Author Topic: I know this might be blasphmey here but how does a Phelps differ from Star ?  (Read 9460 times)

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M21

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As the subject says I have recently gotten a Phelps Loader and want to up grade with a case feeder, and find out the differences. Hopefully I won't get struck by lightning by posting this here.

Thanks
John

rbwillnj

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Oh I don't think you will get struck by Lightning for asking that question,  I'm sure there are plenty of Phelps users who visit the forum.   By the way, Welcome to the forum.

I have had four Phelps reloaders pass through my hands.  Of the various Star copies, the Phelps is the truest.  Nearly every part on a Phelps is interchangeable with a Star, and except for the resale price, the differences are mostly cosmetic (and I say this as a devout Star user).   

Phelps made a number small design changes in an effort to reduce machining costs.  Of the four Phelps I have owned, no two were exactly alike, but the changes were not material to the function of the machine.   Phelps made his dies on a screw machine, and the dies don't have the same quality machined appearance as Star Dies, but I haven't loaded enough rounds on a Phelps to say there is any difference in how the dies function.   Phelps also made his own carbide sizing dies.  As to the quality of the Phelps reloaders, I would say they are very close to the Stars, but some that I have owned were maybe not quite as tight as the Stars I have owned.   Whether this was due to manufacturing tolerances or ware, I can't say for sure.

Phelps reloaders typically sell for 1/2 to 2/3rds to price of a Star in comparable condition.
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Kenneth L. Walters

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The Phelps rifle unit had a manually operated powder measure, at least on the one I knew about.
former progressive press collector