Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Messages - rbwillnj

736
Star Reloaders / Re: Star Press Mounting Solutions
« on: September 11, 2010, 12:55:38 pm »
The Midway reloading stands come with a plastic base, a steel tube that is tapered at both ends, and a small plastic table top.   It also comes with a template for drilling holes in the table top to mount various reloading equipment.   I you go with the wooden box route as I did, you just screw the table top to the bottom of the wooden box.

I think I mentioned in my earlier post that the Midway reloading stands are really too light, and would tend to move around on smooth surfaces.   I filled the bases of my stands with acrylic mortar.  Before pouring the mortar, I put some galvanized hardware cloth in the base, and anchored it in place with carrage bolts.

737
Star Reloaders / Re: My Progressive almost there
« on: September 09, 2010, 06:29:13 pm »
Another picture of the Holmes tube filler.

738
Loading Data & Reloading Procedures / Re: Phelps die head in 7/8x 14
« on: September 08, 2010, 02:26:01 pm »
Although it's best to use a Star expander to counteract the force of the priming operation, you should be able to use a three die set by expanding in what is normally the seating station, and seating/roll crimping in the taper crimp station.   If you need to do a separate taper crimp in the last station, the easiest way is to use the Star expander.

739
Star Reloaders / Re: My Progressive almost there
« on: September 08, 2010, 09:51:37 am »
Recently I have been using the Lyman 358156 gas checked Bullet with 3.1 grains of Bullseye for Distinguished Revolver.  I gives great 50 yard accuracy using my Smith & Wesson K-38.   You should still be able to load 3.1 grains of Bullseye with a "0" powder slide.  As Ken suggested, you should be able to get a "0" adjustable powder slide from Rich Daniels (Barrel Tester on this forum).

If by "Social Charge" you mean a full "357" load, you will probably need a 1/2" Powder Side.   I use the same bullet over 13.2 grains of Hogdons 4227 in a .357 case.  From my S&W 686, I get a 1/4" group at 25 yards.

I you are "really" interested in pumping up the volume, I have a Holmes tube filler with 25 tubes for sale.  This is a Collator that fills five Hulme tubes at once.  These things are pretty rare, I have only seen one other.

The previous owner had a height restriction in his loading area, so he reduced the height of the tube filler and the tubes to accommodate his space.   The 25 original Hulme tubes included have been cut to about 23" each, or a little less than half the original length.

If you are interested, send me a PM

740
Star Reloaders / Re: Inherited a star reloader
« on: September 04, 2010, 09:38:46 am »
It's impossible to determine year of production, but based on the configuration of the powder slide cam, your machine was assembled in the mid-sixties or later.

In my experience, it has never been necessary to adjust the degree of primer insertion for different brands of brass.  

741
I use Lee Case Feeder/Collators on all three of my Stars.  I have tried a couple different arrangements, and the one pictured below has worked the best.   I use the Lee case feeder for large cases for everything from 32 ACP to 45 Colt, and use the appropriate Hulme top plate for the caliber I'm loading.

742
Star Reloaders / Re: Primer Explosion
« on: July 06, 2010, 05:45:21 pm »
Not sure if you mean primer magazines or primer pickups, but both are brass.   Star primer magazines were available in two sizes, 13" and 15 1/4".   I use the larger ones which comfortably hold 100 primers.  The primer pickups were also available in short and long versions.  I use primer pickups that are 13-14" long and easily hold 100 primers.  The shorter ones typically hold 65-75 primers, and I have seen some that were even shorter.


743
Dave,

As I recall, there are different parts for different calibers....or at least different parts for large and small bullets.  You will have to figure out what which set of parts is installed in your unit.  The people at Magma Engineering have always been very helpful, give them a call if you have any problems.

744
It's a Magma Engineering Bullet Feeder for Star Lubesizer.  It bolts onto their heater base.  Scroll down towards the bottom of this PDF and you will see the instructions and the parts diagram for the bullet feeder.  http://www.magmaengineering.com/PDF/Star_Sizer.pdf

I picked up a used one a while ago but have yet to put it to use.

745
Star Reloaders / Re: Primer Explosion
« on: June 21, 2010, 10:28:49 pm »
Actually the article is attached as a PDF to my response above.

746
Star Reloaders / Re: Primer Explosion
« on: June 21, 2010, 04:58:44 pm »
Jerry is correct.

Actually, I had a jam in my casefeeder tube caused by some corn cob cleaning media.  I didn't have anything else in easy reach, so I grabbed the primer follower rod and used it to dislodge the stack of cases that were hung up on a big granule of corn cob.  Then I absent mindedly put the rod back in the primer magazine and let it drop.  Since the magazine was nearly empty, it fell the full length of the magazine and developed enough momentum to set off a primer, which instantaneously set off the other three primers in the magazine.  And that's the rest of the story.

I was lucky that there weren't more primers in the magazine, but then again, if there were, maybe the drop wouldn't have been enough to set them off.   Anyway, Note to Self.  Insert the primer follower rod CAREFULLY.

All of my Stars have steel tubes over the primer magazines to protect against primer explosions as described in an article by Don Krout Jr. in Handloader Magazine Issue #159 .  In this case there wasn't enough pressure generated to deform the brass.   I took a second look at my primer follower rod and found that in addition to the fried nylon tip, the steel rod is bent as well.

747
Star Reloaders / Primer Explosion
« on: June 21, 2010, 09:22:21 am »
It finally happened.  I had a primer Explosion.  My fault of course, but I got off easy.

I let the primer follower rod drop the full length of a nearly empty primer magazine.

BANG!!!   Four primers went off in a single loud bang, and the primer follower came flying out.

No damage to the primer magazine, but the end of the follower rod got fried.  It took a while to clean up the magazine, the socket and the primer slide, and I had to replace the end of the rod.   I was lucky.   For the record, they were WLP primers.

748
Survey Says... / Re: Camp Perry
« on: June 08, 2010, 03:04:03 pm »
I went in 2008.  A humbling experiance.   I'm going this year, but just for the hardball matches.

749
Star Reloaders / Re: dating a Star Universal
« on: June 08, 2010, 03:00:35 pm »
On older models the aluminum base was painted silver.  Later on they dispensed with the paint.   I would strip the paint thoroughly clean it with a soft brush and mild detergent.  If you want, you can buff it up a bit, that's what I do.

I have never been able to separate the powder slide cam from the base.  I wonder if the aluminum was cast around it.

Bruce

750
Star Reloaders / Re: dating a Star Universal
« on: June 08, 2010, 07:16:00 am »
The other change that might help you determine the age of the machine is the manner in which the powder slide cam is held to the aluminum base.

If the support is cast into the base, it was made prior to the mid-60's.  If the support for the powder slide cam is held to the reloader by three screws, it was made after the mid 60's.   I don't have an exact date for the change in design, but based on dated parts lists, 1965 would be a good guess.

Bruce

I really would like to know when Star changed from the 3/8" hole to the 11/16-24 threaded die hole at the taper crimp station.   Does anybody know?