? of those who do not like magma star lubesizer?

[gunoil]

???? Members and casters who have give up on magma star lubesizer, or love-hate relationship with it?

Even with no lube its a heck of a sizer.

[VHoward]

What are you doing? Trolling?
Just kidding. No machine is perfect. I get frustrated with mine occaisionally, but I won't go back to the Lyman 4500 I had before.
Ballisticast makes a similar machine for those looking for an alternative. I won't be buying one though.

[MT Chambers]

This must be a setup.......the Star lube/sizer is the best piece of equipment in all of reloading/casting, and everyone that ever used one will agree.

[45 2.1]

This must be a setup.......the Star lube/sizer is the best piece of equipment in all of reloading/casting, and everyone that ever used one will agree.

I've used several..... the one I had and a couple that a friend has. I won't have one........ way to finicky for me.

[gunoil]

My buy will take place, i have gone to coating bullets, still need sizer. I want be using lube and heater. For Now(can add later).. if needed! I want the boolit feeder action of the MS LUBE-sizer. If you were a coater instead of a luber, how would your set up be using the MS lube-sizer. I need your ideas.

edit: i did order tube heater air hook-up & lube.

I'll add this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJOkb3RxrZE

Everyone dont spend 800 bucks on a lubesizer.

[Brenden]

you could try something like this, he sizes using a Star toward the end.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiFxAPtx4c0

[MT Chambers]

While there will always be naysayers, the ability to size nose first for perfect alignment, and lube at a rate 10X faster then most, benefits most of us, you can't go wrong......

[mroliver77]

I have a couple of Stars, couple Lymans have had RCBS. I personally love my Stars. The others have the niche too.
I am not a "fan-boy" (new word) for any maker but appreciate good tools. I could really care less about Ford vs Chevy adolescent arguments but am always open to intelligent reviews and idea.
J

[Grump]

Let me add my questions.

First, what, if any, notable differences are there between the original Star Machine Works version and the Magma Engineering version?

Other than you pay for them with today's deflated dollars?

What are the trivial differences for that matter?

45 2.1: Please elaborate on what you mean about the two (or more?) you used being "too finicky" for you?

Understand that this comes from a guy who has used and still uses the progressive reloaders by Star, RCBS, Dillon (mostly 550-B but some brief experience with the Square Deal-B), and borrowed a Lee 1000 back in the college days. I recognize the shortcomings and strengths of each of them, and wish to learn similarly about the lubri-sizer world. Current experience is only on an original Star and a Lyman 450.

[45 2.1]

45 2.1: Please elaborate on what you mean about the two (or more?) you used being "too finicky" for you?

The Star I had used the lube heater Star sold and a name brand solid stick lube reputed to be the lube they recommended (another recommended lube failed in the same respects also). No matter where the heater was adjusted, it either was too cold and it didn't flow or it ran too easily. It could be used to fill about half the lube groove reasonably well, but not full... when it was filled full
(or close to it), it deposited a small glob of lube on the boolit nose. The dies were set up for each individual boolit correctly too....ie the extra holes were plugged and those left fit the lube groove spacing. Not being able to fill the grooves nixed it for me as well as the extra lube globbed on each boolit nose. A real PITA system. As for my buddies Stars and Phelps, they did fairly well, but he didn't fill the lube grooves up full with his either. My Lyman 450s performed perfectly at half the speed of the Star.

[Alan in Vermont]

The Star I have came from a friend after it had been abandoned at his place by another shooter who moved away and never came back after it. My friend had no idea what it was, how it worked, or if it was even complete. It had a .429 sizer in it and what appeared to be Alox/beeswax lube.

I brought it home, cleaned it externally and figured out how the lube pump worked, then figured out how to adjust the depth to get lube in the groove on some 429421 boolits that came with it. It wasn't hard to figure out and I had it going before I even tried to get information on it. I can't understand how some guys have so much trouble with them. I have since added more sizers and top punches and, while not quite as easy to switch calibers as my old LAM I (now sold to fund more dies) it is so much faster that any time lost in setup is easily regained in a couple hundred boolits sized.

[fivegunner]

WOW! here I thought the star was the best , I have 7 of them , and also 2 RCBS sizers , I only cast 10,00 to 15,00 handgun boolets a year, at least till I retire then I can shoot alot more!!

[captaint]

I'm a poor kid. I only have one Star. I did find it WAAAAY easier to adjust after taking off the punch lock nut. Gone. Based on advice I got right here. I even mark the punch with a Sharpie to be sure it doesn't move. It never has. So much easier to adjust. I love my Star. Mike

[sergeant69]

I've used several..... the one I had and a couple that a friend has. I won't have one........ way to finicky for me.

you actually have a good point. the thing is....everyones frustration level reached the full mark at a diff. point. I was frustrated as hell w/my star and shelved it for a few years. then I retired, had more time to play w/it, and using only the advice I got here (the stars instruction sheet/manual is ****) I had it up and running in half the time I had messed w/it b4 I gave up on it and stored it. the star has to have 2-3 things adjusted just right at the same time, as opposed to working up a load where you never change but one variable at a time. i'm talking about lube viscosity, heat, die hole relation to boolit lube groove etc. it IS frustrating at first. but when the light finally came on (for me), it was like xmas as a kid. after it all comes together you kick urself for not doing it sooner. but you are absolutely right, it is frustrating at first, although i'm sure there are those among us that could set one up in 10 minutes right the first time. not me!!

[45 2.1]

you actually have a good point. the thing is....everyones frustration level reached the full mark at a diff. point.

I had the darn thing for 9 months or a little more.......... I talked with my friend who has three, the Star factory guys etc. Nothing they told me worked, not from lack of trying either. It was a machine used by a commercial caster who finally went out of business, so may it was worn or needed a major overhaul... on that I don't know. It did not work for me though.

[skeettx]

I have 4 Stars, 10 Lyman 45s, and 2 SAECOs,
Best production is with the Stars
I do rifle bullets with gas checks with the Lymans
and the Saecos just sit around

One of the Stars I have is air operated and air lube pressure
What a sweet device !

Mike

[Love Life]

I had one, thought it sucked, and sold it.

Switched back to a Lyman 45 and Lyman 4500 and was happy.

[DougGuy]

gunoil have you used Felix lube? This might be OT about the sizer, but I don't like the hard lubes, I can shoot hard lubes on hard cast and gather a fair amount of leading rather quickly and going to Felix was a night and day difference in how much effort it took to clean the barrel, so just from that I know it's working better than hard lube and I get smaller groups with it.

Can you use Felix in a Star? That would be a good setup it seems.

[gunoil]

Not using lube rite now. Useing HI-TEK-SUPERCOAT. I'll try blue one day. I gotta run nother air line in shop.

[A pause for the COZ]

Still kinda new to my Star. When its on a roll its the best dang thing I have ever seen. You can lube and size a whole bucket of bullets in no time flat.
When its in a finicky mood. It can be very very annoying. With the harder lubes it seems to be a very fine line for the pressure and heat. Some times your just chasing your tail. Better to just have a cup O coffee and try again latter.