Trying to decide if I need/want a bullet feeder

[Stats Shooter]

I load 10mm, 45 ACP , 9mm and 40 s&w on a dillon 650. On my press, I'm trying to decide if I need (or just want), a bullet feeder. First, I like to crimp and seat in separate steps, and with a mr bullet feeder I lose a station so no powder check die. I could crimp/seat on same stage but again prefer not to do that. I guess if you watch closely the powder check isn't necessary but it is a nice safety feature for potential double loads or empty cases which can lead to squibs.

Then there is the fact that by hand I can have a bullet setting on the next case by the time I am done seating a primer going about as fast as I can crank the handle with my right hand. I suppose it is less effort right? and I can watch what's going on more closely.

I just want some bullet feeder owners in the 650 to chime in and convince me to spend $500.

Also, it's a shame I cant get the Gsi toolhead anymore. they can be easily adapted to the Mr bullet feeder and allow me to avoid losing a station.

 

[PhillySoldier]

I started using the mr bullet feeder (and 2in1 crimp die) last year. Absolutely love it. I know have them on two presses. There is a lot of negative info out there about 2in1 dies and people needing to seat and crimp separately. The combo die is only like 20 bucks so I figured I'd give it a try and am glad I did. Like anything else reloading related it just needs to be setup properly. Im regularly testing my reloads from a ransom rest; so Im pretty analytical about the precision and can say in my experience it works great. My press monitor clocks me at averaging 1,200 rounds per hour which winds up being 1k per hour with small stops throughout to refill the primer tubes, spot check weighing charges and such. I think its important to keep the powder check and am doing so in a way that doesnt compromise quality or slow down production

 

[jmorris]

The GSI’s tool heads are a bullet feeder, that feeds and seats at the same station #4. All you need at that point is a collator.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3hVi6PuduM

If you are loading a lot of the same thing you can set a seat/crimp die to work fine. Ai don’t like to do it but do when I have to.

Just loaded 10,000 100gn HBRN bullets that way because hollow base bullets are one that doesn’t work with the GSI tool head and I wasn’t going to give up the PC on my automated 1050 because I am not there to confirm every charge.

 

[Stats Shooter]

Just loaded 10,000 100gn HBRN bullets that way because hollow base bullets are one that doesn’t work with the GSI tool head and I wasn’t going to give up the PC on my automated 1050 because I am not there to confirm every charge.

jmorris,

but if you were watching and just using the roller handle rather than an ammo bot or something, would you then eliminate the powder die? Because all the powder die really does is tell you if you have a gross under/over charge....or with 9mm if you have one of those cases with a shelf in it.

But if I'm watching, I can tell by sight what the powder check die can tell me

 

[jmorris]

I use a powder check every time I can. That said I only can use them on my 650’s and 1050’s, have to go old school and use my eyeballs on all the other presses.

I have loaded hundreds of thousands of rounds without powder check dies but I feel better using them.

It’s not the end of the world to not have them though.

Look at the last photo in the first post of this thread. It’s one simple solution I threw together that day.
https://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=570339&highlight=loadmaster

 

[GWS]

Jmorris, You've never tried using a micro camera and video monitor yet? I'm surprised. I sure do prefer them over wasting a station on my 5 station press.

What I don't do is trust myself to unfailingly look inside each case......especially on the Pro 2000 where it rotates out of the powder measure on the back 40! But you guys are younger and less dead.

On the 650 maybe it's easier to look.....on the Pro Chucker 7 it sure is...being in front.....yet I still love that big 5" monitor in my face....with that, you can't forget to look.

you know what the best part is? Its caliber unspecific...no changes when you change calibers. Works for all of them.

The GSI product was too cool.....to bad for me they were Dillon only. I think Mr. Bullet Feeder is a great product, except for the 2 stations....too bad Dillon doesn't make a 7 station upgrade to their 5 station press like RCBS did. Maybe such could be in the works if the hoards of Dillon users clamored for one.

 

[Doublehelix3216]

I love my MBF on my XL650, wouldn't want to live without it on my high-volume calibers.

I am currently investigating the 2-in-one dies so I can get my power check lock-out die back.

 

[Stats Shooter]

Well.....looks like I will have to think about it. I think in my case, since I dont use an auto drive, I could use the camera idea and ditch the powder check.

 

[COSteve]

I also have a Dillon 650 and have loaded over 130,000rds of 16 different calibers on it so far. While I love the casefeeder and wouldn't be without it, I don't see the need for a bullet feeder. You see, your right hand is busy cycling the press so your left hand is free. Rather than another assembly to keep up, I just decided to use my left hand as it wasn't doing anything anyway.

My design is simple and cheap. I bolted one of Dillon's existing 550B finished bullet bin brackets to the strongmount on the left side. While I was at it, I also decided to add a tool holder behind the bullet bin. It is just a lag bolted shaped piece of a 4x4 post with holes drilled in the top for my allen wrenches plus finishing nails on the side and the rear for hanging wrenches I also use (Dillon's Die wrench is hung at the rear):

And then I just slid on a Akro bin to use as a bullet bin that still allows me to get to my tools in the rack right behind the bullet bin:

I came up with this (an many other ideas) well over 10 years ago and offered my ideas to Dillon's technical team for free (no royality) explaining that my design was better than their existing bullet tray because it was A.) cheaper and B.) allowed one to put a tool rack on the side of the press where it was convenient to get at.

Interestingly, they decided to pass, however, about 2 years later they came out with their own tool rack design. Due to their existing bullet tray design, they locate it at the back of the press where it's awkward to get to.

Coincidentally, just a couple of months before they released their tool rack, I made a second offer to them for another of my designs, again for free. It's my design for a Dillon trimmer switch mount at the back of the press using the rear press mounting bolts. Again, they passed on my design I guess because they were coming out with their tool holder that used the same location.

It's clear that the combination of my 2 designs for the left side mounted tool rack and the rear mounted trimmer motor switch is a much more ergonomic and cheaper set of solutions than their designs but oh well, they had their chance.

If you'd like to see all of my 'Cheap Tips and Tricks for Your Dillon 550B and Xl650 Press', they are located HERE, a link to my archived thread on AR15.com.

 

[GWS]

Hi COSteve! You're a man after my own heart.....they don't make it so you do.

My first progressive was the Pro 2000 and I did a whole lot of that.

I thought I didn't really need a case feeder either. But as things go you get comfy with something you want to speed it up......I ended up with both.

For me as I got older I had to admit that, for me at least, all the steps going on at once on an auto-advance progressive was brain overload. And I wasn't comfortable with that....being that I could not pay as much attention as I wanted to the important step (powder charge), having to juggle everything else. So I ended up eventually automating both feeding operations, and found it safer for me as I can totally focus on making sure powder and primers are perfect.

But I have to tell you......that automating bullet feeding was more important for me than case feeding. Why? Simple! I never had a problem feeding cases and coming away with mashed and bleeding finger tips! With bullets you have to feed them a little into the dies....the rising shell plate doesn't much care what it tries to stuff into the die. Yeah I know you need fast hands with a slow brain.

With my new Pro Chucker 7......I started out with that....cases and bullets both rifle and pistol.....and I still have room for a powder check station. The only way I could be happier is to get an upgrade for me......too sissy to like getting old.

Below .308 setup: case feeder on the left....rifle bullet feeder on the right....no collators except pistol bullets......yet. Steve....you win the neatness contest.....I'm in the middle of mess right now, having just built my video powder inspection station for this.