Any interest in having a Lyman 310 Dies and a Lee Loader Swap Thread?

[Jhon]

Maybe even a sticky?

I know there are at least a few other users and maybe collectors out there.

For my part I have quite an extensive collection of both Lyman 310 (for the Lyman/Ideal Tong Tool and the Lyman Tru-line Jnr 310 Turret Press), and Lee Loader (Whackamole) sets. Inevitably I've finished up with double-ups and some gaps.

There is a long-running and reasonably active thread on a US forum which is useful but a long way away.

The Lyman 310 Tong Tool dies are a survivalist's/prepper's dream as there is no noise to use them, unlike having to use a hammer with the Lee Loader tool. Both the Lyman and the Lee die sets are a very useful range-side tool. Both lend themselves to reloading when space is very limited or temporarily available. Both can make very serviceable and accurate ammo.

The Lyman Tru-Line Jnr Turret Press has its own following. Long chamber 310 dies are more suited to this press than the Tong Tool. An adapter to use 310 dies in a standard threaded Press is still available.

The common Lyman 310 dies, mostly rifle, can be found for very little ( club trading /sale tables, deceased estates, shop hand-ins), to quite a lot (trademe). A good die set with a shell adapter and Tong handles can be had for $40 to $85 for common rifle calibres like 308, 270, 7x57mm and 30-06. Without handles (you only need one pair), $15 to $50 depending where you buy them. Of course prices can vary wildly and it comes down to willing buyer/willing seller and right place/time..bargains are around but I've also paid too much in hindsight.

If you load cast bullets, the Lyman 310 Expander die is an early version of the now famous Lyman M Die which run around the $100 per calibre.

Anyway, there is a heap of info on the internet and it seems that at one time at least they were quite popular in NZ as they keep turning up. There is even a Lyman Tru-Line Jnr Press on TM on offer at the mo for $75! They don't however come.up very often.

Hopefully this post arouses some interest. For my part, I have several duplicate die sets in rifle calibres Id be interested in trading. I am myself looking for sets in 32-20 WCF and 38-55.

I've put this in the Reloading section because really that is what it is about...so far at least.. If it needs to be moved....

Here's some photos..

[ZQLewis]

yep, who about a buy sell for dies?
I inherited my Dad's set with 243 dies. Used it for a little while before buying a proper bench mounted press. (Brought 2, broke the first 1)
I still use the little 310 sometimes for seating primers etc if I'm only doing a few rounds.
Z

[257weatherby]

Would like a 310 hand tool set for .243, should have kept the set I had dammit.⁶

[zimmer]

Is the 310 Shop still going in the States? Was a good source of 310 stuff.

Edit: Just searched for the 310 Shop and got a 404 error. So it's gone sadly.

I've still got my 308 and 22/250 sets. The 270 is long gone.

[-BW-]

I've also started a small collection of these, after I came into possession of a couple of sets that were passed onto me. I thought they were neat collectables ao they've just been put on a shelf and have sat there since. Ive yet to take a closer look at exactly what I've got, but I'm sure there are some double ups, I would be keen to investigate further, and potentially trade some.
I support the idea.

[Jhon]

Well thats a start..
Ive put a bit of effort into collecting info on the basics of the 310 dies its all available if you search the net hard enough but if anyone has a question feel free to post here and I'll answer if I can, or someone may. Hardest part is identifying dies on their own. Here's a basic primer:

The early dies were 5 die sets plus a shell adapter. The shell adapter screws into the tong handles and often is good for a family of calibres.
5 die sets had
- a decapping die in a (short?), medium or long body that does nothing else, same one may be common to similar calibres.
- a neck sizing die called a MR or muzzle resizing die stamped with the specific Calibre. May be short, medium or long body.
- an expander die in a short, medium or long body. The Expander Plug has a 3 digit number on top of the stem. These plugs are very similar to a modern Lyman M Die. The bodies are the same across calibres, the plugs obviously vary. There may be two different plugs per cal for cast and jacketed bullets.
- a bullet seater die which may be stamped DA for double action, seat & crimp. Again short, medium and long bodies. Most cals would have had two seating stems available but appeared to only ship with one. A numeric code is on top of seating stem. One is for jacketed, one is for cast.
- a priming chamber which looks like a die with a cutaway and has a plunger. These are numbered like the shell adapter and some will do several calibres. For a given caliber the number for the correct shell adapter and priming chamber are.not necessarily the same.

