Lyman M Die set?

I tried to find this elsewhere but can't seem to find a definitive answer.

For those who are familiar with the Lyman M Expander dies, can someone tell me if the Lyman Multi-Expander and Powder Charge Die "set" that comes with several different caliber dies uses the same M Die profile as the individual M Dies do?

I was about to pick up a Lyman M Die in 45acp, but came across the full set with the powder-through dies which would be a GREAT convenience for me IF all of the powder-through dies in the set are actually M Die profiles.

Anyone know for sure?

Here's the set:
Lyman Multi-Expander Powder Charge Die

I have the set, You get one die and a set of different charging tubes that you swap out.

To answer your specific question, the profile of the expanders is very similar if not identical to the solid M-type plugs. I got quite satisfactory results from my set when I used the 45 caliber plug, so I made up my own custom die set for myself when in I bought a TC szer die with de-capping, a standard bullet seating die, and a taper crimp die to go with it. Works for me!

Froggie

Ksimons said:

I have the set, You get one die and a set of different charging tubes that you swap out.

Click to expand...

Yes sir, I know how it comes as a set.

My specific question was whether the various charging tubes are all "identical" to their solid expander M die profile.

Green Frog said:

To answer your specific question, the profile of the expanders is very similar if not identical to the solid M-type plugs.
Froggie

Click to expand...

Yes Frog, I appreciate your pointing me that direction, but I'm trying to find a reference somewhere (I can't find anything on the Lyman site) as to whether the hollow powder-through expanders of the set I linked in the OP are IDENTICAL to their solid M-die counterparts that come in the 3-die sets or individually.

The reason I started looking at the Lyman M-die in the first place is because I'm about to start loading some 45acp H&G #68 LSWC, specifically for accuracy, for my Gold Cup.

Then as I was looking to buy the one 45acp die, I came across the full set as linked which would give me the added benefit of being able to save some time with my Hornady LnL AP and not have to expand the cases individually on my single stage, but that only works for me if that set actually IS the M-die profile on the various caliber tubes.

Don't know about the lyman set but neo makes custom expanders for lee's.

Powder Thru Expander Plug, NOE Bullet Moulds

The other nice thing about neo is that you can call or e-mail dave and he will custom make anything that you need.

I make my own because I like to use once fired military match cases. They are thicker than normal cases and provide an extremely consistent neck tension and bullet seating oal.



Match cases and h&g #68 cast bullets from a custom mold. Note that the loaded cases have no belling/bullet bulge. The case has a strait taper to it and doesn't look like someone stuffed an oversized bullet in it. That's from the custom expander designed for that specific lot of brass (2000 pieces from the same lot). No lee factory crimp die, just multiple stages to make quality ammo.

size clean brass
prime sized case
expand & throw powder charge
seat bullet
crimp bullet .469

How exact you are and how true your equipment is will mandate the quality of the ammo you produce.



Not bad for old eyes & iron sights using nothing more than reloads and a factory springfield ro. The rest was a plastic lawn chair and a table with a rolled up piece of cardboard with a towel covering it.

Decker said:

Yes Frog, I appreciate your pointing me that direction, but I'm trying to find a reference somewhere (I can't find anything on the Lyman site) as to whether the hollow powder-through expanders of the set I linked in the OP are IDENTICAL to their solid M-die counterparts that come in the 3-die sets or individually.

The reason I started looking at the Lyman M-die in the first place is because I'm about to start loading some 45acp H&G #68 LSWC, specifically for accuracy, for my Gold Cup.

Then as I was looking to buy the one 45acp die, I came across the full set as linked which would give me the added benefit of being able to save some time with my Hornady LnL AP and not have to expand the cases individually on my single stage, but that only works for me if that set actually IS the M-die profile on the various caliber tubes.

Click to expand...

Are you asking whether you can replace the solid M-type expander plug with the one from the through-the-die set? If that is what you want to do, the answer is no. The set utilizes a special die that takes a hollow tube (held in by an allen-head lock screw) that is threaded for the various hollow expander noses for different calibers. You cannot use any part of this system with other dies, as far as I know, hence my use of that die with a put-together set. I'm not familiar with the Loc-N-Loadsystem, so I don't know whether you can substitute the whole die from Lyman, but if you just want the center piece, I don't think it will work for you. I think the suggestion from Forrest r may be best if you want to "mix and match." Am I understanding your question now, or should I drink another cup of coffee?

Froggie

No, not exactly Froggie.

