I shot competition PPC for some years ... When I started I got a 38 spl. star through defalt .. the original person who ordered it couldn't pay for it ( divorce) Cost me almost a months pay ...$500.00 .. had the cash once in my life when I needed.
I shot 500 to 1000 rounds a week during shooting season .. components were cheap compared to factory rounds. Anything would be in the x ring at 25 yards and in .. But 50 yards was something else. I settled on Zero 148 grain HBWC's ... They seemed good up close ...
I browed a ranson rest and set it up at the range .. I took my Star and all components with it. I set up a target (B27 ) at 50 yards .. I shot 4 consecutive 24 shot groups with WW factory 148 grain HBWC's .. all groups printed inside the X ring at 50... now I had my test group.
I set up my Star on back of my truck and tried to reproduce the WW loads .. 2.8 Bullseye ..many seating depths and crimps .. no good .. on to 2.6 .. better .. but not good enough ... 2.7 bullseye .. started to get really good groups ... played seating depth and crimps .. finally .. after 2 or 3 hundred rounds .. 2,7 bullseye and the right crimp and depth .. using once fired brass I shot many 24 shot groups much better than WW factory.
It took all afternoon, but I came away with the belief that a Star and the right components would produce rounds better than Factory ammunition
Even when ...later .. I could afford factory I used my Star
Take your time and you can produce a fantastic bullet from your machine... hope this helped