Public Service msg about Lyman Mold parts

oscarflytyer

oscarflytyer

Well-Known Member
Have an old(er) used Lyman 4C missing handle screws. Called Lyman Customer Service today. She asked if it was old or "very" old. Told her not sure. We worked to ID it. Seems it is old and current set of screw studs will work. Sending them free of charge, which I thought was very nice/great customer service.

What she DID tell me is, they no longer have any of the "very" old screws. If you need those, it is a trip to your local friendly machinist! IF you can find one (fortunately I have one!). What I do not know is, what is the diff b/n old and very old - and the screw diff.
 
V

VZerone

Active Member
What year range are they calling old old? Hey Ian nothing a tap and screw that size won't fix1!!
 
358156 hp

358156 hp

At large, whereabouts unknown.
The thread pitch is the same, as is the screw length (mostly), on the handles. The diameter of the screw heads was smaller on the older moulds, but you can turn newer screws down easily enough at home with an electric drill and your choice of abrasive. I often use a Dremel tool with an abrasive wheel in one hand, and the drill with the screw in the chuck in the other. Nose to nose they will rotate in opposite directions, and it only takes a few seconds to get the results you need. Sprue plate pivots are a whole 'nother dilemma, and need to be matched up to the mould. I quit throwing away old mould hardware ages ago because I never know what I'll run into next.
 
oscarflytyer

oscarflytyer

Well-Known Member
really, all would need to do is get correct size threaded rod, cut to length and cut a groove in it.

As far as old vs very old - NO CLUE! And she didn't/couldn't say. Guess if the "new fangled" ones they send me won't work, least I will know my mold is very old! lol!
 
F

freebullet

Guest
I'll drill out & tap to a size I have on hand any offending or missing mold screw. Most of our Lee's have a 1/4x28.

Glad they are sending ya 1
 
Bret4207

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
One of the beauties of the internet age is the ability to find "weird stuff". I'm pretty sure that what ever the screw size was, it's produced somewhere, for some purpose today. The model industry, as in model trains, tractors, cars, planes, use all sorts of odd ball stuff. It's still a real big thing in a lot of places and I'm betting that once the size, pitch and length is determined, there will be a number of places that will happily supply a bunch of screws for relatively little money. Yes, you may have to do a little fitting, but I swear you can get anything if you can find the right name for whatever it is you're seeking. I can tell you from experience that doing an internet search for "That little thingy on a cable that fits in a hole" doesn't work! Determine the specifics and I bet they are a dime a dozen.
 
358156 hp

358156 hp

At large, whereabouts unknown.
I'd hate to see some of the old Ideal & Lyman moulds modified from their original design. Some of them are nearly priceless anymore, and their collector value goes away when modified. The case could be made that "I only buy things to be used, not sit on a shelf", but I have seen some really, really desirable pieces "improved" into junk status. My 360270 had been modified, the screw holding the hollowpoint pin in had been shortened, making the mould non-functional. Fortunately, I had a spare from the original era. I'm still stuck with the "bubba-ized" block face venting, but I'm glad to have the mould anyway. If you must modify an older mould, please consider only modifying the "cheap" part, and let the blocks be. Please?
360270-5.jpg
 
J

John

Active Member
IIRC on some Lyman SC and DC molds from the 40's and 50's maybe up to 62 or so they had a 10x36 screw design. Odd because the norms are 10x32 NF and 10x24 NC. They stocked a few and I don't recall if it is sprue plate screws or which they were.
I do remember bsing with Jon Vivas at Western Bullet in the early 90's and him not wanting to sell me a 4 cavity 356402 because someone had ruined it by retapping the top plate hole. He handed it to me after I bought some items and said "I can't sell it like this take it as a throw-in". It turned out to be tapped 1/4-20 which is as common as all get out.
The mold is still usable if tapped but it is out historical value. From what I have seen in Western MT that is a monetary value of around $1.
 
Arlon

Arlon

Member
I've had a few dealings with Lyman customer service and all were excellent in my opinion. Some things are too old to get parts for but if they can help you with something they will. At least that has been my experience.
 
CZ93X62

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
That has been my experience as well, Arlon. I have an old steel Lyman aperture sight on a Husqvarna Mauser 98 that Lyman re-conditioned for 17 dollars and change about 5 years ago. They turned it around in about 2 weeks. I need this rifle's scope for something else, so that Lyman sight is going back on that Husqy rifle most ricky-tick. Da, Moose and Squirrel--I have fiendish plans for Husqy and the NCBS 400 yard venue.
 
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oscarflytyer

oscarflytyer

Well-Known Member
Arlon said:
I've had a few dealings with Lyman customer service and all were excellent in my opinion. Some things are too old to get parts for but if they can help you with something they will. At least that has been my experience.
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I have this/GREAT experiences with RCBS/Lee/MEC/Lyman. Lyman above, Lee offered to replace an out of spec mold ( I chose to keep it/and happy). MEC has provided EXCELLENT advice AND parts under warranty/free, and RCBS has done all of the above NUMEROUS times, latest when I said I goofed and bent stuff/offered to pay for parts and they warrantied them! I really can't think of a bad experience with any of the major reloading suppliers listed.
 
Rick

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
oscarflytyer said:
I really can't think of a bad experience with any of the major reloading suppliers listed.
Click to expand...

I sure can . . . REDDING. By far the worst customer service I've ever seen from any company in any business. I could tell you horror stories about Redding.
 
RBHarter

RBHarter

West Central AR
About a year ago I talked to Redding about a seating stem on a set of gun show dies I explained what I had . It seemed to be common and was quickly resolved with parts in the mail and in hand in just a few days .
That wasn't broken/defective/out of spec tools just a wrong pin .
 
462

462

California's Central Coast Amid The Insanity
It's been more than a few years ago, but I had two or three excellent customer service experiences with Lyman.

RCBS is by far the best of the best.
 
waco

waco

Springfield, Oregon
RCBS is very good but Dillon has them all beat. I once stripped the threads out of my primer feed housing. A $90 part. I sent them an Email about a possible fix and received a response in less than an hour saying the new part will be shipped free of charge. No receipt, no sending back broken parts. New part was on my porch three days later.
Same thing several years later when another part became worn. One quick email and new parts were shipped the next day. They keep all your info on file so you don't even have to fill out name and address and whatnot. Very easy people to work with and they stand behind their product 110%
Their stuff is a little pricey but you only have to buy it once and then you, your kids, and your Grandkids are set for life.
 
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