At the risk of being boring, let me walk you through my thought process:

I'm just starting to set up for reloading precision 45acp, and I've decided to use the H&G #68 lead bullets.

Research on that lead me to wanting to use the M-die expander in order to insure straight seating of the H&G #68's.

Fine, so I go to find and buy the Lyman 45acp M-die expander, but I realize that I would have to change my setup for powder charging because I would have to "M-expand" in a different position than the powder drop, because as you noted, the individual M-dies are solid.

Then I come across the Lyman Multi-Expander set which DOES offer powder-through inserts. The Lyman Multi-Expander set die works with any "standard" powder measure, so I would be able to keep things the way they are on my 5-hole Hornady LnL AP and be able to get proper M-die expansion at the same time as the powder drop.
That's why I asked the original question to VERIFY that the Lyman Multi-Expander "set" actually DOES use the same M-die profile as the individual Lyman M-die expanders (which are solid so their inserts couldn't be used with my powder drop, of course).

Then, Forrestr gave the link to the Noe powder-through expanders, so I checked them out and it turns out that they are specifically made to fit the Lee powder drop die.

Well, the Hornady powder drop that came with my LnL progressive is a fine powder drop and I use it with great accuracy for my .223.
However, I actually prefer to use the Lee Pro Auto-disk Powder drop for my pistol calibers because it's really handy to change out whatever disk slot I want for whatever caliber I want to load. I have gone to the extra trouble to buy extra disks and have custom drilled some to dispense the EXACT loads I like to use often for the various pistol loads.

So I've come sort of full circle in that the Noe company not only has M-die profile powder-through expanders, but they are made specifically to fit the Lee powder-drop die which I am already using.
Therefore, I have this morning ordered his 45acp hollow drop tube and another for 9mm so that I can start playing with various 9mm lead bullets as well.

Now back to the very beginning, I still don't know for sure if the Lyman Multi-Expander Set contains inserts that are cut to the M-die profile, and I would still like to know just for future reference and as reference for other people who might be thinking the same thing as I was in the OP.

But my particular issue has now been resolved by ordering the Noe powder-through inserts that will accomplish EXACTLY what I was hoping to accomplish in the first place so I thank Forrestr for that link.

Also thanks for the input from you (and the others) who gave a shot at tackling my question.
I learned something here and hope that others will as well if they bring up this thread in their own search for knowledge.

One thing I thought I would add here at the very end is that I actually did call Lyman, and the person on the phone seemed to be confused with the question and had to put me on hold to go ask someone else. Even then, they really weren't sure but they didn't think that the Multi-set inserts were "exactly" the same as the M-die profile.
So for now, it's still a mystery.

You remove your currant expander die and replace it with the new Lyman Multi-Expander and Powder Charge Die with interchanging powder drop / expander. The die has a set screw in the side to retain the expander. Powder drop mounts to top of expander tube. look on page two.
http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/dies/pdf/dieInstructions.pdf

I got tired of switching the multi die back and forth between .357 and .45 auto so I bought a .45 auto M die.

The Lyman .45 auto M die has the same profile and diameters as the .45 auto adapter in my Lyman multi expand powder through die.

Hope that helps.

Thanks Calliope, that's good info to know for anyone loading cast on an AP.

Decker, glad I could provide a little input, for whatever it was worth. As I said, I know the through-the-die unit worked well for me with at least apparent equivalent results to the solid M-type expander. It looks like Calliope (in post #10 above) confirms that they are indeed the same, so I feel comfortable in saying they are likely to work the same. The rest of the story (for me at least) is that I expect to go back to using my old Dillon 650 with its own version of the through-the-expander powder drop so that when I load 45s they will be loaded quickly.

Anyway, I'm glad you got your own problem resolved and I'm sure the thread gave a lot of us a chance to reconsider how and why we do what we do in our own reloading regimens. Good thread!

Froggie

RCBS also makes powder thru expanders that works in my LNL. They have a two step profile similar to the M Die.

RCBS Case Activated Linkage Kit Pistol Powder Expander 400 Diameter

Forrest r said:

Don't know about the lyman set but neo makes custom expanders for lee's.

Powder Thru Expander Plug, NOE Bullet Moulds

The other nice thing about neo is that you can call or e-mail dave and he will custom make anything that you need.

Click to expand...

Been wondering if NOE could make (or carries), an M die profile, powder through plug - that will work on a Dillon 550?

Or for that matter, why the heck Dillon doesn't make one?

Fairly nice shootin', BTW...