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Auto bullet feeder for 650 XL


Matthew Duncan

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Oddly enough I am right in the middle of doing an article on installing a bullet feeder on my 650. The one in your link is interesting since it will work on a 1050. The feeder I am installing won't work on a 1050 because the head on the 1050 moves up and down instead of the ram like on a 550 or 650. Looks pretty much the same as, for example, the RCBS bullet feeder except it has a rotating head. The one I am installing has a collator bowl and is electric.

 

http://www.rcbs.com/downloads/instructions/RC246_TubePistolBulletFeederInst.pdf

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If you noticed he didnt use a 650 but a 1050, bullets FMJ RN, would lead work?

Lee, a long time ago made one and with some work it would sort of be OK, thats when dillon and Lee worked together.

Then, there was another that worked but it cost $900.

RCBS has one but bullets have to be FMJ or hard or VH to work and the bell had to be large to fall in, soft lead NG. When using RCBS you must use 2 tool heads. You have to use one hole for bullet feeder, crimp, powder measure, lock out or powder check die.

They are out there I played with 2 of them sort of worked but I wasnt in that much of a rush to spend $900 the bullet seating and crimp left me cold.

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It also looks like right now it is only available in 9mm, 40 S&W and .45 ACP. So it you want to load .38/.357 you might be out of luck. I can tell you the difference between 9mm and .357 is enough that the feeder won't work properly and most of them have a had time digesting lubed lead bullets.

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You have to hand load the feeder and it only holds 100 bullets- :blink:

Reviews are positive--

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/2670347586/double-alpha-mini-mr-bulletfeeder-kit

OLG

 

Primer tube ONLY holds 100 too. :)

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Oddly enough I am right in the middle of doing an article on installing a bullet feeder on my 650. The one in your link is interesting since it will work on a 1050. The feeder I am installing won't work on a 1050 because the head on the 1050 moves up and down instead of the ram like on a 550 or 650. Looks pretty much the same as, for example, the RCBS bullet feeder except it has a rotating head. The one I am installing has a collator bowl and is electric.

 

http://www.rcbs.com/downloads/instructions/RC246_TubePistolBulletFeederInst.pdf

 

$500 for a electric model is too salty for me. $150 for manual is more in line with my household budget

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$500 for a electric model is too salty for me. $150 for manual is more in line with my household budget

It looks very interesting and the price isn't bad. Just remember it is listed for 9mm/.38 Super not .38/.357 and that it probably won't work with lead bullets. $500.00 is a little much for me too. I got the bullet feeder I am working on in the Bargain Cave at Cabelas. Fortunately for me used reloading stuff is usually deeply discounted! :)

 

This is looking like it will be a really good deal.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hornady-Lock-N-Load-AP-Bullet-Feeder-110-Volt-7-8-/321797275468?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4aec9cbf4c

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The bullet feeders from GSI International looks good too, but out of range for most people at $500.00

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--oJitUuwp8

 

http://www.gsiinternational.com/bullet-feeders_8_4233.html

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Shotgun Boogie and I set up a Lock & Load bullet feeder on my Dillon 650

He is not very patient when it comes to reloading, usually he has Hell Hound pull the handle for him

He did not find it up to his critical requirements. I sold it and bought and installed a Mr. BulletFeeder

That feeder works pretty well with Moly coated bullets, I understand is does not work with lubed bullets.

 

you still have to watch out for bullets that drop upside down and double drops.

 

Personally I find that if I take it slow and place the bullet by hand, I have a more harmonious outcome

 

Coffee

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Do bullet feeders work with the hard cast we shoot?

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For us (CAS), I think I see it as a solution looking for a problem. If it won't feed lobed lead bullets of caring sizes, It's pretty much useless for the CAS shooter. I find placing bullets by hand works just fine. I can place bullets as fast as I can run the handle. Most of the time, I don't try to run that fast, I'd rather enjoy reloading.

