More Star Die Questions

[zipdog]

Maybe some of you experienced Star users can help me out here. I need a die to size the RCBS .40-400 which has 5 lube grooves. Will a Star die have 5 rows of lube holes, or?

[Marshal Kane]

The Star is geared up more for handgun bullets. Believe most of their dies have 3-4 rows of lube holes. Having said that, email them at Magma Engineering for a definite answer to your question as I believe they can custom drill a die to fit your needs. Best wishes.

[scb]

You might want to take a look at your sizer and see if the boolit will even fit. I have a Hoch 458 520 mould and the boolits from it were too long. I had to take the sizer apart and modify the punch holder so that I could get more stroke out of it. I also had to make a longer link between punch holder and the crank that's attached to the handle. Steve

[Marine Sgt 2111]

Standard for the Star die is 3 rows of four holes 90 degrees apart. Since the dies are usually heat treated and at a 60-62 rockwell, remachining them is out of the question, not to mention the spacing problem between the top and bottom OD bands. You would have to re-design the entire outside

You may consider, using a stardard die of the correct size, filling the lube grooves closest to the bullets base first then re-run the bullet back through the die with the punch adjusted to relocate the bullet.

As to the problem of sizing a rifle bullet in a star luber just shorten the punch. I have never seen a facory punch so I don't know what they look like but do have over a dozen of them that I have made myself and use for various bullets.

For what it's worth.....

[scb]

----Since the dies are usually heat treated and at a 60-62 rockwell, remachining them is out of the question---- Depends on what equipment you have at your disposal. ID grinders, OD grinders, and EDM's don't have much of a problem with material of that hardness.

[454PB]

Yup, I've opened some of mine up.

[scb]

A couple of weeks ago I bought a .357 dia. die off ebay for about 1/2 price of a new one. I then bored it to .367 for my 9.3 boolit. All I used was a lathe, carbide boring bar, and some emery cloth to polish. It works great. That being said, getting back to zipdogs question I agree with Marshal Kane get a hold of Magma (if the bullet will fit in the sizer to begin with) and tell them what you need. I've got a feeling IF there is an extra charge for what you require, it will be well worth paying them as opposed to the time and aggravation involved in the modifications you would need to make.

[zipdog]

Thanks, guys. I sent Magma photo of the bullet along with OAL, groove spacing, etc. Hopefully they can come with something. I'm beginning to think I screwed the pooch when I recently sold my LAM II after buying the Star.

[GabbyM]

Their's no extra charge for custom hole spacing. They always ask you how many groves and centerline to centerline distance.

[zipdog]

Magma came back and basically said no problem...just specify diameter, no. of grooves, and spacing, just like Gabby said. $40. Sounds like a deal to me.

[686]

i see there are some people making sizer dies for the star sizer. my guestion is are there die cheeper or better than magma $40.00 die?