Well I cast for my dad, myself and my brother Ray. Two coffee cans sounds like a lot but when I load I fill up two 30 cal cans.
I have these 4*6 thick plastic zip locks and bag the loaded rounds 50 per bag. Two bags per row and between 400 and 500 per can.
On bigger rounds like 38/40,44/40, 45 colt I can only fit 300 per can.
On smaller rounds like 9x18, 22 TCM I can fit almost 800 to 1000
Don't like being hammered by the Cast Boolits Staff, then don't be a nail.
The rules are simple to follow.
Well, that´s a lot.
I´m casting for three hours max., then I´m getting tired and lose the fun, so I stop it.
I´m doing one 1ltr. big yoghurt cup normally, of any pistol cartridge I shoot (9mm, 40 and 45), maybe the half what you do.
Although I´m using 4 or 6cav. molds, I´m not faster.
There´s a lot of time needed to preheat the lead, flux and clean it, get it hot again after refilling and so on.
I use a hotplate for preheating the lead (getting rid of any water and make it hot) and for heating the mold when I´m refilling and fluxing the pots.
I use a LEE pot to premelt and mix, for filling my casting pot.
And I do use a second pot (RCBS) with which I only cast.
well, I don't get tired of casting -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-op...tMagZ0A7M95bXg
That was doing HPs. Normally it just a single tap
Keep in mind that I may not cast for a particular caliber once a year. For example I got 3 coffee cans full of 41 mag boolits (sized and lubed) and two ammo cans full. I doubt I will cast for that caliber this year.
Its all about time. My time is best spent if I do everything in batches. During the summer, I am really busy with the kids. Most winters are mild here so in the fall to the spring I am busy in the shop.
I had a huge push last year to get my dad's loaded ammo supplies up to acceptable levels. Right now my dad has enough loaded ammo to last him for a year or more. So I been focusing on casting 2 Coffee cans of boolits for all 14 calibers. This way when I finally have time to load for me, i can regardless of the caliber I want to load.
Don't like being hammered by the Cast Boolits Staff, then don't be a nail.
The rules are simple to follow.
Lol, I see you don´t get tired when the machine is working for you.
Btw., I´m shooting seven calibers, reloading six and casting three (pistol calibers).
Sometimes I think those seven are too much to do them righty-right.
But have to say, that I´m shooting a lot in IPSC, every season in another Division and caliber.
With this current IPSC pistol I´m always very familiar and shoot best with it.
When I´m switching, just for staying trained with other guns, to another pistol, I´m always a littel dissapointed, being not that good as with my competition gun.
Shooting rifle is always a different story for me.
Wouldn´t say that I´m a bad rifle shooter, but my skills are waaaay different than with my handguns.
I´m sure that 14 calibers with 14 different guns would drive me nuts.
Last edited by jayjay1; 08-19-2014 at 09:59 AM.
Well its more then 14 different guns.
For the most part, my guns shoot better then I shoot. So any variance between the weapons when it comes to ammo characteristics aren't really noticed by me.
Don't like being hammered by the Cast Boolits Staff, then don't be a nail.
The rules are simple to follow.
Oh, I´m sure all my guns do...Originally Posted by HATCH
Some guys can take any gun into their hands, anyway what the trigger, ergonomics, sights, etc., are and do a good shooting.
Unfortunately not me, I have to do training to get better with my results, switching to another gun degrades my results every time when I´m beginnig.
So I do shoot always seriously competition with only one pistol every season.
Sometimes I think, I should reduce it to only one pistol and only one rifle and do all the training and shooting with this two.
But then I see another gun, want to have it, and am healed again.
Hey there!
Got my airfeed - thingy today by mail from Denmark.
But have no idea what this little black cap with a hole in it is good for.
http://www.ebay.de/itm/Star-Lube-Siz...p2047675.l2557
Look at the picture in the middle, that black cap on the top at the right side.
Can someone please tell me what that is good for?
