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Messages - rbwillnj

886
Star Reloaders / Re: Hoag powder bar value question.
« on: May 04, 2008, 11:05:28 pm »
They generally sell for ~$100 on ebay.

887
As far as I know, Hulme only supplied one size tube.  I have used that those tubes to load everything from 32 ACP to 45 Long Colt.  Of course you need the appropriate top plate on your Hulme for the various calibers.

I have never found an exact replacement for the Hulme tubes, but McMaster Carr has plastic tubes that should work.  http://www.mcmaster.com/
Search for product 9245K25 .  Its a clear polyester tube with and inside diameter of 1/2" and an outside diameter of 5/8" They have many other products as well , but that is the closest I have found to the original Hulme tubes.

888
Loading Data & Reloading Procedures / Re: Wolf Primer Usage
« on: April 12, 2008, 07:25:58 pm »
If you got Winchester primers for $15.50 two weeks ago, you better go back and buy as many as you possibly can.  The cheapest I can get them around here is $23.50/1000 for small, and $24.95 for large.  My source has always been one of the least expesive places around.  I just bought three cases at those prices.

889
Star Reloaders / Re: Star Reloader Parts
« on: April 12, 2008, 07:18:40 pm »
I'm not sure that Star ever made a bushing type slide, but a couple other companies did.  Berdon for one.   I have a 00 powder slide made by Berdon that is very similar to the one 45 ACP descibed as ACES.   I don't know who made the 1/2 bushing slides, but a number of users converted 1/2" Star powder slides to accept Pacific (now Hornady) bushings.

If any one is interested, I have made up a number of 1/2" powder slides that accept the Hornady bushings.  I include the spacers need to convert a 00 housing to a 1/2" housing, and a couple of starter bushings. (bushings with small holes that you can enlarge)

890
Star Lubricator & Resizers / Re: New Magna Sizer VS OLD Sizer
« on: April 01, 2008, 10:13:52 am »
Faisal,  As I'm sure you know, Zero swaged bullets are almost pure lead, and are very soft.  So you could size them very easily, but I'm not sure you would gain anything, and you might loose something if the bullets get deformed.   What you probably  want to know is what will give you the best groups at 50 yards, and I can't answer that.....and the answer might be different for each gun.

I have a Model 52-1 and a Clark 38 Special that I used to shoot before going double 45.  I was using Star HBWC till they went out of business.  I tried all sorts of cast bullets, and several commercial HBWCs.  I ended up using Remington HBWCs which give me better groups than the Stars.   The Remingtons measure .360, and the bores on both my Clark and Model 52 are about .355.   The bullets are so soft that I just don't think it makes as much of a difference as it does with cast bullets.

My guns didn't like the Zero HBWCs, I go a lot of leading, but none with the Remingtons.   I think the that black gooy lube on the Remingtons made the difference

891
Star Lubricator & Resizers / Re: New Magna Sizer VS OLD Sizer
« on: March 31, 2008, 09:54:52 pm »
As I mentioned on the Bullseye forum, Star also made flat punches for nose first sizing.   They came out with the flat punch much later, but they did offer them, and I have a number of original Star flat punches for nose first sizing.

There has been a lot of discussion on this topic in various fourms that discuss cast bullets (It was a recent topic on Cast Boolets http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/index.php? )

Like everything else, everyone has an opionion based on what works for them.   I have used them both extensively, both work very well provided you have a nose punch that matches the nose exactly, or a flat punch that is reasonably close to the size of the sized bullet.  If you are trying to do too much sizing (more than .002) in one step, you can deform bullets with either method.

Pesonally, I like nose first sizing because its a little faster, and I don't see a downside.   Now Faisal, I'm not quit as good a shot as you, but I don't think its my bullets.  Mine will hold less than two inches at 50 yards from a Ransom Rest.   I have some gas check 38s that I think will do better than that.  They give me a 1/2" group at 25 yards out of my 686.  Haven't tested them at 50 yards yet.   I nose first size them as well, and put the gas check on while sizing them nose first.

892
Star Reloaders / Re: Star Reloader Parts
« on: March 31, 2008, 09:38:52 pm »
You didn't mention those parts before, I have a complete safety cams available,   Standard, Cam, Spring, Screw, and stop pin.   I have them for both Progressives and Universals.

893
Loading Data & Reloading Procedures / Re: 2.7 powder charge bar
« on: March 29, 2008, 05:09:50 pm »
OK, that explains it.  Most people don't start reloading with a Star, so it was hard to imagine how you wouldn't already have at least some powder.   Any way, I hope you were able to make sense of my post.

894
Loading Data & Reloading Procedures / Re: 2.7 powder charge bar
« on: March 26, 2008, 08:59:20 am »
You don't own any powder????   It doesn't matter which powder you use, but you need to determine the volume of the hole in your powder slide.  You can do that by throwing some charges of any powder and finding them on the Lee chart.   If you can't do that, you can determing the volume of the hole by measuring the diameter of the hole, and using the data from one of my earlier posts  http://www.starreloaders.com/forum/index.php/topic,253.0.html   Volume of a cylinder = 3.1415 X (radius) squared X Height.  Measure the diameter of the hole on both the top and bottom of the slide and take the average.   The holes are ususally tapered.

As a side note, 2.7 BE is the classic load for a 148 grain 38 Special Hollow Base Wadcutter.   If the powder slide has not been modified you should be able to use it for that load.

895
Star Reloaders / Re: Question about Primer Slides
« on: March 25, 2008, 10:51:05 pm »
I can't say for sure, but I have always thought that the exta hole, with the milled slot, (which lines up with a hole in the base when the primer slide is pushed in) is a safety feature to allow gases to vent in the event of a primer explosion.  I'm sure that you have noticed that the underside of the primer magazine socket also has a couple of slots that seem to serve no other purpose.   Just my thoughts.

896
Loading Data & Reloading Procedures / Re: 2.7 powder charge bar
« on: March 25, 2008, 10:42:00 pm »
The attached link is includes the powder charge chart for the Lee Autodisk.   Check the powder drop of one powder that you have with a scale, then find that charge on the Lee chart.   You can then look up and down that chart in the same column and find the charge weight of equivalent charges of other powders.   Don't assume that your 2.7 BE slide drops 2.7 grains of Bullseye.  It may or may not.  That's why you have to start out by weighing a charge.

897
Star Reloaders / Re: Star Universal Loader parts
« on: March 25, 2008, 01:05:33 pm »
Centurion,  You should post which parts you are looking for.  If any of the members have them to spare, they will contact you.   

It helps if you have part numbers.  If you don't have a Star brochure with the parts list, you can download one at this link.  http://www.starreloaders.com/manuals/Star%20Illustration%20and%20Parts%20List.pdf

898
Star History / Re: Powder Slide Cam
« on: March 12, 2008, 02:03:02 pm »
You can access compositors email from his member profile

899
Star History / Re: Powder Slide Cam
« on: March 12, 2008, 09:59:38 am »
Contact Compositor on this forum.  He buys machines and parts them out on eBay under the same ID.   However, I'm not sure your idea will work.   The base for the newer type powder cam is cast differently, and has a flat area machined where the cam is attached.

You might want to ask compositor if he has an aluminum base plate he would be willing to sell.   I have seen him sell them on eBay in the past.

900
Survey Says... / Re: Extra Parts
« on: March 07, 2008, 09:58:10 pm »
Actually, I made a number of 1/2" powder slides and am selling them with spacers (to convert a 00 housing to a 1/2" housing) and a couple of bushings for $75.  If you don't need the spacers, subtract $20.   These will accept the Hornady Pistol Powder bushings as well.