Primer Follower Rod steel , no fiber end tip . Update Picture

[star60]

I have been using a Star universal since  1960 . The Primer Follower Rod is made of steel with a tip made of a sort of fiber material . I purchased a newer ( had 1988 booklet with it ) Star that has a Follower Rod made of solid steel with a Red top plastic button grip . It is the correct length . Am I safe using this rod  ?   Should rods have a non metallic  end ? I have  a Phelps  with a  plastic cover over the last inch  . MY steel rod  fits  too closely in the small tube to ever have had a plastic coating over it .  I have 3 Stars and only this latest one has a solid steel rod . If anyone has a rod with this top button and solid steel or with a soft tip please let everyone know .

[rbwillnj]

I'm pretty darn sure your solid steel rod primer follower was not a factory option.   All that I have seen, have a soft end, either a fibrous material as you described on early models, or a nylon rod on later machines.   The parts that I obtained when I purchased Star included parts and fixtures for making the follower rods with a nylon end piece.

I don't know if your follower is safe or unsafe.  Whenever you deal with primers, there are inherent risks involved, and proper care must be taken.   I don't know the weight of your follower rod compared to the original, but I would not recommend using a follower that is heavier than the original, and I definitely would not recommend adding weights to a primer follower as I have seen on many machines on eBay.

An important function of the Primer Follower Rod is to drop down into the primer slide when the last primer has been used.  This prevents advancing the shell plate and loading a round without a primer.   I think the primary reason for the soft end on the follower rod is to prevent damage to the primer slide.    At one time or another we have all pulled down on the handle when the machine has no primers, and the follower rod is all he way down causing the primer slide to jam into the follower rod. 

Bruce Williams

[Rolling Stone]

I have a piece of brazing rod with an empty shell of the type the follower is used on for a small extra weight. I have reloaded thousands of rounds and had no problem. I have the empty drilled in the primer flash hole to fit and the rod cut so the empty lacks about 1/8" reaching the housing when the primers run out as a visual of when I am getting close to being out.

[varmintpopper]

Dropping a metal rod down the tube onto primers could set them off, I'm thinking the plastic/Fibours material could also be there as a cousion to help prevent this from happening.

Good Shooting

Lindy

[rbwillnj]

Dropping even an OEM follower rod down the primer magazine can set off primers, but the longer the drop and the heavier the rod, the more likely you will have an incident.   i.e. if there is only a few primers left in the primer magazine and you let the follower rod free fall, you are likely to experience some ringing ears or worse.

As I mentioned earlier, the principal reason for the nylon or fiber end is not to prevent primer explosions, but to prevent damage to the primer slide.

There really is no reason to add extra weight to a follower rod.  The OEM rod works fine, and if you are having problems there is something else wrong.  It might be a bent primer follower, a dirty primer magazine, a small burr on the end of the primer magazine, or something with the primer system that is out of adjustment.  Better to fix the problem than compensate for it with a heavier follower rod.

New primer follower rods are only $15.

[fc60]

Greetings,

With regards to primer tube maintenance, I find a 0.177" "Bore Snake" works well for cleaning the tubes. Especially tubes that I buy off eBay and Gun Shows that have been sitting for a long time.

Alternately, a double ended "Q-Tip" wet with 99% Isopropyl alcohol pushed through with the following rod also cleans out a lot of "gunk".

Cheers,

Dave

[tony barone]

I've loaded 250,000 rounds on my Star Machine and have never had a primer issue meaning perfectly loaded primers every time. Both Star and Bruce's followers are works of art. They were designed as Bruce stated ,and I am always very careful lowering the rod with both hands.

[cc656d]

I once had a problem with a Star that I bought new , It seems that ever now and then ( al least once in a box of primers the follower whuld hang up and load a round or two without a primer ( a royal mess ) After some investigation i learned not to use Remingtom LP primersas they were excessively out of round thus hangups . During this time I found a  Remington primer without an anvil which is not a problem but when I found one with two anvils I quit using Remington . I still have the two primers . I have never had a problem with any other primer .

[Rolling Stone]

As far as dropping the follower on primers, I would think a ham handed operator like that would have other problems with a Star as well as a ringing in the ears. You can't idiot proof anything. Idiots are so damn resourceful.

[rbwillnj]

From a resourceful ham handed operator.

http://www.starreloaders.com/forum/index.php?topic=959.msg3613#msg3613

It only takes a moment of inattention or a minor distraction.....or just being in too much of a hurry.

Bruce Williams

[Rolling Stone]

I'm glad everything survived in one piece. Inattention can bite you. I hope you didn't take the jab personally. It was meant as a caution to use finesse. Sometimes my way with words, leaves something to be desired. Sorry.

[rbwillnj]

No offense taken.

I wanted to make it clear that while I STRONGLY recommend an OEM Primer Follower Rod with NO added weight, that alone does not eliminate the possibility of primer explosions.    Star reloaders have many safety features designed in, but the ultimate safety feature is careful use by the operator.

Bruce Williams