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Thread: Well she's up and running!

  1. #1
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Posts
    14

    Well she's up and running!

    I've always wanted a Star since I was a young lad, just was never comfortable with how they operated and the cost. Ended up with an RCBS (2 of them) that I've used for many years, overall happy with them but they did have a few quirks that bugged me, the main one being lube under the base of the bullets.

    With forums like this and youtube I finally educated myself enough on the operation of a Star to really want one, cost be dammed (not getting any younger, today is my 30th wedding anniversary). In my readings here I stumbled across Bruce who sells them refurbished. Contacted Bruce to chat about the Star and what he had to offer. I can say he is a great guy to talk to and to deal with. You can find them cheaper on fleabay once in awhile but you will not get one looking nicer, they look NEW when you get one. Picked up a Star, 4 dies, punches and a used heater. Squealed a bit when I wrote the check and had my fingers crossed.

    As stated looked new out of the box and well packed. Sat on my bench for a couple weeks and then decided last night I needed to get my rear in gear. Pulled out all my different 45 cal pistol bullets and started taking measurements with the die and wrote them all down. Loaded in a stick of LBT soft blue lube and started cranking it down. Lubed the outside and inside of the die and slid it into the body. Realized at that point I had forgot to pay attention to the orientation of the lube holes in the die so pushed it back out and made sure one hole was oriented straight back at me to insure the lube would not have a straight shot from the pump to the first hole (good tip from someone on here). Cranked and pumped until lube started coming out with no bullets in there. Took some careful measurements on the punch, locked it down with the nut and dropped the first bullet in and then another. Out popped a PERFECTLY sized and lubed bullet, on the first try no less!

    Obviously it's better to be lucky than good some days. Was so happy I sized the 300 ish bullets I had, finished about 12:30 am. The only issue I ran into is once in awhile I short stroked it and did not fully fill the lube groove on a bullet. Ran it back through and was good to go.

    Remembered the tip to through a lubed bullet back through the sizer every 10 bullets or so to "lube" the die, really made a big difference in how easy they went through.

    So so far really enjoying the Star!

    Wade

  2. #2
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    Winger Ed.'s Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Just outside Gun Barrel City, Texas
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    9,483
    Quote Originally Posted by Trigger1212 View Post
    Remembered the tip to through a lubed bullet back through the sizer every 10 bullets or so to "lube" the die,
    Just pump one up & down again every so often.
    It'll get ya to the same place a little quicker.
    In school: We learn lessons, and are given tests.
    In life: We are given tests, and learn lessons.


    OK People. Enough of this idle chit-chat.
    This ain't your Grandma's sewing circle.
    EVERYONE!
    Back to your oars. The Captain wants to waterski.

  3. #3
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Posts
    14
    Winger,

    Do you have a Star? The bullets only go one way, down and out. The RCBS was down and up. Am I missing something on the star? Don't see any way to force a bullet back up, not with the handle any way...

    Wade

  4. #4
    Moderator


    Winger Ed.'s Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2007
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    Just outside Gun Barrel City, Texas
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    9,483
    Quote Originally Posted by Trigger1212 View Post
    Winger,

    Do you have a Star? The bullets only go one way, down and out. The RCBS was down and up. Am I missing something on the star? Don't see any way to force a bullet back up, not with the handle any way...Wade
    Opps. It's about the only one I haven't been around and used.
    Didn't realize the difference.
    In school: We learn lessons, and are given tests.
    In life: We are given tests, and learn lessons.


    OK People. Enough of this idle chit-chat.
    This ain't your Grandma's sewing circle.
    EVERYONE!
    Back to your oars. The Captain wants to waterski.

  5. #5
    Boolit Buddy rbwillnj's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Northwest NJ
    Posts
    163
    Glad your happy Wade.

    Bruce Williams
    Star Machine Works - Owner
    The Original Blue Press - Made by Machinists not Machines.
    NRA Patron Member

  6. #6

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Posts
    4,337
    If you size the same day you cast it gets even easier. You know when to add pressure on the lube screw when the "pop" as the bullet leaves the die loses it's "snap". It's amazing how fast you can go. You know you got the lube temp/pressure right when the pump fully resets as you bring the lever to the top of it's stroke. You'll figure it all out in time. Simply an amazing piece of machinery.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master LAH's Avatar
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    Mar 2005
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    I remember that "pop" but it's been years since I've heard it.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check