Star find at Gun Show!

[Casting Timmy]

I went to a gun show this weekend and saw two different Lyman 45's for sale, but ending up walking away with a Star with three dies and top punches for a $100!

I took it apart and got it cleaned up today and it's running smoothly again. It did have a lot of lube keeping the pump piston from easily returning out, but it works good now.

Thought I would just share the excitement of my find!

[45nut]

score !

[Digger]

Most Excellent Dude !!! ( oops , got a little carried away there) ..[smilie=w:

[Roundnoser]

I went to a gun show this weekend and saw two different Lyman 45's for sale, but ending up walking away with a Star with three dies and top punches for a $100!

I took it apart and got it cleaned up today and it's running smoothly again. It did have a lot of lube keeping the pump piston from easily returning out, but it works good now.

Thought I would just share the excitement of my find!

NICE, and NICE price! Got a pic? was it in good condition?

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

What were the lyman 45s priced at ?
Jon

[ph4570]

Yeow -- what a deal!

[Triggerhappy]

That's a great find! Got to make your day.

[captain-03]

Outstanding -- ENJOY!!

[WildmanJack]

You da man dude!!! That'll last u the rest of your life !!

[Casting Timmy]

The one Lyman 45 was priced at $50, and I didn't get the chance to ask what the other one was priced at.

Does anyone know when they stopped doing top punches/bottom first and went to the flat punch/nose first bullet sizing? It came with 3 top punches, one for each sizing die. I got a 358, 430, and a 452 so I'm all set for sizing dies. I just have to make myself a couple flat punches now in my lathe.

Two of the dies are just labeled 358 and 430, while the other one is Star San Diego 452. Anyone out of curiousity know the date on the sizer or dies?

[Dennis Eugene]

No idea on dates of sizer or dies but i got an idea you got a great deal congrats. Dennis

[bhn22]

Your Star looks like mine, which was new about 8 years ago. I don't know when they quit painting them blue. The San Diego die is probably an old odd sized one they had that they bored out to 452. IIRC, my .453 & my .460 are marked that way too.

[Texasflyboy]

Two of the dies are just labeled 358 and 430, while the other one is Star San Diego 452. Anyone out of curiousity know the date on the sizer or dies?

You have the third and final model made by Star. I have not yet reached a point in my research where I can fathom a date range for manufacture.

But you have the most prolific model made. The key indication is the brass pin holding the brass pump sleeve in the aluminum base.

When that original flat wire pump spring breaks (and it will if it isn't already) any good Ace Hardware or similar old timey hardware store with one of those spring racks will have a replacement spring. Or you can order the modern round wire spring from Magma.

Tom in Va.

[Pieter C. Voss]

I bought a lightly used Star recently for $250 with a bunch of dies and thought I had made a pretty good deal. I plugged some lube holes in a die with lead shot and then wanted to clear the holes again so tried melting it out by holding the die over a stove burner--no luck. It seemed like I got the die plenty hot enough but I guess not. Any suggestions? Would a propane torch do the trick?

[xr650]

Pieter,
I grab the shot with a pair of needle nose pliers and pull/twist it out. If this doesn't work, I use a drill bit the same size as the counterbore. Hold the bit in a pin vise (vise grips or similar will work). Drill the lead out by hand and use a piece of wire to assure the thru hole is clear.

[Char-Gar]

I would catch the die in a vise and punch the lead out with a pin punch.

[Hometek]

I bought a lightly used Star recently for $250 with a bunch of dies and thought I had made a pretty good deal. I plugged some lube holes in a die with lead shot and then wanted to clear the holes again so tried melting it out by holding the die over a stove burner--no luck. It seemed like I got the die plenty hot enough but I guess not. Any suggestions? Would a propane torch do the trick?


Here's a video from Magma's website.

[Hometek]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SKkS0IyFYU&feature=player_embedded#!

[Bulletlube]

I just use the top punch that came with the sizer it pushes the bullet nose first without any problem.

[realfisher]

great find. im headed out tommorow with the same hopes

[bowhunter]

use a small slow speed drill bit to remove the shot.