lachmiller lub-a-matic

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Last Post 15 April 2013

Standard Member

Vassal posted this 05 August 2010

I am hoping this tool can be slavaged. A 22 shooter at the club I joined gavve this to me thinking maybe I could get it working. I figured if anyone would know, they would be my fellow CBA members.;}.

The piston has rusted BUT it is super tight. It operates smoothly, and is still as solid as the piston on my Rock-Chucker! This thing is built pretty well, BUT it seems to be missing a major piec (or two) from the back. As can be seen in the pics the back of the main housing is an empty well which has a hole in the bottom. I removed the nosepunch and die that was in it, it seems to be a 45 round nose.

I have no experience with these tools and need some help identifying the parts I need to fix it. Mybe the new parts won't fit and it is loast. But I hope not.

ANY HELP?

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24 Comments

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Standard Member

Vassal posted this 05 August 2010

more pics

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CBA Member

RicinYakima posted this 05 August 2010

This is the design that RCBS bought that became the first model “Lub-a-matic", not the LAM II. You are missing the reservoir's screw, piston, top and wrench. You can call RCBS and ask if the old model RCBS parts would fit, and if they have any. If they do not, you are out of luck unless you can find one on Evil-Bay. HTH, Ric

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Match Director

DAMRON G posted this 06 August 2010

you can make the parts out of hardware store stuff if worse comes to worse.

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Standard Member

Vassal posted this 06 August 2010

AHH “rigged up” I like the sound of that. I might need your help if RCBS doesn't come through. I sent an e-mail, and they seem pretty good about answering so I'll probably know pretty soon.:^: :#:?

I sure hope it can be made to work as it is definitley in working order. Getting it for free means that even if I get only one die at 315, it would really be worth it. I guess the truth is I only really need a 315 , 402 , and 358 for everything I do. With RCBS thats still a pretty penny but I would not have to worry at all about the precision of the press.

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Match Director

DAMRON G posted this 06 August 2010

My friend has an RCBS version of the one you have and can get you the dimensions you need.

A .315 die would be all you would need for the old mil surp rifles.You can use Lyman dies in that sizer by the way.

George

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Match Director

DAMRON G posted this 06 August 2010

you could buy a Cabine Tree “Auto lube feeder:” it includes all the parts you need and works very well.its about $65 shipped.

George

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Standard Member

Vassal posted this 07 August 2010

terrific. I have never seen that company before. I am also looking at the lead tester which doubles as a concentricity guage. Pretty nice. If RCBS doesn't have the parts for pretty cheap I'll likely go to CabinTree. Good tip.

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Standard Member

Vassal posted this 16 March 2013

THREE YEARS later,,,,,,.>

I STILL need to get this thing going!!! The Cabintree guy said he won't guarantee the parts work, If I buy and they don't I can't return it! RCBS said they don't have the parts Does anyone have alist of parts handy (from a hardware store)? The main plug might be tough to rig up but I gotta try something I lube by hand,,,,STILLL

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Standard Member

Vassal posted this 16 March 2013

NO ideas???

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CBA Member

RicinYakima posted this 16 March 2013

Vassel, I stand by my answer of 5Aug10. You will have to find one on ebay, or make the parts. Sorry, I don't know any any sources for RCBS if they don't have them. Ric

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Standard Member

TRKakaCatWhisperer posted this 16 March 2013

I'll buy it from you for parts. How much?

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Standard Member

Vassal posted this 16 March 2013

Well Crap! I don't know how much is it worth to you? I could have a machinist make some parts, but without experience in using one (and no loading buddies that cast) I'm asking for a headache. I could use some lead,,,

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CBA Member

fa38 posted this 17 March 2013

Lachmiller lub-a-matic I can't help a lot but I have a threaded stem for a Lachmiller lub-a-matic. The area where the wrench seats to turn the stem is rounded off more than a bit. I think that a deep socket would fit over the top and you could turn the stem with a rachet wrench. If you want it send me your address and I will send you the rod and you may be able to get some washers to fit the bottom of the sizer. You will still need to get the lube plunger. I think either lube plunger for lube-a-matic 1 or 2 will work.

[email protected]

The following url shows the parts list for the RCBS Lube-A-Matic 1 and 2. Pages 25 and 26. the last two pages of there parts catalog.

http://www.rcbs.com/downloads/Parts_Book.pdf>http://www.rcbs.com/downloads/PartsBook.pdf

You need the following parts 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26,and 27. They are getting low on these parts and may not have some of them.

