I'm a Dillon user but I have a question about a Lyman single stage

[Armourall]

I need your help fellow re-loaders! I'm looking at getting a single stage for various things and wondered if a Lyman press (actually the Lyman’s Brass Smith Ideal Press) will be compatible with Lee dies?

Thanks for your help on this one!

 

[OldDude]

All the Lee dies I've used have a 7/8-14 thread (basically industry standard). If the Lyman press uses the same thread (I would be surprised if it didn't), then the Lee dies will fit, along with RCBS, Hornady, Redding.....

 

[I Dont Care About You]

7/8-14 thread is industry standard. Basically any dies will fit into any press.

 

[Armourall]

Thanks for your responses! I just need another press to remove the "buldge" in some of my casings (range pickups) and didn't know much about the single stage interchangeability.

 

[Potashminer]

Armourall - there was an "off" style of smaller dies sold by Ideal (?) - which was mostly taken over by Lyman - I think there are adapters to buy to go from 7/8" normal thread to that unusual Ideal size. But other than that, can run into the really fat dies - like for 50 BMG or perhaps 12 gauge - the RockChucker here has an adapter threaded in to use 7/8" dies in that press, although the press is threaded for the really fat dies. As mentioned above - I have RCBS, Lee, Lyman, Hornady and even elderly Bonanza (!) dies that all screw in and fit to that adapter without issue.

As you work through various presses, you will find there are "single stage" - so only one operation per die set-up on the press (versus turret styles that will let you set up multiple dies at the same time), or "single leverage" that have a simpler mechanical system - versus "compound leverage" that will generate much more force within the press for same effort on the press handle. I have never used a "progressive" press, but I think they are like a turret press, that advances the "turret" with each swing of the handle. I do not know what leverage system is used on various "progressive" presses.

 

[Janeau]

You can do it on the Dillon - if other than a Square Deal.
Just use a new bare head and put your bulge buster die at any station. This work for the 550 and up.

You can also buy a single station conversion head for a 550..
https://uniquetek.com/product/T1553

 

[Armourall]

I have the XL750 that I've been using since they first came out. Janeau - I'm not sure that I would be able to do this as the bottom part of the Buldge Buster fits into one of the LEE's shell holders and I don't see it fitting into one of the Dillon's conversion kits. It would get ejected (eventually) as it made its way around the press wouldn't it?

 

[fingers284]

I have the XL750 that I've been using since they first came out. Janeau - I'm not sure that I would be able to do this as the bottom part of the Buldge Buster fits into one of the LEE's shell holders and I don't see it fitting into one of the Dillon's conversion kits. It would get ejected (eventually) as it made its way around the press wouldn't it?

I dont know if your fitment will set into a Dillon shell plate as solidly as an ordinary shell holder but if it does, Just stop the "advancement" feature on your 750 for the duration you need re-install after done bulged cases.
Two ways to interrupt the advancement function, either remove the long spring under the shell plate head or remove the two cap head screws of the sloped advancement paul on the left side of the press frame, takes a minute to take out or re-install in both cases.

 

[I Dont Care About You]

Thanks for your responses! I just need another press to remove the "buldge" in some of my casings (range pickups) and didn't know much about the single stage interchangeability.

Check out the Lee APP. There is a push through "bulge buster" attachment. The APP is surprisingly fast and also inexpensive.

 

[I Dont Care About You]

I have never used a "progressive" press, but I think they are like a turret press, that advances the "turret" with each swing of the handle. I do not know what leverage system is used on various "progressive" presses.

A progressive press has a rotating shell plate that advances the shells while the dies all stay in the same location.

 

[I Dont Care About You]

You can do it on the Dillon - if other than a Square Deal.
Just use a new bare head and put your bulge buster die at any station. This work for the 550 and up.

You can also buy a single station conversion head for a 550..
https://uniquetek.com/product/T1553

There are way better options on the market in that general price range. Converting a progressive to single stage seems ..... obtuse and probably gets annoying every time it has to be switched back and forth.

 

[fingers284]

There are way better options on the market in that general price range. Converting a progressive to single stage seems ..... obtuse and probably gets annoying every time it has to be switched back and forth.

doesnt seem "obtuse" to me at all, takes less time to negate the advancement feature on a 650 than it does to change a die in a single stage...and you only have to spend your money once if you need a progressive for other loading chores. I can load for 30 or more calibers if wanted and I have a 650 and a Lee Classic Cast rotary and I dont feel "obtused" at all LOL.

 

[I Dont Care About You]

You clearly haven't seen the Lee or Hornady quick attach systems. Push in and turn till tight. Doesn't get much quicker than that. It is even faster than changing a Dillon tool head.

 

[Meroh]

I bought an RCBS Rock-Chucker to replace a worn out Lyman Turret press. I installed the Lee quick change bushing, and have never looked back. For heavy sizing it is a solid O-frame press with a large diameter plunger. Primer system is half-assed, but I bench prime my rifle ammo anyway. I use two Lee Pro 1000s for pistol ammo; all my dies are either Lee or RCBS. Lee dies will work in a Lyman press, but I would still go for the Rock Chucker were I buying another.

 

[Janeau]

There are way better options on the market in that general price range. Converting a progressive to single stage seems ..... obtuse and probably gets annoying every time it has to be switched back and forth.

Changing head or using a single die on a 550 -650/750 is fast and very easy. If somebody cannot do that he should not reload

 

[Janeau]

I have the XL750 that I've been using since they first came out. Janeau - I'm not sure that I would be able to do this as the bottom part of the Buldge Buster fits into one of the LEE's shell holders and I don't see it fitting into one of the Dillon's conversion kits. It would get ejected (eventually) as it made its way around the press wouldn't it?

The OP does not specify at all his model of Dillon. The Unique teck kit fit on the central shell holder bolt and it’ s made for the 550.

The Lee buster base (ram) need to be turned down to fit a shell holder or the dillon shellplate, since it is made to fit in a press ram without the shell holder. I did use the Lee only on my Dillon 550 not the 650. That is the little gizmo -ram on the left of the picture that must be fitted to Dillon shellplate if you do not use the Uniteck kit.
I see no reason it will not work on a 650/750 when auto indexing is disabled. Modified to fit my 550 shellplate, will fit the 650/750 shellplate also, but I did not use it on the 650.



On the 650/750, I used a Lee/EGW small base resizing die, specially made to size back the bulge. Worked great on 99% of casing.

But I moved from this and got a rollsizer for all my pistol reloading, specially for my open gun in 9 major.