itself. Those pages are also on the internet and there is a downloadable copy of the whole manual . I much prefer an in hand copy .

https://www.goodrichfamilyassoc.org/...%2340-1955.pdf

https://www.scribd.com/doc/252546753...-Ideal-40-1955

http://ps-2.kev009.com/ohland/Cast_B...Reference.html

http://ps-2.kev009.com/ohland/Cast_B...op/history.htm


Read these download the PDF and save the rest to a folder . There will be a test at some point.

[Jeff H]

...

If the seller is jtg80 and the ask price is $82.50 no two dies are for the same cartridge. It does have a #2 adapter in the small alloy handle . There is one .32-20 die and one .25-20 MR die one .32-40 die. The others I have no idea but it's not a set of anything.

That's the one. I thought I identified at least two 32-20 dies, which is why I said MIGHT be. The adapter die is, of course, all wrong, but the handles are compatible.

[Eddie Southgate]

Yup , but that would be an expensive way to get a handle . Could be two matching dies but he can't name the numbers and you can't read the numbers on half of them . It's a good deal to avoid .

[Green Frog]

To find many (or most) of the 310 die codes, I would refer you to the following link (look all the way to the bottom of the page.). It omits some of the earliest numbers, but it is a good starting point. I started assembling a more complete listing sometime back in the ‘90s, but I’ll have to dig to find it. See this link;

http://www.endtimesreport.com/Lyman_310_Tong_Tools.html

Froggie

[Jeff H]

Yup , but that would be an expensive way to get a handle a handle . Could be two matching dies but he can't name the numbers and you can't read the numbers on half of them . It's a good deal to avoid .

This is WHY I shared it here. I have charts and have about a quarter of a clue on this stuff so far, but you guys possess the finer details and recognize things I'll miss.

[Jeff H]

To find many (or most) of the 310 die codes, I would refer you to the following link (look all the way to the bottom of the page.). It omits some of the earliest numbers, but it is a good starting point. I started assembling a more complete listing sometime back in the ‘90s, but I’ll have to dig to find it. See this link;

http://www.endtimesreport.com/Lyman_310_Tong_Tools.html

Froggie

I've used and shared that very link. It's a good one for someone starting out, because it gives a decent perspective of the actual use too. Good link.

One thing I've noticed on eBay is that many of those selling this stuff have even less of a clue of what they have than I do. Sometimes that's a good thing and sometimes not.

The ones that crack me up are the ones who list something for $200, when another seller has the exact same thing (in better condition) for under a hundred.

[Noah Zark]

. . .The <eBayers> that crack me up are the ones who list something for $200, when another seller has the exact same thing (in better condition) for under a hundred.

Hope springs eternal.

Noah

[Noah Zark]

Awrite Jeff:

As it happens the set in the gray and black striped box with handles is 38 Special. The 357 set is in a pasteboard orange 310/TLJ box.

Here's where it gets interesting:

- Both sets have #1 PCs
- Both sets have CMR dies marked "38-357" so both sets can do full length resizing
- Both sets have short expansion dies with "357" stamped on the expansion plug tops; the short expansion chamber in the 357 set is marked "KF-23", and the one in the 38 Special set is unmarked.
- The 357 set has a seating plug stamped "248" and it looks to be for SWC boolit nose profiles
- The 38 Special set has a seating plug stamped "429" and also looks to be for SWC boolit nose profiles. In fact, it looks to be identical to the ""248" seater plug
- To me it looks like either set will load 38 Special and/or 357 Magnum
- The 38 Special set in the gray and black striped box has a paintworn short boss aluminum tool handle
- No handle with the 357 set - dies only
- I have one (1) #1 Adapter which would ship with whichever set you choose

This is a PIF thing to help your bud out. LMK which set you want. I have to clean some Lyman black alox cast boolit lubricant off the expansion plugs and the seating punches.

Noah

[Noah Zark]

Awrite troops:

I recently found a really nice condition 1891 Argentine Mauser rifle. I have some cases and several boxes of Prvi loaded ammo, but I can foresee reloading for the rifle. As much as I will reload for it, 310 tooling using either a 300 Savage or 308W neck sizing die should work for neck sizing, a .311 expansion plug out of a 30-40 set, and a proper RN profile seating punch should do fine. A #2 Adapter and #2 PC is already on hand.

Any thoughts? What am I missing?

Noah

[Green Frog]

I can probably find a .311 EP and its die if you need that. I’m not sure, but I may have the RN seating plug, but it’s an orphan. Will either of those help any? I need a bit of a Karma refill…
Froggie

[Eddie Southgate]

Wouldn't be surprised if you could get away with just the .308 set with the right sizing stem and seating stem. I don't think there is much difference in the two but I haven't looked the specs up. I have read where it has been done but I used an old RCBS set to do 7.65 x53 when I loaded for my 1909 Argentine in the past. I used .312 bullets in my youngest son's '91 . The .308 case is a tad shorter.

.308 -2.015
7.65 - 2.089

[Jeff H]

Awrite Jeff:
....

This is a PIF thing to help your bud out. LMK which set you want. I have to clean some Lyman black alox cast boolit lubricant off the expansion plugs and the seating punches.

Noah

That is awesome! I'd opt for the 357 set, sans handles. There are handles out there and he and I can source a set for him easily enough. I have an eye on a set on eBay that doesn't look like collector grade, but has a decent price.

Don't worry about cleaning anything - HE knows how to do that and it's good familiarization, handling the pieces-parts, fondling them and getting to know them more intimately.

My apologies for the late response on this. I'm running back and forth and get booted every ten minutes or so, then I get a server error when I do log in.

I'll shoot you a PM here shortly.

THANK YOU!