What's the story on the Star lubesizer press

[Swagerman]

I've got three lubesizer presses, two Lyman and one RCBS. I'm thinking I'd sure like to have a Star lubesizer press to speed up the lubing process.

Is the star difficult to operate, that is in the amount of lube the bullet grooves get can sometimes be excessive...is that true. I've been told there is a system of plugging up some of the lube die holes with lead birdshot. Is that really necessary.

I would like to know a little more about them, if some of you gents have experience with them...sure would like to know about it.

Also, realize the technology is pretty good but a bit dated.

Is the Star lube press a star?


Swagerman

[omgb]

It's faster than any and I mean any other lube sizer. It does the best job on GCs bar none. It sizes rounder (IMHO) than any other when used nose first. When used noes first, you can forget having to fit nose punches. One pusher fits a butt load of sizes. However, the dies do not interchange with any other make and they cost about $35 a pop. Changing dies is a tad more work. But, the basic press is fast, efficient and mechanically very well made. I love mine and use it more often than my RCBS or Lyman.

[Swagerman]

Omgb, the pictured unit is the one being sent by a good friend, it has all the dies I will need except a .454 for my old 2nd model S&W revolver that's been converted to .45 Colt.

Nice to know the dies don't cost more than $35 a pop, thought they'd be much more than that.


Thanks for your thumbs up encouragement on the Star.


Jim :smile:

[txpete]

I have had my star since 94.no problems excellent and fast!.within 1 week I gave my lyman leak-0-matic to a bud [smilie=l:
pete

[Dale53]

I have a STAR and an RCBS (have had Lyman's in the past). The Star has it all over any other that I have used. It is a real pleasure to use. However, I have a basket of dies for the RCBS (same as Lyman) and if the bullet is only used a bit, then the RCBS works fine.

However, if you want to do real quantity (like most pistol loads) at match levels, the Star is the way to go.

Dale53

[Swagerman]

All this is great news to read. Star rules.

Think I'll have the .451 lube die opened up by a machinest to .454 diameter, bullets from it would be used in my old 2nd model S&W .455 converted to .45 Colt. It really likes hollow base bullets.


Top revolver in picture attached.

Jim

[Cherokee]

I have Lyman 45, 450 & 4500 sizers and one Star. When you get the Star set up, it is a pleasure. However, don't count on it to size bullets down a whole lot, especially large 44-45 bullets with lots of contact surface. The hardest part of set up is getting your base punch to push the bullet base to the proper depth in the size die. First, see how many lube holes you need to fill the grooves of your bullets and plug the holes you do not need. Then measure the distance from the top of the die to the bottom of the bullet lined up so lube will fill the grooves. Subtract that from 2.0' and that will give you the distance from the top of the die to the bottom of the base punch. Be careful not to heat the lube too much if using a hard lube.

[felix]

It is always better to heat the boolits before sizing, rather than heating the lube in the sizer. Cold boolits make the lube get hard upon contact. Put the boolits in a cardboard box and place the box on a full time radiator should there be one in the house. Two hours later the boolits will be warm enough, about 120 or so on my electric radiators. ... felix

[Swagerman]

Cherokee, before sizing 44 and 45 bullets in the Star they could be run through the Lee lubeless sizing die with the red plastic reservor, hopefully that will work OK in the Star.

If the Star lube die is .429. should I presize them .430 diameter before running them through the Star...or, just run them through at .429 diameter.


Felix, the Star has a base heater, should I still heat the bullets up like you suggested.

I could heat the bullets up with the hand hair blow dryer, its also good for heating up the reservor bodys on the old Lyman and RCBS lube sizer presses.


Jim

[felix]

The important thing is that the lube gets equally distributed around the boolit, and gets packed in quite tight without air bubbles. Any way you can do that, do it. I just prefer hot boolits because then I then won't have warm lube squeaking around dies due to lots of pressure. ... felix

[Dale53]

I have NEVER had to pre-size a bullet before running them through the star. I size my .44 magnums at .430" and my .45's at .452" (both auto and Ruger Bisley Vaquero). You get the idea...

