About What Year?

[My(2)Cents]

Just got this from my dad who had it for years and he got it from a guy who had, had it for years as well. I love it so far and it still works like a charm. I was just wondering if anyone knew an approximate date of manufacture. I know that he took the hopper for the brass off because he didn't like it but other than that its all original.





Thanks guys!

[ARTINCT]

Cannot tell what year.... pretty much none of us can.
Yours has what appears to be a Rich Daniels L handle.... odd but it looks like it is on the left side of the crank shaft.
It appears the machine once had a Hulme type case feeder as the stand off is still attached to the spring anchor.
There is also a jogger type tube holder on one of the link arms which was used by the FREELOADER type case feeder tops.
The jogger type holder allowed the Freeloader to "wobble" and thus drop brass down the tube.

The powder slide cam... is it connected to a base that has 3 screws that mount it to the round base?
Some of the early STARS had the powder slide cam base that was molded directly to the round base, thus not two parts but one.

I cannot tell from your photos...

Art

[My(2)Cents]

this is the best pic I can get of the powder slide I can only see 2 screws on it though.

[rbwillnj]

So was your Dad or the previous owner left handed?  Your star is the only one I have seen with the handle on the left side.  (I have seen one that was ambidextrous).

My guess would be early 60's.

[ARTINCT]

this is the best pic I can get of the powder slide I can only see 2 screws on it though.

Ok, you misunderstand.... The Powder Slide CAM is the tall dark blued metal cam that is attached to the round base
and thru which the powder slide itself rides on (and thus goes in and out because of the CAM profile). 

The CAM is connected to the base on early machines directly to the
round base casting.  I have one such machine and it was purchased Pre WW2
according to the original owner.   

Later on, (time frame unclear) STAR machines simplified the round base and the casting process and had a powder slide CAM holder that
had 3 SCREWS which attached the cam and holder to the base.

[Kirk A]

My first Star has an integral base AND is tapped for the Hulme case feeder. Other experts here informed me that the Hulme case feeder appeared in the mid-1950s and that the new style cam base appeared in the early-mid-1960s, perhaps around 1964. A third indicator can be the hole in the taper crimp position of the tool head, specifically whether or not it was a smooth (3/8" ?) hole or a tapped die hole. But I forget the significance of when that transition took place.

By what I can see (barely) beyond the wooden steps on the left rear, the powder cam appears to have an integral base -- that is, it is cast with the circular base. The circular base on later models had a boss where a smaller cam base casting bolted on. Search around the forum; you're sure to find pictures illustrating each.

Upon enlarging your photographs, it appears that your Star is also drilled and tapped for the Hulme case feeder. (This is indicated by the tapped hole in the side of the base below the location where cases are introduced to the shell plate.) Therefore, I'm guessing that yours is a similar age to mine; I'm told that mine was produced between about '55 and '64. (The latter of that range is when I was produced, so I always marvel at having such a machine that's older than I am! 8^)

[rbwillnj]

From what I have been able to determine, Star started factory drilling and tapping for the Hulme case feeder in about 1959.   So if you find a machine without the hole, it's a sure bet it's older than 1959.   However, Hulme offered a kit to locate, drill and tap the hole for the case feeder on older models.  I have drilled and tapped a couple of them myself.   The Hulme case feeder is such a popular accessory that there seems to be very few machines out there that don't have the hole for a Hulme case feeder, so if the machine has the hole, you can't assume it is newer than 1959.   The change in the Powder slide cam happened in late in 64 or 65.   Star changed their instruction sheet in 65 to picture the new style powder slide cam.   

I would love to know when Star changed from the unthreaded 3/8" hole to the 11/16"-24 threaded hole for the taper crimp die.   Is there anyone out there who bought a machine new from Star with the 3/8" taper crimp die hole??

[ARTINCT]

Good Info Bruce!
Here are some Pics of the early Powder Slide Came Attachment and then the newer one....
Here is the old style...

Here is the other side of the old style showing one screw connection with keyway...

Now here is a picture of the newer Style late 64 or newer....

[rbwillnj]

I got to thinking about the vintage of the threaded taper crimp die, so I went back to do a little "Price List" research.   I have price lists from 1945, 1958, 1960, 1966, 1968, 1973, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1983, 1988, 1990, 1991 and 1993.   The price lists prior to 1978 list part #18 Crimping Die, but do not list part #18T Taper Crimp Die.  The price lists for 1978 and 1979 list Taper Crimp Dies for both the unthreaded 3/8" hole, and a 11/16-24 threaded hole.  Price lists after 1979 only list #18T for a 11/16-24 threaded hole.

My price list collection has big gap between 1973 and 1978, so I can't say when Star started to offer an 11/16"-24 threaded taper crimp die, but I think it is safe to say that by 1978 they had converted to the threaded hole for the taper crimp die.   Keep in mind that many old style tool heads have been drilled and tapped for 11/16"-24 taper crimp dies, so the existence of a threaded hole for the taper crimp die cannot be used to date the tool head much less the reloader.

Maybe some other members have price lists for 1974-1977 to help us better nail down the date for the transition.

I have never seen a Star tool head that did not have a hole of some sort for a taper crimp die, so I'm assuming that it was offered even though it was not listed on the earlier price lists.

[My(2)Cents]

Thanks for all the replys!
Here are a few more pics that should help a bit. But I believe it is the older style.







BTW the wooden steps and mirror are there for the user to see into the case befor putting the head on to verify the powder isn't a "double load"

[fc60]

Greetings,

I was re-reading a Gil Hebard catalog dated 1972. Within it, are the Taper Crimp dies for the Star Loader in 38 Special and 45 ACP. They are offered in either the "new style" 11/16-24 or "old style" 3/8" plain post.

Perhaps this will narrow down the date the heads were modified to 11/16-24 at the crimp station.

Cheers,

Dave Wilson

[rbwillnj]

Good information Dave.   Interesting that the 1973 Star parts list doesn't list an 18T taper crimp die of any kind, though apparently they were offering both styles at that time.

I have a 1969 Gil Hebard catalog and it does not mention taper crimp dies of any kind in the Star section.

[My(2)Cents]

So was your Dad or the previous owner left handed?  Your star is the only one I have seen with the handle on the left side.  (I have seen one that was ambidextrous).

My dad is not left handed but I have no idea if the guys he got it from was. I would like to get the Indexer and ejector for it but as it is they would be in the way of the handle being on the left side. Is there a way to switch it back?