Talk me into a Star

[Heavy lead]

I hate lubesizing boolits. There I said it, after the first few it's boring, almost annoying. I love to cast them, load them, shoot them, and everything else. Can someone convince me I need a star. I have several questions:
1. Are they hard to switch calibers (I shoot and size for 7 different diameters)?
2. Are they really faster than a standard Lyman, RCBS, etc. luber?
3. Do I have to have different sizers within the same diameter for different boolits (like a 452460 and a 45270SAA for example)
4. It sounds like they are available with an air attachment. I'm spoiled I cast, size, and reload in the comforts of my temperature controlled basement, so I really can't run an air compressor because of the noise.
Sorry for the questions, I will buy one if it will do what I need, if not I won't I just don't know much about them.
Thanks

[Dennis Eugene]

the lubeing and sizeing was always my least favorite part of the hobby I love I got a star used and I fell in love with it. once you get measurements figgered out change cals. is easy and yes they are hands down faster than my RCBS. Don't need different sizers for different boolits unless you have boolits with different number of lube grooves and even then you can get by7 with opening more or closeing more holes in the sizer die not real easy but not real hard either. I don't have the air attachment but understand they can be run off a very small compresser like the one you plug into your car lighter to pump up your tire in two hours or less. I under stand they don't need a lot of air once there up to pressure it just holds there not drawing and useing a lot . Dennis

[HeavyMetal]

Let's deal with one question at a time.
1 switching calibers: as long as the lube is soft or you have the heat on a hard lube getting the die out is easy, Loosen the set screw( which shouldn't be more than lightly snug) and use a piece of wood dowel to push it up from the bottom of the sizer. Something most fail to mention is once you do this lube will come out plenty fast so the smart move is to have youreplacement die ready to install ASAP! When switching dies in this manner it is smart to leave a boolit in the die as a cork. this will stop lube loss as soon as the die is dropped in the sizer!
2 are they faster? Used to be a sticky of a Star in progress on this site if you want to see how fast a star is find it and watch. I will say the Star, without options is minamally 3 times faster than another sizer!
3. If you have three or four designs for the same diameter boolit it will depend on how many lube grooves you wish to fill. If your sizing a boolit with one lube groove and then switch to a boolit with nine lube grooves your gonna have a need for a second die.
4 Stars have as many options as you want to spend money on. However unless your into commercial casting, or shoot 20,000 rounds a month, I will suggest a standard Star sizer with a shovel handle. All the other goodies can be added later if your production needs demand it.

The real question is what do you need the Star to do for you?

Maybe we can help further if we knew this.

[Heavy lead]

Well, I'm happy with a standard lubersizer for the most part it is just slow. I'm just hoping the star will be as fast as the lee push through sizers. My main concern with different types of boolits is with 45 boolits,
I shoot 452460, 452423, 454190, 45270SAA, and the Lee310RFGC, my main concern with these is do I have to have different sizers, I typically just lube one groove only with the 460 and 190.
I will size for 358, 410, 417, 430, 452, 454, and 476, but I may not use the Star for all of them, more than likely I will not use it for the 417 and the 476 as I do not shoot as much of those as the rest.
I will probably size 500 boolits a week on average, but I have a job where I work 50 to 55 hours a week and just don't have time to sit in front of the luber and just don't enjoy it like I do casting and reloading.

[cajun shooter]

Heavy Lead, Once you have used a Star and become good at setting it up it's a breeze. I bought my first in 1971 and sold it in 1998. Stupid!! Stupid!! I thought that I could get by without it. In tried Lyman, RCBS and pan lubing. Back to the Star. I now have two with the third on order. I shoot 3 CAS matches a month and it keeps me busy. One Star will keep up very easy with my needs but I like to use different lubes and that's the reason for the extra one. The third one was a good buy and could not let it get away. You will need to buy the shovel handle for 26.50 and the air cylinder will spoil you after using one as you no longer have to apply pressure with a turn down screw. The air cylinder is $100. When you first set up your Star it's a little hard to understand the guide but quite simple to do. You can either have lathesmith make your dies or Magma. Lathesmiths dies are better. They will ask you how many lube grooves and things like that. This forum has many threads about the Star and if you search them you will become a little more clear. Go to yahoo and watch how fast a Star really is. Later David

[Willbird]

I think the heated base is more of a must have than the air cylinder. Mine gets cranky when it is not warm. If you are just lubing one groove the same die will do any bullet, you would merely change the depth adjustment.

The guys that says lube shoots out when they change the die, do you back off the lube pressure first ??

The star screw down lube pressure deal is better than lymans because it uses a spring, your just cranking it down further when the spring runs out of stroke.

You could easily run the air feed cyl with a small tire tank from harbor freight, then you have a tire tank when you need one .

I can cast my 22 lb promelt empty (about 300 230 grain bullets) and lube size those while the pot is remelting, then cast more, then lube, then cast....

Bill

[KYCaster]

Well, I'm happy with a standard lubersizer for the most part it is just slow. I'm just hoping the star will be as fast as the lee push through sizers. My main concern with different types of boolits is with 45 boolits,
I shoot 452460, 452423, 454190, 45270SAA, and the Lee310RFGC, my main concern with these is do I have to have different sizers, I typically just lube one groove only with the 460 and 190.
I will size for 358, 410, 417, 430, 452, 454, and 476, but I may not use the Star for all of them, more than likely I will not use it for the 417 and the 476 as I do not shoot as much of those as the rest.
I will probably size 500 boolits a week on average, but I have a job where I work 50 to 55 hours a week and just don't have time to sit in front of the luber and just don't enjoy it like I do casting and reloading.

If you're lubing just one groove and sizing to the same dia. on all your .45 boolits then you need only one die and one flat punch. You will have to adjust the punch if the lube groove locations are different.

