The old Lyman 310

[hondo1892]

Do any of you guys have any experience with the 310 tool? How well do they work? I'm not looking for speed but they might be nice for at the range or cabin. Or a "bug out" bag if it was ever needed.

[Rusty]

You can still buy them. http://www.cnyauctions.com/the310shop.htm

I like the Lee hand press better since it uses standard dies not the special 310 sized dies. They do have about the slickest priming tool I've ever used though.

[hondo1892]

I've thought about the Lee but I read that the 310 just does neck sizing. I figure that would take less muscle than full length sizing like the Lee. But then there is always the old Lee hand dies. I have used those before and they do work.

[Tycer]

I have one for each caliber I load for. They work great. I'll sit and size/punch out primers with one or take one to the range for load development.

One note: Some of the really old ones that do not take dies from the black powder days do not crimp. Makes them hard to use on a bullet/cartridge combo that you want to crimp.

[Walker]

If you do get a set, pick up a few extra depriming pins. I used mine for my 33wcf and eventually broke the pin.

[Terry Murbach]

THEY WORK JUST FINE. I'VE LOADED 222REM, 6MM REM, 257ACKIMP, 30USA, AND 308 ON A 310 SEUP WITH EVERY SATISFACTION.

[Pitchy]

You can still buy them. http://www.cnyauctions.com/the310shop.htm

I like the Lee hand press better since it uses standard dies not the special 310 sized dies. They do have about the slickest priming tool I've ever used though.

+1 Me too.

[Pete44ru]

.

The 310's a good hand tool, but I only use mine for priming now, as I was gifted a few years ago with a Lee Hand Press for the little rloading I now do (.30-30 mostly).

I like the 310 a bit better than my RCBS priming tool, if only because mine's steel, and not a crappy casting like the RCBS.



.

[Malamute]

I have several 310's, I like them, though they dont full length resize. They made a separate sizer foir use with them, they can be found on the used market, often for about $5 or so. I take 310 sets along when I travel, and take a full length size die for a bench press. I can often borrow a press, and leave one at the old family place to use when I'm there.

I gave up on the decappers, I broke several, so just got the cheap Lee decapper and put it in with the Lyman tools. The 310's have the nice "M" expander that makes seating cast bullets easy without shaving lead.

I've done business with the 310 shop in the past, but since it changed hands, the prices have gone dramatically up. They sell current production factory Lyman parts and dies for much more than Lyman does, or other online wholesalers. You can often find good 310 sets for a fraction of what the 310 shop sells them for now. They may be nice folks (so I've heard), but their prices are pretty high. If anyone needs a 30-06 set, I have a complete new old stock set available for much less than the 310 shop sells them for.

[J35]

I've thought about the Lee but I read that the 310 just does neck sizing. I figure that would take less muscle than full length sizing like the Lee. But then there is always the old Lee hand dies. I have used those before and they do work.

The '310 tong tool has very little leverage so the size dies just neck size because it would take a gorilla to full length size with the tong tool. It takes two hands sometimes just to neck size, or expand pistol brass.

If you are looking for less muscle power the Lee hand press is what I would use, plus you have more options for sizing with a standard full length size die, or you can get a dedicated neck size die , either traditional or bushing or collet.

---J

[Ji in Hawaii]

I own both the Lyman 310 and Lee Handpress. I like both but prefer the Lee for practical reasons but the Lyman is full of nostalgia reminding me of childhood days helping dad reload 45-70 loads for his 2 Trapdoor Springfields.

[WinM71]

I have an old vintage all-steel one for the .348 WCF. Works fine, but the "claw" that snaps over the rim to pull the case back out of the die makes a pretty good scratch about 1/4" long near the rim of the case. The claw is sharp, but I don't want to radius its edge because I'm concerned that it might slip over the rim & not be able to extract cases from the dies. A lot of fun to use.

[Malamute]

That reminded me I need a handle for a 348 set. I have dies, but no handle (they are different then the normal calibers). The old guy that had the 310 shop was going to notify me when he got one, but he sold the business before he got one.

[Ben_Rumson]

Recently, starting with a box of 20 fired 300 Savage cases I cleaned the necks with a few twists in 0000 steel wool then finger lubed them, put a size & de cap die in my310 tool,de capped& sized them with my 310 tong tool then cleaned the pockets with the RCBS wire brush hand tool made for that chore .... total elapsed time was 9 min 22 seconds to get the processed cases back in place in the box... knock off 2min 13 seconds for cleaning the 20 primer pockets... we're talking 7 min & change to prep 20 cases for loading...Get handy with some Lee dippers and you're good to go!!! The whole set up along with a box of bullets and a pound of powder fits in a shoebox....