 

On the other hand, If one were a competitive Three Gun type, Loading a gazillion 45 ACP, 9mm or 10mm at a time, maybe ok. I would also be kind of upset to send for one and find it won't work for MY intended purpose.

 

Coffinmaker

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I have 10 primers tubes for my 550.

OLG

And just like your extra loaded primer tubes you can order extra bullet tubes and preload them too.

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The key words are "lubed lead bullets." So, no.

Thanks then I will save my money and not buy one.

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The bullet feeders from GSI International looks good too, but out of range for most people at $500.00

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--oJitUuwp8

 

http://www.gsiinternational.com/bullet-feeders_8_4233.html

On that GSI page it shows a manual one tube feeder down at the bottom for $300. Midway has a Mr Bullet Feeder with 6 tubes for $142. Their reviews are positive.

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For us (CAS), I think I see it as a solution looking for a problem. If it won't feed lobed lead bullets of caring sizes, It's pretty much useless for the CAS shooter. I find placing bullets by hand works just fine. I can place bullets as fast as I can run the handle. Most of the time, I don't try to run that fast, I'd rather enjoy reloading.

 

On the other hand, If one were a competitive Three Gun type, Loading a gazillion 45 ACP, 9mm or 10mm at a time, maybe ok. I would also be kind of upset to send for one and find it won't work for MY intended purpose.

 

Coffinmaker

Unfortunately looks like we are stuck by alox.

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I've been using a Mr. Bullet Feeder along with a PW auto drive on my 1050 for about 10,000 rounds of 9mm. What an awesomwe setup. Well worth your money especially if you have tennis elbow. I use 147 gr lead lubed bullets. I've cleaned it once. I do know that the red sticky lube is bad on them. The blue or green seems the best lube I've come accross. I think the mini bullet feeder might be a waste of time. IMHO The Mr. Bullet Feeder can be a little time consuming to set up. Especially if the bullets are bevel base.

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As an FYI it is not just the lube. If you look at all the videos and read the instructions for the various models you will see they are all feeding jacketed smooth sided bullets. With the increasing popularity of coated bullets I thought these might be the ticket as they have no lube. No dice. The fingers that release the bullets have very tight tolerances and, depending on location, they get hung up in the lube grooves and crimping groove. Either the bullets don't feed at all or feed unreliably. Still working on some ideas, but for the casual user I think I would heed the maker's advice that they are not intended for lead bullets. I have seen some "coatings" that advertise you can sprinkle them on lead bullets to aid feeding in a bullet feeder. That might help with the lube guming up the works but does nothing for problems caused by the lube and crimp grooves.

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Oddly enough I am right in the middle of doing an article on installing a bullet feeder on my 650. The one in your link is interesting since it will work on a 1050. The feeder I am installing won't work on a 1050 because the head on the 1050 moves up and down instead of the ram like on a 550 or 650. Looks pretty much the same as, for example, the RCBS bullet feeder except it has a rotating head. The one I am installing has a collator bowl and is electric.

 

http://www.rcbs.com/downloads/instructions/RC246_TubePistolBulletFeederInst.pdf

My son uses a bullet feeder on one of his his 650s. It is the one for sale at WR last year. Designed by guy that designed the 550. 650 and SDB while at Dillon. Son loads 38 spls. Some leaded lubed bullets work well, others do not. One interesting fact, lead lubed bullets that will not feed right, do feed well when lightly hit with One Shot before loading into bullet feeder. You might want to chat with him as he has done a lot of testing alternative bullets. Most recently moly and poly coated bullets.

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As an FYI it is not just the lube. If you look at all the videos and read the instructions for the various models you will see they are all feeding jacketed smooth sided bullets. With the increasing popularity of coated bullets I thought these might be the ticket as they have no lube. No dice. The fingers that release the bullets have very tight tolerances and, depending on location, they get hung up in the lube grooves and crimping groove. Either the bullets don't feed at all or feed unreliably. Still working on some ideas, but for the casual user I think I would heed the maker's advice that they are not intended for lead bullets. I have seen some "coatings" that advertise you can sprinkle them on lead bullets to aid feeding in a bullet feeder. That might help with the lube guming up the works but does nothing for problems caused by the lube and crimp grooves.

