Lyman/Ideal 45 lubesizer manual and cleanup instructions

Reloader40sw

New Member
This is inside view, top and bottom.
 

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Pistolero

Well-Known Member
I believe the drawing is for current dies, with o-ring groove, and much wider top. The
older ones have a slightly larger top, a groove for the lock screw but no o-ring groove.
I have never used modern dies in a 45, only the couple that came with it, not sure how
well they may fit or not fit.

Bill
 

Pistolero

Well-Known Member
The other issue is that they seal on the bottom with a 45 degree seat, not sure if the LOA on the
die will be the same. This seat will stop the die hard, it will not go deeper.

I am out of ideas. My 45 is at my vacation home, gets only used with a few dies that are the
old style. My 450 uses the same dies as my RCBS, at home, no issues there. I was measuring
the old dies to look into making some dies for the 45, but beyond measuring and sketches, has
not progressed. I need to take a modern Lyman die with me to the cabin and do some fit checks
before I can say any more. Away from home, no access to my sketch with dimensions
right now, either.

Your 45 looks very clean in the top hole, with all paint intact that I can see, so looks normal.
Maybe new style dies in old style lubrisizer? I don't think the old dies were anywhere near
the .721 dimension, but working from memory, so not entirely sure.

What is the ID of the top hole in your 45?

Bill
 

Pistolero

Well-Known Member
Can you show a picture of one of your dies? I can ID a 45 original die right away. Shallow
smooth groove for lock screw, no top o-ring groove.
 

Reloader40sw

New Member
Can you show a picture of one of your dies? I can ID a 45 original die right away. Shallow
smooth groove for lock screw, no top o-ring groove.

Thanks for all the replies!... Didnt mean to hijack the thread. I posted a pic of the dies back a few but I'm not sure if it posted right as this is my first time here. Based on your descriptions I think I have newer dies but I thought they worked interchangeably lol. Here it is.
 

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Pistolero

Well-Known Member
No, those are the Lyman 45 dies. The shallow, rounded groove is for the lock screw, not no top o-ring groove or o-rings.
What is the diam at the top, above the groove? What ID of the lubrisizer body top hole?
 

Reloader40sw

New Member
Can you show a picture of one of your dies? I can ID a 45 original die right away. Shallow
smooth groove for lock screw, no top o-ring groove.

Overall though, I'd say it's in pretty excellent shape though. Still has the #45 sticker on it. So I'd be very surprised if it was damaged causing the issue. .7175 is ID at mouth. .7215 is OD of top of dies.
 

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Pistolero

Well-Known Member
That is a pretty substantial interference fit, .004" You may need to polish out a bit inside
to get easy insertin and removal. I see paint and sand bumps on that surface. You will
gain a couple of thousands by polishing off the paint with 320 or 240 grit wet or dry sandpaper.

Bill
 

462

California's Central Coast Amid The Insanity
Questions:
Does the push rod that is located inside the threaded adjuster sleeve move freely? In the photograph it appears to be stuck up inside the die well.

Does the threaded adjuster travel the full length of its threads?

Remove all moving parts, clean them of all old lube, re-install them and make sure they have the full range of travel as designed. Remove all old lube from the dies, and make sure the ejector rods move freely inside the dies.

Your dies are of the old 45 style and will install easily and sit flush with the top die well.
 

Pistolero

Well-Known Member
If his measurements are accurate, he has a .004 interference fit with the die top diam and the housing top
ID. Could be a measurement error, but matches with his extreme difficulty getting dies in and out. Everything in that area appears to be squeaky clean.

Bill
 

JonB

Halcyon member
This is inside view, top and bottom.
Hi Reloader40sw,
First, YES, the dies should seat flush on the top.
and WOW ...that's a clean 45.

So, I see paint, not only on the inside top mating surface, but also inside the lower cast iron "lube area". I've cleaned up many 45 lubesizers and never seen paint inside the lower cast iron lube area. I'm thinking this has been repainted and they got over spray inside it ...but it surely is a nice repaint job.

ANYWAY, I measured my newest looking 45, and the opening for the die is .7200" (there is NO paint in the inside mating surface where I was measuring).
I measured several of my old dies, and they are all right near the .7210" much like your dies, so I do NOT think they are oversize.

I believe your issue with dies getting stuck, is the paint. I'd clean that paint off the inside mating surface...but I wouldn't remove any metal. Measure it after you have removed the paint. If the Dies are still sticky, Check the dies of "out of roundness", maybe try turning the die as you insert the die into the sizer. Lastly, I would then maybe try a mild polish, like Flitz or automotive chrome polish on the lubesizer's top inside mating surface...look for a Burr.
GOOD LUCK,
Jon
 

JonB

Halcyon member
Also, Looking at your Dies, the top one has a smaller bevel...if all three measure the same OAL, that one with a smaller bevel may sit a wee bit higher in the lubesizer, I have run across that with one or two old dies...they NEED to seat against the bottom of the lubesizer to prevent leaking, but they don't have to seat flush on the top, due to that Bevel not being exact, so that wouldn't be a worry to me
 

462

California's Central Coast Amid The Insanity
My 45 is an older version with the cast iron reservoir cap. Its die well, measured with an inside micrometer, is .7240". Two older style dies, measured with a micrometer at the very top, are .722+" and .723+". The die bodies have lube on them so I didn't bother cleaning them to take measurements, but their diameters are visually smaller.

Because our measurements vary so much, Lyman's tolerances must have been rather loose.

I'm still thinking that if the push rod is bent, or somehow frozen in the up position as it appears to be in the photograph, it'll prevent a die from completely entering the well.
 

Ian

Notorious member
That's Chevy orange, and it's everywhere it shouldn't be. I'd get after it with some wet-or-dry paper wrapped around a 20-gauge shotgun hull or a .308 case, being careful not to bellmouth the opening. The bottom needs cleaned up, too, for a good seal as has been said.
 

Pistolero

Well-Known Member
Back to what I said, take off the paint to gain at least one thousandth and likely two per side.
Two per side will get a good fit, not interference.
Bill