Star Machine works 38 special

[whelen fan]

I got one of these at a garage sale a while ago and I tried reloading with it today. Everything seems to work fine but I guess I'm not smart enough to figure out how to prevent powder from coming out when there is no case at that station yet? I resorted to using extra brass that got sized, primed, filled with powder and then crimped with no bullets in it. I just dumped the powder back and I guess I used a few primers. There must be a different way to prevent powder from dropping before a case gets there if you start like you should with the sizing die.

Can someone enlighten me?

Also the powder dropper has a brass plate that says BE 3.0 so I'm assuming it's set up for bullseye? It drops 3.0gr on the nose but I'm guessing that unless I find a nother one of those brass sliders I can't adjust how much powder it drops?

Thanks

[angus6]

There are adjustable charge bars to be had

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

Size, prime, and flare a handful of cases and put those under thr powder dropper until your cases come around to the powder drop station. There is no way around this. If you dont like this I would gladly trade you a dillon 550 for it if it is good condition.

[blackhawk44]

You really should get to know the folks at the starreloaders.com/forum.

[johnny_xring]

I am (not a native thank you, Lord) a San Diego, CA resident. The www.starrloaders.com can probably help you out.They were a San Diego CA product icon for progressive reloaders (awesome machines--just leave them in the caliber--and after adjusted--DO NOT change them). These machines were the Cadillac/Rolls Royce of progressive reloading machines until Dillon came on scene, they were the best, kind of like a Swiss watch. Dillon machines are great and took over because of their caliber interchange-ability and, well, they adapted to the changing times.

These machines have a kind of cult like following (I do not own one but would like too) so consider yourself lucky, especially if you got the thing for a song. I remember having a top punch custom made for friend by the company (Starr lubrisizer also made by the company) in like 20 minutes from their machine shop after the request from the boolit supplied as a model as I waited. Try to do that now. The company ceased to exist after the founder passed and the family did not want to have anything to do with it-SAD!

JX

[hd09]

Don't put powder in the hopper until you have a sized, primed and belled case under it. when you are to the last round charge the case then remove the tool head and dump the powder from the hopper and move the charge bar back and forth to empty, then replace tool head and seat your last round. Tool head comes off very easy, one pin. Works for me but maybe a better way. Like others said check out the Star Reloaders forum.

[denul]

Since the powder slide is cam operated,instead of case activated, powder will dump very time you pull the handle through a full cycle. This feature makes it possible to double charge cases,if you happen to not rotate the shell plate after cycling the handle. You don't have to waste any primers with this system,because there is a cutout that allows you to rotate the shell plate backwards just enough to remove a case, to inspect the charges. A case with a fired primer works as well for this,allowing you to dump the measured charges until you get the primed ones in sequence. You do have to pay attention.

When Dillon copied the star, in the Dillon 1000,he added auto indexing, but retained the cam operated powder dump and the Star priming system. Case operated powder dumps made Lee and later Dillon progressives a lot handier for most users. The cam operated design needs the return spring in place to assure consistency of charges. My testing on the 1000 and the Star confirm this.

One can find adjustable powder bars on the star site mentioned above,but they are pricey. Another handy addition is a cutoff type powder measure,allowing you to empty the powder reservoir without removing the tool head, which is easy as mentioned above. Indexers are also available. I find myself wanting to discard this post because I know it has already been better explained elsewhere,and a good video, or a mentor,could help you see in a few minutes if this press is for you.

I called Elmer Keith about ordering mine in the 70's,and he was dead set against any progressive,citing the risk of double charges. I ordered it anyway,and it came in about 15 months later, ready to go in 44 Magnum, with the press perfectly adjusted for the Lyman 429421, and the powder slide stamped for 22 grains of 2400. That's exactly what it threw,right out of the box. It was a happy day! I now have 3 stars and use a 20 grain slide for that caliber and bullet. I haven't had the double charge yet, but can sure see how easy it would be.

Oh, while I'm running on, I'd just as well carry on some more about Bullet seating on the Star, and mention the in the calibers I load using the Star ( 9mm,30 carbine,38/357,41 magnum,44 spl./magnum, 45 ACP, 45 auto rim,and 45 colt) I have never seen the need to seat and crimp cast bullets as separate operations, which has not been the case with other presses and dies. The Star allows you to do so if you choose.

[wv109323]

Just insert an empty case (with primer ) under the powder discharge until a primed case reaches the powder charge station.
You are right that the powder slide needs to be changed to acquire a different powder charge. There is an aftermarket adjustable powder bar available. They run around $100.00. There are three"thicknesses" of the powder bars. The "0". the "00" and "000". The "00" is the most common with the universal presses(those presses that can be converted to different calibers) but a lot of the progressives (.38 Spec. only) used the "0". The "0" is 1/4" thick, the "00" is 3/8" thick and the "000" is 1/2" thick. The thicker powder slides allowed more powder to be dispensed with the same diameter hole. The thicker slides were needed with cartridges like .44 Mag.
Of course you can use a different powder with your 3.0 B.E. slide. That slide will probably thrown around 3.3 gn. of WW231.... etc. You need to weight the powder charge with your powder.
One down fall with the stock press is that there is no low powder indicator. Make it a habit to resupply the powder hopper after every 200 rounds or so. You can load with no powder in the hopper and end up with a bunch of squib loads. The press can load many rounds quickly and deplete the powder reserve before you realize it.

[whelen fan]

Thanks for all the replies everyone. I will just use some "dummy" cases to get around this problem.I loaded up 50 lyman ideal 358246 with 3.0gr BE and will test them next time I get to the range.