How does one get a straight line sizing job out of one of these when the top punch and base are not perpendicular?   KevinNY

Answer: They buy a Star Lubrisizer. :biggrin:

Actually, I had a 450 at one time, that I used to not tighten down the lock screw that held the punch in. I would put some bullet lube on the punch shaft to hold it in the ram. I figured it would seek it's alignment when fed into the sizing die. Another thing you should be careful with, is that with the softer alloys, I found it was easy to actually squeeze the bullet when it was at the bottom of the stroke. Some the noses were actually bent out of shape and had to be discarded. Real easy to do at times, especially when seating checks.

A number of years back I had the chance to purchase a Star Sizer at a good price. It is a push through design which is very fast compared to the ejecting types. On the advice of Marshall, I started running bullets through nose fast and really started moving along. What a great sizer the Star is.

If you ever see one at a decent price, grab it! I have 2 of them now. Pitzer made one also that is like the Star but, operates horizontally.

You may also want to consider the Saeco Lubrisizer. The top punches thread in and are better centered. Also the quality is the best of the ejecting type sizers IMHO.


FWIW


:cool:

(Edited by Contender at 10:11 am on Mar. 26, 2001)

In addition to the excellent advice on not tightening down the punch, might I also suggest that you note where the set screw on your top puch contacts the shank of the punch, then, using a file or grinder on a dremmel tool, grind or file a notch into the shank where the set screw would normally contact the punch.

Now, reinstall the punch, tightening the set screw only enough to keep the punch from falling out of the casting, yet not run up tight against the punch shank where the notch is located.   In this way the punch is free floating and can seek it's own center while sizing the bullet.  

Just a thought to help improve on a very imperfect tool!

For those not having yet laid out hard cash for a sizer, take the advice and buy a Star from Magma, or get the Saeco or RCBS... but <b>not</> the Lyman 450!  It is just too cheaply made and will cause you no end of grief in the long run!

FWIW

God Bless,

Marshall