Star Sizer Questions...

[johnho]

Damn, why didn't I think of that strong mount

[BD]

There are two adjustments which control the lube delivered on a star. The first is the handle on top which compresses a spring against the lube column to add pressure. The second is the horizontal bolt, with a locking nut , that the handle linkage acts upon. This bolt determines the stroke of the pump, or to put it another way, the volume of lube delivered per stroke of the handle. With a little fiddlin' around you can balance these two things relative to the lube you're using to fill the groove(s) without streaking excess lube on the bullet nose. You need to play with it a little at first, then if you stay with the same lube it becomes second nature to keep it adjusted.
BD

[Springfield]

I have all 3 of my Stars mounted up higher with Dillon Strong mounts. You can sorta see my 550 and my RCBS single stage, plus the 2 MEC shotgunloaders behind the Stars. Only the center Star has the bullet feeder. The one on the left is full of SPG for the long range bullets of my customers and the one on the right is sorta a spare. Got a good deal on it and couldn't turn it down. Mostly use it for my 45-70 bullets, I don't use SPG for myself. Got a pile of bullets ready to go into the feed tubes on the right. Don't have a lotta room since I split the garage in half to make a play room for the 2 kids. http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...3/IMG00009.jpg

[454PB]

You have some work ahead of you. That's quite a pile of boolits under your Promelt.....

[Springfield]

That's why I have a bullet feeder. And that was only 2 hours work, ya shoulda seen the pile I made last week, cast for 4.5 hours straight. Don't usually like to cast that much at once, kinda hard on the back and arms, but I had a bit of catching up to do. I needed 3 thou for someone else and 2 for me. Loaded all mine up already, set for a few months of BP Cowboy shooting now.

[johnho]

Springfield,
From what some others said it didn't seem that the bullet feeder was THAT good. roughly how many did you do in that time?

John

[GSM]

BD:

Thanks for the information - confirms what I had thought earlier about the horizontal bolt.

[LAH]

John I use a bullet feed for most handgun bullets. The 250 gr. bullets can usally be placed in tubes holding 'bout 30 bullets without straining the return spring.

Why use the bullet feed? I like to catch the bullet in my hand as they fall from the die. I let them roll in my palm, confirming the lube groove is filled completely. I did this mostly because I sold bullets and the customer want the grooves completely filled. It's also nice to catch any air in lube problem the moment it happens so you don't end up with a bunch of "creaming" looking bullets. HEE HEE

[Springfield]

I love my bullet feeder. I like to inspect the bullets as they go into the tubes, then when I size
I can just relax for the most part and just crank them out. May not be THAT much faster but it works better for me. Also keeps my hand out of the way of the punch so I can go faster safer. I do thousands of bullets a month so every little bit helps.

[ron brooks]

Springfield,

So did you make the bullet feed or did you buy it. More information please.

Ron

[Springfield]

I bought it from Magma. If I had a LOT of spare time I could have made it, but it wasn't worth it, make more working.

[Beans]

Damn, why didn't I think of that strong mount

Never cross my mind either great idea

[cbrick]

ANeat, an iron, to slick for words. Ive tried several things but never saw that before. I use a mini 40W spot light type bulb that clips on the side of the machine. It was $10.00 at home depot, far better than what they get for lube heaters.

For the shot removal I use a battery operated drill running very slow like the directions say. It takes 10 or 15 seconds per hole to remove each piece of shot. Its the simplest, quickest way I've found.

Rick