The next page down show the Lube-A-Matic 2 Parts 1 thru 9 would probably work.

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CBA Member

RicinYakima posted this 18 March 2013

vassal,

There is one on sale on EBay right now. Listed as “Lachmiller reloading tool” that is nice complete with lube wrench advance, but missing lube wrench.

FWIW, Ric

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Standard Member

TRKakaCatWhisperer posted this 18 March 2013

Vassal wrote: Well Crap! I don't know how much is it worth to you? I could have a machinist make some parts, but without experience in using one (and no loading buddies that cast) I'm asking for a headache. I could use some lead,,,

How about 5 LBS of tin? (96% tin 3.5% silver and 0.5% copper -- or -- 96%tin and 4% antimony -- your choice).

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Standard Member

Vassal posted this 20 March 2013

WHAAAHHH HAAAA HAAAAA HAAA-hahahumm!

I just received a very nice gift from forim member fa38! He sent me an old screw from a Lachmiller and prompted me to give RCBS one more try. I called, this time armed with the item numbers obtained from fa38, and the schematics shared with me from this thread. They HAD the parts I needed and guess what,,, no charge!. I knew they would replace parts but I guess I didn't realize they would send me parts for an old Lachmiller that an old 22 shooter gifted me. RCBS and the CBA are both great organizations. Thanks guys. as soos as the parts show up and I'm certain it will work I'll try to find a 315, 401, and 358 sizer, along with a couple of nose plugs. This is really gonna make loading with cast alot easier. I've paid my dues; loading for six years by wiping lube on by hand, pushing through a lee sizer, then hand cleaning each bullet! Its still worth it but the motivation is hard to come by sometimes. When this gets going I may have to post a pic just to celebrate the fruits of a four year odyssey. Thanks again!!!

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Standard Member

TRKakaCatWhisperer posted this 20 March 2013

Celebrate!!

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Standard Member

Vassal posted this 28 March 2013

OK,,,, WELL,, The parts have all come in and they all seem to be proper,, EXCEPT the screw. IT fits fine but the plunger will only thread a short way down. Is it a coincidence that it stops EXACTLY at the depth that allows the reservoir cap to seat itself on the main body of the press? Anyway, it seems the Inner diameter of the threads gets gradually larger and won't allow the plunger to continue downward. I am guessing there is just something amiss with this screw rod as it is strippped out up top; likely from someone trying to get their plunger to work past this spot. However I wanted to check in and make sure there isn't some part of the operation of these machines that I am not aware of. Does this sound familiar to any one? Is it a matter of mixing an RCBS plunger and old Lachmiller Screw rod?

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CBA Member

fa38 posted this 28 March 2013

I guess that a call back to RCBS for a threaded rod might be in order.

A second way would be take the threaded rod and cap down to your local hardware store to check the thread size. If they are the same a die to clean up the threads would help.

Or force the cap onto the threaded rod as a sort of thread die which might wreck both.

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Standard Member

Vassal posted this 28 March 2013

Yeah I figured as much.

Hey Fa38, Do you own the gun pictured in your Icon?

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CBA Member

fa38 posted this 28 March 2013

Hey Fa38, Do you own the gun pictured in your Icon?

Yes

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Standard Member

Vassal posted this 15 April 2013

Fa38 How about a thread showcasing that Baby???

While This thread may be boring to most, I feel the need to finish it out.

I have the Lachmiller up and running!!! I recieived the final needed parts from RCBS and all the dies I need. (I did have to order a couple of them 1thou small, but I can smooth them out that much.

I have already cycled through a small batch of RCBS 180RF and Lee TL180SWC. I was able to lube and size 150 bullets in about the time it would have taken me to do 20 previously! No exaggeration!

Here's a little somthin' for the voyeurs.

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CBA Member

fa38 posted this 15 April 2013

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I shot this target at the ASSRA 22 matches at Beeson's. More or less an accident as I was using the group target to sight in for an offhand match. The sighter shots were going into the center of the target with a hold just above the center circle so I went to the match target and the first shot dropped way low. I said a few bad words and chased the shot with the next 4 shots shooting as fast as I could just to have something to turn in as I had paid a whole buck for the target.

It won the match and sent the ASSRA record which was broken by two shooter in Florida this winter. Older Fiocchi V320, 10 x unertl 1.5 inch scope.

I don't like shooting benchrest as I can't stand waiting for conditions to come back. Too darn boring the way they shoot bench at Beeson's. Some of those guys take one or two 45 minute relays to shoot a five shot group.