Gents, do any of you have any experience with the old Lyman Spar-T presses? I have one that's been stored for many years but I've been thinking about dusting it off strictly for bullet seating. I'm just not sure what kind of runout it will give me. I still plan to use my RockChucker for sizing, but it would be nice to put several seating dies on the turret of the Lyman and just leave them there. No need to deal with the hassle of resetting the depth if it will work well.
Re: Old Lyman Spar-T, ok for seating?
I've got a Lyman T-mag that produces some very good ammo! Give her a run and see what comes out.... I think you'll be satisfied!
I've got a Lyman T-mag that produces some very good ammo! Give her a run and see what comes out.... I think you'll be satisfied!
Re: Old Lyman Spar-T, ok for seating?
As long as the ram is still firm and doesn't wiggle side to side, you should be good. The presses I have worn out that have had problems had loose rams. Plus, good dies help. I like the Redding comp seaters.
As long as the ram is still firm and doesn't wiggle side to side, you should be good. The presses I have worn out that have had problems had loose rams. Plus, good dies help. I like the Redding comp seaters.
Re: Old Lyman Spar-T, ok for seating?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ChadTRG42</div><div class="ubbcode-body">As long as the ram is still firm and doesn't wiggle side to side, you should be good. The presses I have worn out that have had problems had loose rams. Plus, good dies help. I like the Redding comp seaters. </div></div>
+1 Ram slop is not a positive thing. Using a rubber O-ring to retain the shellholder can compensate for slight misalignment due to machining; the O-ring allows the shell holder to float. You'll have to check some sized cases to know. Do you have a run-out gauge? If not, roll assembled rounds across a flat surface (glass-topped table) and visually check for wobble. Not a perfect test, but close.
If you like the O-ring idea, it should be sized with its I.D. the same as the O.D. of the ram groove. The diameter of the O-ring material should be close to the groove height.
Forster's seaters are excellent also, especially if you don't need a mic adjustment ($$).
You may want to clean and lube your old press. I use gun grease; some use synthetic motor oil.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ChadTRG42</div><div class="ubbcode-body">As long as the ram is still firm and doesn't wiggle side to side, you should be good. The presses I have worn out that have had problems had loose rams. Plus, good dies help. I like the Redding comp seaters. </div></div>
+1 Ram slop is not a positive thing. Using a rubber O-ring to retain the shellholder can compensate for slight misalignment due to machining; the O-ring allows the shell holder to float. You'll have to check some sized cases to know. Do you have a run-out gauge? If not, roll assembled rounds across a flat surface (glass-topped table) and visually check for wobble. Not a perfect test, but close.
If you like the O-ring idea, it should be sized with its I.D. the same as the O.D. of the ram groove. The diameter of the O-ring material should be close to the groove height.
Forster's seaters are excellent also, especially if you don't need a mic adjustment ($$).
You may want to clean and lube your old press. I use gun grease; some use synthetic motor oil.
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