Star Sizer Accesories

[crabo]

I was looking at the Star sizer and they have a lot of options. Are there any "must have" options? I am guessing I would need a sizing die for each caliber I intend to cast for. Is there anything else I need to get to start using it?
I guess some lube would help.

Thanks,

Crabo

[dmftoy1]

You "might" need a different punch depending on what diameters you intend to size. When I ordered mine I ordered a .458 and .452 size die and the same punch worked for them and even for the .358 die I just ordered recently . . when I ordered a .309 die though I had to order a smaller punch. FWIW

If you want to use a hard lube you'll need some way to heat up the luber/sizer. I bought the heated base option because I wanted to play with carnuba red lube and I'm pretty happy with it. (it's the only option I bought other than different sized dies) If I ever move my sizer out to the shop I might by the pressurizer for the lube reservoir as I think that'd be pretty cool to have.

Have a good one,
Dave

[Yance]

I was looking at the Star sizer and they have a lot of options. Are there any "must have" options? I am guessing I would need a sizing die for each caliber I intend to cast for. Is there anything else I need to get to start using it?
I guess some lube would help.

Thanks,

Crabo

Crabo;

That Star isn't money "spent", it's money "invested". Nice used ones will bring 75%-80% and better on ePrey, especially if you have a couple of dies and punches. I have 2 and it'd take a LOT to get one away from me.<G>

Dies are avaialble from Magma and Bob Stillwell. I have a couple of "customs" from a machinist friend in Ohio, along with a few custom top (and bottom) punches. Unfortunately he sufered a brain stem stroke 3 weeks ago and no telling when, or if he'll be able to get back in the shop.

The only "accessory" that would be great would be a "spade" roller handle. By the time you've run 1000 (in about an hour) your right hand will appreciate the roller.

The air pressure cylinder would be nice if you're running commercial production, but I can get 50+ 38's lubed with one "charge" on the lube pressure spring, about 5 turns of the handle.

[crabo]

Yance, I showed my wife your quote about hobbies and mental illness. She thought I fit that category quite well. She thinks it is more like "no line" for me.

I think I am going to make my first purchase as a star sizer and a mold. I have a friend that I can borrow a pot and some other things from.

I am going to start casting for .357 and .44 mag and plan to cast for 45 acp and 38 super.

I had an eye opening experience when I started bench testing some of my commercial cast bullets at 50 yards. They sucked. Some of the loads looked like shotgun patterns. As I started testing the premium cast bullets, I realized they cost as much as premium jacketed bullets. I started to research cast bullet accuracy and realized the only way I can afford to shoot good ammo is to cast my own.

I guess the next step is to go by the beer store and start making friends with all the little independent tire stores in the area. It never ceases to amaze me what people will do for beer, that they won't do for money. (like help you move)

I would like to thank all you guys for the education I am getting.

Crabo

[Springfield]

I have 3 Stars, one with air lube and a bullet feeder. They aren't necessary for normal amounts of sizing. You can get by with a 358 bottom punch for almost anything, but I like to use as big a punch as possible as it is easier on the bullet and leaves less marks on the bottom of the bullet. So get a 38 punch and a 45 punch and you are pretty much good to go. As a friendly piece of advice, when you order the die tell them it has twice as many lube grooves as the bullet actually has. That gives you more options as to where the bullet will lube properly due to more holes in the die.

[45nut]

It never ceases to amaze me what people will do for beer, that they won't do for money.

that would be a great signature line for someone.

BTW,,Glad you like the place, hope that line doesn't get crossed too often

[klw]

I was looking at the Star sizer and they have a lot of options. Are there any "must have" options? I am guessing I would need a sizing die for each caliber I intend to cast for. Is there anything else I need to get to start using it?
I guess some lube would help.

