Messages

1

Stars Want to Sell/Want to Buy / Re: Casting equipment setup

« on: August 17, 2025, 12:32:03 pm »

Don,   You might have more luck posting your equipment on the Cast Boolets forum.   However, I think you have to have a certain minimum number of posts before you can post in the WTS/WTB area.

A better option might be Facebook.   There is a Facebook group entitled "Magma bullet casting equipment owners"

Bruce Williams

2

Stars Want to Sell/Want to Buy / Re: WTS Lee Case Feeders with Adapter to Mount on a Star Reloader

« on: August 10, 2025, 05:27:53 pm »

Yes, all the time.

Bruce Williams

3

Star Reloaders / Re: Universal 38 dies be adjusted to 357 shells

« on: August 04, 2025, 01:15:48 pm »

As Dave said, the 38 Special expander needs to be shortened so it won't interfere with the powder slide when you raise it up enough to load .357 Magnum.   If you don't want to do that, I have Magnum length expanders, which counter intuitively are shorter than the standard 38 Special expanders.

Most 357 Magnum charges require a 1/2" powder slide.   I have those in stock.   You will need either a 1/2" powder slide housing to accommodate the 1/2" powder slide or a set of spacers to convert a 00 powder slide housing so it can handle the 1/2" powder slide.   I have both in stock.

Bruce Williams

4

Star History / Re: Star Branding Through the Years

« on: July 19, 2025, 09:46:26 am »

In the May 1934 Issue of American Rifleman there was a review of the Star Reloader and it mentions that Star had developed a universal model for other calibers.   I did see a Universal model with an aluminum Pat. Pending base on eBay once but it had been painted red.   If it had a decal, any remnants had been destroyed with the repaint.

I do have the machine below.   It has the same style aluminum base as the Pat. Pending machines with the powder slide cam held in place with two screws and two studs, but the Pat. Pending has been removed from the base and the patent number has been stamped into the base.   Don't know when this machine was produced, but after Feb 1936 when the patent was issued, and probably before WWII.   There is no brass plaque or any sign it ever had one, but there is no guarantee the tool head is original...but it probably is as there is no patent number stamped on the tool head. 

I doubt if the chrome plating is original, but who knows.

Bruce Williams

5

Star History / Re: Star Branding Through the Years

« on: July 17, 2025, 08:15:27 am »

Had to do a second post to get them all in.

6

Star History / Star Branding Through the Years

« on: July 17, 2025, 08:10:11 am »

Below are the various ways Star branded their machines throughout their production history.   On very early Pat. Pending machines Star Machine Works was incorporated into the cast iron base.   Next came the brass plaque on the tool head followed by the decal we are most familiar with.   There are some slight variations in the decal font over the years, but it remained pretty much unchanged for many years.

The yellow decal came next.   Don't know when they started using this, but based on the recent post about a "New in the Box" machine, it was in use in 1987.

The yellow decal was followed by the silver sticker.   I have a Rifle machine with this sticker which I know was produced in 1990.

The sliver sticker was followed by the gold metallic sticker.   Star was using this at the end.

The Star Machine Works - Pioneer California is the sticker that Bill Cunningham used.   He assembled some machines from parts and also sold tool heads with this label.

The last one is the decal that I use on the machines that I rebuild.   The field is gold rather than the mustardy color in the original Star decals.   I don't sell them.  They are used exclusively on the machines that I rebuild, so please don't ask.    I hate to disappoint.


Bruce Williams

7

Survey Says... / Re: New to me star

« on: July 15, 2025, 09:19:12 pm »

Feel free to give me a call and I can walk you through it.

Bruce Williams

8

Stars Want to Sell/Want to Buy / Re: Star Reloader Value

« on: June 23, 2025, 08:47:27 am »

So back to the original question.    Looks like a brand new Universal in 38 Special machine made in 1987.  The packing newspaper is usually a reliable way to  date a new in the box Star reloader.   The machine also has a few design features that would date it after 1982.   These include the wider cut outs for the shell locator straps and the Rocker Arm Screw locking Screw.   

I have seen the yellow label on a number of both reloaders and Lubricator Sizers.   It contains the San Diego zip code.   I don't know when Star started using the yellow label, but it was long after 1963 when Zip codes started.   One of these days I will post pictures of the various labels Star used over the years.

Anyway, a new Star Universal in 38 Special without a case feeder and without a taper crimp die should sell for about $700.   Not sure if you will get that as there is limited interest in 38 Special machines.

