Messages

961

Star History / Re: A couple of quick notes on Star history

« on: January 31, 2006, 10:40:44 am »

eaglemike,

I guess I missed your post back in October, but was interested to read about the safety cam that works with a taper crimp die.  I have an unusually shaped safety cam that came with one of my reloaders.  It took me a little while to figure out how to use it because it has an extra spring.  It works as an autoeject when used in conjunction with a Hulme Case Feeder. 

Is this the Safety Cam that you are refering to?  I had sent a picture of this to Ken Walters last year, and he indicated that he thougt it was manufactured by Star

962

Star Reloaders / Re: Star Press Mounting Solutions

« on: January 11, 2006, 12:03:18 pm »

Ken,

I have seen some pictures of the B&G base and it looks like a good solution, but kinda hard to find these days.? Unfortunately there are no aftermarket mounting solutions for Star Reloaders at this point, so each user has to find their own solution that fits his work space.? I think that's why Ray started this thread.

With primers dropping out the bottem, and loaded rounds sometimes droping out the bottom, and sometimes comming off the last station, a good mounting system for a Star creates different challanges than those of other reloading presses.

In the picture below, the bin on the front right is for empty cases, the bin on the back right is for primed and flared cases (to get started with) the bin on the left front is for bullets, and the bin at the left rear is for loaded rounds when they are taken off the last station.  This press is currently set up for 38 Special, so the loaded round drops through the hole in the last station (plug removed) to fall into the drawer.  When I am taking loaded rounds off the last station, I use a much larger bin for loaded rounds.

963

Star Lubricator & Resizers / Re: Swapping in a new sizing die

« on: January 09, 2006, 06:12:38 pm »

OK,? Pictured below is the Star Die Removal kit (this one purchased from Magma Engineering)

1.)  Remove the bullet punch, and install Part A where the bullet punch used to be.
2.)  Thread Part B into Part A.
3.)   Lower the handle to push out the bullet that remains in the sizing die.
4.)   Remove Part B from Part A, and thread Part C up through the sizing die and into Part A.
5.)   Lift the handle, pulling out the sizing die.

You may need to heat up the Lubrisizer as you would for sizing in order to accomplish the above steps.
Actually, I never use the kit,  I just use a wooden dowel to push the sizing die up with my knee.

964

Star Reloaders / Re: Star Press Mounting Solutions

« on: January 07, 2006, 01:40:59 pm »

Bench space is always at a premium in my shop so I opted for the Frankford Aresenal portable reloading stands offered by Midway.  I had to fill the plastic bases with concrete to weight them, but they have been a great solution to me.

965

Star Reloaders / Re: The Perfect Progressive

« on: January 06, 2006, 09:17:33 am »

Ray,

They are such beautiful machines, I thought they deserved worthy pedestals.

966

Star Reloaders / Re: The Perfect Progressive

« on: January 06, 2006, 07:31:47 am »

Note how Ray's machine is rotated so that the priming station is at 3 o'clock, and the sizing station is at about 5 o'clock relative to the operator.  This seems to be the prefered way to set up a Star so that you can more easily reach around back to place a bullet in the case at the seating station.

As for me, to index the shell plate, I place the index finger of my right hand on the primer feed, and my thumb on the case in the sizing station, and give it a flick.

967

Star History / Re: Star Straightline owner

« on: January 05, 2006, 10:24:08 pm »

spalazzo,

It would be great if you could post a picture of your machine.  I'm sure that most of us have never seen one.

Thanks
rbwillnj

968

Star Reloaders / Re: The Perfect Progressive

« on: January 04, 2006, 02:57:45 pm »

DD in MA

I see what you are refering to now, but for sure, it is not a Star Part.  I have never used an indexer on a Star.  When a purchased my first Star, I thought the lack of auto indexing was a real negative.  However, as I began to use it, I found that Star Reloaders work so smoothly, you just don't need an indexer.

Based on what I have seen posted on this fourm, it looks like there are folks who swear by them and folks who swear at them.  I just don't think I need one.  I can do at least 400 rounds/hour without one, and that's plenty fast for me.   A Hulme case Feeder, now that's another story.  If you don't have one get one.

969

Star Reloaders / Re: The Perfect Progressive

« on: January 02, 2006, 10:33:27 pm »

DD in MA

I am having a hard time picturing what you are describing.  The only aluminum on a Star Reloader is the base plate, and that is not contacted by the shell plate or the nut (thurst nut) that holds the shell plate at any time.  Are you talking about part of the indexer contacting the thrust nut?  If it is part of the indexer, than no, its not a Star part. 

If you don't have one, you can download a copy of the Star Reloader Instructions (including parts list) from the following web site. http://www.starreloaders.com/manuals/manuals.html#Downloads

970

Star Reloaders / Re: Star Universal Turns Hard

« on: December 31, 2005, 01:59:23 pm »

Very good point about the shell locating straps.  It can happen, especially when changing from one shell plate to another.

