Well after sizing and lubing about 700 of my 9mm cast bullets on my RCBS LAM2 a couple weeks ago, my rheumatoid arthritis was telling me I better figure something else out. So had to add some lesser used items to the chopping block, and ordered up a new Magma Star bullet sizer from Magma Engineering. They had them right in-stock and I had it in 2 days--pretty impressive from Arizona to Maine. Just waiting on my order to arrive this week with sizing dies, top-punches, and a roller handle from Lathesmith over at Castboolits.

Can't wait to try this beauty out.

[Lust factor ON]

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Dum vivimus Vivamas

Yep, you need more "stuff"

I do not cast, but sure looks like well made machine!

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Still Running Against the Wind

It is a push through size & lube design--eliminating the upstroke motion required on the RCBS LAM2 that I used to have. If you skip ahead to about 2:50 into this video you can see it in action.

I like the Star a lot but now I just use it as a sizer only. Switched to coated bullets now I run coated bullets through the Star. How did the RCBS aggravate your arthritis? I know the stock Star handle is brutal on the hands. I have a friend with the roller handle and it is much nicer but I just haven't gotten one yet. Magma is a great company and they make very solid and reliable equipment.

Thanks for turning me onto Lathesmith too. I thought I HAD to get dies from Magma. At $52 per die the cost of the Star quickly translates into the collection of dies. Nice to see alternatives exist.

This is my setup. The Star is on the far right of my bench. I didn't like the Star hanging over the front of my bench. I mounted it farther back and then drilled a hole and attached a clear plastic pipe. Bullets slide down into a bucket. It slows them down and is easy to work with.

Daardvark, nice setup! I was considering putting my Star further back on my bench like you did, but wasn't sure how difficult die changes would be. If you could send some info on the tubing and how you mounted it--I'd appreciate it.

With the RCBS LAM2, my hands got tired as you have to push down to size the bullet, the push back up to get the bullet out of the sizing die--both required effort. When I placed my order from Lathesmith, I order 2 sizing dies with top punches, nuts with set screws for the top punches, and a roller L-handle. In the future I might add something for an official heater, right now I've just been using a no-heat lube (TAC1), and having a hair dryer on the sizer for a little while before I first start. Everyone says to get the air assist, but the sizer and accessories was a lot of money, and I didn't have anything else to put on chopping block.

Received my sizing dies, top-punches, and roller handle today from Lathesmith over at Castboolits. Can't wait to try it out.

Nice. Kinda like having a new Cadillac or pick-up (your choice) in the drive.

I have one of these sizers actually made by Starr and .355,.357.432 & .452 sizer dies. I still use Lyman 450 and 4500 sizers (and about 35 size dies) and only mount the Starr for 2000 piece minimum batches. My 4500 has only had SPG black powder lube in it. A commercial loader I know uses a blow dryer as a heater. To avoid heartache, just buy the wife a new one, they don't clean up well! Ivan

That is cool now you got me thinking about casting. Don

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USN Retired/VN VET
M&P X5

Novalty, I am on the road this week but I'll post a pic of how the tube attaches when I get home. I was fortunate to find a clear tube at Lowes with an ID that exactly fit a standard plumbing attachment. The tube friction fits to the attachment. A picture will help I am sure.

For me the dies are no harder to remove. I took off the rubber O-rings so they pull out easily. I should have put it a few inches closer to the front edge but at the time, no good reason, I centered it. If you drill the hole through the desk the size of your sizer die hole, a short, fat dowel is still really easy to use to pop out a stuck die.

I shoot a lot of 35 caliber so I don't resize until I load. I have several bullets that I will size from .355-.358 depending my need. Reloading for me starts with a trip to the Star after a visit to a rather large stock of un-sized cast bullets. I like the Star a lot.

