Messages

1

Star Reloaders / Re: The Perfect Progressive

« on: December 23, 2005, 10:55:11 pm »

Ray,

Having blown up a primer tube once, I can only imagine the trouble that a .45 GAP with a small primer pocket could cause in a .45 ACP loader. 

I did understand that you were looking for improvements to the Star machine. But my response is a round about way of saying that a well tuned Star is pretty hard to beat for its specfic purpose.  When I was shooting pistol, I cast bullets from wheel weights, in a four cavity mould, lubed them with a Lyman 45 Lubrisizer to .452, and loaded 5.2 of 231with my Star,  and shot a few rapid fire cleans. Ammo was not the hold back!

2

Star Reloaders / Re: The Perfect Progressive

« on: December 22, 2005, 09:51:19 pm »

Ray,

I really like my Star.  I also really like my Dillon 550B.  My Star is a Universal in 45acp, which has had a primer tube explosion. It did not hurt me, but did kind of wear out my welcome at the house I had it set up in ( I was living in Sr. Enlisted Bachelor Qaurters on Fort McPherson at that time).

In my opinion an auto-indexing maching that could load both rifle and pistol cases, equipped with both auto case feeder and auto primer feed devices might well sell.  It would have to be superior to the Dillon 1050 and sell for the same money or less.

While your thinking hat is on, here are a couple things I would like to buy. A machine to prep brass for high power, it would have to resize the brass without using an expender ball to open the case neck. That would be handled at a station where the hollow tube that expanded the neck similar to a Sinclair mandrel, would also permit a tool to deburr the flash hole.  Swage the primer pocket crimp, and uniform the primer pocket, trim the case to length (max for the caliber), and chamfer the case neck inside and outside, for VLD bullets.

Seat a primer to a specified depth in the primer pocket, charge the case with the powder of your choice weighed like a Prometheus to .01 grains with an SD < .015 and ES for 22 charges of < .095 grains.  Then seat the bullet of your choice to .001 = or - .0005" run out.

Oh it should cost less than $2K and produce at least 1000 rounds an hour.  I am not being facetious, it appears that the road to getting into the reloading business is a tough one.

I truly wonder what a fellow who had Mike Dillon's or your business acumen could do if he owned the Star Machine rights. 

If I had not just gotten promoted to Sergeant Major I might have been personally interested in this sort of venture, and may still well  be in the future.

Respectfully,

Michael

3

Star Reloaders / Where we may have met previously

« on: January 15, 2005, 11:36:18 pm »

Ray,

I shot one match at River Bend with a rifle while I was stationed at USARC in Atlanta(1992-97). I think it was about 1995.  Mostly I shot IPSC there because I had equipment for that, and they played regularly at South
River Gun Club.

We have met at Perry, where I bought some stuff from you.
I am chasing the pin with the rifle, have slowly crept up, this year I will be earning some points.

The cause of the primer tube explosion, I was in a hurry and was cranking out a couple hundred rounds for practice. The machine was binding up a bit because I had spilled some 231 on it. I was loading in the basement of a friend's house.

The primer arm probably was carrying a little powder in it, and this prevented the fed primer from seating all the way down, as the slide moved forward the primer was crushed sideways because it was sticking up too high. This due to some powder on the shell plate and platen?.

This set some of the primers in the tube off , and the remainder were ejected into the sub flooring of the first floor .  The are still some unexploded primers buried in the bottom surface of the subflooring. (The hanging ceiling tiles were shredded, and the primer follower was stuck into the joist).

My fault entirely, should have stopped and cleaned up, should have stopped to see what the "hang up was instead of forcing it.

By the way, when I ordered parts from Star, I told was not the first to have blown up a primer magazine.  In fact the guy I spoke to did not seem to think it a really big deal. (Perhaps he was supressing his laughter at my stupidity.)



NEVER LET ANY PORTION OF YOUR BODY OVERHANG THE PRIMER SYSTEM WHILE THE MACHINE IS BEING OPERATED!

4

Star Reloaders / More Information soon, Please introduce yourselves...

« on: January 14, 2005, 11:59:17 pm »

Hi Ray, (to all, this is the famous Ray Brandes of High Power rifle fame, who produces the excellent Ray-Vin stuff).

To introduce myself,
Michael Carlin is a 54 year old professional soldier who continues to serve in the Army.  At present I am a Master Sergeant in a training development, and conduct operation here in Wisconsin. (Yes, that is Fort McCoy, near Sparta).

I am a distinguished pistol shot (1995).

My father and I bought a Star in about 1984 or 5, I have loaded about 25K rounds of 45 acp on this one.  It was purchased at the same time as an MA indexer and Hulme case feeder.

About 1996, I had a primer tube explosion. (I had never cleaned the machine and the fault was totally, mine).

I loaded a couple thousand rounds after that, but the maching has spent several years in the box the movers packed in in when I left Atlanta in 1997.

I have cleaned it up and am ordering a EZ Loader from TD Oniell, who posts here.  

I own at present an RCBS A, a Dillon 550, a CH single station, I have owned a CH 4 station, a Dillon 450, a Herter's C press.

The Star is simply the best of the lot!  Mine, when clean and adjusted, will produce match quality ammo effortlessly.  

I am disappointed that the machine we paid about $900 for with the Hulme and the MA indexer is now only worth 300 to 450 dollars.

The only machine that can compare is the Dillon 1050, they are about 1400 to 1600 bucks.  I think the Star a real outstanding value.

in fact, I am looking for a machine in 10mm or a universal to convert to 10mm.

Thanks for the Star Reloaders Forum!

5

Star Reloaders / Tubes for Hulme case feeder and Freeloader parts/schematic

« on: January 05, 2005, 10:13:54 pm »

Where can I get the tube for my Hulme .45 acp case feeder?

Where can I buy a free loader, or does anyone have the dimensions to make one?

6

Star Reloaders / New to this forum, unsophiscated Star user

« on: January 04, 2005, 11:47:04 pm »

Hi, professional soldier, 54, still serving, enlisted (MSG) U.S. Army, currently stationed CONUS.

Own a Star Universal that my father bought for me about 20 years ago.  Had a primer magazine explosion in it about 10 years ago. Have loaded about 15-25 K rounds on it. (Problems with primer feed explosion caused by my poor maintenance. It just plain got too dirty to run.)

I replaced the primer feed parts, and sort of fell into shooting stuff loaded on my Dillon 550B.

The loader is currently sitting on my newly constructed work bench and aside from being dusty seems to function. It has the Hulme case feeder and the indexer that pushes the case in the size station to the prime station.

I am going to put this guy back into service.  Where can I get a Freeloader and a tube? I was once pretending to be a journeyman equipment mechanic for ten years or so. Can a moderately skilled person tear one of these down, clean it up, green pad off a little rust, reassemble and lube it without getting into serious trouble?

When I bought it, there were instructions on mounting it on a bench so that you sat on the bench to anchor it, the loader was to be installed on a platform built up a bit.  Someone has a post describing this. Are there plans for this setup?

It certainly helped me to become a Distinguished Pistol Shot (1995) and now I would like to see if I can crank out a President's One Hundred score.  The wad cutter loaded on it should help me get ready for the "ball gun" President's match.