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Does anyone have experience with the Double Alpha bullet feeder on a Dillon press? Thanks

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Hundreds of people.  I have posted photos of the ones on my 1050 and 650 several times.  The Double Alpha stepped funnel is specifically made for the Dillon.

 

Here is one mounted on a 1050.  It mounts the same way except it is on the left side on a 650.  The 750 requires a little more work to install because of the way the powder measure mounts on the 750.  The fix is on YouTube and Double Alphas website.

 

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Edited by Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933
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I also have a Frankfort Arsenal X-10.  They have a bullet feeder but it is not nearly as versatile as the Double Alpha.  So I made an adapter and attached a Double Alpha to the X-10.

 

DSC_0008.thumb.jpeg.c8e1dbed3c68cd327db930922fa3e3a2.jpeg

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The mini works fine and I have four magazines left over from when I used one.  The only downside is it takes quite a bit of time to manually fill the magazines.  Once filled you can zip right along.

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8 minutes ago, Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 said:

The mini works fine and I have four magazines left over from when I used one.  The only downside is it takes quite a bit of time to manually fill the magazines.  Once filled you can zip right along.

Time wouldn't be an issue with me. It is still faster than manually loading a bullet one at a time without the feeder. Just hesitant about getting rid of the powder checker.

 

Besides isn't that what the wife is for, loading magazines. LOL

 

TM

Edited by Texas Maverick
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8 minutes ago, Colorado Coffinmaker said:

 

I have had absolutely no trouble at all with my Bullet Feeder.  It's called my Left Hand.  Works a treat and never gets jammed :P

So far I am in the same game as you but would like to try the mini feeder to help ease some of the arthritis in my hand. It seems like it would make it much easier on my hand.

 

TM

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37 minutes ago, Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 said:

With a case feeder and bullet feeder all you do is pull the handle at a leisurely pace and listen for the low powder and low primer sensors.

I have the case feeder already and it does work great. I thought with the bullet feeder I lose my powder check. Doesn't the feeder replace the checker?

 

TM

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22 minutes ago, Texas Maverick said:

I have the case feeder already and it does work great. I thought with the bullet feeder I lose my powder check. Doesn't the feeder replace the checker?

 

TM

It does if you seat and crimp at two separate stations. (that what I do,  no powder check). but you could use a seater/crimper and still have a powder check.

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1 hour ago, Texas Maverick said:

I have the case feeder already and it does work great. I thought with the bullet feeder I lose my powder check. Doesn't the feeder replace the checker?

 

See Toranado's post.  What press do you have?

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16 minutes ago, Mountain Man Champ said:

Dillon xl 650

The question was in response to Texas Maverick's question.  Hopefully he has the same press.  The way my 650 is set-up is:

 

Station 1 - Resize, deprime

Station 2 - Power drop, prime

Station 3 - Powder check die

Station 4 - Bullet feeder

Station 5 - Seat/crimp die

 

On a 550 you cannot run a powder check as it only has four stations.

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12 hours ago, Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 said:

See Toranado's post.  What press do you have?

Dillon 650

 

TM

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13 hours ago, Toranado, SASS # 58447 said:

It does if you seat and crimp at two separate stations. (that what I do,  no powder check). but you could use a seater/crimper and still have a powder check.

I do have the stations set up to seat and small crimp and then the final station is the factory crimp die. Oh well, after over 6 years of using the 650 I have only had the powder alarm go off 3 or 4 times so guess I can live without it.

 

Thanks

 

TM

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12 hours ago, Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 said:

The question was in response to Texas Maverick's question.  Hopefully he has the same press.  The way my 650 is set-up is:

 

Station 1 - Resize, deprime

Station 2 - Power drop, prime

Station 3 - Powder check die

Station 4 - Bullet feeder

Station 5 - Seat/crimp die

 

On a 550 you cannot run a powder check as it only has four stations.

thanks

 

Mine has the bullet seat and small crimp in Station 4 and the final crimp in Station 5. don't you need another die for the dropper die to fit into if you go this route? I thought the powder checker comes out and the dropper die screws into it. Is this incorrect?

 

TM

Edited by Texas Maverick
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Not sure I understand the question.  The dies in a 650 go in the order I listed.  I have taken the 650 off the loading bench to try out the X-10 so all the dies have been removed and the 650 is sitting on top of a safe.  Here are two photos that might help visualize how the bullet feeder is set up.

 

On the Dillon 1050 mine is set up as shown in this photo.  On the 1050 things move counterclockwise so starting in the front it is:

 

1.  Sizer/deprime

2. Swager (which I do not use but is built into the machine)

3. Priming station

4. Powder measure

5. Bullet feeder

6. Bullet seater

7. Lee factory crimp die

 

DSC_0001.thumb.jpeg.f3803ab058d562ed2a8f19bbad89ca7c.jpeg

 

Most of the time the cause of a double charge is short stroking or double stroking the press.  On the 1050 you cannot do this as it has a ratcheting mechanism so the handle cannot be short stroked.  So I decided to run without a powder check.  If I was running a powder check it would go where the bullet feeder is located, the bullet feeder would move one station to the left and a seater/crimper combo die would go in the last hole.

