Star Sizer Appreciation

I just finished a run of some 2000 H&G #51's. and ran them through the Star sizer.
As much as that infernal machine makes me crazy at times, particularly when I can't seem to line up the lube holes to the bullet, I am appreciating it nonetheless.
I finally figured out how to overcome that - I have a sizer die for each bullet that I cast, and I never have to adjust them EVER. Always leave a bullet in the die, then just pick the right die, set the punch, heat up the sizer and off you go - never need to adjust.
That is how much it made me crazy!
That said, I can't imagine trying to do these on a different sizer.
Two evenings of about 2 hours each at a leisurely pace produced my sized and lubed bullets.
Now to load my 357's for the two+ year supply.
Thanks Magma!

I agree with you sir. For bullets shot in quantity, there is no better way IMO. I have had a Star for almost 50 years.

I have a couple of Lyman 45's I have never used but got cheap, and recently got a 450 from a member here for a future project with .30 cal rifle bullets.

I have always been astounded by people who have Stars and sell them when they get into powder coating. Different strokes for different folks I guess.

I just had this conversation with a good friend yesterday. I long term "loaned" him one of my Star Sizers several years ago, and now he's purchased a couple more on his own. He told me he only needed one more Star set up in .32, then he'll have a machine set up for each of the handgun calibers he casts. I've done that for years and I've got 9 Star Sizers set up for different calibers and bullets, so I just take one off the shelf and clamp it to my bench and quickly get a run of bullets sized and ready to load.

I haven't used my RCBS, Lyman or Saeco sizers in years.

Hope this helps.

Fred

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Originally Posted by ReloaderFred

I just had this conversation with a good friend yesterday. I long term "loaned" him one of my Star Sizers several years ago, and now he's purchased a couple more on his own. He told me he only needed one more Star set up in .32, then he'll have a machine set up for each of the handgun calibers he casts. I've done that for years and I've got 9 Star Sizers set up for different calibers and bullets, so I just take one off the shelf and clamp it to my bench and quickly get a run of bullets sized and ready to load.

I haven't used my RCBS, Lyman or Saeco sizers in years.

Hope this helps.

Fred

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And I thought I was being extravagant by purchasing one sizer die for each bullet. :)

I really like to be able to just clamp the right sizer to the bench and take care of a bunch of cast bullets without messing with the machine. They're each mounted to a 10" x 10" x 2" square of wood, along with the heaters. Just clamp to the bench with two C Clamps, wait for it to heat up, and then whip out some perfectly sized and lubed bullets.

It took many years to accumulate what I wanted, but it's been worth it, believe me.

Hope this helps.

Fred

Idea! Try laying the boolit on the outside of the sizing die, Measure from the bottom of the die to the base of the boolit when the lube groove/grooves line up the the proper holes in die. Push boolit into the sizer until this dimension is reached. use your dial caliper depth stem to measure. Record depth for each boolit you work with. Seems awkward at first but will improve as your data base improves GW

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Originally Posted by G W Wade

Idea! Try laying the boolit on the outside of the sizing die, Measure from the bottom of the die to the base of the boolit when the lube groove/grooves line up the the proper holes in die. Push boolit into the sizer until this dimension is reached. use your dial caliper depth stem to measure. Record depth for each boolit you work with. Seems awkward at first but will improve as your data base improves GW

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That's the theory, anyway. :)

Wow, what a neat idea... and so simple too.

Shouldn't you measure from the TOP of the die to the base of the bullet? Assuming nose first sizing.

sized and lubed about a thousand .358 bullets on my star this weekend, many more thousands in the future if I'm lucky. Such a great machine!

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Originally Posted by ReloaderFred

It took many years to accumulate what I wanted, but it's been worth it, believe me.
Fred

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While I have stayed with the single Star for many years and just did different sizer dies for each bullet, I hear you. Different strokes for different folks.
My weakness for buying more are for Hensley & Gibbs moulds. 4-6-8-10 cavity moulds. Picked up one here and there for some 35+ years.
It has taken me some 35+ years to get the H&G mould collection together, but as you know, there is always room for just ONE more..... :)
That is the joy of collecting.

I have 1 450 filled with SPG .

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Originally Posted by Springfield

Shouldn't you measure from the TOP of the die to the base of the bullet? Assuming nose first sizing.

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For my setup it's easier to measure up from the bottom with the depth rod on dial caliper. Can insert fron bottom and slowly push bullet in untill reaches measurement i want. GW

I use steel gauge blocks that fit between the top of the die and the punch, Keep the blocks with the sizer.

I use the Magma recommended measure top of die to bullet base with bullet grooves aligned with the die hole(s). This gets you a start measurement for punch adjustment. Once fine tuned I’d document the measurement from the top of the die to bottom of the punch, another Magma suggestion. Now I’m using Lathesmith’s punch lock nuts with a set screw to hold the final setting. Chris is making 8 for me which will have the clearance cut for the automatic bullet feed actuator.

Lathesmith’s photo reposted:

Attachment 300795