Lube sizers .

[RBHarter]

Yeah I've really been casting and shooting all level loads in all sorts of cartridges since 07' without a lube sizer .


I think I must be doing something not quite right .
It seems like it takes more force to get a bullet out than it takes to get it in the die . Oddly enough in this Lyman 45 it seems to require about the same force to size a .2725 to .2717 and .280 to 2795 . It seems it only takes a little more to get a .278 down to . 2715 and force a check into place .

No clue what the residual lube is but there's only about a quarter of the reservoir left maybe less .

I don't have top punches for everything so making do is good enough for now.

Under questions .......
Many say "the O ring holds enough for me to eject the sized bullets" , this one must be a sloppy example . It ain't ever happening with this one and the lube in it . Maybe it'll be slicker with a load of Mod o Darrs .

The second owner die installed leaked like a sieve . After some diligent stretch and squeeze got a 4 steps to small dia way too fat HF metric O ring in the H slot .
The .272 fat H&I I got from Ammohead ,Bruce Forchett , has a slighty larger slot . Had to put shot in 2 holes on that one I only needed the bottom 2 grooves filled in the 27-130 and 3 in the 270-145 .

I think I have the vertical adjustments worked out and for the moment feed rates of lube .

The orange Lyman 45 with the 4 #10 counter sink screw mount base sure looks fragile next to the Herters tank . It appears to have the brass collar plunger and is very low miles ....... I don't suppose that brass piece gets much wear from abrasion .....

Should the ejection be as harder and harder than the size stroke ?
Does the type/composition of the lube change the friction/ejection force ? Heat sure but I'm a soft lube guy because it's worked for me and I'm too lazy to try something else.
Who had that truck load of correct 0 rings ?
Should I do anything with the set screw that holds the die in the in the body like a one does for die set screws this one is well below the groove .
Did they come equipped ball or some sort of handle wrap or were they just that skinny cast handle to limit force applied?

 

[Ian]

We sorted out the National O-ring number a while back but I forgot it. Don't overtighten the set screw or it will stretch the frame and force the die off center. They all had skinny wooden lathe turned handles on the skinny iron levers. They are fragile. Die polish and lube friction are a problem, use heat and soft lube. Keep all the nuts and screws tight, they work loose and stress other parts when they do. Roll your bullets on a case lube pad if they're hard to size. The brass pressure nut ring will leak a little at the ring gap but will last forever. Buckshot, Lyman, rcbs, and some other custom die makers all put the o ring groove in different spots so sometimes the 45's set screw buggers the groove. Most dies are made for the 450 with the retention nut and it didn't matter where the groove was. The die groove may be swallowing the set screw, screw should be about flush if it's hitting on the outside of the die body like it should.

 

[Glaciers]

I want to say it’s a #35, but…

 

[JonB]

I see a aluminum GC. If that's as oversized as a couple of the ones I use, yes they take a good deal of effort to size down...and need about the same force to come back out. After I discovered that, I've requested (from Sages) to always form my GC's with coated side out (the 270 and the 41 that I have ordered, have always been custom made for me) Lube is your friend. Polishing the H die is your best friend. I've never annealed my alum GCs, but I know others do...I bet that helps a lot as well.

I believe your setscrew issue is more of a symptom of this sizing effort difficulty, so once you solve the GC sizing issue, your setscrew issue will disappear.

 

[JonB]

Did they come equipped ball or some sort of handle wrap or were they just that skinny cast handle to limit force applied?

Years ago, I designed and sold a HD aftermarket lever and linkage...it had a little bit more mechanical advantage. I no longer make/sell these. They make all the difference in the world, if a fellow just feels the need to use the 45 for difficult sizing applications. Or just want a sizing experience that's easier on your wrist/arm.

 

[Cadillac Jeff]

I like my ol 45---but I did buy a RCBS-----yup you guessed it at a yard sale for like 5 bucks, I still like the ol lyman ----haven't got the hang of the Newer one yet I recon ?

oh both are full of Ben's Red

Jeff

 

[richhodg66]

Years ago, I designed and sold a HD aftermarket lever and linkage...it had a little bit more mechanical advantage. I no longer make/sell these. They make all the difference in the world, if a fellow just feels the need to use the 45 for difficult sizing applications. Or just want a sizing experience that's easier on your wrist/arm.

View attachment 28468View attachment 28469

Jon, how difficult is it to make one of these?

I have several Lyman 45s, I've always thought that thin handle, especially being offset the way it is, was a weak point on the design.

I also work in a high school with a very active welding and metal working class, the teacher is a good guy and this wouldn't be the first time I've had him and his students help me out with a little project.

 

[RBHarter]

I want to say it’s a #35, but…

The remaining laquered tag has a 45 on it but any resemblance to the Herters is about the same as a 60-70s 3 wire hay bailer next to large roll bailer .

I think I can fashion and form a grip ball or handle of some kind .

I don't know what I expected for force required , I've sized several 1000's in push through dies . The mechanical advantage of an RC or Partner is a little different though .

I suspect that when I fill it back up the STP residue will "fix" the frictive qualities. Most of my checks are packaged in pill bottles maybe some one shot and shake .....

The things you never read about ......... probably buried in the ours is the best cast bullet sections of the Lyman manuals .

Maybe that's why Lyman went to the undersized moulds

 

[JonB]

Jon, how difficult is it to make one of these?

I have several Lyman 45s, I've always thought that thin handle, especially being offset the way it is, was a weak point on the design.

I also work in a high school with a very active welding and metal working class, the teacher is a good guy and this wouldn't be the first time I've had him and his students help me out with a little project.

Not difficult as all, if you have some steel working tools and abilities.
You could design it around whatever materials you can easily source. I used some unique material, that was overkill, to say the least, that would be difficult for the average guy to source these days, I dug it out of a scrap bin, already cut to the sizes I needed...except the 1/2 round stock.

Those years back (when I sold them), I was working at a jobsite that have a couple huge laser CNC tables. They custom cut all kinds of steel. The drops were all kinds of shapes. When I started thinking about the lever/linkage design, I scrounged up several varied shapes of these drops. The Triangles were 1/4" plate. The long link was 3/8" plate. The tiny rectangle cube was also 3/8". I did have to buy some 1/2" round stock...got a deal from a scrapper that had some laying around, I think I paid $10 for half a dozen 10 footers. I welded the triangle to the round stock. I drilled a few holes in the plates and bought some pins from McMasterCar. I sold the unfinished kit, as shown for $20. I sold a bunch of them.

I just copied the original cast iron lever for hole placement. The one thing I did change was add 3" to the lever. If I recall, the original is 11" from the pivot, I made mine 14".

I did have one finished lever still laying around, BUT, a couple years ago, a local to me castboolit member (and friend) got it from me and also took a pail full of the undrilled linkage pieces I had remaining. He had the thought of getting someone to make him a bunch of these kits, for his fleet of 45 sizers. I don't think that ever happened??? because he said he was gonna give me a few finished sets for repayment...and I haven't been given any yet.