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Star Reloaders Discussion Forums => Star History => Topic started by: CHAWKI44 on March 31, 2009, 11:17:46 pm

Title: Early Star Loading Machines & (proto types) Photographs
Post by: CHAWKI44 on March 31, 2009, 11:17:46 pm
more photos to share of Early Star Loaders, Note the 30-30 machine with adjustable powder drop  - RCBS shell plates - Date 1973-
Unit in 41 Mag. -Note: steel base with Star Machine Works,
Early 44 Rem. machine, note base is cast aluminum with no Star markings,also the tool head is cast aluminum. External adjustable powder drop (these machines were from Elard Mocks personnel collection)
Title: Re: Early Star Loading Machines & (proto types)
Post by: 333OKH on April 01, 2009, 12:28:17 am
Thanks for the pics, George.
Title: Re: Early Star Loading Machines & (proto types)
Post by: NYKenn on April 01, 2009, 10:44:12 am
Very interesting.

On the .44 mag. Is the small brass tube protruding from the sizing station for the spent primer to come out the front rather than drop through?
Title: Re: Early Star Loading Machines & (proto types)
Post by: Star73 on April 01, 2009, 01:53:14 pm
Ken,
Looks more like wire, some kind of actuator perharps?
Ron
Title: Re: Early Star Loading Machines & (proto types)
Post by: 2150 on April 01, 2009, 09:31:48 pm
Thank you for sharing that segment of STAR design history.
Title: Re: Early Star Loading Machines & (proto types)
Post by: NYKenn on April 01, 2009, 10:22:40 pm
Not sure Ron.
Actuator for what? I can't imagine what purpose it would serve.
Almost looks like it is below or part of the retaining strap.
Title: Re: Early Star Loading Machines & (proto types)
Post by: CHAWKI44 on April 02, 2009, 01:28:27 pm
if you are in question of the small brass tube located on the base, it has a roller on top and is part of the priming feed system. This type of press utilizes a horizontal priming tube with a wight attached to keep tension on the flow of primers, the wighted chain passes over the brass tube with roller.
Title: Re: Early Star Loading Machines & (proto types) Photographs
Post by: CHAWKI44 on April 02, 2009, 02:36:24 pm
in the photo of the 41mag. machine, the hroizontal  brass tubes in the base (there are three of them) are the early idea of the "Shell Base Locating Strap" assembly. - - the tubes have springs inside that give tension to the locating strap ( see part # 79U STAR RELOADING TOOL ILLUSTRATION AND PARTS LIST Illustration - Column 1


Title: Re: Early Star Loading Machines & (proto types) Photographs
Post by: NYKenn on April 02, 2009, 04:56:46 pm
in the photo of the 41mag. machine, the hroizontal  brass tubes in the base (there are three of them) are the early idea of the "Shell Base Locating Strap" assembly. - - the tubes have springs inside that give tension to the locating strap ( see part # 79U STAR RELOADING TOOL ILLUSTRATION AND PARTS LIST Illustration - Column 1



   
That answers the question.
Thanks.
Title: Re: Early Star Loading Machines & (proto types) Photographs
Post by: varmintpopper on April 12, 2009, 12:21:06 am
Thanks for the Pic's CHAWK144
An interesting group of Star loaders  You have there !!

Lindy
Title: Re: Early Star Loading Machines & (proto types) Photographs
Post by: Schutzenbob on April 10, 2010, 11:22:32 pm
Hi Friends,
 
This is my "Star Story," my father was once a member of "C. V. Rifle & Pistol Club" in Palm Springs, California, which went out of business about 1955. If I understand the story correctly, when the club went under the assets of the club were divided up amongst the various members and my father was given the Star Progressive Reloader and a gang mold that went with it, both the reloader and mold were thoroughly worn out. When I was in high school I hatched upon the idea to get the old reloader cleaned up and adjusted enough that it might work well enough to make ammunition (it's a 38 Special) and so I cleaned it up but later decided that it was more work that it was worth, I tried to use the gang mold (it makes 38 semi-wadcutters) too, but again it was in pretty bad shape.
 
About 1970 my brother was a student at San Diego State and so we decided that he might take it to Star Machine Works in old downtown San Diego and see if it could be made to work again. I was later told by the people at Star, that it was the oldest machine they had ever seen and so they wanted to completely rebuild it, and I think they charged me about $45.00 to make it new again. As I recall, they told us that the machine had been made in the early 1930's at the old shop that was down on the waterfront. I used the machine for a while and loaded several thousand rounds of ammo with it, but have not used it for many years, I had the gang mold resurfaced by a machinist friend and it works perfectly too. I was told by a collector that it was made by a man in Los Angeles named Fielding B. Hall.
 
Bob Tyler