Lathesmith's Star dies

[jomax07]

could you please send me your address, I would like to order some items.
thanks so much, Max
jleight74@comcast.net

[bob k]

Dear Sir

i am looking for a regular starr sizing die in .360 dia it is a LBT 180 grain with two lube groves i would like to size nose first and apply gas check
please send me your mailing address and price for die

my e mail is

kinley99@aol.com

thank you

[VeryOldGuy]

Hello all, as many of you know, I specialize in making dies for the Star, Magma Star, and Ballisti-cast bullet sizing machines. You get what I consider to be a good value in die making--at a reasonable price! Currently, I offer the standard factory flange-style dies, these run $42 shipped. These dies are hardened to better than 50+Rockwell. I have a "standard" lube hole design, that consists of 3 rows of holes spaced .125 or so apart, with the first row approximately .750 from the top of the die. If you want or need something different, just send me a message and we can discuss your needs.

I also make punches for the Star; the regular flat punch runs $15 and a "dished" punch runs $17 Plain punch nuts are $4 each, and the punch nuts with setscrews are $7. These ship free if purchased with your dies. One more item I also offer for the Star: a roller L-handle. These run $28 each shipped.
Update: I now offer punches and punch nuts with setscrews for the Ballisti-cast MK VI sizer. The punches are the same price as listed above for the Star. The punch nuts with setscrews are $4 each, or $35/10.
Your dies normally ship about a week after I receive your payment; check or money order for payment is fine. If you wish to order or have questions about your Star die and punch needs, just send me a PM or email and I'll do my best to fix you up! I'll be adding and updating this listing in the next several days; thanks to all of you here at the forums for making this possible, with a special thanks to Ken.
Good shooting,
Chris

-----------------

Let me be straight here about your die manufacturing and quality.

I have bought quite a few of your dies and some that came with the Mark VI. I will tell you that your quality of actually sizing your dies is ****. I have read your explanation of this and have dealt with you regarding the .0005 undersizing of your dies. You claim that is for "springback". Huh ? No. I have been sizing bullets since probably before you started this kind of business and have never had an issue with "springback" even when dealing with 23 Brinnell hard bullets.

The fact you can't or don't have the capability tooling-wise to make a sizer die the APPROPRIATE size (as stamped) on the damn die is a JOKE!

I paid several hundred dollars for your dies, and then had to send them to a very professional precision bore honing company to precision hone the damn things out to THE PROPER SIZE they should've been made to when a customer buys the damn things to begin with!

The precision honing machinist said "who the hell made these piles of **** anyway" ?? ..I replied.."what do you mean"?? ..he replied "these damn things are not even made with round holes and nor are they made consistently the same out of tolerances from die-to-die". "egg shaped bores".. yes! Not even round holes!

Your dies ACTUALLY measured between .0006 and .0021 out of tolerances from the .0005 you claim you size your dies to. These measurements were measured by some very precision tools and equipment at the precision honing shop.

When it comes to cast or swaged lead bullets, .0005 or MORE in bearing surface diameter makes a helluva BIG difference in accuracy, and especially with LEADING in barrels!

In fact, right in front of me, the machinist took a precision machined "Go" pin that was .356 and COULD NOT push it through your die that was stamped .358! Sloppy work!

I paid that professional honing machinist $170 to PROPERLY size YOUR dies to what they should've been sized to at your shop.

Hey even if you haven't the capability of sizing PROPERLY, at least offer a higher price to your customer for YOU to provide the expert services of ANOTHER company to hone those damn dies out before you ship them.

The only "quality" I see from your dies is the hardness. They are hard and durable, I'll give you that.


Nothing but sloppiness from my experience!

[altheating]

Your very first post on this forum and you start out like this? I have used Lathesmiths dies exclusively and find all of them to be round, exactly the diameter I ordered and have shot groups that most j word shooters would be proud of. I know of three other friends of mine who also use his dies and all love them. Bad customer service, I don't think so! Sorry about your problem, but I will stick with Chris's dies.

[quicksilver]

I have only dealt with Chris on a couple of dies and they seam to be great to me, but I am no expert.If I had a problem with his product I would send it back. Then I would not buy hundreds of dollars worth of his dies. He is a caster too and I believe he would fix or replace a bad die.Quicksilver

[toallmy]

Newbie but I want to get dies for new magma star sizer ,but don't know how.orderd new sizer yesterday

[Rock]

No replies from Lathesmith, is he still making these dies?

[tocsin]

Sent you a PM Chris. Would like to place an order. Thanks!

[lathesmith]

I guess I need to check the forum more often, I didn't realize I'd been trolled by VeryOldGuy. Maybe he's working for another die maker or something? I stand behind every die I sell, if someone isn't happy with what they receive they know they can contact me and I'll make it right. Period. I don't know who this person is, or even if he actually bought anything from me. But showing up on an open forum to make wild accusations and false charges is a pretty low, and classless thing to do.

Yes, I'm definitely still making these dies, and I stand behind everything I sell. Don't let a troll with an agenda fool you into believing otherwise; just check my feedback, then check his. Thanks for your support, and to all the hundreds of satisfied customers that I sell to each year.

[maypoman]

Chris, I just bought a Die and punch from you last week or so. The die works great, but the punch and lock nut are not the correct thread for my press. I don't know if the Ballisti-cast has different threads. Mine looks more like the picture on the right. Help

Thanks
Mark Stevens

[lathesmith]

Hi Mark,
Yes, the Ballisti-cast and Stars definitely use different punch threads! Sounds like I need to swap punches with you. So you have a Ballisti-cast MK VI press and need a punch/punch nut with setscrew for it? Send me a private message, and we'll get it taken care of.

lathesmith

[Intel6]

I guess I need to check the forum more often, I didn't realize I'd been trolled by VeryOldGuy. Maybe he's working for another die maker or something? I stand behind every die I sell, if someone isn't happy with what they receive they know they can contact me and I'll make it right. Period. I don't know who this person is, or even if he actually bought anything from me. But showing up on an open forum to make wild accusations and false charges is a pretty low, and classless thing to do.

Yes, I'm definitely still making these dies, and I stand behind everything I sell. Don't let a troll with an agenda fool you into believing otherwise; just check my feedback, then check his. Thanks for your support, and to all the hundreds of satisfied customers that I sell to each year.

I was wondering if you saw that? Coming on here and making that your first post sure seems suspect??? I have been happy with the dies and punches you have made for me so I am not sure where this guy is coming from?

Neal in AZ

[lathesmith]

Thanks Neal. I have no idea who this guy is, he claims to have bought "hundreds of dollars" of dies from me but so far as I know he's never actually bought a single one. Who knows why people do what they do, some people just have a chip on their shoulder or a case of sour grapes or something, I guess.

[elkturkey3]

Dear Lathesmith I have just got A used Star lubersizer I need sizeing dies for I would like to talk to you I have checked with Magma and there prices but I have been reading that your dies are top notch and cheeper So if there is any way I can call you and ask you some questions I would like it

[lathesmith]

Elkturkey, reply sent by email, let me know if you don't receive it.

lathesmith

[elkturkey3]

Sent press this morning tracking # is9114901075742433571111 USPS thanks

[lathesmith]

Thanks Jimmie!

[elkturkey3]

Just checking if you got the press

Thanks Jimmie!

[lathesmith]

Yep, it arrived Jimmie, thanks. We've been dealing with tons of rain and flooding here the last several days, I've been a little slow at getting things done. Sunshine at last today!

[elkturkey3]

Hi Chris got the dies they work great but I thought you told me they were going to have one hole