Lyman 310 tong tool and Tru-line Jr. press

[44and45]

Does anyone use the 310 dies with the tong tool, or the Tru-line Jr. press.

Bought these items on ebay and the tong works fine, but need a used Lyman shellholder J adapter to fit X modern shellholders to work in my Lyman Tru-line Jr. press.

Someone has reported that the little press is still being made under a different name in Australia, this design has to be over 50 years old.

Cleaned it up and gave it a new paint job, looks and works great for such a little feller.

44and45

 

[Norm Lee]

310 tool

Hey 44&45

Good find. Have you tried Lyman for the adapter? 1 800 22 LYMAN

They still had them in stock a few years ago when I needed one. I sure thought the T-L jr was a big step up from the tong tool. I still use them for making rifle ammo .

Cheers,

Norm

 

[44and45]

Thanks for the heads up Norm, on the J adapter is still available from Lyman.

But I got impatient and couldn't wait to go through the mails to get one...so, made one on my mini-lathe...took me half a day as it would take a real machinest 20 minutes. I'm learning as I go with this little lathe and it sure has come in handy more than once.

The Tong 310 die set came with .44 special dies, there is even a full length sizer as well as the regular half sizer die.

Plus some gizzmo called a cake cutter...think its for trimming the lube off of lead bullets.

And a die for pushing lead bullets through to size them to .429 diameter.

This may be ancient technology thats at least 50 years old but it sure works good.

Main thing is to have some fun while loading this winter.

Jim aka 44and45

 

[Steve Smith]

http://www.vegatool.com/

 

[Gordon]

I load the following with a 310 tool: .303 Savage, .44/40 and 32/20. Now I have a couple other dies for 310 for survival purposes. But making a few old timers sure is fun with your own lead pills and your motorhome!

 

[44and45]

You know, I don't understand why I'm enjoying this little old press, as I've got much more expensive equipment in Dillon goodies.

But it is so basically simple and works remarkably with the .44 special caliber, so, don't think there will be any problem getting it to handle .45 Colt if I can find some used dies.

The only thing that amazes me is the guys that are reloading rifle with it, what do they do about full length resizing.

At first I thought the 310 tong tool was not going to be very good putting a good roll crimp on the .44 special brass...but it sure does in the Tru-line Jr.

Another old timer by Lyman I was interested in was the All American press, which is nothing more than a beefed up version of the TLJ. Seems to have a cam roller with the same kind of linkage to raise and lower the shellholder plate. Only it is bringing premo prises on ebay and didn't think it worth as much as a RCBS Rockchucker price.

Another thing I noticed, the word is out...every time one of these little TLJ presses is offered on ebay there always seem to be a lot of sniping to grab it. Glad I nailed one.

44and45

 

[Art Eatman]

Ah, memories! I started loading for my '06 with the 310, back in 1950. You do wind up with a pretty strong grip...

Art

 

[Quantrill]

44&45,
I got my first Tru-line Jr. in 1967 or so after reading about it in a George Nonte book called "Pistols and Revolvers". He said it was a great press for beginners and that is what I was.. I broke it in 2 weeks and sent it back to Lyman. They sent me a new one and I broke it in another 2 weeks. I mean like the frame cracked on both of them. I sent it back and they suggested that I spend the difference and buy a Lyman All American which I did and I still have and use. Be careful using any kind of pressure (force) on the T-L Jr. Quantrill

 

[44and45]

Not to worry about that, don't intend to use excessive force to size or seat a bullet in the TLJ.

I have some heavy duty presses to do that work, but they are relics so to speak.

I'm into bullet swaging, that requires tremendous amount of leverage and pressure to bear down on the lead bullet to shape it. And for that I use Herter's presses, the Super O maximum, and the Super 3. Both of these are around 40 to 45 years old.

Tried using a modern lyman Crusher II to swage bullets, broke two ram pins, sent it back where it came from. The linkage on the press was as loose as a goose, a good press has no laterial slop in its linkage...and ram pin is at least 1/2 inch in diameter...not 1/4 to 3/8th.

Asked the help line at RCBS if the Rockchucker was strong enough for bullet swaging, they said no which rather surprised me as I thought it might do the job.

Of course there are the Corbins, C&H Champion for swaging, but they are a bit expensive for single stage action.

So, I bought the Herter's on ebay at bargain prices and never looked back.

The TLJ is just for fun, but wouldn't mind having the Lyman All American if one crosses my path at the right price.

44and45

 

[Norm Lee]

TLJ & Tongs

Hey 44 & 45

Glad to hear you are having some fun with your new toy. It is good that you have a full length sizer die, for these are relatively rare, since IIRC they were only offered for the TLJ and not the 310 tool. Basically we only ever neck sized rifle brass and this worked better than just OK for the bolt action specimens. I am convinced that accuracy was improved. Maybe I just fell for the spiel. We kept brass separated by firearm when we had the same caliber. For autos and the like or for making .270 from 3006 we had a separate FL resize die. Stand alone. Using it involved a a mallet and/or a good vise.

Made a lot of .44 Spl with the 310, and, later, the TLJr. Loaded all week, as I recall, then we could go out Saturday OR Sunday. That's probably what convinced me I needed a Square Deal B.

Cheers,

Norm

 

[44and45]

Yeah, this is a new toy alright, and I'm having fun with it for sure.

At first I didn't know how one used the .429 full length sizer die...but it is really not a die...has no threads.

The smooth metal exteriour dimensions are 1 - 7/16 inches tall and exactly 1 inch on the outside diameter. Of course the inside diameter tapers upward to a .429 cavity.

