Powder Measure mounting

[Jasper]

I have several (I believe to be) Star Presses. One of them is missing the powder measure. I tried to move one from one press to the other and the mounting screws are not in the same place. I used a caliper to set the distance of the three that are the same and then took a picture to illustrate the distance difference. Can anyone shed light on this? The one missing the powder measure, the mounting screws seems to be much closer than the other three I have.

Thanks
Bob

[rbwillnj]

Could we see some more pictures of the reloaders?   From the little I can see in the pictures, i'm not sure either is a Star.

[Jasper]

All 4 look substantially like this one. If it isn't a star someone was looking over someone else's shoulder! I dont know enough about these things to fill a thimble so please don't be shy! I will take all the information I can get.

[rbwillnj]

Well, Its not a Star, not a Phelps, and I don't think its a Berdon, but it may have borrowed some parts from any one of those.   Right now I would say its a home made copy.

If you do a search on the forum for homemade or home made, you will see several other examples.   Sometime back I picked up one with a brass tool head.

[Jasper]

Well then....

What makes you think or say or know it isn't a star? Please don't hear that with doubt.... I recognize you as the authority on the topic I am just looking for the education. The shell retainers on the base seem different than the "flexible" style I see on star but the rest of the base looks identical. the shaft attached to the base, the milling on the base, the pivot bar that inserts the primer, the primer bushing, primer pin and spring, the plug for the drop through for rimmed cases, the actuator for the primer system, the primer actuator that moves the primer plate, the primer plate, the orientation of the dies, the case flare stud, the tool head bushing, the tool head design, return spring, spring mount, primer tube, shaft mount, shell plate, number of positions, detent, detent spring, ball and bolt, case feed mount, tappered tool head retaining pin, powder measure, powder measure cam. and more all look to be identical to start parts.  The actual base and handle appear different but even the handle looks like an after market or replacement part that is seen on star presses.

My Argument is not this is a Star... My question is I have put in pretty significant effort and I can not see it. How would one know one from the other

I will do some searching for homemade and home made and see what I can find. I appreciate your time and education on the topic.

[rbwillnj]

I'm sure whoever made your machines spent many many hours on them, but its pretty easy to pick out the differences.   If you take a look at some of the Star and Phelps machines on eBay you can easily see the differences.   Here are a few;

The aluminum base has the wrong profile and looks to be machined rather than cast.
The manner in which the powder slide cam is attached is all wrong.
The Crank Shaft is wrong for a Star, but could be a Berdon.
The Crank Shaft Casting doesn't look like a casting, it looks to have been machined from a solid block, and the profile doesn't resemble anything from Star, Phelps or Berdon.
The Powder Slide Housing looks to be machined steel.  Star and Phelps used zinc.  Berdon used cast iron.

With more pictures I'm sure I could pick out some other differences, but you get the idea.

Bruce Williams

[Scott L]

Hi Jasper,
I bought a bunch of Berdan machines a while ago and yours doesn't match them. I also have Stars and no match there.
The die head on yours looks machined and welded - is it?. The other brands are cast.
Another way to check is the use of Star's 1/2-27tpi expander plug thread. Not a normal pitch. See if yours is 1/2-20 or 28tpi.
Hope this helps,
Scott

[Jasper]

I see both of your points. I am not sure some parts where not purchased and used on these presses or maybe broken presses were repaired. Hard to tell. One thing is clear someone was definitely coping someone else!

So back to the original question.... Are all the mounting screws for powder measures the same? As near as I can measure the mounting screws on the one missing the powder measure it looks like they are 1.625 center to center. I could make one but I am not well equipped to do so. I would much rather buy one that fits.

[rbwillnj]

Star, Phelps and Berdon all use the same hole pattern for mounting the powder slide housings.   Center to center is about 1.9".

[Jasper]

That’s the hole centers on three of the 4. But the 4th is smaller. Seems odd