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Thread: Star lubes

  1. #1
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Posts
    47

    Star lubes

    I have had my Star for two years or more. It's an older one I picked up from the interweb some place. I'm just finally getting it set up and ready to use. It has the hard blue lube in it right now from the last owner. My question is about the lubes for these. I've always used soft lubes in my Lyman and since 90% of my bullets are pistol bullet I rarely use any hard lubes. Will the Star work with the soft lubes or does it need the hard lubes to work right?

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Mar 2020
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    Texas
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    581
    I like the lighter 50x50 . \
    Last edited by 45DUDE; 01-24-2021 at 02:32 PM.

  3. #3
    Moderator



    Join Date
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    If it's the Magma lube, you'll need a heater to make it flow. It's good lube, but won't flow without adding heat to it.

    The Star sizers will work fine with the softer lubes, as long as it's not too cold in your shop/garage/basement, or wherever you have it set up. If it's cold, then you can use a hair drier to warm up the machine, or a lightbulb next to it. If you do use the soft 50/50 lubes, or something similar in consistency, just be sure not to apply too much pressure.

    Hope this helps.

    Fred
    After a shooting spree, they always want to take the guns away from the people who didn't do it. - William S. Burroughs.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
    Mal Paso's Avatar
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    Carmel, Ca
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    I only use soft lubes in my Star. Works without heat at room temperature. I put the Star in front of an electric heater to get it started on a cold morning.
    Mal

    Mal Paso means Bad Pass, just so you know.

  5. #5
    Moderator Emeritus


    JonB_in_Glencoe's Avatar
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    I prefer to use a soft lube. The Star works great with a soft lube.
    I do have one Star that's setup with Carnuba Red, it does require some heat, I use a travel Iron sitting on a 3/8" steel plate that the Star is mounted to. I turn on the heat about 45 minutes before I want to start lube-sizing, but you can preheat the sizer with a Heatgun or hair dryer.

    Also, about 95% of the people who start using a Star, love it...becasue once properly setup, it's so much nicer and easier that using a Lyman style lube-sizer. BUT be aware, setup can be a bit challenging, and if you have a difficult time troubleshooting the potential problems, you may hate the Star.
    Good Luck.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    “If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.”
    ― The Dalai Lama, Seattle Times, May 2001

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master

    Beagle333's Avatar
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    Mar 2012
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    Back in the woods a piece, just outside Auburn, AL.
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    5,499
    I love the Stars, but I hate setting them up. That's why I have multiple Stars. The settings never change.

    And they'll run soft lubes too. If you start getting lube spots on the nose of the boolit, just lower the heat and/or pressure a little.
    KE4GWE - - - - - - Colt 1860, it just feels right.

  7. #7
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Posts
    47
    Thanks guys. I thought it would work with soft lubes but wanted to make sure before I made a big gooey mess.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check