 

On the X-10 I decided the powder check would be useful so it is set up like this photo.  Again the X-10 rotates counterclockwise.  We do not need to worry about the dies in the front so starting with the powder measure it is:

 

1. Powder measure

2. RCBS powder lock out die

3. Bullet feeder

4. Bullet seater

5. Crimper

 

DSC_0002(2).thumb.jpeg.df568b4e25d8cef5519aaa6032c4f78d.jpeg

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i think I am confusing all of us. I think we are saying the same thing. I will just need to take off the powder tube and slide the powder funnel in and set it up to provide the correct opening for the bullet to sit. Then remove the powder check and insert the new bullet die in its place and get it adjusted to drop my bullets. Will leave the next stage alone and let it seat and start the crimp and let the last stage do the final crimp.

 

TM

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I love my mini Mr Bullet Feeder.  It’s about the only thing on my LNL AP that doesn’t require regular tweaking.

 

it works well with the LNL AP as both the mini Mr Bullet feeder and the LNL AP primer feed hold about 100 units which provides a good break between running batches of 100.

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31 minutes ago, Marauder SASS #13056 said:

Texas Maverick, the obvious solution is  to buy a 1050.  You know you wanted one anyway, right?
:D :D :D

I had thought about it but when they said it didn't have the lifetime warranty I decided not to.

 

TM

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Some thing to consider.

At my stage of life, a lifetime warranty doesn't mean as much to me.

Plus my home windows have a lifetime warranty, but the company went under while with windows were in great shape.

 

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21 hours ago, Marauder SASS #13056 said:

Texas Maverick, the obvious solution is  to buy a 1050.  You know you wanted one anyway, right?
:D :D :D

out of curiosity, what do they usually run cost wise? Since I only reload my 38's it would be hard to justify the cost to the wife. LOL

 

TM

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1 hour ago, Marauder SASS #13056 said:

Some thing to consider.

At my stage of life, a lifetime warranty doesn't mean as much to me.

Plus my home windows have a lifetime warranty, but the company went under while with windows were in great shape.

 

I understand since I am at 74, I will never outlive any of my gear but I like being able to call Dillon and asking for replacement parts that have broken without having to pay for them.

 

TM

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@Mountain Man Champ, I didn't try to steal your post, just ask about the smaller unit. I hope you have gotten your answers from all the posts. It sounds like either way is good, just depends on how much you want to spend. I can't justify the larger unit since I am only reloading 38's for my SASS matches. If I was loading my 9 mm's as well then maybe I could make sense to get the bigger one. I have the smaller unit arriving today so will be getting it setup and see how well it helps crank out my 38's. 

 

TM

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2 hours ago, Texas Maverick said:

I understand since I am at 74, I will never outlive any of my gear but I like being able to call Dillon and asking for replacement parts that have broken without having to pay for them.

The reason they do not have a lifetime warranty is because the Super 1050 and 1100 series are considered industrial machines.  People motorize them and load millions of rounds with them.  I have an original RL1050 that has got to be at least 30 years old.  In all that time I have replaced one part.  It was part 8052A which is a rubber bumper on the primer slide and Dillon gave me three or four for free.  I am older than you and if I was buying a press today I would get the 750 as I could not justify the price of a new 1050 or 1100.

 

DSC_0001.thumb.jpeg.ed4cbc1b963d7e7e34afd8a0a862d217.jpeg

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57 minutes ago, Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 said:

The reason they do not have a lifetime warranty is because the Super 1050 and 1100 series are considered industrial machines.  People motorize them and load millions of rounds with them.  I have an original RL1050 that has got to be at least 30 years old.  In all that time I have replaced one part.  It was part 8052A which is a rubber bumper on the primer slide and Dillon gave me three or four for free.  I am older than you and if I was buying a press today I would get the 750 as I could not justify the price of a new 1050 or 1100.

 

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So it looks like my 650 should be good for the rest of my life then. Thanks

 

TM

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21 minutes ago, Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 said:

Yep, and the 650 is easier to set up for a bullet feeder than the 750.

that is what I hear. Got the bullet feeder today so will be working on getting it setup for the weekend reloading session.

 

TM

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On 7/26/2024 at 4:27 PM, Texas Maverick said:

What about the https://www.doublealpha.biz/us/mini-mr-bulletfeeder? Is it worth the money and do the job even in a smaller capacity?

 

TM

I use the die only on my 650. I have made an adapter to allow use of 3/8 or 1/2 " tubing (1 tube only, no magazine). I preload about 4 tubes that hold apprx. 25 to 30 bullets each. .38 or .45 (2 dies required). I'm retired & like to run batches of 100 rnds so it's not fast - but works for me. PM me if you would like some pics.

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