Dale53

[slughammer]

The hardness of the lead and the amount of sizing will have a little to do with the force required to do the job. I'd say try the thing first and see how it feels to you. A small amount of spray lube in a plastic bag and a thousand boolits rolled around would easily make up for any difficulties you may have.

I heat the base and use a hard lube. The beauty of the Star is to handle the boolits 1x, not 2. Using a hard lube allows the boolits to fall into a drop box and not become a sticky blob.

[Swagerman]

OK, cool -- can't wait to have the Star package arrive maybe by this weekend.

Will check the lube dies for shot, and will have to get some hard lube for the reservor.

The only lube I have on hand is that damn brown alox stuff Lyman makes, probably have about a dozen tubes of the soft stuff in my goods.

But none of my old lubesizers have a base heater, that's why I liked to use the alox.

Jim

[omgb]

If I may be so bold....I would like to recommend LBT soft Blue as a lube. It requires no heater, it really does permit high velocity without leading and it works very well in the Star machine. Veral really did his homework with this stuff. He tends to add a wee bit of hype in his descriptions yet honestly, this is good lube. Well worth the price. I bought the minimum of 10 sticks at about $3.00 a stick. I would have paid $4.00 a stick I liked it so much. I have zero leading problems with this stuff way up to 1700 fps in the 32-20 and 2000 fps in the 06. I have no connection with LBT other than to say it's good stuff.
OMGB

[txpete]

I size 44 ,45, 45/70's on my star never pre-sized a bullet.I use a midway adjustable base heater.when sizing about ever 5th bullet I just put one bullet thru that was already sized and lubed.slicks things up less force need to size the bullets.
pete

[Cherokee]

Just wanted to warn a new Star user that sizing real fat bullets down in the Star is a risk - a bent handle - and a really stuck bullet. This happened to me twice - once with an as cast RCBS 45-250 bullet out of WW to size 452 and the second time (yes I tried it again after getting suggestions) with an as cast Lyman 429421 bullet to size 430 that had been sprayed with Hornady case lube first. There is no easy way to get the stuck bullet out of the die and the handle is shot. I do not want to have to make another new handle.

Txpete has a good suggestion on running already lubed bullet thru again. I've done that and it works.

For the fat bullets I just use the Lyman - it will size anything.

[GLL]

Swagerman:

Nice looking .44 Specials in your photo ! :)

The S&W 3rd Model .44Special is one of my favorite guns . Is yours a Wolf & Klar ?

If available I would love to see a full size photo of your revolvers.

Jerry

gllewis@pasadena.edu

[454PB]

For the fat bullets I just use the Lyman - it will size anything.
The Lymans can be broken or bent too. I've done it twice sizing 45/70 linotype/wheelweight 500 grainers. On the last one, I broke the handle completely off and had to build a new one.

[Swagerman]

GLL, on the 3rd model don't know for sure about Wolfe & Klar, but the gun came from Houston Texas so it might be. The serial # 551XX. I'll try and email you a picture or two.

As to the other warnings about too hard a bullet causing trouble getting stuck in the Star, if anything my bullets are always pretty soft -- wish I could find some linotype here locally, like to mix in a little.

I will still have my other three lubesizer presses, two Lyman and one RCBS to do some lubesizing duty if I run into some hard bullets.

I will also take your advice on pre heating the bullets before running them through the Star, want to take good care of it.

Jim

[Murphy]

I've had my Star sizer for going on over 18 years. Never a problem one. As for getting a boolit stuck in the sizer die, never had it happen.

If you do indeed purchase one, always run a lubed bullet through the die first. After that a few every so many rounds (just depends on the bullet/lube and how much your sizing it).

Respectfully,

Murphy

[omgb]

[QUOTE=Murphy]
always run a lubed bullet through the die first. After that a few every so many rounds (just depends on the bullet/lube and how much your sizing it).

I concur. I've stuck bullets in an RCBS unit and an old Lyman 45 but never in my Star. I coat a bullet with lube first then run it through. After ten or so, I run one through twice. Then I'm good for another ten or so. narry a problem using that method.

