Info on old Star Lubrisizer?

[seagiant]

Hi,
Went to my Gun Clubs Swap Meet today and picked up 3 Star Lubrisizers. Two of them were the regular San Diego Stars,well actually they were all San Diego Stars but the third one was very old and rough looking and actually the gentleman selling them gave it to me for buying the other two. I'm not going to say what I payed because I don't want everyone calling me names but I did very well.

My question is the old Star has an aluminum bottom that is shaped different than the others. The other two look just like what Magma is making today. Also the old one has the center casting that holds the pivot for the pump transfer bar made out of bronze??? The screw in handle that you turn the pressure screw down with is longer and the pressure cap that holds the pressure screw is larger in diameter than the other. The bottom base appears to be welded where the bottom base plate meets the thicker block that the lube cylinder and the two guide post go into.This appears to be factory work,not any kind of repair. Wish I had a picture but don't. I worked all afternoon on this had to braze a piece back on the upper casting but now everything is running good and this old machine is my new dedicated 44 mag Star! If anyone has any ideas on this or has something like this,I'd be happy to learn more. Thanks!

[shotstring]

You might try:

http://www.starreloaders.com/

[rbwillnj]

I would really like to see a picture of the one you have. I have a very old Star lubsizer that differs in a number of ways from later machines, but it still has the Aluminum base with the Star name and patent number. I have never seen a Star Lubsizer or reloader that didn't have the Star name on it somewhere.

[omgb]

It might be a Phelps, he was knocking off Star machines for a while. I'd need a photo to be sure though.

[seagiant]

Hi Gentlemen,
Thanks for the replys... no this is a Star,if you can follow my poor description, the pat# is 2019795. Yes it has a period at the end of the number. Now on the other side of the machine on top of the block that the lube reseivor and guide rods set in,there is Star Machine Works San Diego Calif . This is stamped into the cast aluminum not molded. I have a friend with a digital camera maybe I can get some pictures and post today or tomorrow. Thanks!

[454PB]

Here are some pictures of my Star sizer





http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v16/eddard49/IMG_0016.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v16/eddard49/IMG_0019.jpg

[Springfield]

Seems to look just like my 2 old Stars. So what do the OTHER Stars look like? And I don't see the bronze casting you were talking about, just looks like painted aluminum to me.

[rbwillnj]

Here are three of my sizers in chronological order from left to right. The oldest one, (without the paint) was blue at one time. All three have the Star patent and Star San Diego stamped in the base.

This is like one of those games where you have to look at a picture of several items that look the same...and find the differences. What differences do you see?

[seagiant]

Ok, this is the frst time at this so lets see? Well I still don't see any like mine!!!

Rbwillnj_ Nice pics! Thats wallpaper for sure!!!

Well I have 4 Stars and 1 Phelps and I think this old *** is my smoothest one yet! Go figure?

[GSM]

Must be a very early model - the patent number looks like it was hand stamped. Also, the horizontal pressure sleeve (where the lube is pressurized on the downstroke) is not as complete as the later models - no lubrcating oil reservoir either. No set screw for the sizing die.

The cast aluminum housing difference would probably be due to less labor on the later models - no special welding, single casting.

May be a collector's item.

[seagiant]

Hi GSM,
Thanks for the reply, the horizonal sleeve your talking about was broken off on one end and gone so I just cleaned it up a little. This was originally considered by the previous owner and myself as unfixable but once I got it home I got it running. I've never seen a bottom block shaped like this on a Star luber? Thanks again!

[shooting on a shoestring]

I've heard of Star lubrisizers, heard they size nose first, heard they are no longer made. As a user could you tell me if they are: 1. faster at lubing and sizing say a batch of .357s than my older model Lyman? 2. easy as the Lyman to switch dies? 3. can you still buy dies? 4. do they seat gas checks? 5. who makes them or something similar.

I'm getting a little tired of my Lyman and the labor it takes to keep up with my shooting and I wonder if there's a better faster way to lubrisize.

[rbwillnj]

First, they are still made. Magma Engineering bought the rights and sells both the lubsizer and the dies. Magma's price is currently $250 and that doesn't include any dies or punches.

Second, Stars are incredibly fast compared to other sizers, and there are some other advantages too, such as being able to size bevel base bullets without filling the bevel with lube.....and you don't ge lube all over your fingers.

Third, It is pretty easy to change dies, but a bit more difficult to set up for each bullet design.

As I said , you can get dies form Magma, also Stillwell tool and die. At ~$40 each, they are more expensive than Lyman dies.

There are some disavantages as well, but others will have to tell you about that, I haven't run into any yet.

[seagiant]

Hi Shoestring,
I can not compare a Star to a Lyman or RCBS because I've never owned anything else but a Star and don't figure I'm missing much! The Stars are at their best (my opinion) when used to lube single grease groove pistol bullets. Here's why. If you have say a 158 gr. bullet for .38 special and then say a 173 gr. bullet for .357 mag. all you have to do is bring the punch up or down to put the lube groove in the right spot for the die. This is probably confuseing until you get your own and start setting it up. The Star die comes with three hole locations to better serve different bullet designs and different number of grooves,you cover or plug the holes you don't want with bird shot and this works very well I would go to the Magma Engineering site and download the manual and get some understanding on how this works. Yes there is a little learning curve but well worth it!

[seagiant]

Hi,
I posted these pics on the Star Reloader sight and a gentleman there was able to look up the patent number and told me the patent was approved for the owner of Star Machine Works in 1935! He also said this luber is an exact copy of the 1935 lubsizer patent drawing! I"m now hoping to find the date that the design changed to what we are familiar with today as the "old San Diego Star" but back then was the new and improved design. Anyway it appears I have a working model of the original San Diego Star Lubesizer!

[leadladen]

Almost threw out an old junker last month.Bought it from a fella whse dad passed on. I'm giong out to the garage and dig it back out,,maybe I have something good too!!!! I believe you may have started something here!!!

[seagiant]

Hi Lead,
Yea show us what you've got! Won't make you any money but I think the history of these things are interesting!