You'll never go back after using the Star. I sold my Lyman, but wish I would have kept if for the few times & size gc bullets. The Star isn't really setup for gc. I mounted my orginal on an elev steel angle setup so I could put a bin underneath, made the handle. I only buy new dies from Lathesmith.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

Fredj338, thanks for posting the pic. I just drew up plans for a wooden one this morning with a similar design to drop through into a plastic bin. Was thinking of leaving the bottom board longer so it was beyond sides so I could bolt to my bench. Then mount the Star to the top, and drill hole for sized bullets to fall into the pull out bin.

Got the extra holes in my .358 sizing die plugged with lead shot last night. Measured and setup the top punch this morning, lubed and installed the die, and added some TAC1 lube. Hoping to mount the sizer tonight and try out, just hope I don't have difficulty sizing the first few bullets like I have read. Going to lube the first bullet up before I put in the sizer.

I have had an original Star since the early 90s, and just flat would not take for it. I, unlike another poster, have no significant trouble seating GCs with it, either. If they don't snap on, I put them atop the base of the bullet and they crimp right on. I do lube nose down, and use one bottom punch for everything from .225 to .459"... it is absolutely the best tool out there for lubing and sizing, although I do still use my old Lyman 45 for special occasions.

That will work, or you can just run any lubed bullet thru the die to get a coating inside the die, doesn't take much. Have fun.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

The issue I have had with some gc is the lube pressure pushes them off slightly & they don't crimp properly. So if running a gc, I size them first, no lube, just to seat the gc. Then run them thru again with lube pressure. Plus all the bullets have to have extra handling vs a RCBS or Lyman, just drop the check into their die & place the bullet on top, usually works.
I shoot very few gc designs anymore, had gc removed from several pistol molds. Just not needed for most handgun use, even magnums, & adds quite a bit higher cost to the bullet, unless you make them yourself.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

Got the Star mounted to my bench tonight.


Stopped by local hardware store to see about a plastic bin to catch bullets, but $9 was more than I wanted to pay, so I designed the shelf around a more common reloading tool.


Think I will try to fashion something for a bullet tray mounted to the left to get unsized bullets closer to sizer.

My basement runs about 55 degrees during the winter unless I heat it. So I opted for the heater base with my STAR. Makes starting up, much quicker when I lube slugs in the Winter months.

+1 on Lathesmith! Far cheaper than buying from the Factory.

That looks like a very nice sizer and as a well made Star Knock-off you'll never need or want a better tool. I run Star presses and sizers and can't say enough good things about them. It took me many years to trade into my Stars but when I finally completed my quest I never looked back. Mike Dillon owes them boys a big thanks for showing him the way.

Regards

I think you should have went with a blue catch bin. I use those containers also but try to keep them away from the 550 they clash to much. Don

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USN Retired/VN VET
M&P X5

Last night I got to experience some of the learning curve while sizing my first bullets with the Star. I heated up the sizer with a hair dryer, put some lube on a couple bullets to put through the sizer, and still managed to get some stuck--later to find I had slightly "modified" my new roller handle. I think the first place I am going to have to start on making things easier is a heated base. The issues I had were lube spots on top of the front driving bands (shown on left bullet below), and fill out. I removed the sizing die, and back the pressure off and saw the lube was coming out still when activated. So I retried with the pressure backed off and it eliminated the lube in front of the top driving band, but then I wasn't getting complete fill on the lube grooves--which may have something to do with the temperature and hollow-sticks of TAC1 that I am using. The dies from Lathesmith did a wonderful job, and the bullets were sized nice and smooth at .452".

Well added a couple cotter pins and spring to keep the handle from falling--$2.88 fix at local hardware store. Had to pinch the opening so it was smaller and more of the pin slid through to the back to be folded over. Also got one of Kyle's air kits (vendor on Castboolits)added to my Star, just waiting on the heater base to arrive so I can modify the top of my stand.

Oh boy oh boy, new shiny toys !!

Don't you just love it when Christmas comes early.

Have fun with the new bullets......... can't wait to see how they shoot.

Check one more project off the list. Added the Magma Heater Base to my sizer, and re-mounted. Have some learning curve to do with the heat- but with just the heat on and no air pressure it was sizing a lot easier--now I know why the people on YouTube videos are able to go so fast.

