Thinking of stepping up to a lubesizer..... looking for opinions.

I've been tumble and pan lubing for the last year or so while this new casting addiction has grown in me. It looks like I'm sticking with it so I'm ready to get a lubesizer. I shoot mostly 38 & 45 pistol right now, but I've got a mold on the way for my 45-70, and my boy just picked up a 303 british so there's some more sizers to buy soon.

I like the look of the old Lyman 45, but was wondering if I would be better served with the 450 or 4500, or possibly the RCBS machine. The Star seems like it would be overkill and too expensive for me, and the Saeco not as easy to find dies and punches for, at least used ones.

Should I be leary of getting worn out junk if I buy decent looking used from ebay? Any particular models to definitely stay away from? Is a heater needed for use in a room that usually stays around 60 degrees? Are there advantages to buying new size dies over used? Is it hard to find top punches that work with Lee mold designs?

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Originally Posted by c1skout

I've been tumble and pan lubing for the last year or so while this new casting addiction has grown in me. It looks like I'm sticking with it so I'm ready to get a lubesizer. I shoot mostly 38 & 45 pistol right now, but I've got a mold on the way for my 45-70, and my boy just picked up a 303 british so there's some more sizers to buy soon.

I like the look of the old Lyman 45, but was wondering if I would be better served with the 450 or 4500, or possibly the RCBS machine. The Star seems like it would be overkill and too expensive for me, and the Saeco not as easy to find dies and punches for, at least used ones.

Should I be leary of getting worn out junk if I buy decent looking used from ebay? Any particular models to definitely stay away from? Is a heater needed for use in a room that usually stays around 60 degrees? Are there advantages to buying new size dies over used? Is it hard to find top punches that work with Lee mold designs?

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Everyone will have their own opinion, that much you can count on. I had a 45 at one time and personally didn't care that much for it. Now have a RCBS LAM II of which I have no complaints at all since I put a ball on the handle and did the little socket trick that let's you use a rachet handle. I'm sure a Star would be grand but 500/hr is enough for my needs!

A heater might be necessary in a 60° room depending on the lube. Mine's hard enough it needs it and my room is only a few degrees warmer than that.

I don't think there's that much that wears out on a lub/sizer so personally wouldn't be too spooky about a used one. Believe there's a site CastPics that may have a chart for top punches that will fit Lee bullets.

My 2¢ worth!

The new Lyman cast bullet handbook has a chart for Lee bullets and Lyman punches. I recently purchased a d Lachmiller (now RCBS) Lube A Matic and a Lyman 45 that were rusted and did not work. Once I cleaned the rust off, they worked fine. I owned all of the sizers you referenced. I like my Star a lot. The Saeco and the LAM seem to be the tightest. I used the 4500. It worked OK. The 450 I now have seems to be built well enough. I guess what I am trying to say is you probably won't go wrong with any of them. The used ones I bought just needed a good cleaning. One thing to note, I found one RCBS die I purchased did not work in the 4500. It didn't fit at the bottom. It happened once so I stuck with the Lyman dies after that.

Here is a current posting on the Lyman 45. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...68795-Lyman-45

Read through this posting for a used die description. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...68545-Lyman-45

A heater is not a bad investment, although after making a few melted messes I put a 0-110VAC Variac ahead of it. Others employ PID's, lamp dimmers, and some just put a lit incandescent light bulb close to the lub sizer of your choice. I'd suggest this (the "heater") as the easiest to answer of your questions. Even at >60*, the less wear on the sizer you elect, and enabling the softer from heat to better fill and adhere to boolit lub grooces surely, imho, makes it a sound "need".
I can only speak for me, and my not-always-rosy 40+ years of boolit making: When I wish to produce LOTS of one boolit (e.g., .45acp for competition) I say a little prayer of thanks to the Magma folks for producing the Star and site-members like Lathesmith who produce the requisite dies for it. HOWEVER, to me, it is a bit of a challenge to change dies on the Star -- MUCH easier on my Lyman 450s to do that -- so for small runs of most other boolits -- the 45 or 450 is the way I went.
You'll hear perhaps as many answers as there is to the question, "What's the best pizza?" -- all a matter of personal taste, preference, funds willing to spend, and of course -- "luck" (or bad luck) with what you elect.
I have no experience with the RCBS, SAECO, or other units out there.
Hope my 2-cents here helps a bit...
BEST!
georgerkahn

450 and 4500 are probably a little stronger than a 45. I got a "new in the box" 450 at a small gun show for about $40.00 in 2010. A cheap hair drier will provide all the heat you need to soften any lube. Lyman and RCBS use the same sizing dies and top punches. SAECO use different dies and punches that are less common and may be hard to find for cheap. They are all good machines and take some of the mess out of lubeing.

I would recommend getting something of current manufacturer. Nothing worse than getting an older machine and finding it needs a part that is no longer available.

A Star is never overkill, but this is only my opinion. Not having to worry about different top punches or lube under bevel based designs makes this my sizer of choice. It takes very little time to switch dies and is not as fiddly to set up as some claim. I often do small number of boolits at a time and have no problems in switching dies if needed. A caliper to measure punch height and a notebook & pen to take notes eliminates the fiddling to get the proper setup of a Star.

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Originally Posted by VintageRifle

I would recommend getting something of current manufacturer. Nothing worse than getting an older machine and finding it needs a part that is no longer available.

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RCBS still supply's parts for LAM1s and Magma will rebuild the Stars. Lyman customer service sucks so good luck w/ that one. And I have no idea about Saeco. So if you stick to RCBS and Magma/Star you will be just fine.

