Messages

31

Star Reloaders / Re: Merry Christmas.

« on: January 01, 2015, 03:59:58 pm »

And a Happy New Year to all as well!    May each of us be blessed with good health and the time to enjoy our reloading and shooting hobbies.  Also, especially strong wishes for success go out to Bruce as he takes on the task of continuing the Star line in whatever ways he is able to do.  The Star community has long needed a man of his vision, talent and drive to step up and take over! 

Charlie, the Frog

32

Star History / Re: Star Machine Works, the Next Chapter

« on: November 18, 2014, 09:44:41 am »

Let me add my voice to the chorus of joy here.  My limited dealings with Bruce have been uniformly positive and the info in his numerous posts has always been spot on.  I feel like this will be a very positive development in the Star World, and hope to see a big upsurge in the overall use of these fine reloaders.  I know mine is likely to get cranked up more often! 

Congratulations Bruce, and may you have great and lasting success in this endeavor!

Regards,
Charlie Shaeff
aka Green frog

33

Star History / Re: Every Star has a Story

« on: July 24, 2014, 12:10:19 pm »

I'd like to reactivate this old topic with my own story.  It begins back in the late 1990s when I visited the home of a casual elderly friend who was a lifelong shooter and reloader.  I went to look at some early Ideal™ and Lyman™ tools I knew he had, but then went on to buy a like-new Star Progressive.  The back story was that the tool had been sent to John Amber for testing at the time of the writing of his first edition of Handloader's Digest.  It came with most of a Hulme case feeder and of course the Lifetyme sizing die, standard powder magazine and standard primer feed with a strange rotary plastic add-on to carry about an extra 800 primers.

I bought it mostly on advice of a friend and shooting mentor who had used Stars while on the Navy pistol team, and we contacted Cunningham for information and instructions but had no further dealings with him.  Meanwhile, my friend had a horrible recurrence of cancer and passed away, so the press sat around gathering dust for over a decade, with me only occasionally moving it from one storage site to another and slowly gathering parts to complete it.  Somewhere along about this time I joined this forum with the (correct) idea that I could get ideas and encouragement.

By two years ago I had everything I needed for the basic operation of my Star, so I took it to a friend with extensive reloading (and especially Star Reloader) experience and he cleaned it up and set it up to operate at his place.  Since then, for one reason or another, I didn't finish setting it up at home, but having gotten the last puzzle pieces from rbwillinj and maurilew recently, I had no further excuses.  I found a strange single drawer unit intended to sit on top of a dresser(?) and am mounting the press on that and after another learning trip to my mentor's place in OH, it's up and running.  Now to get the operator's skills up to the standard needed for smooth operation and I'm there!  Thanks again to the folks on this forum (especially Bruce and Ma) for all the help and encouragement!

Froggie

34

Loading Data & Reloading Procedures / Re: Lee Case Collator adapted to Star Hulme Case Feeder.

« on: July 22, 2014, 12:24:51 pm »

I've installed one of Bruce's adaptor plates on my Progressive... I like the fact that the Lee unit is supported directly on a plate rather than wobbling around on a piece of tubing.  It just seems more secure this way.  The workmanship on the plate is outstanding, and the price is reasonable. JMHO, YMMV! 

Froggie

35

Stars Want to Sell/Want to Buy / Re: WTS Lee Case Feeder Adapters

« on: July 21, 2014, 04:49:03 pm »

Well, I finally got my out Star Progressive™ and all the upgrade parts I've been gathering over the years and carried everything up for a visit with my friend and guru Dale53 in Ohio this past weekend.  I assembled all the goodies (including this adaptor) on my Progressive then mounted the whole thing on a base I found at a second hand shop.  This was my first real experience using the press, and I'm still on a pretty steep learning curve, so I'm learning to manage the modified Hulme Case Feeder as well as all the other features.  The adaptor fits just as advertised and once adjusted, it feeds perfectly and just as important, controls when the next batch of shells drops.   

Getting the plastic Lee™ base locked onto the adaptor involved making sure that the holes line up precisely and then lock down securely with the bolt and nuts provided.  When I partially disassemble the unit for storage I leave the base in place on the adaptor and lift out the four plastic tubes and the "funnel" for separate storage.  In this way, I don't have those relatively fragile tubes taking the weight of the cover, but the attachment stays aligned and I can go back to work quickly. 

As previously stated, the workmanship of the adaptor (as well as the bullet seater Bruce also provided to me) was absolutely flawless.  I would like to thank Bruce once again and highly recommend his work. 

Froggie

36

Stars Want to Sell/Want to Buy / Re: Powder Cutoff WTB

« on: July 21, 2014, 04:32:42 pm »

Well, I've owned my Star Progressive™ for 25 years, staring at it and getting a few update parts along the way and planning to eventually make up the dream reloading setup for 38 Spl.  I finally got up to see my friend and guru Dale53 in Ohio this past weekend and assembled all the goodies I've been gathering (including this powder shut-off) onto my Progressive.  Since this was my first real experience using the press, the shut-off was a very important part of my education.  A big complaint folks have is the mess that is made whenever you get out of sequence and try to get back on track.  As steep as my learning curve is at this time, loose, uncontrolled powder is not something I need to worry about.  Now I just have to remember to turn the powder back on when the process resumes! 

