Topics

1

Star Reloaders / Rare R. Daniels Brass Hulme Case Feeder

« on: February 05, 2011, 09:03:14 am »

Hi Guys:
Thought I would share this piece of STAR eye candy with you.
This is a rare R. Daniels brass highly polished Hulme type case feeder.  It operates the same as the
Hulme with the nifty addition of a finger bar on the left side of the body.  This allows you to hold the
roller back in order to set the cam or cycle the feeder with your finger.  

As you can see, the feeder is just a work of art.  Richy made only twelve of these back in the day.
I found this one at a gun show in Wallingford, CT in a BOX of JUNK....  
When I told Rich he could not believe it.

You will note that this feeder has a rounded set of "wings" that extend the grip of the feeder to the left and right
and envelope the base of the STAR.  You just do not know how cool and retro this looks on an old STAR.
I would like to approach Ray Brandes and ask him to make a Moon Unit in Brass for a matching look.

2

Star Reloaders / Rocker Arm Screw - Removal - Question

« on: January 18, 2011, 07:23:17 am »

Hi Guys:
I am cleaning up one of my Stars, got it all pretty much stripped so I figured I would remove the #45 Rocker Arm and clean and lube things up.
I backed out the #47 Rocker Arm Screw thinking it would simply leave the base.
However it backs out only so far and then seems to stop.
How do you remove it to free up the Rocker Arm?
Pull it out with pliers?  Or am I missing something..??
Your Thoughts...

Thanks
Art

3

Star Reloaders / The "Un-Numbered Part" - Brass Primer Base?

« on: January 17, 2011, 02:52:07 pm »

Hi Guys:
I was just looking over the Star Parts List and noticed that one of the key parts of the base has no identification number, thus no name.

This is the brass primer base that is both pinned and is bolted to the #12/12U Steel Floor Base.
To this part, the #36 Primer Magazine Socket is screwed and the #22 Large or Small Primer Slide resides along with the #48/49 Primer Slide Angle Lever.

So what is the name of this brass part? (look up at the STARreloaders.com logo and it is pictured in the lower right corner of the logo...)

Also, when I inspect the end of this part, (I have 4 Universals), I noticed a very interesting thing.  
Each has a different 2 digit number punched into the end....  Mine are.... 38, 46, 81 and 95 respectively.

So, who has the name for this part?  Why is it not numbered in the parts list? and what do those punched numbers mean?

4

Loading Data & Reloading Procedures / Expander Die Diameter for the .45 ACP

« on: January 17, 2010, 02:43:45 pm »

Hi Guys:

If you have a Star with a .45 ACP tool head or die set, can you please do me a favor?

Please measure your expander/belling die and report back here with what your diameter is of the longer neck (not the tappered bell section) that expands the 45 ACP case neck.?

I have two such dies and one .449" and the other is .4475"

BTW, a smaller expander means more neck tension imparted to the bullet and a larger expander means less neck tension.

When taking your reading of a die on an installed machine head, please make sure the caliper is 100%
perpendicular to the die or you will possibly get a larger reading.  Also please use a heavy hand on your
caliper as far as jaw tension is concerned.

I was just wondering if STAR sold variants of this which could impart different bullet tension?

Neither of these dies indicates any pedigree as to their original manufacturer however both are
a part of Lifetime sets...

So I would be interested in what sizes are out there...

5

Star Lubricator & Resizers / Tip on How to Remove Die from Star Lubrisizer

« on: December 24, 2009, 08:08:09 am »

Over the years the removal of the Star sizing die has been frustrating for me.  Using the Star Removal tool does require you to evacuate the last bullet from the die in order to pull the die out.  So by removing the last bullet, you loose the critical point of reference for the bullet punch setup. 

I find the easiest way to remove the die is not to use the tool that star/magma sends to pull it out.  Instead I turned a piece of hard wood down which is just under the OD diameter of the die (.74"). I then drilled a .5" hole in the end for clearance for any bullet that might be in the die sticking out. When I am ready to remove the sizing die, I just push up with the dowel and it pops right out.  Having the heater on makes this removal easier.  Cold high temp lube kind of locks the die in place I have found.

The benefit of this is that is doesn't disturb the bullet inside the die as a set up reference.  Also the hard wood dowel does not mar the machine or the die.

