I talked to them on Monday but today all their website says is "So long, farewell"

He told me they cannot get a domestic heating element source produced that met his standards.
His supplier went out during Covid.
All the Asian ones are junk and would not hold up.

I think their real volume and service was around production equipment, something they haven't been able to do for over two years now.

I had a pot on order for over two years and checked in periodically.

They werent making money building just dies and sizers.

I think they are also in some type of steel business.

They didn't build junk, stood behind their products and were a great American business.

I hope its not farewell, but the attack on domestic small business during Covid has had its victims.

That sucks if true. Just when I buy a Star and now we’re not going to have a source for dies.

Start scouring the used market for dies now if this all true. The prices won't but go up if Star sizers and dies are now orphans.

I'm on my phone, but I don't see anything on their website.

My last conversation was about a possible element source but he was steadfastly not going to cut any corners.

The real shock isn't for us hobbyists; the real issue is commercial cast bullet sources that mass produce bulk cast bullets. The ones Oregon Trail, Acme and the like make.

Most all of their large scale production equipment is probably Magma, which if true, is no longer serviced.

Now just getting a malformed site with info but in a really odd format so maybe it's just a web update.

Sizing and lubing has fallen from favor. Most now would rather powder coat. I'm so glad I got my Star and a good assortment of dies before Magma went tits up.

I'm on my laptop and I still don't see anything (which makes me glad)!

All other links email etc the server is dead.

It probably doesn't apply to many of us here, but the death knell of mass produced bulk cast bullets has been tolled (even the grooveless powder coated ones).

Magma produced those machines and moulds where all those bevel based 500 count bulk boxes came from; Star has been bought out before (it was originally a California company), so here's hoping the element situation and the business finds a new owner and the ones now get a decent pay from the patents on the machinery and designs.

That's not good news, me & a friend have one & we need a new heating element. Perhaps we can get an electrician to make one for us....or not!

Dick

From what I have read elsewhere it does indeed sadly appear that Magma is no more. I have one of their moulds if anyone happens to need it; a 45LC-200-RNFP bevel base. I bought it a while back with the intent to convert it for RCBS handles but never got around to it, and it's still set up for a Magma machine.

My old Master Caster used the insert heating elements which were no problem to fine locally. The newer ones use the band type heater which I sure can be found with a little searching. They may be like a lot of things these day, produced overseas.

At one time Tempco made a band type heater which worked. The part number was MPP04139. This item doesn't come up when searched on their site but there is a phone number & I would call & ask if there is something other which replaced it. This information comes from an old thread on the castbooits site found here
And is the link to Tempco.

This new sucks sh*tty balls, they make some of the best stuff out there for bullet casting. I'm going to have to buy a lathe/mill combo and have one of my kids learn how to make sizing dies.

Lyman and RCBS both make heaters and MidwayUSA as both in stock. I bet they could be drill and tapped to use on a Star.

The Lyman has multiple holes to fit, among others, the Star. It’s what I use

Sad to hear Magma has closed. Had watched their inventory for Star sizing dies. Never did see what I needed and at some point quit visiting their site.

Has anyone tried NOE’s bushings? They offer an adapter for the Star Lubsizer. Looks like a good sizing option although they won’t lube.
https://noebulletmolds.com/site/sho...size-die/bushing-adapter-for-star-sizer/

There is a guy on the castbooits site who makes Star dies. I have several of his, no complaints.