There are many many threads about this subject. One is maybe a week old. Search these threads out and make your decision based on your personal needs.

Saeco is a good machine; well built and has been around for a while. Somewhat more costly than Lyman or RCBS. Uses solid stick lube. The sizing dies are more expensive as are the top punches. Has a built in gas check seater. Older models had black crinkle finish and newer ones have green. Handle pulls to the side. Have been running two of them for decades now and no sign of wear anywhere. LLS

IMHO- for about$50 the Lyman 45 or even the older Ideal can't be beat, be sure to get the mounting clamp for the Ideal or it's junk. The 450 and 4500 are stronger but the operating bars are wider and I find interfer with loading boolits. For around $100 the RCBS LAMS are better than the Lymans. Never used Saeco/Redding; top quality, just not interchangeable with Lyman,RCBS so used dies will be uncommon. The STAR is a high production machine, yes you can grease 10, change out and do 10 of something else, but you pay the biggest money for a machine that will do 100,s per hour with ease. Same money will get you 5 or 6 Lyman 45's and you don't have to change dies or lube.
Avoid antiques, like Phitzer, Meepos, Cramer unless priced as a Lyman 45 AND has some dies you need to use. You may not find others.
I never size bullets, and I think more than .002" - .003" is asking a lot of the machine, especially the Lyman 45. They can be broken.
ALso, you can break a 4500 handle off if sizing down 004" of hard alloy. Lyman will send you a new one that wont fit ( OR WORK) for about $15. And you make one in the shop.
Don't ask me how I know this to be true, just take it as fact.
Never used LEE stuff.
I never heated lube, but I have always kept the luber in a room at about 65-75 degrees. Never used any of the new fangled super lubes either.

I just graduated to a lubesizer myself. I went with the RCBS lam 2, for the easy to obtain punches and dies.
So far I am very pleased with its performance. I use a soft lube so no need for a heater in my 60-70 degree basement.

I would agree with the comment,(Lyman customer service ain't good!). I have a Lyman 450 that my dad bought in the 80's and it is it worn out to the point that the ram is so sloppy the top punch smacks the size die every time you pull the handle to size a bullet. Called and emailed Lyman and was told sorry that is out of warranty. A buddy of mine had a Lachmiller (I beleive is the name, pre RCBS) sizer,
that he worn to all most the same point of my Lyman and RCBS replaced for him free of charge including shipping.
So for me when funds permit RCBS will be my new sizer. Sorry for the long post guys, but warranty plays big in my purchases.

I find my star to be my go to lately, if you were only lubing 50 or so bullets than the RCBS, Lyman, or Saeco would work but time is money in my eyes. Buy once cry once.

Using pricing for used equipment to compare products is subjective. I lucked out and got 2 unused but pre-owned Star's for $50 from an estate sale.

Currently the Magma-Star is just under $100 more than a Lyman 4500 at $238.95

Magma Star is but for the unit; dies are xtra. FYI, here's from their web-site:
Attachment 130864
BEST!
georgerkahn

Thanks for all the input fellows, I don't need one immediately so I'm gonna keep my eyes open for a good deal. It seems like there are a lot more Lyman sizers out there for sale than any of the other brands.

There is a reason that Lyman has more used ones for sale, they wear out faster and the RCBS is made better. As far a top punches go and as long as you cast bullets with at least a small meplat on the nose, you can't bet the deal at Accurate molds. Tom sells a set of three top punches that will cover most all bullets made with a flat meplat. They are made of aluminum and sell for just $5 for the set of three. How's that for a deal?
I have been casting since 1970 and have owned as many as three Stars at once, all equipped with the air cylinder. If you are casting large 45-70 bullets over 500 grains, I've found that they pan lube better than trying to run them through a sizer/lube press. That is just my opinion, but again I casted my first 45-70 in 1970.
I had a bad medical problem hit me a few years back and sold all of my equipment as I thought my casting, shooting and reloading days were over. Well the doctors have installed a new pain pump in me that is showing some hope for me to start back with my SASS shooting. I purchased a new RCBS 11 for my lubing and sizing and so far it's doing the job. I also prefer the RCBS lube dies to the Lyman dies. JMHO again.
As far as a heater, it will depend on your lube choice, if you use a lube like Carnauba Red, then you will need one. I use a 4X12 piece of 1/2 inch aluminum to mount my sizer/lube press to. I then sit a travel size iron on the plate and dial in the heat needed, works great. Later David

I bought a Star from Magma & have a RCBS lube/sizer I bought back in the 70's and it is still solid as a rock and I still use it from time to time.
The Star is not nearly as hard to set up as some say but it is a bit time consuming. I bought my dies from Lathesmith on the vender site. He makes a great
product and is a bit cheaper than the Magma dies. I bought his punch nuts with the set screws, great idea of set and forget, you have the proper depth set
for the next casting session. my nickel's worth.
Len H.

If you're on a budget like myself, I like my 4500. If $$ are not tight you might consider some of the others mentioned, but bang for the buck I do like what I'm using.

I went with a Lyman 4500 due to a slight savings in cost and the fact that it was available at the time I placed a large order, therefore saving on shipping as well. If the RCBS had been available at the time I likely would have purchased it instead even with the higher cost. I have always had positive results with RCBS equipment and service. That being said, the Lyman does what it is supposed to do and seems adequate. As much as I like SAECO/Redding products, the higher cost and proprietary dies turn me off to that choice. The SAECO design looks to be the best of the bunch but I'm not sure the price is worth it. The Star is in another league.