Value of Star Progressives?

[Suo Gan]

A local has several Star progressive machines for sale. I was wondering if anyone could give me a ballpark price per unit. I am not sure of model numbers, but they are each set up for running a particular caliber...but he has a bunch of them. What would be a good price per unit if I wanted to buy them, some to keep and some to resell?

Should I pay attention to anything extra when I go and look at them?

Thanks much

[STAR4ever]

There are two types of Stars, the single caliber Progressive and the interchangeable caliber Universal.
The Universal has adjustable "fingers" at the base to account for various diameters of the different shells.

The retail price for a Universal with no extras and in .38 Special or .45 ACP is about $400 to $600 depending upon condition. Rust and missing parts can decay those prices. The standard parts that should be with each press are the T handled primer die removal tool. The funnel or flat base plate. Small and large primer seating dies and primer punch bushing and of course primer slides (large and small) as well as primer pick up tubes, large and small. These are necessary parts that often get lost and are expensive to locate and procure to some extent.

The retail price for a Progressive in .38 Special is about $250 to $350. Same caveat as above.

If the press has multiple machine heads (the part that hold the dies) then figure on $150-200 for the machine head and $100 to $250 for the dies. The primo dies are the Lyfetime carbide and the Perfection carbide. Each different caliber has a matching shell plate. Usually each machine has at least 2 or more powder charge bars for dropping various powder charges. So to change a caliber, one takes the old machine head off, and the shell plate, puts a new shell plate on and a new machine head and then possibly changes the primer die and slide and probably the powder charge bar. Sounds complex but it is rather easy once you have done it a few times....

Common add on options were case feeders and case flippers and auto indexers.... also bullet feeders. These are desirable if in good condition.

Generally speaking, a cleaned, polished, lubed and newly sprung Star Universal with Hulme case feeder in .38 Special or .45 ACP, with all the spare parts and a few charge bars when sold as a tuned, working system can fetch upwards of $700 or more.... I do such work on Stars and get them into such shape.

The Star Universal was and still is the ultimate high accuracy, high quality reloading machine for pistol calibers. All components are machined from hardened steel or brass. The powder charges are exact and repeatable.

I have 4 Universals and would not trade them for ANY other pistol caliber reloading press. Mine work so snick snick that you can literally actuate the machine with your pinky.... no lie.

BTW, on a STAR make sure to take the primer follower rod out of the primer magazine before you try to work the mechanism... there is a safety lock so to speak that stops the machine from cycling if there are no primers..... likewise there is a Safety Cam in the last position which must be set to the forward position denoting that the last taper crimped bullet has been removed....

If you get these, contact me... I am ALWAYS in the market for STARS....

Hope this information helps....

[Suo Gan]

Yes sir it does help me. I went over and looked at them and he has seven of them in boxes. I think I am going to go over there with a catalog to id what he has. I will get with you in the event we come to some sort of agreement. Thanks again.

[scrapcan]

All of what the above gentleman has said is true. His prices are right on also. You mihgt see a wide variety of addons made by a lot of different individuals.

I bought a Universal in 38 special and I love it. I do need info on tuning it for best performance. I will send a pm to Star4ever.

If you can get on in 32 S&W long do not hesitate, they are one of the hardest to find.

There is a forum dedicated to these also.

http://www.starreloaders.com/

[Suo Gan]

All of what the above gentleman has said is true. His prices are right on also. You mihgt see a wide variety of addons made by a lot of different individuals.

I bought a Universal in 38 special and I love it. I do need info on tuning it for best performance. I will send a pm to Star4ever.

If you can get on in 32 S&W long do not hesitate, they are one of the hardest to find.

There is a forum dedicated to these also.

http://www.starreloaders.com/

He did have one set up for 32 S&W Long.

[Bradley]

Stars are a nice, historically interesting press. I've owned a couple. But they haven't been made in years and parts would be hard to come by. A currently made Dillon or RCBS works at least as well and parts are readily available. So if you are interested just because it is a neat old unit, fine. But I wouldn't spend much money on one regardless of condition.

[HARRYMPOPE]

Stars are a nice, historically interesting press. I've owned a couple. But they haven't been made in years and parts would be hard to come by. A currently made Dillon or RCBS works at least as well and parts are readily available. So if you are interested just because it is a neat old unit, fine. But I wouldn't spend much money on one regardless of condition.

