Old Lyman Spartan Press

[Andre_Coop]

Greets All,

I won ^^^that in auction. As I understand, it has the old J type shell holder opening? There is a J type to X type adapter at that midway place located on the www.

If I can't find a J holder in .357, I understand that the adapter mounts to the ram, then the X-type shell holder pops into the adapter?

My reasoning of this press is to move de-capping off of my blue progressive press, making the Spartan single duty de-capper.

 

[Freischütz]

My Spartan was purchased in 1970 and uses regular shell holders.

 

[flyrobb]

Got mine off this forum and it also uses regular shell holders

 

[flintsghost]

shell holders

I have two shell holders that came to me in a box of other reloading stuff that I bought. I thought they were Lyman shell holders of the type that the old Lyman All American Turret press used. One is a #3 and the other is a #13. The #3 is the correct size for .38/.357. Whether they would fit an old Lyman press such as you have would be something I couldn't say. I will try to get a picture for you in the next few days so you can see them. I just cross reference them on Ebay and they are J type shell holders. The #3 is a long type and the #13 is a short type...referring to the shank on the stem. If any of you people has a genuine need for them, other than to resell, I'll gladly give them to someone who could use them.

 

[2152hq]

My Spartan was bought new in '64 or '65 (as best I can remember)..
and it takes the X style.

You can get the necessary J to X shellholder adaptor right from Lyman
You also need the Special T Priming Punch to use with the adaptor.
Lyman Products Your Primary Source for Reloading Equipment

MidSouth also has the adaptor & punch.
J to X Shell Holder Adaptor by LYMAN
Special T Priming Punch by LYMAN

 

[Andre_Coop]

Lee universal fits just like a glove. Plan on cleaning it up, but not worried about painting, looks good as is.

Since it's going to be used as a de-capper, anybody got a home made remedy for a primer catcher?


Think it will go just there, on the other side of ol blue:

 

[Bastogne71]

This was my first reloading press I purchased used in 1968. I still have and am using the Pacific 357 die set that came with it. Full length resizing of 30-06 pushed it to it's limit so I upgraded to a RCBS Rockchucker in the late 70's. It will serve you well for decapping but I can't help with a spent primer catcher other than a shop vac.

 

[Green Frog]

AndreCoop, without a doubt your newly-acquired Spartan will do a great job in its intended purpose. You will only need to make plans to catch (or sweep up) the spent primers if you de-prime as you FL size. Nice find!

Froggie

 

[H Richard]

If I recall correctly the spent primers go out the bottom of the ram, if so just set a bucket directly under it, hang it directly underneath.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I believe the Spar-T turret press uses the same primer catcher. The primers come shooting out a ramp in the front of the ram. I made a catcher out of a 3" tall peanut can years ago and used a mini bungee cord to hold it in place. I took me about 2 hours to trim the cut-out to fit the press. If you use this type of catcher, remember to shop vac the catcher before emptying or you will be cleaning up primers for weeks to come! Ivan

 

[scattershot]

I just set a wastebasket under mine, and it catches most of them.

 

[Imissedagain]

Another wastebasket user as well.
Sometimes they bounce off my manly chest and then into the basket.
When decapping topless, I'm a Florida boy, I jump and they fall into the basket.

Seriously, I just put my hand in front of the ram and they go into the basket.

 

[rsrocket1]

My first press was a Pacific Reloader cast iron "C" press similar to yours. I used either a cut up and taped 2 liter bottle bottom or a gallon milk jug bottom, I can't remember but it worked just fine. The cost was zero so trial and error was no big deal.

 

[GB]

The factory primer catchers are hard to find and expensive. (The last one I followed on fleabay went for somewhere North of 65 bucks.) A lot of money for a piece of red plastic. I have a Spartan that was my original press(from the late 60s) and also a Spar-T (turret press)(bought used in the late 80s) that I still use as my primary pistol loading tool. I still have the catcher that came with the Spartan and look at every gunshow and mom-pop gun shop, I visit, for another. I finally took my original to a coworker (back when I was still working), showed it to him, and as he was our in-house IT guy, he thought he could print one on his 3-D printer. He did and with a little final fitting it works great.