[Swagerman]

The Star lube-sizer press and dies showed up yesterday around noon. Changed out the .358 lube die and it was stuck in there like gorrila glue, but a heat hair blow dryer soften that hard red lube up and it released OK.

In went a .429 lube die and a top punch...which is a SWC, thought these Star's you loaded the bullets in head first...why the SWC?

Couldn't find any bolts to fasten it down on my desk, will go to town today and see if I can locate some. (40 mile trip)

Also need to find a die thread that will match the top punch so I can make some of my own. Anyone know what that 1/2 inch diameter thread size is?

The Star is a precission piece of equipment, but the flimsy handle doesn't look like it is any type of bullet swaging machine -- so, won't be forcing it beyond its capabilities -- which is lubing bullets.

Jim

[omgb]

I use dry wall screws and small washers. it doesn't take much to hold it down.

[Dale53]

You can buy a handle that is MUCH superior to the old handle on the STAR from the current manufacturer:http://www.magmaengr.com/item.php?id=24

You may NOT be able to find a thread die that matches the star top punch. They mostly use really ODD thread sizes. In fact, some lathes will not cut the threads on the Star Reloader. I always believed that this was done deliberately to make it difficult to make your own parts (this has no bearing on the new company).

Great piece of equipment, tho'.
Dale53

[slughammer]

and a top punch...which is a SWC, thought these Star's you loaded the bullets in head first...why the SWC?

Also need to find a die thread that will match the top punch so I can make some of my own. Anyone know what that 1/2 inch diameter thread size is?

The Star is a precission piece of equipment, but the flimsy handle doesn't look like it is any type of bullet swaging machine

Jim

It can work either way. Flat punches are for head first.

1/2 - 28. UNEF. Yup, ain't gonna find that one at the local harware store. Consider sacraficing one of your punches, drill it out and add a set screw. Then you can make as many punches as you want.

The straight handle is good for having the star on a lower bench. Ergonomics were all wrong for my bench so I made a roller handle. Used drill rod, some pipe fittings and plastic tube.

[kenjuudo]

Travers Tool has 1/2-28 dies item#17-032-282 $9.50 each.

jim

[Swagerman]

Well, you guys are the best, got more help and information from you than any other site on the map...thanks.

Got the Star bolted onto my desk and would like to take it for a spin around the block so to speak; but no bullets available to do some lube squirting.

It is below zero outside, and my garage is just too cold right now to melt some lead and make bullets. Will have to be patient about it and wait for better temperatures.

It really effected my lungs and knees and hips going out in this crap today to town.

Slughammer, that is an excellent idea, cutting off the punch end and drill it out to take different size punches for different calibers...all set in place with a set screw.

Though I do hate to wreck a punch, I'm strickly an amature on the lathe, never had any formal instructions or help with it.

Thanks for the niffty idea...I may get brave enough later on to try it.


Jim :)

[brshooter]

I bought my star lubricator in 1963 when I started bullseye shooting. All my 25 yd. 45 bullets were done on the Star. It has had 1000's of bullets thru it. Amazing machine, only needs a little lubrication on the pivot points. Mine now has the heated base, shovel handle and bullet feeder. It is the only sizer to buy, for I had a Lyman before and I gave it away for it was a ***. Now I run 9MM for the UZI, and 405 gr. .459's for the Gatling Gun. Next addition will be the pneumatic operated plunger for the lube cylinder. If I remember right I paid $70 for it in 1963 from Gil Hebard Guns and picked it up at his booth at Camp Perry. Like the other guys said about every 20th. bullet I run a lubed bullet thru the die. You can tell when it needs it by the increase of pressure on the handle to push and unlubed bullet thru.

[fecmech]

To make your present top punch into a base punch is easy. Completely degrease the cavity on your present punch, fill it with JB weld or some other kind of filled epoxy and scrape the excess off to the current edge of the top punch. If you change your mind at a later date and want to return to the original just heat with a propane torch and dig out the soft epoxy. Nick

[Swagerman]

Thanks very much, all of your ideas are excellent. However, I've found that the SWC nose punch poses no problem pushing the nose first of the bullet into and through the lube die...that is the punch pushes against the base of the bullet instead of the nose.

In time I will make some flat nose base punches.

