something new

[runfiverun]

http://www.meachamrifles.com/page.php?id=73
might be a lower cost alternative.

[cbrick]

Not much less expensive unless your a one caliber kind of guy.

Quote from their web site: The lube pumps will interchange. Everything else is caliber specific.

So, you load for a mere 4 different calibers and the cost would be: DIE BODY WITH LOCK RING AND PUNCH ………….$69.99 x 4 = $279.96 + one die for each = $279.96 X $19.49 per die X 4 = $77.96 + $279.96 = $357.92.

So for $357.92 you can size for four calibers with but one die for each. Add one more caliber for $69.99 + 1 die @ $19.49 = $89.48. That's $89.48 for one die to add just one more caliber and $89.48 for every additional caliber you decide to cast for plus, that's if you want only one die for each caliber. Then don't forget about shipping costs on top of these costs.

And the cost of it doesn't speak of the speed of the machine. Is it fast? Is it cumbersome? I dunno, never used it.

Plus it is currently a one caliber machine, 45. They say they plan additional calibers in the future but what if you buy the machine and they don't add either other calibers or your caliber due to a lack of sales or whatever?

I would buy a brand new Star for $250.00 and each die (from Magma) @ $42.50. For four calibers with the Star = $250.00 + $42.50 x 4 ($170.00) = $420.00. Then each new caliber would be $42.50 for one die per caliber.

The only advantage I saw was changing lube pumps to change lubes @ $62.49 per lube pump.

Rick

[runfiverun]

i doubt it's fast.
and it most likely is designed for the one caliber buyer.
if the sizers were interchangeable [and you could use everything else] it could fill a niche.
but if you don't have success at pan lubing nor like tumble lubing, this could fill the bill.

[Dale53]

Well, I have a couple of lube pumps similar to the old Popes. They are slow as can be. They work VERY well but are slow and depend on "as cast" bullets.

I'll take pan lubing and a Lee Sizer for my big bullets. I can get decent production by using 9" cake pans, lubing several hundred at a time.

I use my Star for all pistol and revolver bullets. My Lyman and RCBS lube/sizers do needed work for gas check bullets.

YMMV
Dale53

[cbrick]

I use my Star for all pistol and revolver bullets. My Lyman and RCBS lube/sizers do needed work for gas check bullets. YMMV Dale53

Why not do them all on the Star? Pistol and revolver on the Star and the rest on the Lyman or RCBS?

Ok, I'm ready to learn something new.

Rick

[Dale53]

I prefer to seat the gas checks with the gas check seater to make certain they are seated properly and square with the bases.

The RCBS and Lyman's do that for me.

Dale53

[Bret4207]

It's a copy of Harry Popes luber IIRC. A nostalgic and period correct item as much as anything else. When you've got the right rifle and you're breech seating, etc, it would just add to the "correctness" of the whole outfit. Those who can afford his rifles and accessories probably consider the price very fair.

[casterofboolits]

Looks like it would be etremly slow to use. Push the boolit in, apply pressure, back off the pressure, put the next boolit in and push the first boolit out. Then do it all over again.

Just buy a STAR!

[cbrick]

I prefer to seat the gas checks with the gas check seater to make certain they are seated properly and square with the bases. The RCBS and Lyman's do that for me. Dale53

Interesting. The Star is the only way I have seated checks in many years, you'll be hard pressed to find a flatter more squarely seated check than mine.

I have heard others say that you can't seat a check with the Star, silly thing to say, very silly indeed. Just because the Star doesn't have one of those little swing out arms like some others doesn't mean that you cannot or should not seat checks with it.

Your desire for flat square checks has to an accuracy issue so consider the accuracy issue of bullets sized more concentrically with the Star push through over other methods.

Try it, Dale should be a happy camper.

Rick

[Dale53]

I have seated with my Star. The problem is not really the Star, it's some bullets I have are really not quite the correct size for the gas checks. When seating them with a gas check seater, that works better.

However, what I should really do is seat the gas checks separately (with those difficult bullets), then run through the Star.

My most accurate cast bullet rifles have been Schuetzen rifles shooting "as cast" bullets. I have a couple that are genuine ½ minute rifles at two hundred yards. Those bullets are pan lubed and shot "as cast".

I have found that there is no "one size fits all" when it comes to accuracy at a high level. I have learned to use what works...

FWIW
Dale53

[Bret4207]

Looks like it would be etremly slow to use. Push the boolit in, apply pressure, back off the pressure, put the next boolit in and push the first boolit out. Then do it all over again.

Just buy a STAR!

I seriously doubt anyone using one of those is after speed. I would think they'd be more into period correct tools to match their period correct rifles. I find little wrong in trying to emulate the Old Masters Like Pope, Zischang, Rowland, etc. It's just the "proper" tool to use. And if they're doing the Scheutzen thing speed isn't really and issue, it may take all morning to shoot one group. And probably not a gas check in sight anywhere.

To those of us who always buy 6 bangers for quantity and Stars for speed in sizing/lubing so we can go out and blast off 350 rounds at steel plates it probably seems ridiculous. To those who are trying to shoot in the style of the 1880-1920's...not so much.

Keep an open mind guys.

[tommygirlMT]

I personally love the idea of a press mounted push through lub sizer --- the problems with the design linked to are --- does not use a standardized sizer die insert (Star, Lyman/RCBS, or Saco --- order of preference) --- is too caliber specific it should be only a matter of swapping out dies and push rods and not entire components of the assembly --- You have to manually back of the pressure between boolits.

I am trying to figure out how to make a push thorugh press mounted lube sizer myself and althouh I havn't come up with any kind of final design so far the lube problem is easily solved by using a single acting air piston to apply the pressure on the lube and have a push button air valve set up so that you just push the button to lube the boolit and when your not pushing the button no pressure is applied to the lube --- thus no need to "back it off" and re-apply pressure between boolits --- I've been working on the basis of making an insert that screws into the bigger 1-1/4" threads that some presses have that takes Star dies inserted from the bottom side pointed upwards and uses an attachment that snaps into the shel holder that is threaded for the star base driver punches --- one could even rig up an arangement so that the bottom of the ram pushes the button air valve when the press ram is at full bottom kind of like priming on the bottom of the stroke --- only it activates the lube flow for the boolit you just pushed into the sizer die.

And --- yes --- I know one could just go buy a star but the linkage and ram assembli on a reloading press is far stronger and much more able to handle abuse then the linkage assembly of a star sizer --- in addition I want to make it so that it takes an insert that is identical to a star die except they are 1.000 diameter instead of 0.750 diameter which would allow me to size very large caliber boolits that are bigger then a standard star die can handle --- Then you make an insert for that 1.000 bore tat takes the regular 0.750 outer dieameter star dies, and another insert that uses Lyman/RCBS dies and if you wanted too even another insert that uses Saco dies --- I think you get the idea of what I'm trying to figure out how to do.