Star or Ballisti-Cast Mark VI sizer

[Triggerhappy]

Hey Guys,

I'm in the hunt for a faster lubrisizer that the 4500's I have now. Been looking at the Star and the Ballisti-Cast. The BC is pretty impressive but costs more. It also seems that it would be faster than the Star. Has anyone here tried the Mark VI? Does it use Star sizing bushings? Seems like I read somewhere that it did.

What are your recommendations? Any info would be a help.

Thanks,

TH

[jameslovesjammie]

These are both forum members.

Star sizer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCtLi8i7tMg

Ballisticast: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmTL5zz_azk

I believe finishman modified the ballisticast to have more holes in the bullet feeder plate. He has a writeup on here somewhere.

I have a star and am perfectly happy with it.

[finishman2000]

yea that's my vid. I did modify my ballisticast to make it faster/better. I was in contact with the owner and he stated that they were going to adapt some of my improvements into their base model. Not sure if they did or diodn't...he seemed afraid I was going to ask for something.
I solod my star's off here because of how much I likie the Ballisticast, plus it uses star dies. The only thying I still have to do is instal a bleeder hole. Sometimes after I add a new stick there seems to be an air pocket that needs to work its way through. You can feel that its there and I plan to drill a hole in the front right into the die area and tap and cap it. It is fast and simple..both things i like in a machine.

[runfiverun]

those videos really aren't a fair comparison.
with the air cylinder and boolit feed the star is just as fast as that ballisticast video.
it's just [up] feed [down] size [more down] lube, with the star. about one a second.
i load up all 22 tubes at about 50-55 boolits per tube [about 2k worth] and go. only stopping every 500 or so to limber up my arm and add some lube.
i usually average about 6-800 per hour with the stars.
but you need to maintain a nice smooth rythmn to not tire yourself out.

[Triggerhappy]

RFR,

Where can I find a bullet feeder for the Star? I hadn't seen one. Could you post a pic or a link? How well does it work? What's the cost difference between the Ballisti-Cast VS the Star with a bullet feeder?

Thanks for all the info. I've only used the 450's and 4500's but it's time to move up to something faster.

TH

[Triggerhappy]

I just found some photos of the feeder from LAH. Looks like that may be good way to go.

TH

[Firebricker]

Trigger, I think freakshow10mm has a vidio of a star with feeder in classics & stickies. I watched it a while back it was real fast. FB

[Firebricker]

That's not the vidio I was thinking of the one I saw before had the boolit feeder on it. FB


I found it search star with bullet feeder by VTForester on youtube

[6bg6ga]

I currently own a Magma with an air cylinder, PID controlled heater, and boolit feeder on it. I am looking at the Ballisti-cast Mark VI for my second machine.

Looks like the new price on the Magma is $297.50 for the base machine.

The Mark VI comes in at $340 with an air cylinder. When I add the cost of a feed wheel $25.00 Feed tube holder $32.00 and Feed tube $18.00 I am at $415.00

If I equip the Magma with a boolit feeder its $120.00 Air cylinder $100.00 for a total of $517.00

My second machine is going to be a Ballisti-cast Mark VI

[6bg6ga]

For those wondering if there is a difference in speed between the two I can offer this information. My Magma with the optional bullet feeder and air cylinder for the lube will run even with the MarkVI according to my stop watch after watching the Mark VI video on You Tube.

Note* I have a boolit turret assy on my Magma.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

6bg6ga,

Love that turret assembly. Where did you get that?

[6bg6ga]

I bought it off ebay. I believe the same guy sells stuff for the star and Magma sizers. If I'm not mistaken he has some type of air kit. Sorry, I don't remember his user name. I sure do like the turret as it makes for some really quick sizing.

[ReloaderFred]

The feeder kits are available directly from Magma. I've also bought a couple from powell3040 on ebay, plus his turret. The turret is only good for .45 caliber bullets. My short .38 bullets get cocked crooked in it and won't feed smoothly, but the .45 bullets work just fine through it.

‏powell3040 makes and sells parts for the Star machines as a sideline. He makes top punches and locknuts, plus some other small parts. If you do a search on ebay for him in Sporting Goods, you'll find what he currently has listed.

Hope this helps.

Fred‏

[6bg6ga]

I drilled out the bottom plate on mine because 45cal bullets wouldn't go thru it. I emailed him and let him know that it needed to be opened up a bit. A little fine tuning on yours and it would probably work fine for 38cal.

[Frozone]

I don't use the turret on my star feeder.
but I have a bunch of the LEE case/bullet feed tubes on hand.
I use a length of angle Al to collate the bullets then fill a tube.
I do this for 20+ tubes. The tubes fit in the top of the feed tube and stand there.
when one is empty, just grab another and tip it up and in.
I can do ~ 400 that way before refilling the tubes.

[6bg6ga]

I guess you use what works for you. I don't have 20 empty feed tubes and that is why I like the turret setup.[smilie=s:

[ReloaderFred]

I also use plastic tubes to feed my Star .38 bullets. With the bullet I just finished sizing 4,000 of, each tube holds 61 bullets, so I fill 17 tubes and call it 1,000 to a box. The extras account for any rejects and I'm assured of at least 1,000 bullets in the box. With a steady pace, I can do all 17 tubes in a little over half an hour. It takes longer than that to inspect the bullets and fill the tubes, though.

My tubes came from an order years ago in which the bullets came packaged in tubes for an AmmoLoad machine. I saved some of the tubes and they've really come in handy.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[6bg6ga]

Well Fred that makes perfect sense. I'm still trying to get parts together to make a collator. Haven't had much free to to devote to that project lately. When I do get one together it will make the task of sizing and lubing only that much faster. I used to hate sizing bullets when I had the first machine where you put one in cycled it and took it back out by hand. Sizing is fun now.

[Dave Bob]

I read somewhere, I think over at brianenos.com forum that Mr Bulletfeeder was looking into making a collator for the star lubesizer. Probably won't be cheap though.

Dave

[6bg6ga]

The collators can be made easily and cost effectively. Its a shame that companies think that they have to make a killing on them. They are not worth $1000.00 and could be made and marketed for $500 easily with a healthy profit. They would probably sell easily for a price of $400-500

Just my .02

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

I don't use the turret on my star feeder.
but I have a bunch of the LEE case/bullet feed tubes on hand.
I use a length of angle Al to collate the bullets then fill a tube.
I do this for 20+ tubes. The tubes fit in the top of the feed tube and stand there.
when one is empty, just grab another and tip it up and in.
I can do ~ 400 that way before refilling the tubes.

Can we get a pic please? I was thinking of trying to adapt a Lee bullet feed tube setup with four tubes to fit the Star Feeder tube. Just need to figure out what I need to order and where the cheapest price/shipping will be.

[ballisti-cast]

We are working on designing a collator to fit magma and ballisti-cast lube sizers. Hoping to end up somewhere in the $500 price range. I agree that $1000+ is way too much for a collator.

[slinger35]

According to Rick at Mr. Bullet they will be releasing a new boollit feeder in May-April. It will feed base down for reloaders and nose down for lube sizers of push through design. Price range under $500.00