Did a little test run on the Star, had to take some already sized and lubed Keith type bullets (#429360) supposed to be 232 grains but mine are mostly 240 or a little over.

Cleaned out the existing lube on half a dozen bullets, then plugged in the Star's base heater which only took a few minutes to warm things up. Set those bullets on the flat part of the base heater's aluminum plate to pre warm the bullets as you guys said to.

Ran those bullets through the Star and it filled the big groove quite well, but some red lube got on the nose portion and crimping groove a little bit. But with unsized full diameter cast bullets I expect things to fit tighter and lube better.

I put those bullets in nose first, maybe I should try it a$$-backwards too.

Already I can tell this Star has any other luber-sizer product all beat to snott. ;-)


Jim

[rbwillnj]

I'm up to three Star Lubrisizers at this point, and obviously I like them a lot. One thing that I have done is to purchase seperate die and punch sets for each bullet I size. I drill and tap the retaining nut for the punch, and add a set screw. That way I can put the punch back in exactly the same way each time. I keep the die and punch sets together in a medicine bottle labled for the particular bullet its used for. It costs a little more, but I can change from on bullet to another with virtually no setup time at all.

If you think Star Lubsizers are nice, you should try a Star Reloader. I have more of them than I care to disclose.

[Swagerman]

Like I said, Star rules.

Just had to post a picture of the unit mounted on corner of one of my reloading desk.

Note the two trial lubed bullets with the red lube. Works really great and is quicker than the other lube presses.

Jim

[Cherokee]

Swagerman - When you do get around to making your flat base punches, make sure you put a little recess in the middle to allow room for those little tits that appear on the base of bullets some times. In fact, most of the base punches I use are for RN bullets but the one I made I put a recess in because the base isn't always flat.

For set up, lay the bullet up side the size die so the lube grooves line up with the unplugged lube holes, then measure from the bullet base to the top of the sizing die. Subtract that from 2 inches. The result is the distance between the top of the die and the bottom of the base punch.

[Swagerman]

Thanks Cherokee.

I have a question to you all about what Magma Engineering said on their website...

================================================== =====
Quote: only 1 flat bullet punch for 9mm through 45 caliber. Magma Star Lube-sizer is the only one to offer this money saving advantage.
================================================== =====

Now, I don't have any bullets casted yet in any calibers to give this lube-sizer press a work out, but is that for real...I don't need to buy more flat base bullet punches to get good results in all calibers.

That is, I can use a 9 mm flat nose punch to push .45 caliber bullets through the lube dies???

I was getting ready to order a lube die in .454 caliber and thought I'd need a flat base bullet nose punch to go along with it. What's the verdict on that.


Jim

[Springfield]

I have 3 Star's, and I have found that you CAN use one punch but if your bullets are soft and you use a 9mm punch on a 45 then you will distort the base more. I like to have the punches as close to the bullet diameter as possible. I have also modified my punches so that they are now a 2 piece punch. The base stays in the press and I just change out the punch. Makes it MUCH easier if you have a bullet feeder like I have.

[Swagerman]

So, it is best to use the appropriate size nose punch, but it is possible to use a smaller one. Say a .451 diameter nose punch could be used in a .452 or .454 diameter lube die...shouldn't mess up the bullets base all that much...especially if they've got gaschecks on them.

Thanks very much for the answer. I guess Magma Engineering was correct in their quote.

Jim

[rbwillnj]

I use mostly the flat bullet punches to nose first size my bullets. My alloy is a hard #2 (20% linotype, 80% range lead). In my case, the flat puch doesn't deform or even mark my 40s or 45s. As said in the earlier post, if you are using a soft alloy, you could get some deformation. The amount of sizing could also have an affect. It would be unusual for me to have to reduce the diameter by more than .002"

Remember to recycle a lubed bullet back through the die whenever it gets a little harder to pull the handle. Usually 1 in ten will do it, but its a feel thing.

[Swagerman]

Went to my local machinest, Ray. He's only 50 miles away, but he honed or reamed out my hard a$$ 451 Star lube die to .454 diameter for me.

