More love for Lyman pistol die sets

[9mmSkeeter]

The first die set I bought a few years ago was a Lyman Carbide 9mm Luger set. It performed flawlessly but I knew there were cheaper options out there and more elegant ones to boot. My next die set was a Lee red box set, with powder dipper, shell holder, and all. Excellent value at $30, or so I Thought. I can't remember the exact problem with t, it was 40 s&w, but something to do with the bullet seating and expanding dies. I had so much trouble with it, I often put it down, reread the instructions, came back to it again, and had the same results. I did this off and on for the next month. I finally sold it and got...a Lyman Carbide 40 S&W set. Has worked flawlessly for thousands of rounds.

So, being the stubborn mule I am, my next die set was NOT a Lyman, it was an RCBS. I was loading 38 and the decapping pin snapped right off. It was definitely NOT BERDAN primed...but before I could even try the other dies in the set out, I was stonewalled by this catastrophe. I could have sent them in, but I bought them used, and just gave the other dies away. ( I later bought a used Lyman AA series set for 38 and the dies work like a dream.)

Still wanting to give the other brands a chance, I ordered a Hornady red box kit. This was for 380. Excited to get my 380 going, I began depriming my USA Federal brand cases. Whoops. What was that? The pin went up into the body. I read the instructions and it was a safety measure to prevent a pin from breaking. Reset the zip spindle, tried it again on another case, this time Blazer. Zippppp! Up into the die body. I read the instructions again, rinse and repeat, probably 10 times over the course of my ownership, I got frustrated and started oversizing cases for lead with my Lyman 9mm Luger decapper just to get some rounds made. Frustrated that I once again had to use my faithful lyman dies to do a job another brand was designed to do, but also frustrated that i had to stick to lead projectiles that made my little bodyguard dirtier than a neglected exhaust system.

So, I bought a single 380 depriming resizing die from RCBS. Lo and behold, excited to start, the tiny brass casings had to be loaded JUST PERFECTLY or else they would be annhiliated by crushing. 380 casings aren't cheap compared to other relative handgun calibers. I must have crushed 40 or 50 casings. It got the job done 70% of the time though - until it didn't. Last week the decapping pin bent sideways and rendered the die (except the die body) inoperable. On top ofh that, it crushed my case. Nice.

Fed up, I chucked the die at the wall, jumped on eBay and Optics Planet, and did this s**t right. I ordered complete sets of 45 acp, 38 special, and 380 (brand new carbide version, the other two were the old steel AA's).

I got them all in record time and cleaned up the used ones with lubricant and Q-Tips, got them shining nice, and they are churning out rounds flawlessly.

I know if all the makers dies were as bad as the ones I experienced, they'd all be out of business. i own some rifle dies from Lee (the green box value packs) and they are fantastic. I know many of you have had no problems with other brands and that's fantastic. I believe I gave the other brands a fair shake, even more so than most folks would. With all that said, Lyman may not be flashy, or cheap, but they are overbuilt and the pins are ruggedized to withstand even BERDAN primers without breaking. In my unfortunate experience, the Lyman dies are worth the extra $20 or so you pay over the other "budget brands" (I'm not including big brands like Dillion or redding!) From NOW ON, Lyman or death for handgun dies. Just had to share.

[TimW77]

I've also found Lyman products to be worth their slight extra cost...

Although I converted to mostly Dillon handgun dies and either Forster or Redding rifle dies, I still use several sets of Lyman "Multi-Deluxe" Carbide Die Sets...

T.

[F. Guffey]

cheaper options out there and more elegant ones to boot

Being more elegant and or cheap never crosses my mind when reloading. I used a Lyman case trimmer, or I should say I started with a Lyman case trimmer then changed to a Hornady and then went to an RCBS collet type. The Lyman wore me out and I had concerns for the trimmer. It wanted to keep the case. I had 450 magnum belted cases to trim, everyone of them required .020" of trimming.

The RCBS and Hornady worked flawlessly. All of my Lyman dies are for rifle, I do not use them but I have them just in case. I have the old and newer Lyman powder measure, I have used them but I have too many other options. I have not had the same experience you have had with 'other brands' of reloading equipment.

Light a candle or cuss the darkness?

F. Guffey

[buck460XVR]

My experience is, at least with handgun caliber dies, that all do a good job at making quality ammunition. Because the design of dies is so simple, most problems with them are user orientated. BTW....you did not have to send your dies in to RCBS, you could have just called and they would have sent you one or two decapping pins for free, even if you bought the dies used. Service is what sells me on reloading equipment.

[jdscholer]

I like Lyman dies, and other products just fine. Can't say that I've really had any problems with other brands though.

In the last few years, I've had occasion to purchase a few sets of Lee dies, and gotta say that they seem to be a very good value, and I have found no issues with them.

I think that years ago, some of the brands were of notably better quality than others. Now days, I think they're pretty comparable until you get into the more high-end benchrest types. jd

[Clark]

I first used Lyman equipment to reload 243 in 1984. It belonged to a 65 year old rancher.

I thought Lyman was for old people. My oldest load book is "Lyman 39th" 1953.

Yeah I have "M" dies and an old true line press from a gun show, but I was not that interested Lyman.

Then in a pawn shop a year ago I found a nice 1941 Winchester 75 sporter 22 rifle for cheap. The only thing was, the Lyman 57E rear peep sight was missing parts.
I misunderstood the drawing and ordered the wrong parts.
I called Lyman and a very intelligent and polite woman straighten me out... and she insisted on sending the right parts for free.

I have bought Lyman die sets in 44-40 and 56-50.
I am very happy with the company and the dies.

[Paul B.]

I have quite a few Lyman 310 dies and a Tru-line press. I also have the tong tools for the 310 dies. I have a couple or Lyman rifle sets, maybe a Hornady set but for handguns, most if not all are RCBS. I replace the need to lube sizing dies with Lee carbide dies for handguns and they all work very well. The only dies set that isn't worth spit is a Herters rifle die set for the 7x57 Mauser. $6.95 plus S&H as I recall straight from Herter's. It's only use these days is as a small base die should I find some 7x57 brass at the range that won't chamber after being resized.
I'm thinking most of the OP's problems are operator error and yes, a phone call would have gotten you a couple of decapping pins in the mail. RCBS stands behind their products.
Paul B.