Another Star lubesizer question

[ddeaton]

Ok, if I were to order a new one, what whistles and bells do I need to get with it. I am planning to order 1 with die for 45 auto. I see they have heated pads for softening lube and a air pressure kit. Are both these needed? I know it depends on which lube you use also. That is still up in the air with me also, as I dont know which lube to use for slow moving 45's.
Thanks,
Danny

[NuJudge]

I run mine with NRA 50/50 lube. I take off the top and pull out the piston and pour micro-wave oven-melted lube in up to the vent hole, then re-assemble.

I frequently shoot a couple hundred .45 acp SWC a month. If that's what you shoot, one evening in front of the TV running the Star luber normally should take care of you for the month.

I have heard of, but never seen, a double-capacity lube reservoir. That would be twice the pain in the neck getting the piston out, but half as often.

CDD

[EDK]

Get a heater...Midway has a universal one for about $45...I don't use it much...I really like using 50/50 ALOX from LARS (best price around!) so I can walk in, tighten up the lube reservoir handle and get busy. You might get tempted to try hard lubes, so get it now. The 50/50 NRA formula works great for low end/mid range loads in my 357s, 44s and 45s.

The shovel type handle looks good, but I haven't used one myself.
I'll pass on the air cylinder and extended lube reservoir.

Refilling the lube reservoir is the worst feature of the STAR....besides the cost of the dies! There isn't much on instructions, but plenty of info on the forums here. Do some reading and save some headaches!

[Springfield]

Refilling the reservoir is much easier if you have the air cylinder. Might be motivation enough to get one.

[CSH]

Contact lathesmith for your Star sizer dies. Excellent quality and a lot less than Magma's price if you opt for the unhardened C-clip die ($22). He will harden the die for an extra $4 if that's what you want. I've sized hundreds of WDWW (20 BHN) .437" bullets down to .4315" using a C-clip die with no problem.

I would also recommend the lube heater. You can buy a commercial one or search this site for ideas regarding homemade units. I've also seen posts by several guys who purchased the air compressor adapter to keep pressure on the lube reservoir. They say it's the best money they ever spent.

[cajun shooter]

After having a few long bouts with the stock sizer when it came time to refill I bought the reservoir. So nice ,just put the air in and up comes the plunger. I'll second Springfield on this one.

[wheelgunner]

I use both the heater (needed for the hard lubes I like to use) and the air cylinder (increases your cyclic rate and makes adding lube much quicker). I also have the shovel handle (GREAT addition) and the bullet feeder (mine was made by the predesesor (sp?) of Magma) though I find I can almost size as quickly without the feeder.

A word about Magma customer service: it's outstanding! I usually get a woman that answers the phone there, she is very knowledgeable and pleasant to deal with and whatever I order is usually here (MA) in a few days!

[mtgrs737]

I have the Midway heater, air cylinder, and the shovel handle and I like them all. If you go with the Lyman heater you should get a heat control either by buying the Harbor Freight one or making one from a dimmer switch from the hardware store as the Lyman gets too hot for the simi-soft lubes I use in a cold basement. I really like the air cylinder because I kept over or under pressuring the hand tightning of the spring type original equipment style that came on the star and adding lube is much easier. A word of caution about melting and adding your lube to the resevoir as a hot liquid: Make double sure it has cooled enough to solidify completely BEFORE you install the plunger or you will squirt hot liquid lube out the vent hole in the back side of the tube! Ask me how I know!!! It is a real mess but I am thankful it is in the back side of the tube and not the front! LOL! The shovel handle is another nice upgrade, it makes the fatigue of long sizing runs less, I recommend it.

[wheelgunner]

Hey mtgrs737, I see you use a rubber band to hold the handle up, I use a bungee. Should we tell the new users of Stars why we do this or let them find out for themselves (Ouch, another forehead ding!)

[McLintock]

I really like the air cylinder. I was getting bad nose streaking of lube on my .44's and even worse on .32's, with a soft back powder type lube. I adjusted bullet placement up and down, plugged and unplugged die holes and tried everything I could think of. The air cylinder cured it all and just works great and as said, it's easier to fill with lube now on top of the benefit of curing the nose streaking.
McLintock

[kirb]

what comes with the Air Feed for the Bullet Lube (60 psi air pressure required) and how hard is to set up for the $100.00 price tag. I have 2 stars and would like to try the air on one of them.

Kirb

[WildmanJack]

what comes with the Air Feed for the Bullet Lube (60 psi air pressure required) and how hard is to set up for the $100.00 price tag. I have 2 stars and would like to try the air on one of them.

Kirb

I put one on my Star and to be honest it was a piece of cake. The hardest thing was getting the old washer off the piston. Otherwise it's a snap..
Good Luck,
Jack

[ddeaton]

Thanks for all the tips guys. I guess I might as well go for the whistles and bells. I got some recomendations on lube, but where do you purchase it from?

[ddeaton]

Also, I tried to order online tonight and no place to enter the options. I guess I better wait till Monday and call

[hammerhead357]

I will add my thoughts to this as I have before. I think that if you are going to buy any one accessory it should be a bullet feeder. This will keep your fingers out of the die and away from the base pucch. I have related here before how much it cost 20 years ago to have a thumb repaired by a plasic surgeon. Not my thumb but, I know what it cost then....Wes

[wheelgunner]

I've been using the carnuba lube from White Label, works great and at $1.60 a stick in a re-saleable tube or $1.35 in a plastic bag, you can't beat the price.

http://www.lsstuff.com/lube/index.html

He has other compounds including NRA and 50/50 mixes, all at great prices.

BTW, I have no connection to White Label other than being a satisfied customer!

[cajun shooter]

The shovel handle and air are both must haves! Also you will need large rubber band to hold up handle as already stated above. Ask them why; I bet we all had the same problem. The White Label lubes also, I just finished placing my second order this week. I use the BAC for all low velocity and carnuba red for the others also The BPCR for black powder cartridge.

[McLintock]

I've got the bullet feeder, but took it off when I was having so much trouble with lube streaking. Now that's solved I'll put it back on. Get some extra tubes or make them yourself. If I remember correctly, I think you can get about 70 to 80 44 200 gr'ers per tube and load up 200-250 bullets in 3 tubes and go like hell if you're in a hurry.
McLintock

[mtgrs737]

The Star lubers are the best lubers on the market, the upgrades make them even better IMHO. Other than the heater which is a must for a cold basement I like the air cylinder the best.

[Springfield]

Another tip, I took a piece of leather and a hose clamp and sealed off the rear vent tube on the lube chamber. Now I can use 6" sticks instead of 4" sticks, a 50% increase. When you are sizing lots of Big Lube(tm) bullets it saves you time. As for pressure, I suppose if you are lubing regular tiny lube groove bullets 60 lbs is fine, but I find I run out all the time with that setting, so I run about 115 lbs. A PRS 45 cal Big Lube(tm) bullet sucks the lube, I can only do about 300 per 4" stick.