Larsen, I wonder if we ordered our bullets not lubed then and then graphited them before we load them in the feeder. Since you have a bullet feeder could you clean a few with laq thinner or mineral spirts and try this for us and let us know? You mention of a powder gave me this idea.

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My son uses a bullet feeder on one of his his 650s. It is the one for sale at WR last year. Designed by guy that designed the 550. 650 and SDB while at Dillon. Son loads 38 spls. Some leaded lubed bullets work well, others do not. One interesting fact, lead lubed bullets that will not feed right, do feed well when lightly hit with One Shot before loading into bullet feeder. You might want to chat with him as he has done a lot of testing alternative bullets. Most recently moly and poly coated bullets.

Can youi get the name of that feeder, where to buy or web site and post it here? What is WR?

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Larsen, I wonder if we ordered our bullets not lubed then and then graphited them before we load them in the feeder. Since you have a bullet feeder could you clean a few with laq thinner or mineral spirts and try this for us and let us know? You mention of a powder gave me this idea.

 

WR is Winter Range. As previously noted I have already tried non-lubed bullets and it is the location of the lube and crimp grooves that cause more feeding problems than the lube. If you buy one of these be prepared to do some experimenting. Right now I am waiting on some replacement parts from RCBS before I can do anything else.

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The bullet feeders from GSI International looks good too, but out of range for most people at $500.00

 

 

http://www.gsiinternational.com/bullet-feeders_8_4233.html

This is the bullet feeder my son uses. Before he purchased it, he sent several bullet samples to GSI for them to try. The unit they sent him was a new improved model. He does a lot of reloading with this feeder. He has done a lot of testing himself on different bullets. On lubed bullets, he found some mfgs lube was just too soft and gummed things up but he did find a solution.

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WR is Winter Range. As previously noted I have already tried non-lubed bullets and it is the location of the lube and crimp grooves that cause more feeding problems than the lube. If you buy one of these be prepared to do some experimenting. Right now I am waiting on some replacement parts from RCBS before I can do anything else.

When you get your parts could you try my idea to see if it works? Theres got to be a solutation we just have to find it. I really would like to get a bullet feeder because of my bad shoulders, I can only load 50 at a time, then I have to take a pain break.

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At what cost? :huh:

Don't see 'cowboy' calibers listed.

OLG

Didn't read post #17 did ya? :)

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Didn't read post #17 did ya? :)

No Matt-I did NOT see that. THX ;)

At that cost and the initial cost of the unit. I sure could buy a bunch of reloading components etc.-----

Have you even confirmed this deal will work for cowboy ammo?

From my research, it won't--

OLG

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No Matt-I did NOT see that. THX ;)

At that cost and the initial cost of the unit. I sure could buy a bunch of reloading components etc.-----

Have you even confirmed this deal will work for cowboy ammo?

From my research, it won't--

OLG

Cost? So you use a hand Reloader instead of a progressive in order to buy a bunch of reloading components? :)

 

No I haven't confirmed. That was the reason for my OP

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I sent an inquiry to Double Alpha:

 

Has the mini bullet feeder been tested extensively with cast lubed bullets ?

 

 

 

 

Reply:

I have to say, not by us. We use mostly plated here.

I am sure they are used with casted too, the lube can be used, but can also cause problems with the build up is too much, and may require more cleaning. Also, I hear that spraying some silicon onto the lubed bullets before starting, helps a lot to prevent the lube from coming off the bullets.

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Cost? So you use a hand Reloader instead of a progressive in order to buy a bunch of reloading components? :)

 

No I haven't confirmed. That was the reason for my OP

Apples to onions :D I load 14 calibers on my D/550, that I bought in 1987.

I keep the 550 because it's KISS and can easily load 400-500 handgun rnds an hour, without break'n a sweat.. ;)

All I need, is an open box of bullets and a bunch of filled primer tubes.

 

OLG

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