The 4 die set combines the decapping and neck sizing in one die. It will be stamped with the specific calibre and the letters CMR for Combination Muzzle Resizing

Rifle calibres require the Tong handles with a long chamber into which the die screws. Pistol calibres require the short chamber. Easy to bugger things up like break decapping pins using the wrong one..Short chambers appear to be rare in NZ.as do pistol cal die sets. The era of 310 dies did not conincide with widespread legal pistol shooting in NZ. At a pinch a long chamber may be shortened.

Steel handle tongs are the early Ideal ones pre-Lyman purchase of Ideal Co. They are apparently not as strong or durable as the alloy ones and good examples are more valuable as collectors items best left on the shelf.

Proper adjustment of the extractor arm will avoid breaking it. This would be a very difficult part to source now I suspect. Cases don't usually require lubing, if they stick its because your die is wound in too deep. You are only sizing enough of the neck to hold the bullet..If the case is hard to extract use a dowl to help drive it out - carefully.

Carefully adjust the decapping die with the tong handles closed so that the pin bottoms out , then back it off. Seat the pin too deep and you will break it. New pins are available, are common to current Lyman dies.

Long case cals like 270 and 30-06 have dies sets sold for the tong tool and dies that were sold for the Lyman Tru-Line Jnr turret press. I have not verified this yet but I think the latter may FL size the case. The Tong Tool will NOT handle FL.resizing of long cases. You WILL break something. An adapter is still available from Lyman to use these dies in a standard threaded press.

Finally, if you're wanting a specific cal or have dies to swap please post here. I suggest straight sales should still go in the Buy Sell section. Anyway, Im not a Moderator- Im sure one will tell us where best to put this thread.

I have several cals available to dispose of, my preference is to swap. I'm particularly interested in older cals like 38-55 and 32-20. Or any pistol cals. Best to PM me.

Cheers. J.

[zimmer]

Attached are photos of my humble collection of Lyman 310, well, all that is left.

I started reloading 59 years ago using the 310 in 308W. During my early fullbore years I would have loaded several thousand rounds using this system. I only neck sized back then so would get several reloads before they became tight to chamber and I needed to run them thru a mate's FLS die. The quality of ammo produced was very good.

My handles and seating die even did a trip to South Africa with a friend to the fullbore champs there. He loaded all his ammo slightly long and in the evenings before the next day's shoots he adjusted seating depth.

Along the way I picked up an adapter so I can use them in a standard press.

One pic shows the stepped expander (father of the M Die) that @Jhon mentions.

Also amongst my bits are 2 home made shell adaptors.

Sitting on top of the box on the right hand side is the primer seating tool that came with the 22/250 set which I converted (butchered?) to seat primers in 577/450 brass from the days when I only had 10 cases so had to reload on the range on BP range days.

At this stage I don't wish to part with anything.

[Jhon]

@zimmer, love these stories and thks for the photos. In comparison I'm very much a newcomer to the Lyman 310 system. Got interested after a single die and a priming chamber came into my hands about 8 hrs ago. Had to ask on this forum what they were even. But as you demonstrate, they have made a lot of ammo and put a lot of meat on the table in the hundred plus years they've been around. Cheers

[csmiffy]

Haha. You've reminded me about wanting to swap the shell holder in mine. I have a 243 set but a 22 hornet holder. At least I think that's what it is.
Now this thread has started ill take some pics and do a bit of show and tell

[Jhon]

Haha. You've reminded me about wanting to swap the shell holder in mine. I have a 243 set but a 22 hornet holder. At least I think that's what it is.
Now this thread has started ill take some pics and do a bit of show and tell

Yeah I forgot too lol, pm sent. But a show 'n tell would be excellent.