Thanks again MA, for a great product! 

Froggie

37

Stars Want to Sell/Want to Buy / Re: Powder Cutoff WTB

« on: June 08, 2014, 09:46:03 am »

Thanks to all who have replied.  I am in contact with Maurilew in person and a brand new cutoff unit should be on the way to me within the coming week.  I think this will have my 1950s vintage but nearly unused Star Progressive™ updated and upgraded and ready to load both 38 WC & SWC rounds.  The only addition(s) I may need will be additional powder slides and/or an adjustable one.  I have already gotten the Hulme case feeder with the addition of an Lee™ carousel-type cartridge case reservoir and funnel as well as a bunch of tubes for the factory primer feed.  I should be good to go for a while at least!    Thanks again to all who have helped! 

Froggie

38

Stars Want to Sell/Want to Buy / Powder Cutoff WTB

« on: June 04, 2014, 09:38:44 am »

Is Maurilew (or anyone else) still making the powder reservoir cutoff/drain for use on the Star Progressive™ press?  I'm stumbling along trying to get my press up and running to see me.

Froggie

39

Star Reloaders / Re: The Holy Grail of Star dies

« on: January 23, 2014, 10:26:08 am »

Send Dave a personal message and he can respond to you with more contact information.

... and he is usually quite good about getting back to you.  BTW, if you are reading this, Dave, I hope you will start a new thread and keep us apprised of any progress on the 32 Progressive conversion if you pursue it.  I for one would dearly love to have mine converted, especially if 32 H&R or even better 327 Fed Mag were a possibility.  Thirty eight special is just so...ordinary!! 

Froggie

40

Stars Want to Sell/Want to Buy / Re: WTS Lee Case Feeder Adapters

« on: August 26, 2013, 09:09:40 pm »

My adaptor unit (in brass) arrived over the weekend... the pictures don't do it justice!  This is art or jewelry quality work.  Thanks, Bruce for an outstanding product.  As I said in our e-mail, I had been thinking of cobbling something together to do the same job, but I could have never come up with this nice a piece; it will do justice to the old but like new Progressive I'll be putting it on. 

Regards,
Charlie Shaeff
Green Frog

PS  Thanks also for the bullet seater we dealt on.  Now I'm completely GTG!! 

41

Stars Want to Sell/Want to Buy / Re: WTS Lee Case Feeder Adapters

« on: August 12, 2013, 02:38:47 pm »

Bruce,

     I am ready to pull out my old Star Progressive and get it running.  Do you have the brass unit (with tube) in stock at this time?  Please shoot me an e-mail at   < gfrog53 AT yahoo DOT com > and let me know whether a check is OK or I need to send a PO Money Order.  FWIW, I've got the complete Hulme unit already installed, but missing the feed tube.

Regards,
Froggie

42

Star Reloaders / Re: The Holy Grail of Star dies

« on: July 09, 2013, 12:00:19 pm »

Still wonderin' whether my disused 38 Progressive could become an actively used 38 S&W Long or 327 Fed Mag Progressive.  Is anyone willing to take it on (and make me a proposal as to cost, time frame, etc.?)  We've established that some very nice dies are available from fc60.   

Froggie

43

Star Reloaders / Re: Progressive in 32 S&W

« on: October 08, 2012, 05:58:27 pm »

If anyone is interested, I will be posting a Phelps set up for .32 S&W L for sale.  Let me know if you are interested and I can provide more details.  When I do formally post this machine for sale, I will include photos.

James

I don't suppose you would be interested in a Star Progressive in excellent condition in some sort of trade deal would you? 

Froggie

44

Star Reloaders / Progressive in 32 S&W

« on: October 03, 2012, 01:30:39 pm »

Hello all,

     I posted the following as a response to another thread but only got one response to it, so I thought I would start a new thread devoted to it.

"Since the 32 S&W L is smaller than the 38 Spl, I am wondering why it wouldn't be relatively simple to convert a Star Progressive (not Universal) to this caliber.  Is it the shell plate?  Something else?  Inquiring minds...     

Froggie"


I know there were a relatively small number of Universal Progressives built in 32 S&W Long, but wonder specifically whether I could buy or have built the parts to make my unused 38 Spl Progressive into a highly useful 32 S&W L?  Would the cost be totally out of sight? Would a Universal be significantly less expensive to buy either as or a 32 or to convert to 32?  I would love to hear from anyone with experience in this direction.  I've only had a couple of (relatively discouraging) comments on the topic here or elsewhere to date.  Thanks in advance!!

Green Frog

45

Star Reloaders / Re: The Holy Grail of Star dies

« on: September 22, 2012, 07:35:10 am »

Since the 32 S&W L is smaller than the 38 Spl, I am wondering why it wouldn't be relatively simple to convert a Star Progressive (not Universal) to this caliber.  Is it the shell plate?  Something else?  Inquiring minds...   

Froggie