Messages

121

Star History / Re: New member

« on: August 01, 2006, 05:10:45 pm »

There was a personal connection between the two firms that went on for decades.  The two owners were friends and lived near each other.  Still no mould is know with the Star name on it.  Any chance of a digital picture?

Star, incidentally, did experiment with casting machines.  Not moulds but actual machines.  A picture of this would be very interesting.

122

Star History / Re: Question for Ken Walters

« on: July 21, 2006, 08:03:40 pm »

No I don't.

123

Star Reloaders / Re: Star Add-ons

« on: July 11, 2006, 08:42:37 pm »

I appreciate the offer but I don't need it.

124

Star Reloaders / Re: Wilkerson??

« on: July 05, 2006, 09:29:12 pm »

The Star folks and the Dillon people aren't friendly!

Never could find the Wilkersons.

125

Star Reloaders / Re: Introducing Myself

« on: July 05, 2006, 09:28:07 pm »

Hi Ken:? Thanks for the post.? I have used 10 grains on speer 240's for some time.? My slide thru 10 grains of the Hercules Unique but it seems to throw around 9.2 grains or so of the new Unique by Alliant.? I read where they cleaned it up from the old formula but the amount you use would be the same as the old Hercules Unique.? In cleaning it up a little I was wondering if the density did not change some to make this slight difference in what my 10 grain slide will meter.?
Have you notice any difference??
I went to the hardware store to see if I could get some fine crocus cloth or similar but they were closed.? I have a 0.3960 cleveland reamer from my machine shop days and if the cloth was fine enough I was going to gently and slowly open up the hole.? I don't have any of my machine tools anymore or I good bore it open enough.?
BTW...that is a lot of Unique to shoot.? :-}? The 10 grain hole miked .4000 BTW.?



Actually when I looked it up I've shot 92 pounds of Unique.  I've got another 112 pounds.  Put 28,000+ rounds through my various 44 magnums.

Most of what I've shot is using SAECO #420 which is a 190 grain linotype bullet.  Use 9.3 grains of Unique.  Never could see any difference between the old Unique and the new.
SitmoM

126

Star Reloaders / Re: Ebay, Loaders & Parts For Sale

« on: July 05, 2006, 06:49:02 pm »

This fellow, or maybe his son, is a moderator on The High Road's Handloading & Reloading section.

127

Star Reloaders / Re: Ebay, Loaders & Parts For Sale

« on: July 05, 2006, 11:21:16 am »

I'm a bit uncomfortable putting a name to this so I'm not going to comment on that point.

Back when I was very seriously interested in collecting Star's and talked to the company frequently they never mentioned this fellow.  It was a decade or two later when he started putting himself forward as a big star distributor.  Might be true, of course, but I never heard of him.

The one response I got from him to a very straight forward question was a real surprise.  No idea why he was so hateful.  It was a simple historical question.

But I have been warned by several others NOT to do business with him.  I have no personal experience on that account but...

128

Star Reloaders / Re: Introducing Myself

« on: July 04, 2006, 04:32:17 pm »

Decades ago a friend was complaining about all the various powders he was using.  Quite a few.

I looked up loads for everything I was and wanted to load for and decided that for me I could use just Unique.  It works well in my rifles and revolvers and is particularly well suited for really old military rifles.  So I started buying just unique.

I've got 120 pounds of it in the garage and another 16 pounds on order.  I've probably shot up 80 or so pounds in the last couple of years.

Old or new, works just as well. 

I've probably put 20,000 rounds through my 44 magnums.  I can look up the charge if you like but I think it is around 9 grains.

So I love it!

129

Star Reloaders / Re: Ebay, Loaders & Parts For Sale

« on: July 04, 2006, 01:09:54 am »

There is an individual who has been doing this for at least the last couple of years.? Might not be the same guy, of course, but ...

Makes quite a show of having been a big time star seller years and years ago.? Has quite a bit of stuff left, all pricey.? Selling out, as I recall, because he is very sick and needs the money for medical bills.? Might well be true.

BUT there are inconsistencies in the story.? Some times it is one fellow.? Sometimes it seems to be his son.? Also the guy that I'm thinking of has indicated that he was well known back when I was collecting Stars but I never heard of him then.? The people at Star never mentioned him and I knew Ellord Mott personally.? So, well...

What the guy was famous for, as one of our Australian contributors could verify was, being someone that you wanted to avoid doing business with.

I remember asking him a question about Star history once.? Just a straight forward minor historical question.? About ten months later I got hate mail that you had to read to believe.? Never answered the question but he was certainly nasty!

130

Star Reloaders / Current Manufacturer

« on: June 30, 2006, 07:16:09 pm »

You suppose that there is any possibility that someone will seriously try to make the Star again?  Obviously the current owner isn't producing any significant number of new machines, if any.  Seems like such a shame that someone like Ballisti-Cast or Magma didn't buy the rights to this machine.  A 75+ year history of excellent allowed to just slip away.  Maddening!

131

Star History / Re: Wemco Williams Star Reloader

« on: February 21, 2006, 03:09:49 pm »

Joe Dircks.  Now there is a name not many know.  I met him when I was 32, 30 years ago.  He use to vacation at a little hot springs somewhere in new mexico.  Went there to meet him.  I remember that he had retired, the first time, the year I was born, 1943.

Joe, of course, made two straightline progressives, the Dircks and the Tri-Standard.  Still have his pictures of those, I think.  The Dircks, as I recall, was totally automated.  Electric motor to power it.  The Tri-Standard, made some years later, was hand powered.   Don't remember the company history anymore.

One thing you might consider is calling Tony Sailer.  Last I knew he still lived in Owen Wisconsin.  I think that Tony got rid of most of his press collection but you never know.

132

Star Reloaders / Re: Green Star? Reloader on eBay

« on: February 14, 2006, 09:18:03 pm »

CPM's were green like this.  This doesn't look like the CPM I owned but it might be an earlier model.  I asked this seller why he thought that it was a Star.  He just assumed that it was.

133

Star History / Re: New member

« on: February 08, 2006, 11:48:21 pm »

Just checked my profile.  That e-mail address is correct.

134

Star History / Re: Wemco Williams Star Reloader

« on: February 08, 2006, 11:46:42 pm »

Commercial loader?  The Steve Odgen I thought I remember was an assistant district attorney.

135

Star Reloaders / Re: RLS dies

« on: February 07, 2006, 11:34:22 pm »

Shockey also made undoubtedly the best straightline progressive ever.  Single.  Easy to understand and use.  It was pure genious.  But I thought that his progressives was made MUCH earlier.  Maybe the late thirties or early forties.  Pretty sure that it is pictures in Sharps book.  I had one.  Really clever.