The Perfect Progressive

[Ray Brandes]

Having used my Star for over a year now, and am very happy with it except for the hassle of emptying the powder hopper.
I have been enjoying the replys to this thread, I guess it is safe to review a few things.

I agree about auto indexing. I have used a Dillon 1050 and don't like the indexing. If you forget and go to fast powder splashes out of the cases. The Dillon needs a gas damper or something to slow you down before the index on the upstroke.

What I didn't like with the Star is that powder will drop when no case is present. Now that I am used to it, I just hold a scale pan under that station and avoid a mess.

I also feared double charges. This press was my first progressive and also my first experience at loading for handgun. Two things that were very different compared to loading rifle on a RockChucker. In a couple of thousand rounds I have only had one double charge.  When it happened, I knew it, the shooters to my right and left knew it, and everyone else on the line knew it! And it wasn't all that bad as I had feared. The 1911 can take it.

Were I to revisit my idea of building the perfect press, here is what it would be like:
First, it wouldn't be a toy. It wouldn't be inexpensive. It would be for high volume reloading.
It would probably be in-line and powered by a motor. This would provide the umph for big cases like .30-06 and also for smooth consistant motion. The motor would dirve a flywheel and a clutch would cycle the press. It could run on-demand (one stroke at a time) or continuous.
The powder drop would be case actuated.
There would be a station to check for powder presence and  level.
Bullets could be automatically feed or placed by hand.
Low brass, primers, powder or bullets would stop the machine.
In-line would allow more than the usual number of stations. Stations would all be wide enough and far enough apart that any operation could be placed at any station. For example:
1)Feed brass on upstroke,  Lube and decap on down stroke
2)Size (full length for semi-auto rifles)
3)Expand neck (I don't use an expander ball. Instead, I perfer the Lyman M die.)
4)Prime
5)Charge
6)Check charge
7)Place bullet
8)Seat bullet
9)Crimp
10)Spare
No eject station with an in-line, the round just falls off the end.

I suppose I just described the kind of machines that the industry uses. Oh well.

Regards and Happy New Year,
Ray Brandes

[dd in MA]

Having just acquired a Star Universal, with what I think is a Brewster indexer, I have a question to Jet22:  Can you post a picture of the indexer somewhere?  mine screws to the bench in front of the press.  In operation an aluminum plate rides from left to right and in toward the press, catching a case and moving the shellplate to the next station.  This alum plate is heavily gouged, apparently from hitting the large ring that holds the shellplate (sorry, I do not have the parts list handy).

My next question is whether this alum plate is original or replaced.  With all of the other parts being of higher quality metal, this one leaves me wondering.

I have yet to work on the press as I am in the midst of a major cleanup to relocate several presses so that I can mount the Star.  Too many interruptions.  :-)

[Ray Brandes]

I have some Brewster parts for sale on ebay, listed this morning. I can scan the drawings if that helps.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7208957578
Myself, I don't care for auto indexers.
Regards, Ray

[rbwillnj]

DD in MA

I am having a hard time picturing what you are describing.  The only aluminum on a Star Reloader is the base plate, and that is not contacted by the shell plate or the nut (thurst nut) that holds the shell plate at any time.  Are you talking about part of the indexer contacting the thrust nut?  If it is part of the indexer, than no, its not a Star part. 

If you don't have one, you can download a copy of the Star Reloader Instructions (including parts list) from the following web site. http://www.starreloaders.com/manuals/manuals.html#Downloads

[dd in MA]

rb, if you go to the site that has the Brewster Indexer on it  for sale by Ray, (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7208957578)

Look at the drawing.  The part that I am discussing is the one to the left of the vertical, withits tip to the right of the vertical.  On mine, it is aluminum and is significantly gouged.

[rbwillnj]

DD in MA

I see what you are refering to now, but for sure, it is not a Star Part.  I have never used an indexer on a Star.  When a purchased my first Star, I thought the lack of auto indexing was a real negative.  However, as I began to use it, I found that Star Reloaders work so smoothly, you just don't need an indexer.

Based on what I have seen posted on this fourm, it looks like there are folks who swear by them and folks who swear at them.  I just don't think I need one.  I can do at least 400 rounds/hour without one, and that's plenty fast for me.   A Hulme case Feeder, now that's another story.  If you don't have one get one.

[Ray Brandes]

I have a full machine shop and could replicate the missing parts from my Brewster acution, but from what I see it would block the case feeder. I don't have that funnel thing, but just plastic tubes that take 50 cases each. I pre-load them and then go to it.
My experience with a Dillon 1050 was if you move the handle up too fast, the turret jumps and splashes powder out of the charged cases.
Here is a photo of my rig. I made a little stand to bolt it to that I can clamp onto any bench or table.
Regards, Ray

[dd in MA]

Nice picture Ray.  The Brewster indexer mounts to the bench in front of the press at an angle.  It has a part mounted to the front of the press (see your copy of the mfgrs brochure).  While I have not actually used my press yet, the indexer does seem to cycle OK.  However, the part that actually swivels inward and contacts the case is made out of aluminum (at least on mine) and the inner toe (??) has rubbed against the Shell Plate Thrust Nut (#14) which has gouged/worn away the toe.

To me it seems that this is a part that just gets in the way and is not really necessary.

How do you index your shellplate? 

Dave Daniels

[Ray Brandes]

I index it by hand. After pulling the lever and returning it, I remove the finished round from the last station before the case feeder. I then advance the dial using both hands. One on the case just sized and one on the case where the bullet was just seated. Then I place a bullet in the case at the seating station and pull the handle again.
Here is a link to instructions emailed to me by the person I bought my Star from:
http://www.ray-vin.com/tech/stepbystepforstar.doc
Regards, Ray

[rbwillnj]

Note how Ray's machine is rotated so that the priming station is at 3 o'clock, and the sizing station is at about 5 o'clock relative to the operator.  This seems to be the prefered way to set up a Star so that you can more easily reach around back to place a bullet in the case at the seating station.

As for me, to index the shell plate, I place the index finger of my right hand on the primer feed, and my thumb on the case in the sizing station, and give it a flick.

[Ray Brandes]

rbwillnj,
Nice platform! Being a machinest, I know how to work metals, but I love wood. I wish my wood working skills were better.
Regards, Ray

[rbwillnj]

Ray,

They are such beautiful machines, I thought they deserved worthy pedestals.

[Ray Brandes]

rbwillnj,
When I first got my press, I had no idea as to how to mount it. I didn't want to drill a hole in a workbench. There is so much information that is NOT in the Star instructions. I wish the photo section of this site was up and running. New Star owners would surly benifit from photos of press mounts like yours, mine and others.
Just got 1000 Zero 185 SWC's yesterday. I will be pulling the handle today!
Regards, Ray

[Doug Evans]

I am enjoying all this discussion of what is best while I am trying to figure out an inline progressive and get it operating smoothly. It is a Jet Pro and I have parts for 45 (ACP and Colt), 44, 38/357, and 223. Setting this up for 223 with no manual whatsoever is a bit difficult. Does anyone have any info on these machines? I have my Stars and CPM's working well and this Jet Pro seemed a good challenge. Is this a copy of the Star inline and if so is there any Star inline info that might help?
  What is the best progressive? Kind of sounds like it really just comes down to personal preference as many of them work well if set up properly (which takes a bit of time and patience) and taken care of. Sometimes it is real nice to have a company like Dillon around for parts, service, and help when problems arise. They've never let me down, yet it is interesting to get these others working too.