6

Star Reloaders / The "L" Handle

« on: December 19, 2009, 07:59:11 am »

Recently, while visiting Rich Daniels here in Connecticut, I noticed that his slew of machines had "L" shaped handles.  Rich and I got to talking about them, and he showed me the three various types of Star made "L" handles which Star sold as options over the years, and then showed me one of his own "L" handles with a nice Delrin roller grip.

I did obtain one of these handles made by Rich.  Let me tell you that the "L" shaped handle does make your operating position feel more natural and less apt to have wrist cramping or discomfort over long operating periods.  You just have to be aware that the L handle in the fully down position does come close to the primer slide fixture so hand position is key otherwise you can pinch a thumb.

If you have not used an "L" handle before on the Star Universal, I would say you should give it a try.

Secondly,  One of the good guys over on the Cast Boolits Forum (Lathesmith aka Chris) forum makes an "L" handle for the Star Lubrisizer along with dies for the sizer and punches.  Likewise his L handle is nice to use and again an improvement over the standard handle for that Star machine.  The shovel handle is also nice with the roller grip.

Lathesmith did not know about us here at StarReloaders so he may join us!

7

Star Reloaders / Storage of Star Machine Heads

« on: December 07, 2009, 02:18:03 pm »

Hi Guys:
I have the need to store Star Machine Heads when they are not in use on one of my Stars.
I have five machine heads and 3 Star Universals.

Today I just lay them on the bench in a quiet area with their powder magazine tubes attached
and all the dies set up and ready to go.  I keep them covered with old pillow cases to keep dust off.

I was wondering if any of you have come up with an ingenious way to store not in
use machine heads?  Has anyone crafted a machine head stand?

All ears for good ideas...

8

Loading Data & Reloading Procedures / Question: Amount of Taper Crimp for .45 ACP Bullseye Load?

« on: December 04, 2009, 10:14:51 am »

Hi Guys:

Pretty simple question....

How much taper crimp should I have adjusted in for .45 ACP in a light Bullseye Load.

I am loading with 4.1g of Hodgdon's CLAYs in Winchester brass with the large flash holes.

The bullet is a home cast .452 Star Lubrisized Hensley & Gibbs 200g Semi Wad Cutter Bevel Base from a #68 mold.

Currently, my taper crimp is set up to apply .470 to .471 taper crimp with .021 - .025 of the bullet shoulder above or exposed from the brass.  Variance of the shoulder probably due to brass length + or -

Now I have not done any testing with variance in taper crimp.  I do not experience any bullet movement
due to recoil with the current amount of taper crimp from recoil of the slide.  All works fine and am getting 100% feeding in both my .45 ACP pistols.

So if I start a taper crimp test process with my ransom rest... where should I start with the "most amount" of crimp and what should the increment of crimp be?

For example: start at .465" and increment by .002...  .467  .469  .471

Just so you know... my bullets are a 20:1 lead tin alloy with a BHN of 10.
All are sorted by weight within .2 grains.  I kind of worry that too much of a crimp will
deform the bullet.

So any input you may have regarding the taper crimp amount with a light bullseye load would be
greatly appreciated.

Thanks So Much,
Art in CT

9

Star Reloaders / Cover for the Star Reloader?

« on: September 11, 2009, 09:42:49 am »

Hi Gang:
What are you guys doing to cover your Star reloaders when they are not in use?
At present, I drape an old pillow case over my Stars.
This keeps dust from my workshop out of the mechanism.

Your thoughts on what you all are doing in this regard would be appreciated.

Thanks In Advance!

ArtInCT

10

Star Reloaders / Random Thoughts on the Star Powder Tube Magazine

« on: September 02, 2009, 06:18:20 pm »

As a long time modern Benchrest rifle shooter I am quite familiar with much of the current equipment associated with that exacting sport as it relates to reloading and powder charge throwing.

If one examines the typical Star powder tube magazine, be it plastic or metal, one thing that is present in most all benchrest powder measures is missing from the Star.  The part that is missing is the single perferation isolation baffle.

The typical benchrest "click" type of micrometer powder measure has an internal reservoir chamber that is separated from the "bottle" or powder magazine by a metalic baffle that has a single hole about the size of a pencil or felt tip pen body.