Have to get casting some more bullets to try it out.

nice setup. I have one of the magma like yours. my heater is an old CH and it works fine. How do you like the air assist?. Make it smoother on lubing?. Also have an original star. It's setup for 45 auto bullets. Getting ready to reduce the herd on the other sizes. Have 4 Lyman 45s...a 450 and 2 RCBS's. Will probably keep one RCBS just because. I also like your size stand.. Will have to check out lathesmith on CB. BTW..how do you like the roller handle? I might just have to get one of them if they are significantly easier to use.

Thanks Skeet 028, I just converted over to this set up. Thinking the air kit will be a nice addition vs cranking the handle every so many bullets. With the lube that I am using it only took about 30lbs of pressure to get it flowing--when warm. The heater seems to have been the most crucial upgrade, as it allows the bullets to size through easier with the lube (still need to figure out the right temperature setting.) As you can tell I managed to tweak the roller handle some trying to size bullets when it was too cold. The roller handle is alot more natural to grab than the factory handle. The handle and dies are both from Lathesmith on Castboolits. Kyle623 also on CB, where I got the air kit from also offers a roller-handle too.

Thanks for the compliment on my stand, I am at best an amateur working with wood. It wasn't very expensive to put together, and it got the handle up to a good height on my bench. Plus having the collection bucket right on the bench keeps me from having to bend down to pick up the collection container. For lube I am using Tac1, which I had been using in my RCBS LAM2, they are hollow-sticks which are 4" long. Since the Star takes 6" solid lube sticks, I am thinking about using some PVC pipe to make my own mold and buying the lube by the pound--this way I could avoid any air pockets caused by the hollow tubes, as well as, not have to change the lube as often.

I happen to have a few sizing dies. Star manufacture. I am reducing the herd of molds and sizers. As far as rifle bullets I am keeping an H&G 30 cal like the lyman 311 041..and the 250 gr Lyman 348 bullet and maybe 10 handgun molds. Will keep the magma/Star sizer. Going to have to make a stand like yours. And make a roller handle. Will have to maybe buy an air kit as it truly looks neat. I finally got the 650 set up for 38 operation. Never really used a 650 so it will be a learning experience. I do have a 1050 or 3...different machines. Good luck with your setup. I can bet you are gonna be happy with it. Got to try some powder coating soon. Supposed to be the cat's meow!

Here is a video fo the Star Air kit install from the guy I purchased it from--think it was $40 shipped (saves $100 from buying the factory Star kit.)

My brother-in-law just got set up to PC his bullets using an inexpensive Harbor Freight PC setup, and a small convection oven. He uses the Lee Push-Through-Sizer set up with his press. The bullets he has tried so far have still produced a little smoke (powder related), and he has only had a small amount of PC left over in his guns which he says cleans up really easy. He really hasn't tried pushing the bullets harder as he is just getting started with PC. Although I believe in the concept, I am not sure that I want to switch over with having to PC outside a convection oven to store somewhere--plus I only plink with handguns so I don't need the extra speed, and my guns are lead free with traditional lube/sizing. I shoot so few rifles that a box will last me a long time.

There are a lot of aspects to this hobby which makes it a lot of fun. Powder Coating and swaging are not on my list...yet.

Is there a contact or site for the fellow with the air kit? Or is he a vendor sponsor on CB?

He's a Vendor Sponsor, (Redneck Machining) tell him Novalty sent you!

Just figured I'd post an update on the Star Sizer. Started sizing my first big batch of 9mm bullets. With air pressure kit for the lube, I've found about 40lbs. is sufficient while running the heater base on low with Tac1 lube. I've been able to run through about a couple hundred through in about half an hour--including warm up time for the heater. Size is easy to do, and not having to apply additional pressure to the lube allows me to do more with less fatigue. Another added benefit is that it doesn't mar up the nose on the bullets like the top punch did on the RCBS LAM II.