Star Predicament

Bisley

Active Member
I inherited my late father's Star tool, with .358 sizing die installed, which he had acquired from the Anne Arundel County Police Department, when he opened his gun and junk shop in 1950 or so. Family history is that my late grandfather authored the legislation creating the department during his term in the Maryland House of Delegates from 1937-39. This makes the tool and die over eighty years old.

I have changed the die in the tool about a dozen times or so. The H&G potbelly mold (#50 wadcutter), Lyman 358495, and SAECO #382 (150-grain semiwadcutter) throw to .361 and always have. I have sized them through this tool for over thirty years. Last evening the bullets got stuck, one on top of the other, and would not budge. I am trying to figure out why.

Does this just happen from time to time with Star tools? I got two dry bullets stuck in a new die, but this one has plenty of lube through it. I have run it out of lube in the past until sized bullets came out dry, and I just added lube to the reservoir. the only alteration is to place #7 1/2 shot pellets in the holes I wanted to plug so as to only fill the bottom groove on the bullets. Could one of them have worked loose (completely through the holes) and jammed the bullets (impeding their travel through the die?

Do the dies become off center with years of use? I have noticed a partial cylindrical fin at the base of the bullets as they push through. But this has always gone on, and I attribute it to bullets .003 oversize.

Caveat: I noticed a scratch developing on the bullets I size trough this die over the last several years, but I have removed, cleaned and adjusted the lube flow a couple of times since then, never had an issue with clogging.

I had this problem before and someone suggested melting the bullets out with a propane torch. Would that not warp the die? or do I just hold it partially submerged in the casting pot? Would that not weaken the steel?

Is there any type of collar I could rig to the die in a vise, and use a punch to remove the bullet? Maybe like a .356 inch pin gauge long enough to force the bullets out? I do not have at heavy presses, except my RCBS single-stage, and a bench vise (Heavy enough to hold an axe or splitting maul for sharpening) to generate force against the slug in the die to remove it.

Suggestions?
 

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
Sounds much like just dry bullets. I've gotten a few stuck pretty good a couple of times in the past, Best solution I've found is to use a drill about half the diameter of the bullet, drill a hole all the way through the bullet being careful not to ding up the die. Then use a brass punch to tap out the bullet. By drilling the hole your giving the lead a place to move to.
 
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358156 hp

At large, whereabouts unknown.
I agree with Rick. Star sizers need a tiny bit of residual lube coating the inside of the die to prevent sticking. A squeaky clean Star die is prone to sticking. When used normally, it's a good idea to re-run a couple of previously sized & lubed bullets through the die for lubrication purposes. I do it every 10-12 bullets or so. If you keep running clean bullets through it you will eventually end up with a stoppage. If you sense a bit of unusual resistance, feed it a few of the afore mentioned sized & lubed bullets to straighten things out. Also, the harder the bullet, the tighter the jam seems to be. If you get to the point where you hear the bullets creak, you've now got a bit of extra work to do.
 

Bisley

Active Member
Makes sense. Just the first time I've encountered this problem. Don't want to ruin a fine old piece of equipment with so much family history behind it.
 

L Ross

Well-Known Member
I've stuck a bullet in a Star die. Pulled the die from the luber and put in molten lead in my melting pot until the bullet was gone. No harm, no foul.
 

scb

Member
FWIW I've been spraying my dry bullets lightly with spray case lube. I "inherited" a can of it and don't use it for anything else.
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
I also find that the Star is best when sizing .002 or less. I also find it doesn’t like really hard bullets.
For heavy duty sizing a Lee push they is hard to beat.

And YES, rerun a sized and lubed bullet every 10 or so and life becomes better.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
if you have a stem from a LEE or a piece of steel a touch smaller you can put the star die in your press from the bottom end and just push them out.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
chuckle.
I won't even mention sticking a tubing bullet one time and breaking stuff on my old san diego star with a 24" pipe wrench.
don't do that.
 

Mowgli Terry

Active Member
I bought a vintage Star sizer in an estate sale. The old dried lube came as a glob. I use 50/50 but need to use a heater to get it going. I have not had problems on that end of things. Removing the die is traumatic. I have the tool. Today or tomorrow I'm going to change over to 45 from 38. Suggestions in both areas are greatly appreciated. This sizer is old enough to have a dark japanned finish.
 

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
The die can be a little tough to pull up with the correct tool if you are using a stiff lube and the unit is cool. Simply warm up the area around the die with a heat gun or even lightly playing a propane torch around the die. Once the lube is soft the die will slip right out.
 

Creeker

Well-Known Member
Rick is correct. Sometimes I can push the die out with a screwdriver without using the tool.
 

Mowgli Terry

Active Member
Reporting in: Getting the .358 die was still tough. There is a need for meditation on the tool. Something there is not as it should be. Basically, it was an easy swap. I will investigate outside diameter of the .358 dies. I did discover that my old Midway heater was D&T'ed for the Star. Evidently, the original owner had problems also. The larger part of the tool was peened from hammer blows. Everything is in place. Adjustments to follow. Nothing broken and no cussing. The only mishap was the fire alarm going off from propane torch.
 
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Rick

Moderator
Staff member
I've got two Stars on my bench and they are both bolted to a Midway heater, to the best of my knowledge they come from Midway drilled & tapped for all the common lubrisizers including the Star. Pity Midway stopped offering that heater.
 

Mowgli Terry

Active Member
Right, I was figuring on way to mount on Star on the bench. Looked down wondering what those extra holes were for. Then I had the epiphany. You guys are great. Thanks.
 
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