Star Sizer and RN bullets

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  • Last Post 18 April 2010
runfiverun posted this 11 April 2009

how long are you waiting to size them? and how much are you sizing them down?

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CB posted this 10 April 2009

Pinger a couple of things...

First go to the Magma site and get all of the instructions for the star sizer. For a reference in the future, of course. http://www.magmaengr.com/>http://www.magmaengr.com/ or call for assistance 480.987.9008, Monday through Saturday, 8am to 5pm Arizona Time.

Second, if the lube is too hard you should use a heater, for the money their heater is a good choice as it is thermostatically controlled and adjustable.

The flat spot, depending on how large may be a small problem. How much are you sizing them down from as cast diameter? .001 shouldn't make too much of a flat spot.

The Star instructions tell you to run an all ready sized and lubed bullet back through the die every 15 bullets as the dies is not self lubricating. The harder the bullets, the more often you will need to do this, maybe every 10 and you may need to push a couple through. If that doesnt work, maybe a little 3-1 oil on an acid brush.

You can always call the Magma people, they are pretty good to deal with and do have answers to a lot of questions.

I suspect that the BAC is a bit too hard and you should heat it a touch.

I made my own heaters for my 2, just because I wanted to see if I could, but I spent more than one of theirs cost. I got almost all of the parts at Grainger, with the exception of the black plastic box to house the switch, indicator lamp and thermostat that came from Radio Shack. I will take some pictures and post them if you would like to attempt this your self.

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pinger posted this 10 April 2009

BAC is real close to the RCBS Pistol lube that i have been using in my Lyman for a long time. I'm not sure if that gives you an idea. I do run a lubed bullet or two through every 15 or so rounds.

Those lubes are soft, but are still “stick” lubes, and are probably a bit too hard.

I've never used a heater, but it sounds like i need to get one. Someone recommended that i try one of the hard lubes in my lyman. I just ended up using the old bernz-0-matic until i could switch back to the other lube.

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LWesthoff posted this 10 April 2009

I don't know what Magma charges for a lubri-sizer heater, but a hair dryer lying on the bench blowing on the sizer always worked for me, even back when I was working in an unheated garage.

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pinger posted this 10 April 2009

Yeah, i've been eyeballing a heat gun from harbor freight for 15 bucks. might be worth a shot.

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CB posted this 10 April 2009

That may work. The star heater is 105.00 plus s&h The one I made ran me about 80.00.

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CB posted this 11 April 2009

Some guys simply mount an aluminum or steel plate between the sizer & the table. The plate sticks out the back about a foot. Then they sit a hot clothes iron on the plate, it heats the plate, which heats the sizer. Lymans heater is drilled for the Star, but it doesn't have a thermostat, so it sometimes gets a little too hot during a long sizing session.

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Dale53 posted this 13 April 2009

The least expensive, fully satisfactory, heater for the Star is a Lyman flat heater that the lube/sizer bolts to with an added rheostat. I used an “on hand” Dremel tool rheostat. However, a light dimmer switch mounted to an electrical box with a place to plug in the heater and a cord to plug into the wall socket completes this inexpensive set up. The light dimmer costs less than $9.00 - total cost of the unit will be under $15-20 plus the Lyman heater ($46.00 from Midway).

I consider that a serious saving. On the other hand, the method outlined above with the aluminum plate and an electric iron should also work well and will cost nearly nothing.

Dale53

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Dicko posted this 13 November 2009

I wouldn't worry about the flat spot on RN bullets with the Star lubricator.   It takes more pressure than you might think to force a bullet through a sizing die.   Try it by hand or with a punch and hammer.  No, don't do the latter for fear of damaging the die, but I assure you that bullets don't go through dies easily.   Even the hardest bullet alloy is quite soft so some sort of mark on a bullet caused by the previous or next bullet is to be expected.   If you have a pip on a base from a not-so-clean sprue cut it will leave a mark on the next bullet.    It is cosmetic and will affect nothing.

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CB posted this 13 November 2009

I get the little dink in the base of the bullet in my star if I am trying to size down greater than a thousandth or two. The harder you have to pull on the handle, the more noticeable the dink will be. As Dicko says, it is cosmetic and will not affect the bullets performance.

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runfiverun posted this 13 November 2009

and usually helps flatten the base of the one in front some so the dent could be helping you.

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TonyT posted this 18 April 2010

I have an old Star machine from the mid 1950's and I always purchased the appropriate top punch for the bullet I intended to use. I always size with the base down.

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