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Thread: My first Star

  1. #1
    Boolit Master



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    My first Star

    Just found one at my local, don't know much about them, this is the first one I've had in my hands. I gave $30 for it, everything moves freely and it has a punch and .452 die. I'll clean it up and see what I can learn about it.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Star2.jpg  

  2. #2
    Boolit Master


    gmsharps's Avatar
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    Wow, the sizer die and top punch are worth more than that. They are a bit finicky to get set for your bullet but when you have it set they are fantastic to operate. You will learn the proper screw pressure to get the lube to flow properly as you use it. You can get a heater base to keep the lube soft enough to flow but you can also use a hairdryer to heat it as you go. Extra sizer dies and top punches can be had from one of our members lathesmith. As you probably know if there is old unknown lube in the cylinder you may want to boil it out and start with lube you like. Over the years I have acquired several stars if they were reasonably priced and have different lubes in them.
    Congrats on the find

    gmsharps

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    In the old tools world you’d get a “you suck!” for that deal, it’s a compliment.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master



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    My local guy doesn't seem to care at all about cast boolits items, a couple of years ago, I got over 60 Lyman moulds from him, many with handles for $5 each. I don't care to educate him!

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master
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    You stole it...and you will love it. My first was almost 50 years ago.
    Don Verna


  6. #6
    Moderator



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    You got a fantastic deal on that Star! My cheapest was free, primarily because it needed a good cleaning. They're the best machine for sizing and lubing bullets ever made, even though the others have some specialized uses, but for general sizing and lubing, the Star beats them all for speed and ease of use. I have several set up for specific bullets and lubes, and all of mine have heaters. I keep them mounted on 10" x 10" x 1.5" wooden bases that can be clamped to my bench when I need them.

    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.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master


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    Excellent deal - I got my first a few years ago for a lot more money than that.

    Since I moved away from traditional lubing in favor of powdercoating and only need it for sizing... instead of buying expensive Star sizing-dies and top-punches, I got the NOE sizer-adapter, various NOE sizing dies and I've gotten lathesmith here on the forum to make a few different-sized top-punches.
    Last edited by AndyC; 02-28-2021 at 01:58 PM.
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  8. #8
    Boolit Master AnthonyB's Avatar
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    I have two Stars but will double your money if you decide to sell!
    Tony

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
    Mal Paso's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JimB.. View Post
    In the old tools world you’d get a “you suck!” for that deal, it’s a compliment.
    Ya, he totally sucks! LOL There was nothing used when I went looking much less a deal like that.
    Mal

    Mal Paso means Bad Pass, just so you know.

  10. #10
    Moderator Emeritus


    JonB_in_Glencoe's Avatar
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    I am jealous.
    Once you get it mounted and figure out how to set it up, you will absolutely love it.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    “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

  11. #11
    Boolit Master



    skeettx's Avatar
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    Yeeee Hawwww
    Wonderful deal ---- For YOU !!
    Enjoy it
    Mike
    NRA Benefactor 2004 USAF RET 1971-95

  12. #12
    Boolit Master

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    I have 2 Stars, both older San Diego, and both do not look much better than the one pictured but both work perfectly. However, after buying a few sizing dies from Lathesmith, my friend who sold the first one to me found the rest of the doo-dads that came with it. I have top punches designed to push different caliber boolits base first through the sizer which are useless in my opinion. Now have more stuff than I know what to do with for these sizers. Some of the nose punches & boxes the dies came in had never been opened and some items were still in their original wraps with staples holding them inside the little bags with original preservative lube to keep them from rusting. Some of the sizing dies are marked San Deigo as well. Star equipment is first-rate machinery for sure. Big Boomer
    Last edited by Big Boomer; 04-03-2021 at 03:18 PM.

  13. #13
    Boolit Master



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    Following up on the original post, I stopped back in my LGS a couple of weeks ago and found another Star, same deal, I gave $30 for it. This one has a .358 die and punch but it was froze up, could get anything to move and I put some muscle into it. I finally knocked out one
    of the link pins and was able to get the top half moving and eventually with some Kroil and patience go everything free. It had been froze up by a liberal dose of what looks like WD-40 dried under the moving parts, now it operates with finger pressure. Oh, this one was missing the handle and he lube screw handle also but I replaced those from Magma

  14. #14
    Boolit Master
    Mal Paso's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by trooperdan View Post
    Following up on the original post, I stopped back in my LGS a couple of weeks ago and found another Star, same deal, I gave $30 for it. This one has a .358 die and punch but it was froze up, could get anything to move and I put some muscle into it. I finally knocked out one
    of the link pins and was able to get the top half moving and eventually with some Kroil and patience go everything free. It had been froze up by a liberal dose of what looks like WD-40 dried under the moving parts, now it operates with finger pressure. Oh, this one was missing the handle and he lube screw handle also but I replaced those from Magma
    Most people don't know how truly awful wd40 is.

    Forget buying dies, at that price just buy complete machines. LOL
    Mal

    Mal Paso means Bad Pass, just so you know.

  15. #15
    Boolit Buddy
    shell70634's Avatar
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    It's junk. You were ripped off. Send it to me and I'll mount it next to my other 4. I might even give you back your 30 bucks.
    "EXPERT= Ex is a has been, spurt is a drip under pressure" Unknown

  16. #16
    Boolit Man
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    One of the club old timers had passed. His estate went up for sale. There were two Star's in the estate. I paid $50.00 for one sizer with tool and two dies. The press was in nice shape. I was a newfer to Stars. I did get a handle from Magma.

    The machine was filled with rock hard ancient black lube. I planned on some horrendous dance getting that stuff out. I put the machine on a heater. A screw driver was use to poke the lube. Screw driver went in. Our came a large lump of lube. What Luck! The reservoir emptied. I do not want to discuss how the pressure spring got full of fresh 50/50.

    The machine and dies are from San Diego era. I am getting new dies from lathesmith. I have no idea of the age of the machine. I am using Magma lube currently. Handgun bullets only.
    Last edited by Roundball; 05-12-2021 at 06:21 AM.

  17. #17
    Boolit Master

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    Just bought 1 myself,,dirt cheap.
    Wanted 1 for 20 years,but couldnt justify the price.cleaned mine all up,in very nice condition,was full of alox lube,,set it outside on my black celler bulkhead,,,all the lube melted out of it,,motha nature style!

  18. #18
    Boolit Buddy
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    Wow, good deal and not just once but twice. .Sounds like you may have found a side business, by star's cheap, clean them and resell. Enjoy!

  19. #19
    Boolit Mold
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    Fantastic deal.
    I bought my Star in about 1973. Cost about $100.00 as I remember and took a year to get. Still using it.
    Somebody once said Stars were made to space age tolerances before there was a space age. I agree.

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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