Author Topic: cost of a Lubricator Lubesizer (Read 1003 times)

SLAVAGE · « **on:** May 31, 2005, 05:47:44 AM »

ive been pondering the idea of starting to cast my own bullets
an i was woundering whats a good price to get a lubricator for
im not looking for some thing fancy but nore rusted
ive been kicking around about it an desided to do it like i did with reloading a little here an a little ther then a few months down the line have enough to start

so i figured i would want to start with the press first
so how much is a decent price

shooting will be
357 mag an max ,44,41 an 45 thats about it for at least 2 years

thanks for all the help

dave

jh45gun · « **Reply #1 on:** May 31, 2005, 08:54:59 AM »

You buy a lubrisizer and it will cost you over a 100 bucks, plus 30 bucks for each sizer for each caliber. That is why I buy Lee Sizers they cost less than 30 bucks more like 20 and they work with any standard loading press. The Lee Liquid ALox used for these lee sizers works great too. Jim

Lvl1trauma · « **Reply #2 on:** May 31, 2005, 03:40:10 PM »

You should be able to pick up a fairly good condition Lyman lubrisizer on flea bay for around $60 which is a lot less than new. It is hard to tear them up. If you are lucky you will find a setup with a lot of sizers for just a little more.

Lvl1trauma

jh45gun · « **Reply #3 on:** May 31, 2005, 04:18:48 PM »

Quote from: Lvl1trauma

You should be able to pick up a fairly good condition Lyman lubrisizer on flea bay for around $60 which is a lot less than new. It is hard to tear them up. If you are lucky you will find a setup with a lot of sizers for just a little more.

Lvl1trauma

Oh I don't know a guy gave me one and I threw it away as it was cracked and some one tried to braze it. Needless to say it did not work and would not hold the sizer die in place straight. For 60 bucks you can by 2 to 3 Lee sizers. Yea you do not have the benifit of lubing the grooves like the lubrisizers do but all I use is Lee Liquid Alox anyway. Jim

SLAVAGE · « **Reply #4 on:** May 31, 2005, 04:49:31 PM »

jh ive been thinking that way all so
do you think that cheese lee press the one u get with ther book would hold up to use just for casting with lee sizers?
thanks every one for the help

Leftoverdj · « **Reply #5 on:** May 31, 2005, 06:20:11 PM »

Quote from: SLAVAGE

jh ive been thinking that way all so
do you think that cheese lee press the one u get with ther book would hold up to use just for casting with lee sizers?
thanks every one for the help

You betcha!

I keep one of those presses around for just that and a couple of other light jobs. Sizing a cast bullet is much lighter duty than sizing most cases. Prices other folks have been giving you strike me as high. I buy the Lee sizers mail order for about $13. Lyman's or RCBS for my lubricisizer run about $16 but you need a top punch as well.

jh45gun · « **Reply #6 on:** May 31, 2005, 07:38:38 PM »

Lefty the local gun shop charges 30 bucks for a sizer for Lyman ect. Yet I can have him order me a Lee sizer for you are right about 13 bucks I think the custom sized ones are around 20 maybe a bit more. Slavage the only presses I have are Lee hand presses and I can size bullets with them just fine so I am sure any Lee bench press would handle the job nicely. Jim

jgalar · « **Reply #7 on:** June 01, 2005, 02:35:39 AM »

Very little effort involved with using the Lee push through sizers. Even the little C frame press would easily handle it: http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=807734

You can also use the press for decapping and with a press mounted priming tool for priming also.

The Lee liquid Alox dries slowly, but works very well to prevent leading.

SLAVAGE · « **Reply #8 on:** June 01, 2005, 04:47:05 AM »

jg thats the exact press i was speaking of
now i have to get one dirt cheap on e bay lol
unless some one around here wants to let one go at a good price

well i got a lee sizer kit for 284 an a single lee mold
in 285 its 138 gr
its ther c258-130-r
im gona try it in my 7tcu 14'barrel
an it if works nice i might have to load it up in my 7mm-08 encore

new question
do these lee sizers put on gas checks?

thanks again for all the help guys

dave

BruceB · « **Reply #9 on:** June 01, 2005, 05:13:17 AM »

For Heaven's sake, watch Ebay and buy a Lyman #450 (not #45) for about $50. I've seen them at the same price at gunshows as well. The greatly-improved convenience and utility of the lube sizer is well worth the extra set-up cost. From the standpoint of 40 years of casting experience, I consider a lube-sizer ESSENTIAL for new casters. A single flat-faced nose punch will suffice for most bullet types until you want to get a bit more elegant. Additional styles only cost about six bucks each!

Any local gunshop that charges $30.00 for a Lyman sizing die is doing at least a 100% markup and ripping you off, because they only cost about $17.00 from Midway etc. At that rate, I'd say to hell with the local guy. He's not doing you any favors at all.

It's all well and good to want to start "on the cheap", and I've done it, but believe me, there's no comparison between a proper lube-sizer and the rudimentary push-through sizers. They are a false economy, in my book. I do a few bullets via the push-through method from time to time for special purposes, but at least 98% of my bullets are processed through one of my Lyman 450s.

This is the wrong process to economize excessively. Buy a used machine and be happy... and FAR ahead of the game!

BTW, although Lyman and RCBS dies interchange, I find the Lymans are superior for several reasons, including smoother inside finish and a greater variety of lubricant holes in the dies, which allows greater flexibility in selecting which bullet grooves will be lubed.

Leftoverdj · « **Reply #10 on:** June 01, 2005, 06:19:51 AM »

BruceB is an expert caster, and his opinions are due considerable respect, but in this we differ. The bulk of my shooting is done with pistol bullets in the lower velocity ranges where tumble lubing is appropriate and the Lee pushthrough dies are far faster and far less hassle. The Lee sizer also gives far fewer cocked gas checks, and does not bend long skinny bullets.

I do have a lubrisizer and use it quite a bit when I do not want to tumble lube. Which way to go depends on what you are doing and how much.

jh45gun · « **Reply #11 on:** June 02, 2005, 05:09:16 PM »

By the time you pay for shipping you approch that 30 dollar mark and I would rather give the local guy the business to keep him in business. I have checked his prices with midway and all the other catalogs available and the local guys prices for powder and most other reloading things are right in the ball park and cheaper than if I ordered and had to pay shipping. Expecially now days with the price of shipping going up. Jim

Badnews Bob · « **Reply #12 on:** June 05, 2005, 02:55:18 PM »

The Lee sizers work great for me. I use .358 and .309 with very good results GCs or not.

Longcruise · « **Reply #13 on:** June 06, 2005, 04:03:55 AM »

My 450 is a huge pain in the a$$ to use. Takes longer to set up than a Lee push through. Dies are expensive and a pain to change. Selecting the correct nose pucnch and changing it out is another pain and on top of that the nose punches are another pain to change over.

I get flattened noses, expanded bore ride noses (that sometimes won't chamber), occasional bent bullets and often off kilter sizing.

It's ok with hardened bullets such as ww's at 25bhn or so but the softer bullets simply take a beating.

sundogg1911 · « **Reply #14 on:** June 16, 2005, 10:04:24 AM »

I picked up a Lyman 450 with a heating element on ebay for under $60 including shipping. i have also bought most of my sizing dies and top punches there. if I need it quick I order new, if not i keep an eye on the auctions and estate sales. patience usually pays off!