Lyman All American 38/357 dies

Boolit Mold Join DateJun 2011Posts11

Hi all,

I purchased a used but unused set of dies for 38/357. They are a still set of dies and appear to be in excellent condition. Well, I have maybe 6 pieces of 38 once-fired so I thought I would run them through the FL die - well lubed the cases and ran them. The primer popped and it resized them - unfortunately I think too much. The before size was right around .3845 the after was .3740. Is that the correct size, I thought .38 special was supposed to be .379.
Thanks.

Is the sizer carbide or steel. I stopped using carbide dies because they sized the cases to much. Cases sized in a good steel die have a slight taper, whereas carbide rings give a straight case. Herein in my problem with them.

late 60 vintage steel RCBS 357 Magnum dies size the cases .378 at the head and .373 at mid-case and .371 at the case mouth. Of course this case mouth spec is before they are expanded to receive the bullet.

My mid-60s steel RCBS dies in 38 Special give .3785, .376 and .370 at the same places. Again, before the cases are expanded for the bullet.

Disclaimer: The above is not holy writ. It is just my opinion based on my experience and knowledge. Your mileage may vary.

Boolit Mold Join DateJun 2011Posts11

They are the all steel model. I am going to mess with it again tonight - but it seems like it is sizing them down too much - there is a noticeable bulge at the bottom of the case as well.

Look again and see if their is a carbide ring in the bottom of the die. Those cases sure sound like they been through a carbide die. The carbide ring is set up a hair from the bottom of the die to keep it from hitting the shell holder as carbide can be brittle it is so hard. This is what causes the bulge at the bottom of the case. At least the early Lyman were made this way.

Disclaimer: The above is not holy writ. It is just my opinion based on my experience and knowledge. Your mileage may vary.

TEAM HOLLYWOOD

NRA- LIFE TSRA-LIFE SASS-LIFE

The focus on the camera makes it difficult to tell, but I am going to call it carbide. I say so, because looking past the end of the die, the interior looks very rough with all sorts of tool marks. A steel die would be very smooth there.

Steel dies will be straight across the bottom, but the carbide insert is a ring in the die that is just a hair higher than the steel outer body.

Lyman All American dies were their high end dies. They came in a black box, with a blue fuzzy interior and a wrench. The later versions with carbide dies had a sticker that says "Carbide" on the end of the box. The sticker may have well come off. $13.50 would be about right for the mid to late 60's. Lyman was one of the first, if not the first to come out with carbide sizing dies at a reasonable price. The first carbide die I bought was a Lyman in about 1966. It produced cases just like you described.

Last edited by Char-Gar; Yesterday at 06:07 PM.

Disclaimer: The above is not holy writ. It is just my opinion based on my experience and knowledge. Your mileage may vary.

Another dead give away ..... the Lyman Carbide sizing die will say Lyman TC 38/357 FL. Mine were called the Lyman Delux Die Set as oppesed to All American in 1968. Never noticed it before but just checked.... my newly sized 357 brass measures .371 at the mouth .373 at mid-case and .377 just above the rim. It can't hurt much because I'm still reloading brass bought in the 1970's.

My Lyman All American dies are steel Non Carbide. But they came in a different box than above. Mine are the old narrow box Red White and Blue.

TEAM HOLLYWOOD

NRA- LIFE TSRA-LIFE SASS-LIFE

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