And being he can make any thread on his equipment had him make some threaded lube die punch blanks (unturned on punch end), this gives me 3 or 4 more depending on how I use them when turned down.

But I would like to correct an error on information, some of you gents said the punch thread was 1/2 - 28 tpi. It is not 28 tpi but 27 tpi.

This may be important to anyone thinking of ordering a die threader, it's 27 tpi.

I've tried it in my press and it fits great...no slop in thread at all.

All this was quite reasonable, $30 was the tab.


Jim

[JP Jones]

Hi, I retired in 1979 having sold oodles of Star reloaders and lubers and you are welcome to ask anything about the luber. I built a collection of formulas for lubes that I collected from champion competitors who used the Star since its invention and all the lube mixtures that were tried. I gave them out to all my original Saeco bullet mold Company customers.

The Star luber was designed to use beeswax, parrafin or canning or candle wax and railroad and automotive greases. Basically it was designed to use a soft lube that melted and coated the bore as it traversed the barrel reducing or stopping leading. With these lubes it did an excellent job for individual reloaders but the soft lubes were seriously disliked by commercial bullet makers.

I also sold a few dozen of the first Bulletmaster bullet casting machines 2,400 per hour and I used dipped moly lube that dried so I could ship my bullets from the pair of Bulletmasters I operated for my police customers.

For individuals I still feel the soft lubes work the best especially when I see bullets down range apparently still having all their hard lube still intact but it is up to the individual to decide what works best for them. I retired with a supply of Star tool parts including Star luber handles which are all gone now because I sold them to broke their original handles on the hard lubes before lube heaters became common.

I have a small display of original bullet lubes that are interesting to look at. Mirror, Micro, Tamarack, Lyman and Saeco Green. I guess I will arrange and take a picture of them.

You are welcome to ask any questions about Original Star tools of San Diego.

JP

[Swagerman]

Hello John Paul. You still living in Vacaville. Lovely little town.

Have you got any of those soft lubes in your inventory?

I have about 10 sticks left of the Lyman Alox beeswax lubes, its that old formula of brown lube Lyman made. Is that stuff OK to use in the Star lube-sizer press.

I guess the old Nut Tree restaurant is long gone after all these decades on the interstate hwy.

Best regards to you.


Jim

[454PB]

JP, thanks for filling us in on the Star equipment.....that's great information.

I've been playing with the one I acquired about a week ago, and I've already learned a few things.

I was put off by the idea that you supposedly needed a different die or plugged lube holes for each boolit's style. Not true....I found that careful experimentation with the punch setting allows at least 3 different styles of .452 boolits I cast to lube perfectly. I then wrote down the boolit description and used a vernier caliper to measure the distance between the top of the die and the bottom of the punch. I also degreased one of the dies I received with mine and made a drawing with measurements for making my own dies. I'll be happy to share that with anyone that wants to make (or have made) their own dies. One of the interesting things I discovered is that the lube holes are not the same size all the way through the die. On the outside, they are about .062", but about half way through the hole reduces down to less than half that much. I first thought some of the holes weren't drilled clear through, but found that they were by running a dental pick into the hole.

I'm using my homemade lube, which is 50/50 Alox and beeswax. It works just fine. I also have found commercial cast boolits lying at the range with nearly all the lube still in the grooves. I can't see how it's doing any good, and I prefer the softer lubes.

My Star doesn't have a heater, but I keep a hair blow dryer in my loading room for warming if needed. Today I didn't need it, my loading room was about 60 degrees.

One of the boolit styles I sized is the Lee 255 gr. SWC, which measures .454 to .455 as cast. I was sizing them to .452, and it takes considerable force. I used some of the same boot waterproofing that I use for resizing brass to prelube them, and that helped greatly. Looks to me like the first thing to break if overstressed would be the toggle pins and cast linkage.....I really don't want to find out :-)

[Swagerman]

454PB, maybe to take the stress off your Star press lever link handle, get a Lee .452 lube-sizer kit -- the one with the red plastic reservor container to catch all the pre-sized bullets up into it.

Take the die body and ream it out to .453 diameter and presize all you Lee lead .454 to .455 bullets before running them through the Star at .452 diameter -- there is no lubing in this step.

