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Star Reloaders Discussion Forums => Star History => Topic started by: rbwillnj on February 02, 2009, 12:10:00 pm

Title: Star or Not??
Post by: rbwillnj on February 02, 2009, 12:10:00 pm
Currently there is a Reloader on eBay that is proported to be a very early Star.   What do you think?  Star or Not??  Why??

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=270336982555

Courtesy of Ricketts, I have updated this post with larger pictures.    Anyone else have an opinion, Star or Not??
Title: Re: Star or Not??
Post by: Kenneth L. Walters on February 02, 2009, 01:53:42 pm
It is a Star.  The Hulmn case feeder option was added in the mid-50's.  That's clearly not the case here so it is at least 55 years old.
Title: Re: Star or Not??
Post by: NYKenn on February 04, 2009, 05:13:41 pm
I would concur that it is a Star, but very early in the development. My opinion anyway.
Powder slide assembly, safety cam, etc., all star like.
Would only wonder if all the parts are truly compatible with later versions.
Title: Re: Star or Not??
Post by: rbwillnj on February 05, 2009, 09:28:16 pm
Some additional pictures courtesy of Ricketts.
Title: Re: Star or Not??
Post by: NYKenn on February 06, 2009, 09:22:11 pm
Looking closer you can tell the powder bar actuating arm is screwed/bolted/riveted to the base.
The link arm body is square.
The powder housing looks like brass?

Maybe if not a star, maybe a Phelps?
Title: Re: Star or Not??
Post by: rbwillnj on February 07, 2009, 07:25:32 pm
The owner of the Pictured Star Reloader was kind enough to provide the pictures below.   Note the lettering cast into the base which says Pat. Pending.  Star filed their patent application in July of 1933, and it was granted in February of 1936.   I think it's reasonable to assume this machine was manufactured between those two dates, or at least sometime close to those dates.
Title: Re: Star or Not??
Post by: rbwillnj on February 07, 2009, 07:28:28 pm
In May 1934, American Rifleman published a review of the Star Reloading Machine by CF Ness.  Below is a picture that was included in that article.
Note the lettering cast into the base.   
Title: Re: Star or Not??
Post by: rbwillnj on February 07, 2009, 07:33:07 pm
Below is Figure 1 from C.F. Peterson's patent of what we know now as the Star Reloading Machine.
Title: Re: Star or Not??
Post by: Kenneth L. Walters on February 14, 2009, 12:26:33 am
Anybody ever find the Winchester patent that the Star was based upon?
Title: Re: Star or Not??
Post by: rbwillnj on February 27, 2010, 03:44:55 pm
It didn't sell the last time it was on Ebay, and now its back with no reserve.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370341711920&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
Title: Re: Star or Not??
Post by: 333OKH on February 27, 2010, 06:41:34 pm
Very interesting Bruce, its so hard to tell if its Star, some of it sure looks like it though, George.
Title: Re: Star or Not??
Post by: Star73 on March 20, 2010, 08:04:47 pm
The top housing (square/rectangular) certainly looks strange! A replacement for a cracked or broken housing installed by the user after hard use? It looks as if this machine has had some "misfortunes" w/ the rivets etc. Looks like a homemade casfeeder was used. It would be interesting to hear the history of this machine!

As far as the identity, isn't the lettering "Pat Pending" on the base a dead giveaway? Star.

Ron
Title: Re: Star or Not??
Post by: Star73 on March 20, 2010, 08:12:03 pm
NYKenn, you mention the brass pdr hsg...note it's home mfg, the threaded ring for it's pdr reservoir is soldered  in place, also note the rough edges on the base flange holding the pdr measure assy in place, different screw locations etc. Possibly missing parts from long ago & some one re mfg'd  the top hsg & pdr slide housing?

Ron
Title: Re: Star or Not??
Post by: Pressman on March 25, 2011, 05:20:49 pm
I own this ??? Star.  Rickets was never able to sell it so I picked it up from him.  A little background, this press came from an estate of a serious press collector. He had over 300 presses, many rare and unusual pieces.  I flew to California and helped his wife inventory the collection after his sudden passing.  This was in 2008.
I have a significant collection of my own but have not gotten into Star and other progressives.  I looked at the press as it was placed with 6 other Star's in the collection.  Not being knowledgeable in Star design I concluded that it was a early Star and let it be at that. 
I arranged for rickets to buy the entire collection.  That is the pieces I did not pickup.
Now the press is parked on my bench looking for a positive ID.  I can take pictures, get measurements etc if anyone can help ID this piece.  I am also open to phone calls knowing that a conversation with the press in hand can help.

Thanks,
Ken
Title: Re: Star or Not??
Post by: bobmm on March 29, 2011, 01:54:14 am
everything looks STAR but the base looks differant..... Phelps??? Why does that ring a bell..can't put my thought on it. more info please....bob
Title: Re: Star or Not??
Post by: ar dick harris on May 31, 2013, 02:53:00 pm
In 1969 while attending a BE pistol match at the San Diego Police Range, went into Star for some parts or just to visit.

When I walked into a bare and Spartan room with a desk only... for Ira Wilkerson who at the time ran the office and answered the phone etc, after  the usual greetings I notice an angled table in a far corner of the room with what looked to be an aged Star reloader, made some comment to Ira about the machine and he said the loader was an early machine, don't recall what else he said if anything but it was my opinion  after walking over and taking a better look that it was a proto type, whether # 1 or not, I don't think that statement was made...by Ira, but I did think it look some what different from the Star I owned at the time (purchased in 1960).

Some years later I was telling Bill Cunningham ( the current operator of SMW in Pioneer, Calif.) about this visit with Star and he stated he was supposed to get this machine ( in the corner) in the deal he negotiated with SMW at the time in mid 1997,but he never did.

To this day Cunningham is not happy about the way this turned out. Can't hold that against him.

I doubt that the base is from a Phelps machine as Phelps came along sometime later. I've heard it said the John Phelps worked for Star (when... I never was told), Ed Broadback who worked for Phelps told me to his knowledge this did not happen. Broadback is a source for some parts even today, so he seems to have had some contact with Phelps Engineering.