Agree.

i sold mine many years ago as soon as i tried a Dillon.They dont make them like they used to THANK GOD!

HMP

[cajun shooter]

I was first taught to load on a Star that was set up to load 38spl flush fit WC's for firing in bullseye competition. That was very early 1970 and they are very smooth and slick but as has been said we have machines that will do the same now. I saw one that was very nice at a show for $650

[koehn,jim]

I have a star with 3 heads for pistol and a dillon for rifle they are each very good in their own field, I would not sell eighter one. If you buy them you will not have a problem selling them. If you dont want them pls let me know It would be worth a trip. Prices do vary depending on condition and acc, if any have the Hulme case feeder grap it. The best are the universal machines.

[John Ross]

Stars are a nice, historically interesting press. I've owned a couple. But they haven't been made in years and parts would be hard to come by. A currently made Dillon or RCBS works at least as well and parts are readily available. So if you are interested just because it is a neat old unit, fine. But I wouldn't spend much money on one regardless of condition.

I COMPLETELY DISAGREE with this post. All 5 of my Stars make better ammo than my Dillon 1050. When I load on something other than a Star, it's because it's a caliber that CAN'T be loaded on a Star.

BTW the Dillon case feeder is a GREAT addition to a Star that has a Hulme setup.

[angus6]

So Suo Gan did you end up with there presses ? I'll
in the for another press
Bob

[Bradley]

I COMPLETELY DISAGREE with this post. All 5 of my Stars make better ammo than my Dillon 1050. When I load on something other than a Star, it's because it's a caliber that CAN'T be loaded on a Star.

BTW the Dillon case feeder is a GREAT addition to a Star that has a Hulme setup.

How do you judge "better ammo"?

[Dale53]

I had a Star .38 Special (only) reloader for a number of years. If you had a primer problem it took 20 minutes to clear it. It worked pretty dern well with OEM primers but did NOT work well with consumer primers (CCI sells OEM primers to commercial reloaders, only).

The Universal (my buddy had one) is quite combersome to change calibers and the number of available calibers was small.

When I got my first Dillon 550B, I loaded for 11 different calibers including rifle (from .22 Hornet to .375 H&H Magnum). It has it all over the Star for versatility.

The Star IS built extraordinary well. However, every thread on it is special which means almost NOTHING available will fit it. Even if you had a lathe, to make a simple screw was a problem. Now, that they are no longer in production, I sure don't need to deal with THAT!

The people that have them claim that they make more accurate ammo. Well, I have never had them prove it to me that they can load better than my Dillons. I offered one and all a go at our club Ransom Rest (me, being from Missouri and all). I had no takers after they shot against me.

This is NOT a slam against the Star equipment (I still have and use my Star lube/sizer). If you have one or more Stars and like them, then more power to you. However, for me, I'll take my Dillons...

Dale53

[John Ross]

How do you judge "better ammo"?

More uniform powder charges, more uniform primer seating, better crimp.

[HighHook]

I remember the priming and powder system with stars being very good. Haven't seen or had one in 30 years.

[sagamore-one]

I would be interested in one in 45 auto if your deal goes through.

[cassie3221]

First let me say i'm in my 60's and started reloading in the 1960's with a star (dads). Since then I have owned them all at 1 time or another. I reload all my rifle on an RCBS A2. But I reload all pistol on a progressive. Two Stars (45 & 38/357)and a CH auto champ MK Va(9mm).I have owned and sold sold several Dillons They were good machines and custmer service was hard to beat for sure! But I was just more comfortable with the Star and it is bullet proof. Just before they gave up the ghost they rebuilt my 38/357 press for me. Think about it we are taliking about a progressive reloader designed in the 30's and still relevant today and highly sought after 80 years !! Remakable. Great machine and I will take it over any built today. So if you want to get rid one let me know. Pat

[shotstring]

I agree with those that prefer the Star machines to everything else. The reason I prefer the Star is because they are much smoother and have a shorter handle throw than a Dillon 1050. I still like my 1050, but the longer throw is both slower and more physically demanding than the throw on the Star.
If you have a Star that isn't smoother than everything else, then something is wrong with it.

My 550 Dillon works fine, put sounds like a trash truck moving down the road.