what lube sizer?

[rifleshooter]

hello everyone, Ijust got registered after a few days of reading various threads. I tried finding an anwser to this but didn't seem to have any luck. My question is if you could get only one lube/sizer which one would it be. i have a lee pot and a lyman mold on the way. thanks Todd.

[Marshal Kane]

There are several very good lubricater/sizers on the market, however, if you are looking for the fastest high production unit, you should really consider the Magma Star. IMO, this is the Rolls-Royce of lubricater/sizers and is held in high esteem by all casters who are fortunate to have one.

[Jon K]

rifleshooter,

Welcome aboard.............

To best answer your question, more info is needed...........

What are you going to cast?
How much are you going to shoot?
These are very important factors, and most important "Do you enjoy casting? and is it something you will continue to do? Casting is not for everyone, for whatever the reasons. Before investing a lot of money into casting, make sure this is what you want.

For the beginning caster, and assuming you are shooting a rifle, Lyman and RCBS are good units, dies are available new or used at affordable prices, as are the sizers. Shooting pistol & lower velocity rifle.......lee push thru sizer w/tumble lube is the lowest cost.

High volume.......Star(Magma) is the highest cost unit, and dies are pricey. If you're not sure you are going to like casting, then this is a lot of money to put out on a maybe proposition.

Jon

[HeavyMetal]

I agree with Jon K! Get started see if you like it and don't spend a lot of dough!

The Lee can get you there for the right price. How do you know when your ready to go bigger? When you realise how slow the Lee is!

Some times you can find a deal on a sizer in the swap and sell section here but in all honesty if you want to do something before the 12th of never you'll have to visit an auction site like gun broker or evil bay or splurge and buy new.

I have two Star's and won't bore you with details on why it's the best machine ( I just wish it were also the best buy) on the market. By the way the other lube sizer's mentioned will get you there to.

I will suggest you find the stickies section and look for freakshow 10MM's nice little video and actually watch a Star work!

Welcome aboard , hope we have something to share! Don't be afraid to laugh at us and remember: there is no such thing as a dumb question!

PS: Nobody checks spelling.

[Marshal Kane]

. . . My question is if you could get only one lube/sizer which one would it be. thanks Todd.

I might have misinterpreted Todd's question, I thought he was looking for advice from experienced casters on getting ONE (1) lube/sizer. BTW, no offense intended.

[Cherokee]

Lyman 4500, reasonable cost and will last, dies not expensive. Top of the line Star, more expensive, dies cost lots more and will last. Main difference between them is speed - the Star being faster.

[leftiye]

There's only pan lube, tumble lube, or use a sizer. If you use a sizer, there's only Lyman, RCBS, and star (for practical purposes). RCBS isn't materially better than Lyman, and Star is ridiculously costly. That being said, after using a Lyman 450 for 35 years, I've gone to sizing in a Lee push through die in my press, and then to lubing only in an oversized die in my Lubrisizer.

[rifleshooter]

Thank you everyone for all the info. I plan on only getting one and I have cast a few years ago but am getting back into it. I'm almost positive I'll get the star because I will only be doing about three calibers and i need one thats going to last(about 600 lbs of lead ready and more in the works). I looked at the RCBS quite a bit but for not a lot more money the star seems like the way to go.

[rifleshooter]

I almost forgot, I got my lyman 358665 mold a few days ago and was wondering how many of those 600 pounds of ingots will make aproximately. thanks

[runfiverun]

there is 7000 grains in a lb.

[square butte]

A pound is 7000 grains. If your mold throws a 158 gr. bullet, you'll get approx. 44 to the pound and 44 x 600 = 26,400.

[rifleshooter]

Wow thats quite a bit of reloading- i think I'll need more powder. thanks guys

[encoreman]

And don't forget the primers and brass. Just trying to help your list out.LOL Also if you are casting 150 gr. bullets you can get 46.6 to the lb. or 27,960 bullets. Better get a big keg of powder. 25 8pounders will be a good start for that much lead. Mac

[runfiverun]

you just need to remember that if you go with the star you also need to use the molds
that will work with this system the best,and the lubes also
but you also have to do that with the lee system.

so the trade-offs convenience and ease,speed =volume.
or so many for the price, or a combination of both systems.

[Marshal Kane]

The Star will pretty well work with most molds (a few exceptions of course) and just about all lubes (may require a heater for hard lubes) are you referring to sizing dies? The Star takes its own unique dies which can be found used on eBay which I find to be the least expensive way to obtain them. Once in a while I have had to spring for a new die from Magma Engineering but not often since most of my bullets are popular calibers. One thing for sure, the Star will pump out lubed bullets faster than any lube/sizer that I know of.

[MtGun44]

Repost of my previous comments on the subject.

IMHO, Stars mostly make sense for large quantities of the same or very
similar boolits being lubed. I have two Stars, a Lyman and an RCBS.

For smaller batches, like 100 or 200 or less to try out a new boolit or an old
mold for a new gun I find that I typically waste a lot more time setting up
the Star if it requires even just adjusting the seating height adjustment
to put the lube injection at the right level. Blocking and unblocking holes
takes even longer. Once you are set up for a boolit design, the Star really
shines, perfect lube location, nothing on the bases, *really* fast production.
But you lose out to the slower Lyman and RCBS if you are changing boolits
a lot. They set up a lot quicker and lube a lot slower. Also the Star and
dies cost around twice each compared the other lubers and dies, new - often
a bigger differential when both are bought used.

Different tools for different needs. Love both kinds, just use them for different
applications. FWIW.

Bill

[TAWILDCATT]

the Star is the best BUT it is pricy,I have 2 lymans,but I also use lee and as far as speed I think I can go as fast as neccesary with it.I have the die in a Lee reloader press it was special at $15.put the bullets in plastic container and spill on alum foil over night.some times I dont even size them.

[TexasJeff]

The Lee can get you there for the right price. How do you know when your ready to go bigger? When you realise how slow the Lee is!

Slow?

With the Lee push-through sizers, I can size as fast as I can pull the handle on the press.

But there is time involved with tumbling, then letting the boolits set up and dry, no doubt.

Jeff

[rifleshooter]

thanks everyone for all the info and replies. I have decided to get the RCBS. Now to find one for a decent price. If anyone knows of one for sale let me know.

[Echo]

I often see them, and Lachmiller equivalents, on evil bay - expect to pay $60-75, plus shipping, which is less than 1/2 price of a new one. And they are simple, strong, robust, and hard to beat up, so a used one will probably give you good service.
I have a Star that I use for my plain-base pistol boolits, and a couple of RCBS/Lachmillers for GC pistol and rifle boolits. And you will not make a mistake with the RCBS/Lachmiller - it should last, and last, and last...