To size the brass in this cylinder what do you do? Can't mount it in the tong tool or the TLJ. So, got a piece of 2X2 wood and set the cylinder on it and pounded in the brass with a wood mallet until the .44 special brass was fully inserted then used the pop-out metal shaft that came with the cake cutter to pop the brass out of FL sizer....which all seemed to work OK.

So, the rifle guys just did neck sizing with the tong and TLJ, well, guess that'll work just fine...but would have some doubts to loading that onery .223 caliber with just neck sizing.

Another shipment from the ebay auction arrived today, eleven tubes of Lyman Alox bullet lube. Doubt I'll use that many until I leave the planet.

This stuff is a bit softer than the dang blue stuff which is as hard as a brick.

44and45

 

[Norm Lee]

310 tools

Hey 44 & 45
Sounds like you got the same type FL die that I have

And your technique is flawless. Piece of pine and a BFH. Yahoo. A big vise can be made to work too. The metal shaft was generally issued with the resizer. Don't forget to lube.

You might be able to get away with neck sizing for the revolver.


You will want to FL resize for the .223 I'm thinking. I tried just neck sizing .308 for my bride's model 100. Worked lots of times but when it didn't we needed the BFH to beat the bolt open.

Cheers,

Norm

 

[Norm Lee]

Here's a page from Lyman's 41st edition

 

[44and45]

Thats my little feller, Norm. The TLJ in all its tiny glory.

Ha! You'd think I was talking about a new Dillon 650 the way I keep yapping about this press.

The original primer punch mine came with is the small primer. Don't really need them as I do the primer operation with an RCBS hand primer.

However, when I made the TLJ's shellholder adapter on my mini-lathe I made it to accept the old primer punch...which was almost too short in the shank to make it through the top which got increased slightly to accept the modern shellholder.

In fact to make the new shellholder shank fit into the slot I had to grind down one side to a pretty steep angle...but it works.

Norm, please keep an eye out for some .45 Colt dies in the 310 size, I need a used set and will buy from whoever wants to sell.

Cheerios

Jim

 

[klw]

Simplex

The name of the Australian made version of the Tru-Line Junior was the Simplex. Last time I looked they were still available. Though I owned one years ago I don't now remember if their dies were interchangable with Lyman's.

 

[44and45]

Hi Klw, was the Simplex the same color as the orange Lyman...I'm betting they at least changed that.

Wish you had a picture of one, I'd like to see how close a copy it was.

I found out today that the semi-wadcutter plated bullet tends to hang up on the wadcutters flat edge...but the round nose lead bullets feed right in no trouble.

So, this little toy is not perfect...grrrr.


44and45

 

[klw]

Simplex is still made

http://irands.com.au/shoot/misc/press.asp

Went to Australian Yahoo and did a search. The above bookmark shows the press.

You can buy these directly. It is particularly easy if you use MasterCard or Visa as they will take care of the currency conversion for you. Probably six or so months later you'll get a bill from the U. S. Government if there is an import duty.

I didn't do an exhaustive search. Just looked until I found something.

 

[44and45]

Thanks Klw for the website.

Here's a picture of the smaller press, they have the big stuff too.

Only trouble is the website won't allow me to make email contack with them. Do you know of anyway to send them an email.

I would like to find out if there small press has the same size dies as our Lyman 310 dies.

The Australian small press has a much better looking linkage than the original Lyman TLJ, but it is obvious they copied the old Lyman.


44and45

 

[klw]

There are a couple other sites down there that handle this line. Janas and Cast Bullet Engineering (I think). Either one can be e-mailed. I've done business with CBE. They make very nice bullet moulds. Or you might call. I seem to remember seeing phone numbers. They are quite a large number of hours different time-wise.

 

[Cherokee]

Use your mini-lathe to make what you want. That is why I bought my lathe. I've made nose punchs for sizer/lub machines, seating steams for RCBS and Lyman. Its easier to just modify one that is close. You may be able to get the seater stem to work with some careful lathe work.

I have a TL jr and bunch of dies for it and the 310. Don't use either any more but still hang onto them as they got me into reloading back in the late 50's.

 

[44and45]

Klw, have tried to get someone in Australia but no luck so far...but will keep trying...them blokes must be asleep over there in the dark.



Cherokee, I do make my own parts as you've described...in fact I've done all the ones you've mentioned.

Don't think I'm ready to make my own complete dies yet, don't have boring equipment, then the item has to be taken to a shop to harden them so they don't wear out in a week. So, I don't see any savings there.

But if its soft metal application I can usually swing it.

I swage bullets and make nose punches all the time...only trouble is they seem to wear out pretty fast from being used so much.

44and45

 

[klw]

Yes simplex presses are still being made Simplex does not have a web site because they sell only through their Australian agents. We are a simplex agent and you can download catalogues and price list from
http://irands.com.au/cgi-bin/sel_file/saf.cgi you can order through us via e-mail Please note presses are not in production at present. As far as we know they are due out later this year.

I am unaware of any locally made progressive press but that does not mean that some manufacturer doesn't make one

Any other info please e-mail

Regards Gary
----- Original Message -----
From: Ken Walters
To: [email protected]
Sent: Thursday, October 02, 2003 3:21 PM
Subject: Simplex Reloading Equipment


I'm in the U.S. I'm trying to figure out if the Simplex presses are still being made. I was hoping you might be able to help. If they are still available, do they have a web site?

Also years ago there was an Australian made progressive reloader. Any idea if that is still around?

Ken Walters
Flagstaff, Arizona

 

[44and45]

Klw, I've had trouble trying to download a price list on the Simplex product line...got nothing.

I don't believe your system is working, can you rectify that situation.

Jim aka 44and45

 

[klw]

Sorry. He's in Australia and I'm not.