Bruce Williams

9

Stars Want to Sell/Want to Buy / Re: Clear Tubes for Hume Case Feeder

« on: June 17, 2025, 08:39:48 am »

If you are loading 41 Magnum or smaller cartridges, you can use polycarbonate tube with an OD of 5/8" and an ID of 1/2".  I purchase it from McMaster Carr in 8ft lengths.
McMaster part#   8585K106.  You can probably get it from any plastic supplier.   If you want to load 44 Magnum, 45 Colt of 45 AR it's more complicated.  You can buy acrylic tube with an ID of 14MM and an OD of 18mm, but I have only been able to find it in 1ft or shorter lengths.   It's on Amazon.

I have not been able to find anything equivalent to the original Hulme tube.  Maybe someone else has had better luck.

10

Loading Data & Reloading Procedures / Re: Small pistol primer brass 45acp

« on: June 04, 2025, 07:10:28 am »

I know that Federal has made a small primer version of their 45 ACP case.    A few years back I put out a WTB for 2000 pieces once fired Federal brass on the Cast Boolets forum.   I probably ended up with 50 or so pieces with small primer pockets.

It doesn't matter how many times you go through them, there is always one more.

11

Star Reloaders / Re: Star 223 Rem rifle press

« on: March 11, 2025, 09:48:23 pm »

Looking at the machine a little closer, it looks like it doesn't have a 223 shell plate.   I might have a 380 shell plate which would hold a 223 case, but it doesn't have a recess in the top of the shell plate large enough to accommodate a 7/8 die for full length sizing.  I'm guessing a 380 shell plate.

12

Star Reloaders / Re: Star 223 Rem rifle press

« on: March 11, 2025, 01:43:37 pm »

That machine is actually a Star Rifle Machine in 223.   Star did make a machine referred to as the Star 223 Pistol Machine that for lack of a better description is a Hybrid between the Rifle Machine and a Universal.   The Rifle Machine has a 1" taller column, and a large capacity powder slide.  The rifle machine uses a tool head with a thicker flange, that is not compatible with a Universal.  Most have an adjustable powder slide, but I have seen early machines with brass powder slides.   

The 223 pistol machine has a standard Universal length column, uses a Rifle tool head and has a thinner powder slide that uses bushings.   I have only seen one 223 Pistol Machine in the wild, so I would say it is even more rare than the elusive Rifle Machine.

At $1500, the machine on eBay is priced fairly.  It is missing dies, but standard RCBS 7/8" dies fit and work well in a Rifle machine.   I can't see if it has the Star expander, but not really needed if you use a sizing die with a carbide expander ball.  If I didn't already have a couple of them, I would grab it.

Bruce Williams

13

Star Reloaders / Re: Primer feed question

« on: December 05, 2024, 09:38:01 am »

Bruce
Green paint on a Star?
Thought that was a Phelps thing.

You might be thinking of CPM.  I have never seen a Phelps in anything but blue.

14

Star Reloaders / Re: Primer feed question

« on: December 02, 2024, 02:33:17 pm »

Bruce
Green paint on a Star?
Thought that was a Phelps thing.

It's a very early machine.  There is a lighter green primer under the green paint, so I'm pretty sure the green is original.    I have another Star with a cast iron base and that one is Blue, but I can see traces of black paint under the blue on all three of the painted parts.   Black, like the picture from American Rifleman is what I would have expected for this time period.

Although according to the 1934 American Rifleman article the Universal model was available at that time, the Universal base on this machine is a later addition.   I can't tell if it was an original Universal with a newer Universal base or if it was originally a Progressive.

Notice that they have already moved away from the Pipe T used for the crankshaft assembly.

15

Star Reloaders / Re: Primer feed question

« on: December 01, 2024, 05:48:52 pm »

The Star Progressives/Universals "always" had the primer feed.  It's shown on their patent application.   Below is a picture of Star Progressive #54 (the only one I have ever seen with a "serial" number), and another picture from the review in the May 1934 American Rifleman. 

No54 is even older than the American Rifleman version.   Notice the absence of link stops to prevent over rotation of the crankshaft.

John Hulme made the Hulme case feeders and use to supply a kit to locate, drill and tap the hole for mounting his case feeder.   It was such a popular accessory that Star started to factory drill & tap the base for the Hulme case feeder.   Best I can figure is they started to do that in about 1959.

Bruce Williams

PS   I have never seen plastic primer feed tubes.  Doesn't mean it didn't happen, but I have never seen one.   With a 60+ year production history, two words that should be avoided when discussing Star reloaders are Always and Never.   And I just broke my own rule.