Quick ? about a star lube sizer

[atom73]

I am looking at a Star lube sizer. Gonna buy new and plan on hanging on to it forever. After reading many posts here and checking out the company website, I have only one question. I know that folks seat their GCs with the star, can you; take a fresh cast boolit, seat the GC and lubesize all in one stroke. There will be differing opinions about if you should im sure but is that what the star is designed to do? Seat GC, lube and size all at once?
Thanks.
Mike

[garandsrus]

Yes...

[rockrat]

No problem here doing just that. Makes it alot faster than using my Lyman or RCBS too.

[atom73]

thanks. all I needed to hear.

[cbrick]

is that what the star is designed to do? Seat GC, lube and size all at once? Thanks. Mike

That's exactly how I do it.

Rick

[runfiverun]

doub't it's actually faster than an rcbs/lyman when doing g/c's.
and some find seating checks base first to work better for them.
i like to have chris [lathesmith] make me a dished punch with lock nut to fit the bases/sizer squarer.

[cajun shooter]

Most standard lube/size dies made by Lathesmith have a standard type of punch. If you are seating G/C then you want the base of the punch to be very close to the outside diameter of the bullet to give you the best crimp.

[dragonrider]

the Star excells in seating gas checks, so much better than a Lyman or RCBS. Punches should be no more than .010" smaller than boolit size to seat a check firmly and square.

[cajun shooter]

I think that's what I just said or most certainly meant. It should be the same as the bullet Diameter to give the best crimp.

[fredj338]

It depends. If the gc is a snug press fit, it will size & lube fine. I get better results sizing them first w/ no lube then sizing again & lubing. Sometimes the pressure pushes a not so tight gc off & you get lube under the gc. The Star is a great luber/sizer, but if I shot a lot of gc bullets, I would get a RCBS & just do gc in that.

[cbrick]

Lube pushing the check off? I've never had that happen. In a sense all of my checks are loose, I size the checks first and they simply sit on the check shank. The flat punch holds it in place while being pushed through/sized and crimped on.

Most of my bullets are checked and I use only the Star to size. If the punch is properly adjusted there is no lube at all on the check shank or crimp groove. One of the best features of the Star is putting lube only where you want it.

Rick

[BossHoss]

I am going to be doing gas checks with my Star when it arrives also....after I get through the learning curve of setting up...no biggie.

But< ...I would love to see a youtube of a star seating them, and the results...anyone got one posted???




Lube pushing the check off? I've never had that happen. In a sense all of my checks are loose, I size the checks first and they simply sit on the check shank. The flat punch holds it in place while being pushed through/sized and crimped on.

Most of my bullets are checked and I use only the Star to size. If the punch is properly adjusted there is no lube at all on the check shank or crimp groove. One of the best features of the Star is putting lube only where you want it.

Rick

[dodgyrog]

I have a problem with my Star in that pointed boolits deform when pushing the previous boolits through the die

[fredj338]

Lube pushing the check off? I've never had that happen. In a sense all of my checks are loose, I size the checks first and they simply sit on the check shank. The flat punch holds it in place while being pushed through/sized and crimped on.

Most of my bullets are checked and I use only the Star to size. If the punch is properly adjusted there is no lube at all on the check shank or crimp groove. One of the best features of the Star is putting lube only where you want it.

Rick

It only happens w/ certain gc designs, but that is my exp. The pressure of the lube gets under the check & it doesn't get sized in place. So sizing first w/o lube seats them well for me & then I crank up the pressure & lube. I don;t do a lot of gc designs, but that IME.

[cbrick]

I have a problem with my Star in that pointed boolits deform when pushing the previous boolits through the die

To avoid that with any push through style sizing simply size nose first and lube, then use a scrap bullet base first to push through the bullet, with the scrap bullet don't engage the lube pump. This way the nose is never touched. Yep, slower this way but a completely un-molested nose.

Rick

[BossHoss]

To avoid that with any push through style sizing simply size nose first and lube, then use a scrap bullet base first to push through the bullet, with the scrap bullet don't engage the lube pump. This way the nose is never touched. Yep, slower this way but a completely un-molested nose.

Rick

I am waiting on my Star to arrive.

HOW do you NOT engage the pump....sorry for stupid question. I don;t have a Star in hand yet, and cannot visualize that.

I figured that a pointed rifle bullet would need to be done one at a time, with hand catch method and a "chase".

[cbrick]

I am waiting on my Star to arrive.

HOW do you NOT engage the pump....sorry for stupid question. I don;t have a Star in hand yet, and cannot visualize that.

I figured that a pointed rifle bullet would need to be done one at a time, with hand catch method and a "chase".

The ONLY stupid question is the one that you don't ask.

On the Star when you lower the handle and push the bullet into the die near the bottom of the stroke it will come against the pump lever, stop there and you won't pump lube. Raise the handle and put in an old bullet base first against the base of the good bullet and push it through, again without engaging the lube pump.

Rick

[gandydancer]

man I love this site. I never stop learning some thing new every time I am on here. and that's every day. love. love it. and I have been reloading for over 40 years this site keeps the old gray matter tuned up. thanks one and all. I may have to leave some of my millions to this outfit...... GD