Sizer lubers

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  • Last Post 26 October 2023
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smokyboom posted this 09 October 2023

So I've been looking at sizer/lubers. Been lubing them by hand the past couple years, and while I kind of enjoy the process I am wondering if a dedicated machine will do more than set me back a few dollars. Been using Lee push thru sizers ok.

To that end I have :

I only cast in two calibers, .375 and .459 the 38 is flat nosed, the 45/70 has a couple different ogives; round, sorta pointy and flat. I had been looking at the RCSB,Lyman, And Magma luber sizers.

I'm thinking that one that doesn't need the lube tube with the hole is a better choice as I can heat and pour my preferred lube into the reservoir and just go. So that'd be the Magma.

However it seems the Magma is complicated in setting up the dies whereas the others just seem to work. There's complaints about the others leaking lube, there's the cost of or complexity of buying or making lube tubes

Maybe I'm overthinking this but I really want simple and not too involved, nor too costly to acquire, or to operate.

So any guidance ?

 

 

edit: Just found preferred lube is available in tubes for $5 a tube. No idea about how long that'd last.

 

 

-------- Andrew BPCR in 45-70, and 38-55

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Bud Hyett posted this 09 October 2023

The Magma is complicated to set up. It is a high-volume machine that is best for pistol shooters. 

I have both the RBS and Lyman, I prefer the RCBS.

The dies are interchangeable between the RCBS And Lyman. 

If you're not in a hurry, used ones are far cheaper. 

Added note: I also have the SAECO which I think is the best design and manufacturing quality. It is the most expensive, the dies are most expensive and hardest to find used, and has a built-in gascheck seater.

Farm boy from Illinois, living in the magical Pacific Northwest

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MarkinEllensburg posted this 09 October 2023

Options:

  • pan lube and push through sizer
  • hand lube and push through sizer
  • tumble lube and push through sizer
  • powder coat
  • conventual lube with a lubrisizer 
  • paper patch with no lube

Lyman and RCBS are nearly identical and use the same dies. The Saeco is a slightly different design. All three take stick lubes with a hole through the center. Odds are that you can find a used one for sale for far less than new. I have no knowledge of the magma lube-sizer. 

Choose one that fits your needs. Is what you are doing now working? If so why change. A lubrisizer is probably much faster than your current method.

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lotech posted this 09 October 2023

I've had an RCBS and a Lyman; still have the Lyman and two SAECOs. I prefer the SAECOs. All of mine I've had for many years. 

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Eutectic posted this 09 October 2023

The Saeco uses solid sticks, but can use sticks with a hole. For use with melted lubes ANY of the lube sizers are OK. I have poured melted lube into my Lyman many times, works just fine. I own both a Lyman 450 and a Saeco. The Saeco has a spring boosted plunger so you do not have to adjust the lube pressure continuously. It is easy to adjust the die/top punch alignment on the Saeco.

The Saeco is more expensive and the dies are more expensive. I like it better and use it the most.

Both the Saeco and the Lyman will leak if you do not tighten the dies sufficiently. Either may ooze a little lube while working, this may be annoying but is not important. The Lyman's also tend to leak under the casting, this can be easily cured, see my article in the FS.

 

 

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smokyboom posted this 10 October 2023

Thank you gentlemen, I decided to go with the Saeco. I'm working with a softer beeswax based lube, been doing the sizing by hand and as a separate operation the lubing by hand it'll be nice to combine the operations.

Let you all know how it turns out.

-------- Andrew BPCR in 45-70, and 38-55

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Rich/WIS posted this 10 October 2023

Have both Lyman 450;s and a RCBS LAM II.  Had a SAECO and got rid of it, was a good machine but the ergonomics didn't work well with my arthritis.  My original RCBS stripped out the threads that held the sizing die in place and I sent it in to RCBS for repair and they sent me the LAM II as a replacement.  Like them both but refilling the LAM II is a bit more complicated compared to the Lyman.  I don't melt and pour in lube, buy the hollow sticks from White Label.

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porthos posted this 11 October 2023

i have a lyman, rcbs, and 2  saeco's (1 is redding saeco)  i use the saeco's

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Shuz posted this 11 October 2023

Push thru from the bottom sizer types like the Lee greatly reduce, if not totally eliminates the possibility of a long skinny bullet bending as it's being sized. However, lubing must be done as a  separate step. That's where powder coating can be  a solution. 

 

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Qc Pistolero posted this 15 October 2023

My Accurate 46-414L(modified with a slight taper at the base so as to better center it in the case while seating)was used as cast lubed with LLA.I then thought about sizing them(.4595)and while I saw a very slight improvement accuracywise,I kept doing it(45-70   26.5gr 5744 federal mag primer heavy crimp 5 shot groups ave around 2.5 moa metallic sights).Probably the sole genius stroke I'll have in my life,I started sizing nose down in my RCBS sizer.Groups improved slightly with less fliers.

I think that the separate lubing process while taking more time is well worth it.

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fa38 posted this 17 October 2023

If you buy a used RCBS and a part is broke or missing RCBS will usually replace it free or for very little cost.

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gnoahhh posted this 17 October 2023

I use a Lyman 450, an RCBS, a Saeco, and a Star. Same lube in all of them (Javelina 50/50 because it's an old friend of 45 years and serves me for most all my cast bullet needs) and a couple I keep the dies in I use the most, to avoid the changeover process as much as possible. (Lazy? 'Natch.)

I pan lube a lot also, mainly for BPCR bullets. I also employ a fair number of push through dies, but I never bought a single one. I keep a length of 7/8-14 all-thread handy and when I need a new bullet diameter I lop off a chunk and bore/ream it in my lathe. (Chucking reamers come in infinitesimal increments and can be found pretty cheap.)

The last lubing implement I employ is a Pope-style hand lube pump, for lubing .32-40 bullets at the range and matches. Easy to just go there with a box of loose naked bullets and lube a few as I need them in the course of breech seating and muzzle-breech loading.

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smokyboom posted this 17 October 2023

That's a bit of overachieving there gnoahhh. Very cool pope tool, I was reading about them last night. A good friend is a machinist, so I can always have him modify things as needed. Very cool!

-------- Andrew BPCR in 45-70, and 38-55

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JonB_in_Glencoe posted this 23 October 2023

I use the older style Lyman lube-sizer press (model 45).   While they use the lube sticks with a hole, you can pour molten lube into the reservoir very easily, just be careful to not over fill it.

"you cannot run faster than a bullet" -Idi Amin

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smokyboom posted this 23 October 2023

Had time Sunday to set up and try the Saeco. Overall I stressed for a minute over the lack of instructions. But I figured it out quickly.

Got the die and stem installed, loaded up some lube and five minutes later I was cranking out lubed and sized bullets.

Easy peasy, and we'll worth the simplification of doing it all by hand in multiple stages.

Might get some casting done this week , just so I can play some more. Off to the range next weekend to enjoy the fruits of my labor.

-------- Andrew BPCR in 45-70, and 38-55

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Eutectic posted this 26 October 2023

Yes, long skinny bullets can be a problem in any base first sizer.
One solution is to buy a Lyman or Saeco die larger than the cast diameter. 
Fill the lube grooves, with the lube-sizer then use a Lee nose first die.

Lee dies are inexpensive and easily modified. Lee will make a custom diameter if you need it.

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