Star Straightline owner

[spalazzo]

Can any member supply any info or photo on the star straightline. Other than the bad photo in Phil Sharpe's book, I cannot find any other. I purchased this one  many years ago from an armory in NYc . Caliber 30/06 . I Feel It's complete and still load on it But i have nothing to compare . Does any drawing showing parts or close up photos exist

[Kenneth L. Walters]

The picture in Sharpe's book pretty well matched the one I owned.  But there is a fellow here who was working for Star when they went under and I think he said that he had enough parts to make ten or so more.  Hopefully you can contact him about missing pieces.

I never heard of a Star straightline in a rifle caliber.

[Kenneth L. Walters]

eaglemike is the name of the fellow with the star straightline parts I think.

[spalazzo]

Thanks Ken , for the info concerning parts . The machine sits with L.E.Wilson die marked 30/06  in the first station. The second station has a .30 cal expander top  ( not marked). The bullet seater looks identical to the Wilson but not marked. The armory where I got this from had no pistol range but had a 100 yard indoor rifle range.It might have been a special order or the diie's were later fitted by the  armory.

[Kenneth L. Walters]

Some straightlines of that era, including the Star straightline, used what by today's standards was a weird full length resizing die.  The case went into the gun.  To get it out as the case rose up a rod pushed down on the inside of the case to force it back out.  Weird.  There was no conventional shell holder at the full length resizing station.

You machine use this odd kind of full length resizing?  I've seen it on a couple pistol progressives, including the Star straightline, but I've never see it used on a rifle case.

[spalazzo]

kEN
That's exactly how this die work's . The top has a spring loaded decapping pin rod assembly. No shell holder as per say . From the photo in Sharpe book There appears to be a chain hanging in front and a rod in back to eject the finished round . Is that correctand do you know that the chain was for.
Thanks
Sal Palazzo 

[Kenneth L. Walters]

The chain had a weight on one end and the other end was attached to the primer system.  This is how a primer was pulled forward to the priming station. 

[spalazzo]

Ken.
 I don"t follow you  This seems to be missing on my mackine . I can only insert primers  one at a time by hand . Can you explain further
Thanks

[Kenneth L. Walters]

The primer feed was a rectangular piece of brass.  Three sided.  Open topped.  The weight was connected by a chain to a small part at the back of the primer feed.  The weight kept pressure on the rear of the primer mechanism.  This forced the first primer in the feed to the priming station. 

[spalazzo]

Ken
Thanks again for the info.This is clearly not there on my machine. It appears to be blocked off or removed . Can you answer the following : did this priming device hold multiple primers as in a tube, tray or placed one by one
                did this piece slide over and drop primer into position
                did this self index or manual
                 cou;d this priming device be used in loading both pistol and rifle primers
Do you know of any photo showing this
Thanks Sal Palazzo

[Kenneth L. Walters]

It has been about eight years since I've seen mine so I might get this wrong.

The primer device was a rectangular piece of brass maybe six inches long.  The inside width and height roughly matches the dimensions of the primers.  The top was open along the entire length.  The open top wasn't quite the width of the top.  Seem to remember minor lips on each side but I could be wrong about that.

The weight on the end of the chain hung from the front of the machine.  Worked kind of like a counterweight on a coocoo clock.

The weight attached via the chain to a sled like device that sat behind the primers.  The reason for the "lips" at the top of the rectangular brass was to keep the sled from being able to pop out.  The sled could ONLY be pulled forward.

This pressure keep moving primers forward.  Use one and the next one would slide into place.  Looked a bit odd but it worked just fine.

I seriously doubt that this has been blocked off on your machine.  You just don't have the counterweight, primer "tray" (the rectangular thingie), the sled, chain and counterweight.  I'd ask the fellow here who has parts if he has those that he might sell you.

Specifically to answer your list of questions.
  this gadget got the primers to the right position.
  it indexed (pushed the primers to the right place) automatically under pressure from the weight
  it could load any primers of a given width so I would assume that it could handle them all.

Sorry no photograph of that particular part

[spalazzo]

KEN
Your last reply was very helpful. I went to the machine tonight and dismantled the primer area There is a square metal plate that covered the primer groove. In that groove there is a brass piece with a slot cut [no e-mail]@ to guide primers appox 1.25 "long. This was completely covered by this plate . On top of this plate there is a now a make shift metal wall brace. both pieces cover the primer area . When I got the machine I recall it was mounted on the bottom and to an l shaped plank. It looks very professional and original but i relize now it was later done by the armory  and eliminate the primer device
 I also e- mailed eaglemike is he has parts
Thanks
 Sal Palazzo

[rbwillnj]

spalazzo,

It would be great if you could post a picture of your machine.  I'm sure that most of us have never seen one.

Thanks
rbwillnj

[spalazzo]

rbwillnj,
 I've never taken pictures of this but I will. Give me a little time so I can get this done .  Some other collectors, Might find them interesting .
Thanks
 spalazzo