Should work a lot easier for you and take the strain off your Star...but is a bit labor intensive...but what else have we got to do to enjoy our hobby.

Just an idea, nothings chisled in stone these days.


Jim

[Cayoot]

John Paul also has/had an excellent collection of moulds for sale. I purchased 2 of them and am very happy with the level of quality and workmanship that went into them.

[454PB]

Thanks,Swagerman, I already have and use the Lee sizing system. However, it's another step in the process. Also, I've found the boolits have to be pre-lubed with the Lee system as well. That's what I ended up doing with the Star......I pre-lube the oversize boolits and it solves the problem. I use the same boot waterproofing that I use as a resizing lubricant (or Imperial Sizing Die Lube) on every third or fourth boollit, and it also helps to run one of the previously sized boolits through every 10 or 15 cycles.

This same problem exists with the Lyman sizers, I've actually snapped the handle off trying to resize oversize boolits that were cast in a very hard alloy.

I own somewhere around 15 Lee moulds, and the one mentioned is the only one that casts oversize by such a large amount. Actually, I'd rather they were slightly oversized. I once bought a Lyman mould that was so undersized I had to send it back.

[Swagerman]

I have the same Lee RNFT .454 mould in 255 grain, its a six cavity mould.

My problem is keeping the dang mould hot enough to avoid wrinkling lines in filling out the mould cavity. The bases turn out pretty good but the nose and sides are not great.

I think the six cavity mould is bit too much for me to work, should stick to two or four cavity ones.

I may try to cast some bullets today, the temps are near 40 degrees in my garage.

My Star lube-die has recently been reamed out from .451 to .454 diameter, so hopefully the cast bullets at .454 or .455 won't be a problem in the reamed out lube die being sized and lubed.

Will find out soon enough.


Jim :castmine:

[Springfield]

Instead of sizing your bullets from .454 to .452, size them to .453 and run them through the gun, it probably won't care and make it lots easier on your sizer. Or if you are going to make the bullets that hard maybe you should find a mould that casts the right bullet instead of making do and going through so much hassle.

[454PB]

I shoot these in a Freedom Arms .454 Casull, and it won't accept any size over .452. I'm not gonna mess with the gun...it shoots too good!

The .453 sized ones will fit in my Rugers, but it's a whole lot easier to size them all the same. I have several thousand boolits cast for these guns, and I don't want to segregate them.

[Swagerman]

Well I finally got to cast some .44 and .45 caliber bullets the other day in my deep freeze garage.

I was also incorrect stating I had a six cavity Lee gang mould in .454 diameter and 255 grain bullets. It's a .452 diameter and 255 grain bullets.

I don't know if it was the cold conditions of the garage or what, but the bullets seem to have slightly shrunk in diameter after casting. That is by the time I ran them through the Star luber die things got reduced below .450 diameter.

However, I was able to bump the diameters back up to .454 by running them through my .454 swaging die with RNFT shellholder area nose punch. Also fitted a HB punch to the die's ejector stem that makes contact with the bullets base...makes about 1/4 inch hollow base for me.

Note: I only use the .454 diameter bullets in my older 2nd model S&W revolver that was once a .455 caliber -- but had been converted to .45 Colt. It also likes HB bullets.

================================================== =======

That cold garage casting session landed me in the ER after 10:00 PM, my left hand became a useless claw socked with pain like a heart attack. Applied heat pad to relieave the distress and beat it to the hospital ER.

In telling the doctor about the casting sessions, he told me he cast bullets for his .45-70 rifle.

He also advised me to see a surgeon about cutting a nerve or something in the palm of the hand to make the claw effect go away.

Guess I'll look into that later on.


Jim

================================================== =======

OK, I got tired of the Star .451 lube die opened up to supposedly .454 diameter and getting less than .450 bullets sized out of it.

Put it in my mickey mouse Harbor Freight 7X10 lathe and honed it out to .454 by using a slightly undersize drill with medium course metal grit paper wrapped around the drill bit that eventually did the job for me. Now you can all have a good laugh at my expense, master machinest I am. :takinWiz:

Jim