[Jhon]

There is currently a Lyman Tru-Line Jnr 310 press on TM asking $75. Not mine.

I looked for some years for one of these in NZ. Paid $125 for mine last year to a Forum member and was pretty happy at that. This one is in similar condition. If you are considering one of these, here's some points to note:

First, a clarification of my OP. Lyman 310 dies for the Tong Tool are neck sizing only (marked MR for muzzle resize or CMR for Combination Muzzle Resize and Decapping).. Lyman Tru-Line Jnr Dies (marked as such on original packaging) are full length resizing dies. Both kinds can be used in the Tru-Line Jnr Press. Only the neck sizing dies should be used in the Tong Tool. Otherwise you will break stuff!

Now, as to the Press:

- They are not a heavy duty press. FL Sizing of long cases like 270 and 30-06 is best done on something else. Yes you can do them on the Tru-Line but its a strain. You can buy an adapter for 7/8-15 presses to allow use of a Lyman 310 die in that. Taking that approach to FL size long cases makes sense, e.g. a cheap Lyman Spartan Single Stage (one on TM at the mo asking $80, not mine. Heavy duty old presses), then do everything else on the Tru-Line. If however you are using the MR (muzzle resizing) 310 dies made for the Tong Tool then fill yer boots.

- the factory turret only accepts the smaller proprietary threaded Lyman 310 dies ..Yes some folk bore the turret holes out and re-thread them to the current standard 7/8-14 but why would you? I guess folk have their reasons but to me its then a ruined collectable. Sacrilege!

- The Jnr uses a proprietary Ram Prime style on-Press priming system. I really like the Lee Ram Prime for its feel and precision and use one in the Lee Handpress and also on my RCBS Summit on occasion. The Jnr also uses a proprietary shell holder which are hard to find. However, Lyman still offer a conversion kit to allow use of standard modern shell holders. I got mine via Gunworks. It comes as a longer stem with a receiver on top for current Shellholders and a longer priming pin/cup with spring for both small and large primers. If the retaining screw that holds the priming stem in the press is missing they are readily/cheaply found at local engineering supplies. I can advise size and thread.

So why even bother?

Well, because you like old kit that is not just functional but really quite good at what it does if you stay within its limits.

You might like to load something very specific, like cast loads for an older military calibre lkke 303B. Neck sizing is desirable and the 310 Expander die is perfect for getting those fat cast bullets nicely concentric (if such a thing is feasible for a 303 lol) and consistent. With a 4-hole turret you can set the press up for all functions including priming and powder drop.

I would not personally look to load large volumes of anything like say 38sp for range day, as an example. But it's a delightful way to load pistol calibre hunting rounds, especially cast bullets for e.g., 357mag, 44-40, 44mag, 45 Colt, 45-70. And with a Tong tool and the same dies you can handily take your load dev to the range. Yes you need to find the dies. Rifle dies are more common in NZ. E.g. 303B, 30-30Win, 270Win, 7x57mm and a 6.5mm set that will handle 6.5mmSwede and a couple of others. Just to mention some.

(If you're heading Stateside thats where I found most of my pistol cal die sets.)

Anyway, hope this is of interest to some.

Lyman true line 310 press https://www.trademe.co.nz/5641792671

Lyman-Spartan Reloading Press https://www.trademe.co.nz/5640347915

[csmiffy]

Jhon as discussed here is my set.
The number 4 shell holder which I think is 22 hornet and not 243 which suits the rest of the set
5 die set.

[Jhon]

Yes you need a #2 Shell Adapter for 243. Same as for 308Win and others. The MR die is your neck sizing only die. What are the numbers stamped on top of the last die stem, the neck expander.die?

[csmiffy]

243. It's the middle of the 7 pics. You can just make it out

[Jhon]

Excellent for cast if you go that way. Use sparingly for jacketed, they hardly need the case mouth opened at all, especially boat-tails. A light inside chamfer is likely all that's needed for the latter.