Lyman "Nutcracker"

[daisygordoninc]

Have any of you used the old Lyman Nutcracker to reload with. Saw it in the Rifle Magazine
reprint of the first issue. It looks very interesting to me. I bet some of you have one.
What say you.

[jhrosier]

I have two handles and five die sets for the Lyman 310 tool.
I'm not sure how or why I got some of them as two, 22/250 & .243 Win., are in calibers that I've never owned.
I think that I loaded a box of .308 Win. once and decided that it was more messing around than I was willing to endure.
I have since loaded a couple hundred rounds of 30-06 using the Lee Classic Loader and was pleased with the results.

Maybe I'm getting more patience in my old age.

Jack

[Pete44ru]

.

I like mine for de-capping, but not for reloading, due to the inability to full-length resize empties.


.

[jhrosier]

BTW, Lyman offered full length sizing dies for many calibers.
They were used by pressing the case in with a bench vise and then pushing the case out of the die with a punch.
I have one in the box, like new, for 30 Govt. (30-40 Krag).

Jack

[jnyork]

Got started reloading in 1954 using a 310 tool. Still have a set of .30-06 dies, handles are long gone.

[J35]

I was gifted a large set in 30-30 by the the late Ken Mollohan. It came with 4 different seating stems and 3 different expander's and a Universal de-capping die.

Then I bought a couple set's in .358 Win and .357 Mag.

I also bought shell adapters for everything i reload for and use the de-capping die at the range to pace my self.

J----------

[JimT]

Yep. Have 4 sets of handles and dies in 44 Special, 45 Colt, 38/357 .... some 30 30 dies .... also have the full length drive in sizing die for 45 Colt .. I use the 310 for depriming and priming when I am doing just a few cartridges .. My dad started me loading on the 310 Tool probably about 1958 ...

[marlinman93]

I always found that not full length sizing cases was better for my single shot rifles, so the old Ideal, Lyman and 310 tools always worked just great. But once I got my Huntington tool (pre RCBS) I never used any of the old nutcracker tools again. The Huntington does everything the others did, and uses full sized 7/8-14 dies, so much better.

[Chuck 100 yd]

I learned reloading by watching/helping my dad load .224 Remington's with a Lyman tong tool in 1955. Some very accurate ammo can be loaded on those simple tools.

[Rusty]

I had one years ago for .38 Special. I didn't care much for the neck size only. I DID like the priming die. It gave a better sense of feel than anything else I've ever used.

[TWHBC]

Yes, 2 handles, and a bunch of dies for rifle and pistol. Got the first set for. 243 win. back in the early 60's, and added dies over time.
Started loading. 41 Mag. for a ruger blackhawk after reading a Skeeter Skeleton article that showed a picture of him sitting on the ground in the west Texas wilds, reloading .357 magnum.
Article explained how he could vary .357 loads from. 38 special level target loads to .357 hunting level.as needs dictated.
As others have noted the 310 tool not full length resizing has some limitations. The primary one I encountered was having two. 243 win. rifles that were different enough that neck resizing only the loads did not work between the Remington chamber and the Ruger chamber.
Still use the 310 tool.