Star Realoader !!??

[E20thLRP]

HI Folks my Brother just called from the Left Coast and he run up on
a (Star Realoader) does anybody know anything about them?
he said it had "45" on it but it had a side plate that had 3342
I think it is a cal .45 but I dont know what 3342 stands for??
can you still get parts for a Star and how much do you think
its worth ?? Echo.....out

 

[LeonCarr]

Buy it.

There is a THR member named Paul "Fitz" Jones that has forgotten more about Star Reloaders than most people will ever know .

PM him, and see what he says.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[E20thLRP]

Thanks "Leon" I knew someone would know on this Board I have only been here a short time..but Loving it....Echo...out

 

[cdrt]

You can also post your question at www.starreloaders.com. The guys there will be glad to help. I have a couple Stars; one in .45 ACP and one in .38 Special. I keep joking that I'll buy a Dillon 650 when they break.

Not sure what your 3342 stands for. Mine have the patent number on the tool head and the Star decal on the front of the tool head. Powder slide housings are marked either O or OO usually indicating the thickness of the powder slide. Newer presses have a plastic powder magazine. Older models have one made from aluminum.

There are a couple guys out there who have Star parts and one guy in CT that machines new parts; powder slides, powder magazines, etc. Stars usually run anywhere from $250 to $500 depending on condition and what comes with it. I picked up two last year on the west coast for $500 and sold them on eBay for about $400 each.

 

[jwr_747]

had a friend who shot Bulls Eye,would only use his star for his 45 loads.back before Dillion,Bulls Eye shooters would give their first born for a Star. jwr

 

[Jim Watson]

3342 is most likely the serial number. A Star Progressive is a complex and expensive piece of machinery, comparable to the gun itself. Might need the SN to get the right parts and accessories.

 

[cdrt]

Nope, no serial numbers on Star Reloaders. If they did have them, it would make it easier for us Star owners to figure out when our presses were made. Parts are interchangeable from old ones to new ones...that's the good news. Even some Phelps parts (a poor copy of the Star) will fit a Star press.

 

[E20thLRP]

Thank you all you guys!! I was able to get it !! the lady said the 3342
was the guy last 4 of his SS incase it was stolen...and it was about 30
yrs old.... (cdrt) thanks for the pm you will hear from me!! Echo out..

 

[Jim Watson]

How strange.
My CH Autochamp has a serial number, I would have certainly thought a higher end machine like a Star would.
What you get for making rash assumptions.

 

[cdrt]

Reloaders were a sideline for the Star Machine Works. In the latter years of production, the owner raised the price hoping it would cut down on orders, since he had a waiting list. All it did, was raise the demand even more. Retail on a Star was around $900 and guys were lined up wanting them.

Dillion, I've been told, worked for Star or knew of them and based his progressive presses on the Star design.

 

[Oscar Orum]

I believe Star's main production line was irrigation sprinklers. They made the "Cadillac" of reloaders in my opinion and are good for many, many years of serivce. The workmanship is first rate and top notch quality. People will line up to buy one. You want the 'universal" that is interchageable tool head (for various cartridges) and shell plate. Hulme case feeder with Chevron Case Master is desireable along with adjustable powder bars to really be first class.

 

[Grump]

You gotta pay attention and have an empty case to insert into the "escape hatch" just before powder drop to keep from dumping powder when you miss a case. Assuming you have the nifty casefeeder.

Despite the odd 70-primer or so feed tube, awkward pickup tube-to-feed tube interface (skinny, but I have dumped a load only *once*), and the time spent loading the case tubes, the Star remains the fastest progressive I've used. A non-casefeed Dillon 550 loading 9mm comes close. Anyway, I can do fully 400 an hour, including all time spend loading primers and casetubes.

Put an adjustable powder slide on it, and I'd scrounge money to get one in .38/.357 Mag. A 9mm shellplate would probably work for .40 S&W/10mm with just a change of dies (anyone know a machinist who will turn std 7/8x14s down to fit???) and maybe a little fudging at the actual work stations. Ejector groove is the same, and all you need is a little more room for the rim.

Jim Watson: Most Stars were made back when serial numbers were often not put on rimfire rifles, either.

Actually, I think a Star might be faster without the casefeeder IF you don't fumble on the case insertion operation. You're already picking them all up to load the tubes...

 

[cdrt]

Grump

There's a fellow in Conn. who makes replacment dies and adjustable powder slides for the Star. If you would like his email, send me a PM.

Also C&H Die company will also make replacement dies. I ordered a .38 Special taper crimp die from them. C&H were the folks supplying dies to the guy in Pioneer, Calif. who bought out Star a few years back. Unfortunately, his website is down and I'm guessing that he is out of business.

The primer tube will acutally hold 100 primers. The pickup tubes hold about 80. If you put 100 primers in the tube, you need to cycle about 20 rounds before the primer tube rod can be inserted.

 

[E20thLRP]

WOW....man I feel like I hit the LOTO...I was able to get it...
it has a box of stuff with it not sure what I have..the old gman
has passed he told his wife just make sure a Shooter gets it...
and I be the one...CDRT you have mail..going to need help on set up..
Once again Thank You for all the Help man I had no idea I had hit a gold
mine....Echo out>>>>

 

[klw]

The Star was invented in the late 20's by Ellord Mott. Knew him. He based his machine on a Winchester patent from the 1890's. Progressive reloaders were actually invented in the 1890's. I always found that odd.

Ellord made a number of machine. The first was the non-Universal. Basically a 38 special only machine. It came out before the 357 magnum but when that cartridge appeared it could be loaded as well. There was also the Universal that could handle about a dozen or so cartridges. The Army insisted that Star make a rifle machine. Those are pretty rare. And there was a pistol/223 unit. Probably the rarest of the regular production units was a straightline pictured in Sharp's old book. Probably parts were made for about 20 of those but maybe as few as three were ever assembled. The other parts were found in the plant when it was closed.

And there were weird prototypes pictures of some of which are just now starting to show up on the previously mentioned Star sight.

 

[Oscar Orum]

chevron case master

grump- with the chevron casemaster you don't handle individual cases. It has a shellplate in the bottom of a slanted "bucket" that is operated off a microswitch and small electric motor to keep the Hulme casefeeder full. You fill the bucket and put bullets on charged case and pull the handle. I have found that they are scarce but well worth the effort to find.

You have a real prize in your Star. Enjoy it.