Ruling out the obvious: it's not the pressure regulator?
( I have the factory air kit. The assemblage on top of the piston assembly is basically the coupler input housing and air P regulator)
On the RIGHT side, not the left.
That is a homemade kit.
I am not 100% sure what it is for.
I am gonna guess that it goes under the cap.
Top left - pressure regulator - should screw directly into cap
Top right - plunger
Middle left - clamp holds rubber peice (to the right) over the vent hole that is back of star sizer.
Middle right - o-ring. This goes inside cap to seal it up?? or could be spare O-ring for plunger??
Bottom - this is the tool to remove the plunger when adding more lube.
Are they washers??
Its hard to tell in the picture but they could be spare washers
I would contact the original seller and ask them what it is.
Don't like being hammered by the Cast Boolits Staff, then don't be a nail.
The rules are simple to follow.
Hey Hatch!
I did and he replied real quickly.
This cap goes on top of the lube pipe, under the original pressure screw nut (S109), it´s to make it airtight at the top.
He sent me a link to a nice instruction so:
http://www.andersen.asia/wp-content/...on-manual1.pdf
jayjay1
There are threads about making your own air setup if you wish not to purchase the air cylinder. I wish I had known you were thing about buying that piece of junk and I would have talked you out of it.
Well, now, me too.
Don't get the wrong idea. What you purchased will work but its not the correct way to do it.
Don't like being hammered by the Cast Boolits Staff, then don't be a nail.
The rules are simple to follow.
I bought my Star in the mid-1980's directly from Star after using a Saeco once. I have never regretted it but they recommended sizing the bullets nose first so I have only used flat punches about .002" smaller than the die. I do have a Magma heater that I love because the setting is sensitive and responds to minor adjustments well. Having an air pressure device for the lube and a bullet feeder would speed things up but, frankly, I go fast enough with the way it is for my taste. It gives me time for one more bullet inspection before it goes into the box ready to load.
I just posted a new in box Star in the buy and sell area. This is a San Diego made star with original instructions for $300
The very young do not always do as they are told.
Got mine and am happy, best invested money in casting so far.
Best of luck to you!
I bought a set of O Rings from Harbor Freight. Either the SAE or the Metric set will do. There's a size in there that will fit. I lightly rub "Sno Seal" on the die when installing it. It slips in W/O tearing the O Ring. I think any light, Carnuba wax will do. Just a light coat is needed.
When using Chris's (Lathesmith) fine tools, get the locknut w/ the Allen set-screw. To keep the threads from being marred by the Allen screw, put a piece of lead shot under the Allen screw. You could even put a tiny piece of solid plumbing solder or a bit of lead from a wheelweight under the set-screw as a coushion.
Get the little spring kit from EBay to keep the handle from falling. Some guys experiment and find a spring @ Lowes, Home Depot etc. to work.
There is a learning curve w/ the Magma / Star. Once it's figured out, you're T-Totally HOOKED!
Last edited by enfieldphile; 09-05-2014 at 02:40 PM.
For me, I will never damage an o-ring taking out or putting in dies because I have the heat turned up for the changeover.
That´s a good point.
Meanwhile I became a coater and mostly size without o-ring/lube, makes things easier, less messy and safer I suppose (no lead handeling).
Only my old 38 and 45 loads I´m still doing with lead bullets, but I will try them coated too and see what happens.
I highly recommend coating now, should have changed earlier.
Presses, guns and hands are cleaner, so the air on the range probably is.
I´ts not a big problem to coat for the one who is able to cast good boolits, he will learn it in one or two sessions.
Just a little bit of trial and error.
With coated bullets you even don´t need any lubesizer.
A lot of guys turned their single stage presses upside down (Rockchucker etc.) and adapted a LEE sizing die, letting the sized coated bullets fall into a bucket.
Very easy to be done.
I´m doing the same with my high-prized star sizer now, without any effort in this, so....
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