Older Star Sizer vs. New Magma Star Sizer

[brown bass hunter]

Are there any real advances with the newer Magma Star sizers over the older units? If you can buy an older unit cheap enough will it be sufficient even with the addition of the air kit for the lube reservoir? I like the nose pushed thru first idea and not having to handle the bullet twice. Can u seat a gas check pushing the nose thru first? Thanks for any info.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

New or old, they all pretty much work excellent. If you can get an older one for a good price (less than a new one), grab it. New parts will fit on it no problem. That's what I did. But be aware you may run into problems that will need repair with an older one that a new one will not have. BTW, tough to get a reasonable price for one on epay.

[gtgeorge]

When I needed a crankshaft for my San Diego Star I was lucky and found one from someone who used to work for them with the right dimensions. The one Magma sent me was wrong even given the measurements for my original. Something to keep in mind although mine only broke due to a bad drilled hole and was (old) unused when I bought it.

[6bg6ga]

Wow! A lot of differences between the two. Please read thru the Star section. I will answer your question. The Star has a flat coil pump string and a die retaining screw. The Magma uses a round coil pump spring. Both work the same. No difference in effort or results. The Magma doesn't have a retaining screw for the die and it isn't needed. The Star has a nice blue paint job and the Magma is as cast...no paint. Both are identicle in they can both accept the same bullet feeders and the same air cylinder.

The Star has a cult following and some feel they are better. I have both and they both feel and function the same. The Star's price has now for the most part risen to more than the price that you can purchase a new Magma. Stupidity at is finest.

[6bg6ga]

When I needed a crankshaft for my San Diego Star I was lucky and found one from someone who used to work for them with the right dimensions. The one Magma sent me was wrong even given the measurements for my original. Something to keep in mind although mine only broke due to a bad drilled hole and was (old) unused when I bought it.


I have a first generation Star without the large nut on the bottom of the lube tube. It will accept the parts from my Magma so I don't know what you have because I believe mine is older than yours.

[runfiverun]

I replaced the plunger springs on both of my older stars sizers, one was by star in san diego and the other is an older [like right after they bought star] magma.
I just went to ace hardware and bought the appropriate springs.
I had to nip a coil off the spring for both of them but for 2.95 I can handle that.
it breathed new life into both sizers.
man I wish I had the lead that has been through those two sizers.
I bought them both used from rim rock bullets when I first started my casting business and I have had them ever since.

[gtgeorge]

I have a first generation Star without the large nut on the bottom of the lube tube. It will accept the parts from my Magma so I don't know what you have because I believe mine is older than yours.
Mine also does not have the large nut on the bottom and I can assure you the crankshaft is a different diameter as well as the pin hole in it.

My post about the crankshaft was:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?178079-Crank-Shaft-Assembly

I have since had a pump spring failure and replaced it with a much weaker spring from a transmission that is much lighter and makes it much easier on the arms and shoulders when doing thousands at a time. At some point I will add a Magma to the bench to have one to compare it to. :)

[brown bass hunter]

Thanks for all this info. I may give it a try, why not I have Saeco,2 Lyman 450's and a old Herters. I am sure I will have more questions later.

[ProfGAB101]

Never seen a Magma made unit, mine turns 50 in OCT and the one I used at a friends house before that wasn't much younger.

However MY old STAR is wearing a Magma lube air pressure unit, base heater and bullet feeder. All the dies/punches were set to feed nose up except the .452" set for 230gr RNBB which uses the round nose cavity punch to push the base (nose first). I do both ways, since I seat gas checks on some.

[6bg6ga]

Mine also does not have the large nut on the bottom and I can assure you the crankshaft is a different diameter as well as the pin hole in it.

My post about the crankshaft was:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?178079-Crank-Shaft-Assembly

I have since had a pump spring failure and replaced it with a much weaker spring from a transmission that is much lighter and makes it much easier on the arms and shoulders when doing thousands at a time. At some point I will add a Magma to the bench to have one to compare it to. :)


I read it and don't know what to say. It is possible they had several diameters out there. Like I said mine is old probably 50+ and all parts will interchange. Maybe yours has a pressed in bushing and the internal diameter is smaller that the currect Magma unit it?

[runfiverun]

I think that star actually purchased the design from someone else and there are still a few much older units out there.
I have seen pics of what could be a star sizer but they just don't look quite exactly right and have to pre-date star by 10 years or so.

[gtgeorge]

I read it and don't know what to say. It is possible they had several diameters out there. Like I said mine is old probably 50+ and all parts will interchange. Maybe yours has a pressed in bushing and the internal diameter is smaller that the currect Magma unit it?
Nope not pressed in and the pin size was larger than the newer styles as well. The shaft hole is bored into the aluminum casting. And someone that worked for them had the spare he sent to me that the shaft size was exactly the same. Having been an employee for them and having a shaft that fit my Star I think it is safe to say that the sizes have varied on the crankshafts.

I was also told by Magma they had done different sizes before they bought into it. They were aware and wanted to know the diameter and told me there were multiple diameters out there from the early days of Star but are always the same since Magma took it over.

Anyhow it just shows there is indeed a difference out there although I have no idea how old mine is. I bought it from a user here as new with a magma heater, bullet feeders and air cylinder.

Either way it is good to go since I put the replacement shaft in it with over 200,000 bullets ran through it since :)

[cbrick]

All the dies/punches were set to feed nose up except the .452" set for 230gr RNBB which uses the round nose cavity punch to push the base (nose first). I do both ways, since I seat gas checks on some.

Curious. Why would it be necessary to size base first or nose first depending on gas checks?

Rick

[6bg6ga]

Nope not pressed in and the pin size was larger than the newer styles as well. The shaft hole is bored into the aluminum casting. And someone that worked for them had the spare he sent to me that the shaft size was exactly the same. Having been an employee for them and having a shaft that fit my Star I think it is safe to say that the sizes have varied on the crankshafts.

I was also told by Magma they had done different sizes before they bought into it. They were aware and wanted to know the diameter and told me there were multiple diameters out there from the early days of Star but are always the same since Magma took it over.

Anyhow it just shows there is indeed a difference out there although I have no idea how old mine is. I bought it from a user here as new with a magma heater, bullet feeders and air cylinder.

Either way it is good to go since I put the replacement shaft in it with over 200,000 bullets ran through it since :)

Not that is makes any difference but I find it interesting that mine is a 50+ year old Star and the Magma piece will fit and they measure the same.

[ProfGAB101]

Curious. Why would it be necessary to size base first or nose first depending on gas checks?

Rick

Trying to seat a gas check going nose first is asking for trouble, yes it can be done, but going base first seems to stretch the check tighter vrs having bulge issues or the edge of the check hanging up on the edge of the die.

[cbrick]

Trying to seat a gas check going nose first is asking for trouble, yes it can be done, but going base first seems to stretch the check tighter vrs having bulge issues or the edge of the check hanging up on the edge of the die.

That's odd. I've used the Star for 25+ years, seated thousands and thousands of gas checks all nose first. No bulge issues, no edges hung up, works quite well.

Rick

[David2011]

The one in my shop is a Star from San Diego. I'm underpriviledged and don't have a bench full of Stars for each caliber like some here do. The only complaint I have is the unneeded setscrew to retain the die. Lube leaks around it. I guess that makes the newer ones without the die retention screw about 1% better than the old ones. Either way, they ROCK!

David

[cbrick]

I don't use the die set screw, never have. If you have lube leaking past the set screw try wrapping Teflon tape around it but don't screw it in far enough to contact the die.

Rick