Hornady powder bushings in Star Machine

[richpetrone]

When Star Machine Works was still in business, I bought parts to set up my Star machine with an oversized charging bar with a hole, that accomodates different powder bushings from Pacific/Hornady powder bushings.  I have used this system for years, and there are charts from Hornady that show the different powder bushing sizes and corresponding charge weights of major powder mfg's.   Does anyone still offer this type of powder system set up for Star machines?   I know there have been various adjustable powder bars on the market, I am just curious if someone still makes the powder bushing system.

[333OKH]

Theres been a few for sale here on the forum, i also use that setup, George.

[rbwillnj]

I made up a dozen or so 1/2" Powder bars which accept the Hornady bushings.  I sold them along with spacers to convert "00" powder slide housings to 1/2" Powder slide housings.   I sold all that I had and I purchased stock to make more, but I just haven't had time to get it done.  However, I am planning to make some more, and I will post a message when they are ready.   

You might check with Swanee.   I know that he had some Berdon 0 and 00 powder slides that use bushings.  I like them as well, but there are no commercially available bushings that I know of.

[Star73]

I also have  Hornady bushings & housing which a friend made. Seems like the spacers would be a bit handier. I have the 0 & 00 also. The 0 is all I use in the Progressive as I load 38' s for a couple of 1911 conversions on it. I had an extra set of bushings of unknown background so bored the Prog 0 for their use. My experience w/ powder variation in the last 10 yrs or so has been such that to maintain a constant load flexibility in powder metering is needed!

I hope Bruce proceeds as I think anyone who tries them will be very satisfied

[ARTINCT]

Bruce (RBWILLNJ) does have these powder slides with bushings available.  I have just ordered one last week from him (8/19/2009).  This set up is very similar to the native powder bushing system on my CH4D Autochampion progressive presses.

On the CH press, as I needed a particular bushing for something "custom" I would just take a spare bushing (good to have some small diameter spares on hand) and chuck it up in my drill press vice.  Then with the appropriate size drill and some cutting oil you can custom make a bushing via trial and measure/weigh for a particular powder.  Once set I etch the grains and powder type in the outside edge of the bushing.  After a few years of doing this I have a library of bushings and very rarely need to modify any.

Cheers

[tony barone]

I also use the Hornady bushing system  with the 1/2" powder bar supplied from Star in 1986. I ream the appropriate bushing with a hand reamer to obtain the necessary charge, and have enough reamed bushings to get the chrono results I need. Bob Ayres from MA Systems recommend this system over an adjustable bar. It's an easy way to get repeatable results if you change loads.

[rbwillnj]

I think both adjustable an fixed (or bushing) type powder slides have their place.  When developing a load, I always use an adjustable slide.  It lets me change the charge by a small amount, load 15 or so rounds, then change it again and so on.   Once I have figured out the load that I want, I use a fixed powder slide, or one with bushings from then on.

[tony barone]

I've reamed a bunch of bushings over the years so that I'll load with five or six bushings ten rounds each, chrono and pick the one that gives me the desired velocity. I have all of the Hornady bushings available plus a bunch of reamed ones so that I have many choices.