971

Star Reloaders / Re: Powder Bar Chart

« on: December 29, 2005, 12:05:01 am »

The following data comes from a spreadsheet that I created from measurements from some of the powder slides that I have.? Measurements are in inches, but the final volume is in cubic centimeters.? I found that most of the Star powder slides have a tapered hole, so to get an accurate volume, you have to measure the top and bottem diameters, then take an average.? ?Lee includes a very useful chart with their autodisk powder measures that has volume in CCs across the top, and the equivalent powder weight for most popular powders.? I use that chart along with this data to choose the best powder slide for the powder charge I want.? I find for example that the current Bullseye powder always results in heavier charges than you would expect from the markings on the powder slides, but if you use the volumes below, to find the charge weight on the Lee chart its pretty much right on.



00 Powder Slide   Top Diameter   Bottom Diameter   Average Diameter   Height   Volume (cc)
BE 2.2   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 0.243   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 0.237   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?0.240   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?0.312? ? ? ? ? ?0.231
BE 2.5   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 0.266   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 0.260   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?0.263   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?0.312? ? ? ? ? ?0.278
BE 2.7   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 0.275   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 0.270   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?0.273   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?0.312? ? ? ? ? ?0.298
BE 2.8   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 0.279   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 0.273   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?0.276   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?0.312? ? ? ? ? ?0.306
BE 2.9   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 0.284   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 0.278   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?0.281   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?0.312? ? ? ? ? ?0.317
BE 3.2   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 0.303   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 0.294   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?0.299   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?0.312   ? ? 0.358
700 X 2.6   ? ? ? ? ? ? ?   0.305   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 0.298   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?0.302   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?0.312   ? ? 0.365
BE 3.5   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 0.317   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 0.311   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?0.314   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?0.312   ? ? 0.396
BE 3.6   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 0.320   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 0.314   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?0.317   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?0.312   ? ? 0.404
BE 4.0   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 0.331   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 0.325   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?0.328   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?0.312   ? ? 0.432
BE 4.2   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 0.332   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 0.337   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?0.335   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?0.312   ? ? 0.449
BE 4.4   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 0.345   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 0.339   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?0.342   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?0.312   ? ? 0.470
BE 4.5   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 0.346   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 0.342   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?0.344   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?0.312   ? ? 0.475
BE 4.6   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 0.352   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 0.347   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?0.350   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?0.312   ? ? 0.491
BE 4.7   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 0.355   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 0.349   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?0.352   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?0.312   ? ? 0.498
700 X 3.9   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 0.362   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 0.356   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?0.359   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?0.312   ? ? 0.518
BE 5.0   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 0.365   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 0.359   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?0.362   ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?0.312   ? ? 0.526

972

Star Reloaders / Re: Star Universal Turns Hard

« on: December 28, 2005, 03:17:30 pm »

Assuming nothing is damaged, the only resistance should come from that created by the Thrust nut, and that created by the steel indexing ball.
The ball may be gumed up with powder and other residue preventing free movement.

When I get a new machine I always do a complete disassembly and do a through cleaning.   Remove the brass "steel ball plug" from the bottom of the machine, remove the spring and ball, and clean those parts so that the ball moves freely in its hole.   When you reassemble the machine and tighten the thrust nut, it should not be tightened to the point where it impedes movement of the shell plate.  It should only be tightened to where all but eliminates the rocking of the shell plate cause by the pressure from the steel ball.

I always use a little grease on the inside of the shell plate where it contacts the column shaft, and on the underside of the thrust nut.

973

Star Reloaders / Re: The Perfect Progressive

« on: December 27, 2005, 12:15:33 pm »

I find that the fastest and easiest way to clear the powder magazine is to remove the tool head intact and simple dump the powder back into its container.   I have replaced the cotter pin that secures the lower link pin with a "hair pin style cotter pin"  which can be quickly removed.  Removing the tool head takes just a few seconds with much less fuss than any other way I have found to drain the powder magazine.  Once you have the tool head off, your just a few short steps away from cleaning up the base and primer assembly.

I do have a powder drain block on one of my machines, but I rarely use it (I do believe it is a different design than the one Ross mentioned)

974

Star Lubricator & Resizers / Re: Where can I get sizing dies?

« on: December 26, 2005, 04:52:11 pm »

You can get new bullet sizing dies from Magma Engineering (http://www.magmaengr.com/) or Stillwell Tool and Die (http://www.sizingdie.com/stdprice1.htm) .   You can also pick up used ones on ebay or on AuctionArms.com.   Magma Engineering has a store on ebay where you can buy new ones as well.

975

Star Reloaders / Two Stage Sizing Dies

« on: December 21, 2005, 02:16:25 pm »

I have two, Lifetyme two stage sizing dies, one in 38 Special and another in 45 ACP.? They are both marked 2S after the caliber marking, and both have two carbide sizing rings inside.? ?Does anyone know what the idea is behind Two Stage Sizing Dies?? What's the benefit?