Reviews of Lyman Crusher II?

[altitude_19]

So I've had my Crusher set up and in use for a couple months now. The lion's share of the work still goes to my Progressive, so I've only loaded around 1000 rounds on the Crusher (plus miscellaneous jobs like correcting seating depth). So far I'm pretty happy...does anyone else have this machine?
How many rounds have you cranked through it?
Holding up ok?
Any quirks/design flaws?

Thanks in advance!

 

[ranger335v]

" So far I'm pretty happy..."

What would it have to do to make you totally happy?

A press is pretty much a press; if you like it, it's good. In my experiece, Lyman's tools perform as well as any. And no one is likely to wear any press out, that comes from negligence and/or abuse. My first press was a Lyman Spar-T (turret) in '65, it's well worn now but still loads very well.

 

[GP100man]

It`ll be there for the long haul !!!

Mines still as good as te day I bought it in`85 clean & oil litely often !!

I do all my sizing on it & here`s how I keep all the primers in the catcher !!

 

[altitude_19]

What's that tube made of? How did you secure it?

 

[Funshooter45]

You know that single stage presses are incredibly simple devices. Basically, they have one part that goes up and down. And a handle to give them leverage to make them go up and down via a human hand. Assuming there is not a catastrophic mistake made in the machining or casting, it's a very simple device to manufacture. You can make them out of molten iron, or cast aluminum, or titanium, or plutonium and they will all get the job done equally well.

It's kind of like discussing the merits of a cast iron anvil and a sledge hammer. Maybe the handle on the sledge hammer might make the blacksmith's job better or worse, but hammering out horseshoes isn't real complicated, so your anvil or hammer won't make them better or worse.

But the skill of the blacksmith holding the hammer banging on the anvil can make a huge difference in the horseshoe.

 

[altitude_19]

Maybe the handle on the sledge hammer might make the blacksmith's job better or worse

In fact I know roofers who debate the merits of their hammers for the better part of an afternoon.
GP100man's modification is proof that there are still things to be discussed. And that's all before we get to talking about the priming arm issues (that I'm sure you aren't interested in).

 

[Funshooter45]

Au contraire, altitude.

Indeed, I am very aware of those little nuances and I ponder them incessently as I go through the repetitions of loading. You know how it is I'm sure. Something so slight as a few degrees of angle on this handle or that opening would make it better for me and my muscles. I come up with all kinds of improvements in my mind all the time to every device I own.

I do appreciate the question you are asking because I ask it myself all the time. The answer though is that nearly all the manufacturers make very functional devices that work pretty well for all of us because they are very simple tasks that we are doing in terms of the physical manipulations.

I know I kind of got off on a tangent there in describing how simple a single stage press is.

I guess where I was heading though is that only an experienced reloader can walk in and caress a single stage press set up in a store and get very subtle feedback on the little nuances and realize that he likes that little change and doesn't like the other and so on.

I am agreeing with you in that I do understand the small differences between different presses and why we have opinions about them when in reality they are all accomplishing the same thing pretty much.

 

[GP100man]

altitude19

The tube is a straw from Burger King & I use a hand priming tool !!

A Hornady Hand priming tool !

The straw is angled a bit as to aim the spent primers at the primer arm slot & helps keep primers & there residue where ya want em instead of on the floor .

 

[altitude_19]

Did your primers hop out pretty regularly? I've only had a couple shoot wide of the catcher. And yeah, that primer arm kinda sucks. Think I'm gonna get the RCBS APS tool to throw on top of the press.

 

[GP100man]

Yep , I use Lee dies for handgun ammo & it seems the long unbreakable deprimer pin makes em "pop" a little faster & jump out the tray !

When sizing a caliber with SP it`ll throw 80% or better rite down the slot LP it`ll throw 99% .

I think SP has more wiggle room down the straw !

 

[johnjohn]

My CrusherII does a good job. Could it do better? I doubt it. Do all my priming with a Lee hand primer.

 

[altitude_19]

GP100: You've had that Crusher II since 85? Just when did they start making them in the hammertone finish? I hear they used to be orange.

 

[GP100man]

Yep , I was very upset when it came in & it was`nt , but even more was it did`nt have the bushing in the top for the larger dies !!!