Questions about Lubricator/sizers

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The next addition to my growing operation is going to be a lubrisizer. Is there much difference between Lyman, RCBS, or any other lubrisizers? Is there a reason to stay away from any of them? Is the heating contraption worth adding?
 
If you are going to be doing any significant volume would invest in a star.... Fast and efficient.... As for the heater I agree with marvelshooter that you only need the heater if you are doing a hard lube in volume.... Small volume stuff (hard lube) you can use an old iron or light bulb for heat and a soft lube doesn't need any heat.....
 
Don't bother with the heater. Just tape a 75 watt incandescent bulb to the lube reservoir. Cheap and works like a charm.
 
If you are going to be doing any significant volume would invest in a star.... Fast and efficient.... As for the heater I agree with marvelshooter that you only need the heater if you are doing a hard lube in volume.... Small volume stuff (hard lube) you can use an old iron or light bulb for heat and a soft lube doesn't need any heat.....

Don't bother with the heater. Just tape a 75 watt incandescent bulb to the lube reservoir. Cheap and works like a charm.

I would agree with this if your environment is reasonably stable. I size/lube in my cellar which has a pretty broad temperature
variation and the adjustable heater comes in handy. Lots of folks do use light bulbs and irons successfully though.
 
swampy,
i retired a lyman and rcbs bullet luber when i found liquid alox and lee push-thru sizers because:

1) they're more efficient-no lube reservoir to fill and no dealing with the gunk that always seems to extrude from the machines. they seats gas checks if used plus tumble-lube designed bullets can be lubed then loaded without sizing.

2) they're faster-changing calibers requires no searching for the proper top punch and no mess with removing the sizer die, all you need to do is screw the proper lee sizer into your reloading press, put the bullet on the punch and work the lever; bullets accumulate in a container mounted on top of the sizer...

3) they're cheaper-the sizer kit costs less than $20, need no separate top punch. includes a bottle of liquid alox sufficient to lube many, many bullets

the system works-my plain-base bullets at (chrono'ed) velocities of 1200 fps and gas-checked rifle bullets at 1800 fps exhibit no leading after thousands of rounds and at $20/caliber vs. $30-40 for a caliber change in a lyman of rcbs unit not counting the $100+ the luber costs, lots less fussing around with the lube (which isn't cheap, either) and taking less than half the work to get to a finished product, i decided the liquid alox/lee sizer was the way to go.

budman

ignorance is fixable...
 
swampy,
i retired a lyman and rcbs bullet luber when i found liquid alox and lee push-thru sizers because:

1) they're more efficient-no lube reservoir to fill and no dealing with the gunk that always seems to extrude from the machines. they seats gas checks if used plus tumble-lube designed bullets can be lubed then loaded without sizing.

2) they're faster-changing calibers requires no searching for the proper top punch and no mess with removing the sizer die, all you need to do is screw the proper lee sizer into your reloading press, put the bullet on the punch and work the lever; bullets accumulate in a container mounted on top of the sizer...

3) they're cheaper-the sizer kit costs less than $20, need no separate top punch. includes a bottle of liquid alox sufficient to lube many, many bullets

the system works-my plain-base bullets at (chrono'ed) velocities of 1200 fps and gas-checked rifle bullets at 1800 fps exhibit no leading after thousands of rounds and at $20/caliber vs. $30-40 for a caliber change in a lyman of rcbs unit not counting the $100+ the luber costs, lots less fussing around with the lube (which isn't cheap, either) and taking less than half the work to get to a finished product, i decided the liquid alox/lee sizer was the way to go.

budman

ignorance is fixable...

I've used them for 9mm and 38sp. I like the sizer but I'm not really happy with the alox lube.

I want to go to a custom size for a 44mag rifle and experiment with different lubes...for the bullets! I figured the harder alloy I plan to use and the lube would work better in a lubrisizer. I'll eventually get around to doing more rifle bullets down the road.
 
If you do a lot of casting, 100 to 200 per week, invest in a Star it is well worth it.

Sounds like you are doing one at a time over a campfire. [smile]

I try to cast around 500 per session depending on time of year. Then again, math says you are about right given that I only have a few sessions a year. When I first started casting, weekends would be spent casting and I still have ammo boxes full of boolits ready to load.
 
I been asking every casting reloader about lube lately I'm getting a lot of responses as alox is great for just about any boolit under 2200 fps. I been useing LLA for 45acp and 38/357 with little leading with as cast lee TL moulds. With clip on wheel weights.

I'm getting into rifle casting/ loading it appears my lla lube should do well for my sub 2000 fps rounds. Seems a lot of casters I talk with say lee sizers are good to go.
 
Another vote for the Star - the bewst lubrisizer ever invented. I have used mine for 50+ years.
 
I been asking every casting reloader about lube lately I'm getting a lot of responses as alox is great for just about any boolit under 2200 fps. I been useing LLA for 45acp and 38/357 with little leading with as cast lee TL moulds. With clip on wheel weights. I'm getting into rifle casting/ loading it appears my lla lube should do well for my sub 2000 fps rounds. Seems a lot of casters I talk with say lee sizers are good to go.

I started using LLA with a Lee sizer which worked great and was trouble free. The reason I changed was because one of the indoor ranges I use, which has an old vent system, other shooters would complain about the STINK and smoke of my reloads. I now use a Star and a lube made from 3:1 mix of bees wax and Husqvarna synthetic 2-cycle oil. This combo has much less smoke and results in good grouping.
 
Another vote for the Star - the bewst lubrisizer ever invented. I have used mine for 50+ years.

One of my biggest mistakes was to sell my Star. I don't really need it, but I miss owning a quality piece of machinery. Some things are just too cool to sell.
 
i know you can lube a ton of bullets quick with tumble lube, but when i started casting and set up my star i saw how easy it was to lube tons of bullets. sure it takes more "work" but i enjoy the quiet time. its super easy and fast. they're awesome machines

i don't have a heater so if i need to heat up some stiffer lube i just put a 75 watt bulb in a clip lamp close by for a little while until it starts to flow right.

again you can lube so many in a shot i don't find it to be much of a hassle at all. worth the savings on a heater for what i'm doing right now
 
I went the cheap way, and got a Lyman 4500 lubricizer. I regretted it right away. But, now I have a big investment in sizing dies, and it wouldn't make any sense to switch to the Star.

But I recommend the Star by Magma.
 
will the Lyman 4500 fill the micro grooves on those bullets that call for tumble lube. I had been using Lee sizing dies, love them, but, I HATE the tumble lubing as my bullets get nasty sticky and never dry 100%. Tired for taking a cloth to each finished round.
 
Sounds like you are doing one at a time over a campfire. [smile]

I try to cast around 500 per session depending on time of year. Then again, math says you are about right given that I only have a few sessions a year. When I first started casting, weekends would be spent casting and I still have ammo boxes full of boolits ready to load.

My Bullet Master does 2400 per hour.
 
Well since I posted I have moved on to more rifle casting. As much as I liked lee tumblle lube designs for my pistols. I couldn't find the right size or style for my rilfes....I still size with custom made lee sizer from a gent over on cast boolits and have good luck with pan lube method...
I did use LLA for my regular rifle bullets and found it to work for my 1903a3 loads but leaded my mosin and arisska. Switched to whites 2500 and all is good.
 
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