Thanks,

Crabo

Before I retired and sold my reloading collection I collected among other things Star equipment. Had all of there presses even including a straightline. Probably had eight of their lubricator/sizers. Several were the model with the double sized reservoir. Magma made me one of those but decided to not offer it. Considering how hard it was to get the guts out that probably was the right idea.

I have a Magma. I sold the double reservoir version and replaced it with the normal unit. Although I loved my Star stuff, I'm not really thrilled with this machine. I think that the problem may be, not with the L/S, but rather the lubricant. I'm using Magma's wax. That requires the heated base and even then it isn't wonderful. If you do buy a Magma, I would recommend NOT using wax. They sell Star's old brand of grease. I'd go with that.

I would also NOT buy the bullet feeder. That'a a big pain in the b@t@!

[454PB]

The tools for removing the sizing dies is a definite need. The dies can be removed with a screwdriver, but it's kind of crude and will eventually mar the sizer. I don't know if it comes with the Star sizer, I bought my used.

[klw]

The tools for removing the sizing dies is a definite need. The dies can be removed with a screwdriver, but it's kind of crude and will eventually mar the sizer. I don't know if it comes with the Star sizer, I bought my used.

It does come with the unit if you buy it new.

[Springfield]

Funny, I love my bullet feeder. Don't even like to do bullets that don't fit in the feeder, which are very rare. But then I do mostly pistol bullets, maybe rifle bullets are harder to get to work properly.

[klw]

Funny, I love my bullet feeder. Don't even like to do bullets that don't fit in the feeder, which are very rare. But then I do mostly pistol bullets, maybe rifle bullets are harder to get to work properly.

On the Ballisti-Cast variation of this the heater and bullet feeder are build in I think. If you want those two attachments the Ballisti-Cast might be the better way to go.

[fecmech]

The tools for removing the sizing dies is a definite need. The dies can be removed with a screwdriver, but it's kind of crude and will eventually mar the sizer. I don't know if it comes with the Star sizer, I bought my used.

I use a piece of 1/2" plastic pipe and push the die out from the bottom on my Star sizer.

[454PB]

I use a piece of 1/2" plastic pipe and push the die out from the bottom on my Star sizer.

Yeah, when I first got mine (used) and didn't yet know how the die remover worked, I tried something similar. However, the machine I got had been sitting unused for many years, and the lube had turned into epoxy. In that condition, no amount of "push" from below would move the die. I resorted to reading the instructions (which I downloaded in PDF format from Magma), and installed the die remover. a little heat from a hair blowdryer and it popped right out!

[LAH]

Sizing die and bullet punch is all you need. As for other options........they are all good and work as stated if properly installed and adjusted.

[toecutter]

So I took the plunge with one of these not too long ago. If you are going with the bullet feeder, go with the heated base, or at least buy the heated base plate (~$35) as this allows you to directly mount the sizer and the feeder right onto a nice aluminum plate which is designed exactly for such purpose.

The unit I got has the air feed lube thingy, the auto feed, and my heated base just got here yesterday (I've been out monkeying with it all night). So far it's been a lot of smooth sailing.

Personally, I'm not sure if the magma people are good about giving you advice about options you should order. The Bullet feeder unless you get the base will be a crude hack at best (unless you have a big stand up mill). Getting everything to work took a lot more engineering than I was anticipating.

I wanted to use hard lubes since living in socal can lead to some really high temps at the range, so I wanted a lube which was stable for my environment. I think grand total, I've dumped about $700 into this machine.

Another thing I might recommend is perhaps looking into a ballisticast Mark VI. It has a pretty similar price tag (~650) but it seems like the integration of it is a lot tighter, and I think if I had to do it all over again, I might have gone with this machine.

As long as we're on the subject. I still can't get good fill in the lube groves with javelina lube (only one I've tried thus far) anyone have any recommendations?

[2 dogs]

I have a Star Sizer that is about 25 years old or more and it still works like a champ. I have never used any other type of sizer. I get nice tight groups with my cast boolits and dont see any reason to change to another type of sizer.