The purpose of this baffle is to mantain a specific and consistant volume and pressure of powder above and around the dispensing orafice.  The perforated baffle isolates the larger quantity of powder (and always diminishing) from the measuring chamber. Thus as one reloads round after round the hole in the baffle allows a replenishment of powder that is being drawn from the reservoir chamber by the slide bar.   It keeps the weight and compression equal at all times on the mechanical dispenser regardless if the magazine is very full (heavy) or nearly empty (light).  As long as the internal reservoir is full, then in theory, all dispensing mechanics being equal, one has a greater chance of equal powder throws or measures.

I notice that this concept of the powder isolation baffle is pretty much missing from the typical Star powder magazine.    I have fashioned one out of aluminum and have inserted it into my Star plastic powder tube about 2 inches above the metal funnel which screws into the OO powder slide top.

The long distance black powder rifle cartridge shoots all use baffles in their ancient B&M loaders.  Baffles are present in all the Harrel's benchrest and scheuzen precision measures.  Also the coveted Jones and Culver benchrest measures employ baffles as well.

Has anyone else experimented with a single perferated baffle?

Also,  the three or four indents on the Star's vertical powder cam actually serve a major purpose as far as I can see.  If you take the powder magazine off of the magazine holder and can see the operation of the powder bar in action, the little indents on the cam actually "SHAKE" the powder slide both forward and back to achieve a "vibrational settling" of the powder.   The speed in which you operate you Star should probably be such that the vibrational settling is the same time after time if you are after consistant powder charges.

Benchrest shooters achieve vibrational settling by tapping the lever of their powder measure two to six or more times for each powder charge upstroke.  Of course there are those who only do the tap once...
But non the less, the guys at Star were onto something with those fine indents on the cam.

If you cam is so old and worn as to have the indents heavily rounded down or pretty much gone, then I would suspect your powder charge thows are not as consistant as they could be.

I welcome thoughts and comments on this.

I also welcome some of the more talented and gifted craftsment here to fashion a Star tube with at least one internal perforated baffle as part perhaps of a two part plastic and one part turned aluminum baffle into which the plastic magazine fits.

Cheers...

11

Star Reloaders / Dies for the Star - Longevity by Brand?

« on: August 30, 2009, 06:38:08 am »

Like most Star users, the dies that came with my Star's machine head(s) simply are adjusted and
sometimes cleaned, but rarely changed out for others.  In other words I do not have 2 sets of 45 ACP dies with one being Lifetyme Brand and the other set being another brand...

None the less, I am aware that there are at least four brands of dies out there for Star reloading machines.  I was just wondering what everyone's perceptions of these die brands are?  I usually refrain from the typical forum questions that are like... "WHICH IS BEST" or "9mm vs 10mm" etc.
So I am sorry in that respect of asking this question.  

However, perception based upon first hand use experience is a pretty good teacher.

So what die brand for the Star is held in the highest esteem?  Especially as lognevity is concerned given that the dies are well cared for by the user (cleaned and lightly polished).  (also which die of the set of three or four gives the most problems or issues over time?)

Lifetyme?
Perfection?
CH 4D?
Lee ?

Others?

12

Loading Data & Reloading Procedures / Tips on How to Empty the Star Reloader Powder Tube

« on: August 22, 2009, 09:06:00 am »

Hi Guys:
I am quite new to the Star Forum.  However, I have had a Star Universal for a very long time.
So I am a Long Time / First Time User/Forum member.

That all said, I have my Star permanently set up on my reloading bench with 38 Special wadcutter for my S&W 52.2 target pistol.

I have always been in a quandry as to what is exactly the best way or method to empty the Star machine's powder magazine tube when my reloading done for an expected extended period?  I keep my powder tube very full as I find that the powder drop is more consistant when at least filled at greater than 50% or more.

Can any of you perhaps share, in a step by step manner, how you accomplish emptying your powder Tube?

I noticed someone has sort of invented a nifty one-off powder shut off that requires a modification of the charge bar holder.... this was posted somewhere here in the forum with pictures....

All ears and eager to learn any tricks you all may have developed.

Thanks in Advance....
Art In CT