I want to ask if some of you more experienced members could please help me verify what this actually is?
This mostly (to me) appears to be a Star Universal in .38 but there are some differences I have not seen before:
1. The whole base is thicker, with the outer top edge more squared off.
2. The way the powder drop actuator arm is mounted to the base.
3. The whole brass primer slide body itself is more blocky, 'fatter'.
4. No half moon scallop cut out (for the top pin clearance?) on the piece the primer mag slides in.
5. The shell retainer clips at each station are really rounded over on the top outside edge, rather than squared off.
6. No 'OO' on the side of the powder drop body, although it takes a 00 powder slide.
7. No 'Star Machine Works etc' engraving on top of the tool head flange between station 6 and 1.
I'm attaching some photo to help illustrate. The label on the tool head has been mostly worn away, hard to say how, unless someone had a hose clamp there at one time mounting/working on some gadget.
Any input on this would be most appreciated. I am not familier enough with all the earlier stages of star evolution to know if this might be a very early model, a prototype, or just what to think??.....
Again, I would thank you for any input/info you could provide. Please PM me if you need a better pic or any sort of clarification or detail. Best regards, Daniel.