You can opperate the air cylinder with a portable air tank. A three gal. tank charged to ~100 psi will last for many hours of opperation.

Turn on the heated base when you come in from work, take a shower, eat dinner, take care of the honey-do list and the Star will be ready to go when you are. Including the time to change and adjust the die and punch, you'll have your 500 boolits done in a half hour or less.

Most new Star owners seem to get frustrated till they learn to set up and adjust the sizer. Once you're past the learning stage its quick and easy.

Try it, you'll like it.
Jerry

[GabbyM]

The only bullets I don't run on my Star are the long nose pointed rifle bullets.
Like Lyman 311299. Just can't figure out a way to keep lube off the nose as the bore ride section passes through. Also the pointed nose will dent the gas check below it with nose first sizing. So I bolt my Lyman onto the bench and go at it. Like torture it is. One big difference is the physical effort to lift the handle for ejecting your bullet. In the Star bullets go in the top and out the bottom. So the work load on your arm and shoulder are reduced.

Only accessory I have is the heated base. I tried Jerry rigged heat for a long time. Frustrating over that I finally gave in and spent some money. Works great. Once you get the dial tweaked in for your lube you're set. Did have to drill and tap two holes for mounting my Lyman and RCBS sizers to it.

[targetshootr]

When swapping a warm die you can take pressure off the lube by unscrewing the spring handle (or whatever it's called) to keep it from leaking out. I started with a Star so I don't have anything to compare it to but it's not hard to do 1000/hour once you get going.

[lathesmith]

The speed of the Star as compared to others is well-documented by others, so I'll offer another reason for loving my Star: I like to run my casting sessions in batches. I'll cast up several thousand of a particular bullet style, and then clean up the bench as I don't like leaving lead laying around in the shop. I store these in plastic tubs and boxes lined with plastic; they will last for decades stored thus without oxidizing or otherwise degrading. I'll then take out only the number I need for my day's loading session, maybe a hundred or two or whatever, and since I use soft lube the sizer is all ready to go as-is, and I can lube up these few bullets in a jiffy. I do not like having lubed bullets around, as even the hard lubes attract grit and crud after a while, and this way I only lube up what I need, right before I use them. Fast, easy, mess-free. I love it!
lathesmith

[EDK]

If your unit of measure for boolits is a three pound coffee can, you want a STAR.

I don't care to use the heater if I can avoid it, but it sure speeds up even soft lubes..,I don't like to wait to start sizing boolits! and I'm paranoid about a possible house fire; SWMBO and I go 'round and 'round about her burning candles.

If time is a problem...like most of us...the STAR, like a DILLON and 4 or 6 cavity moulds, is a must have item.

"You gonna size some boolits or whistle Dixie"

[ddeaton]

Star Rocks Cant just have one.

[mtgrs737]

I have a saying when it comes to buying something and then up-grading it later. That saying is:

"You might as well start out with what your gona end up with"

Stars work for me!

[Heavy lead]

Thanks for all the replies guys, you done talked me into it. I will get on their waiting list and get one ordered. I'll contact lathesmith and get some dies ordered too. It's my understanding they are backordered on the star for a month or so.

[targetshootr]

Something else you may wanna do is add lube and remove the die after a session. They're easier to do while everything is warm.

[duckndawg]

no need in talking you into one. JUST order one and YOU WILL BE HAPPY!!!!!

[ddeaton]

Welcome to our side.

[Heavy lead]

kinda feels like the twilight zone

[dragonrider]

"I hate lubesizing boolits. There I said it, after the first few it's boring, almost annoying. I love to cast them, load them, shoot them, and everything else. Can someone convince me I need a star. I have several questions:
1. Are they hard to switch calibers (I shoot and size for 7 different diameters)?"

I can change calibers and be lubing/sizing in about 2 minutes. no adjustments needed.


"2. Are they really faster than a standard Lyman, RCBS, etc. lubers"

Lyman, RCBS, etc. lubers=Model T speed
Star===============Lightspeed

"3. Do I have to have different sizers within the same diameter for different boolits (like a 452460 and a 45270SAA for example)"

I do because I make my own dies and punches and they are boolit specific, but no you do not have to have separate dies for each boolit.

"4. It sounds like they are available with an air attachment. I'm spoiled I cast, size, and reload in the comforts of my temperature controlled basement, so I really can't run an air compressor because of the noise".

I don't have the air cylinder but do have an air compressor, 3 in fact, but the one I use is about 20 yards from my basement reloading room, it's out in the barn in it's own little room. I ran hose undergrown to the basement.

"Sorry for the questions, I will buy one if it will do what I need, if not I won't I just don't know much about them."

It will help you, be aware that there is a learning curve, I was a little slower than others my curve was about 15 years long. call it stupidity

Don't be sorry about questions, knowlege is built on a foundation of questions



Thanks

[cbrick]

Here's another reason no one has mentioned yet, more concentric bullets. Several years ago I took a bunch of bullets to a friend’s machine shop and compared them on a comparator. Amazing results, the bullets had been sized on a SAECO, a RCBS and nose first with a flat punch on a Star lubrisizer. When the bullets are displayed at around 100X and sitting a grid everything can be measured to a tenth of thousands of an inch (depending on the magnification and grid size of the machine), tiny defects that can't be seen with the naked eye look like the Grand Canyon. The Star sized bullets were far and away more concentric (sized both straight AND not off center) than the SAECO or the RCBS. MOST of the SAECO and the RCBS sized bullets were sized off center.

Probably straight through nose first sizing with the flat punch on a flat bullet bottom is the reason and the Lee could well have similar results though that's a SWAG, I've never used the Lee dies.

Get the Star, you know you'll end up getting one sooner or later anyway.

Rick