Bullet Feeder DIY

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I don't want an electric collator but would like some automation.
Click to expand...

Without a collator, bullet feeders seem like something the Government would come up with.

You pick up each bullet by hand, orient it base down and place it into a hole, while your production is at a complete halt, to avoid picking up a bullet, orienting it base down to set it in a case while your loading.

That said, before I knew any better, I did adapt one of these to one of my bullet sizing machines.

https://leeprecision.com/multi-tube-feeder.html

At least I could walk away from it for a few seconds while it ran without it running out.

You could also save the $25 and just get a really long plastic tube.

A429CF96-78BC-4491-BD19-447F33950937.jpeg

If you don’t already have one you would need to consider the cost of the step ladder you would need to fill it.
 
I don't have a collator yet but I like the bullet feed die. (no case feeder either)
With the bullet feed die one hand can feed cases while the other pulls the handle.
I my mind the bullet feeder without a collator is just like the primer tube feeder, still has to be filled but easier to fill a tube than place them one at a time by hand.

While looking for plastic tuning I found the RCBS tubes which are plastic and as cheap as I could order plastic tubing. (less expensive than the Hornady ones but the Hornady's are metal)
https://www.amazon.com/RCBS-Pistol-...128404&sr=8-1&keywords=RCBS+bullet+feed+tubes
 
I use what I call the Lee bouquet of tubes on top of a Mr. Bulletfeeder feed die. I agree with jmorris about the time aspect being the same as manually placing the bullet on the case mouth if you pick up one bullet at a time, orient it base down and drop it in the tube. But, if you grab 3 to 5 bullets out of the box at a time when filling tubes, there is a small time savings (for me) over hand seating each bullet, albeit still not nearly as fast as a collator. I capped the end of my feeder tubes and load them upside down. I find it faster to orient the bullets and drop them into the tubes nose first rather than base first. I use hair pin type cotter pins to capture the bullets in the tubes until I’m ready to release them to the MBF die. Takes me less than 10 minutes to preload 8 tubes (200 bullets). The small time savings is no big deal to me, but I do like having one less thing to coordinate while pulling the press handle. ymmv

Edit. Sorry, I just noticed that my post was OT from the OP’s question. I don’t know if the Hornady tubes directly fit the MBF die or not. I made adapters to fit the Lee gizmo to my MBF dies.
 
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Bullet tubes:
https://www.petmountain.com/product/lees-thinwall-rigid-tubing-clear
a 3 footer will hold 50+ 9mm
I drill/install a hitch pin top/bottom.
Preloading 6 bullet tubes before I start loading is a mindless task that's no more annoying than loading 6 primer tubes for me.
index.php

You can see a couple of wraps of tape on the tubes used to snug-up the fit into Hornady bullet dies.
Something you could do to fit the dies you are using.
index.php

:D
 
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BrianC636 said:
I've been eyeballing this unit. Looks pretty solid and seems to work with all the standard bullet feeder dies.
http://socalsw.com/Mag-P-Large-40-cal-45ACP_p_30.html
Click to expand...
I have the Lee version that costs about a 1/3 of that one.
It doesn't work on some of my presses because it takes up too much room were the powder measure and primer tube are.
Something to consider before buying one.
With the long tubes holding 50 bullets, I use the tube change break time to plunk test the last round, empty the finished round bin, and replace the primer tube every-other bullet tube change.
:D
 
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9mmepiphany said:
Using a the Lee bullet tubes would require the use of an additional adapter
Click to expand...
I'm not sure what you mean by that...
By adaptor do you mean something attached to the die to mount the tube revolver base to?
I think most reloaders have the talent/resource enough to make something and I have seen pics in posts of just that.
It could be as simple as a block of wood with a hole to accept the 1/4x20 threaded mount on the tube "revolver of a Lee Universal Case feeder, hose clamped to bullet feeding die.
I'll look around and see if I can find something like that was DIY'ed already, as I know it's been done.
EDIT: Here's a few I found in the last 3 minutes:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=lee+multi+tube+bullet+feeder+diy+adapter
EDIT2: looked thru all those but didn't find what I was looking for
An adaptor made from a PVC pipe fitting, a reducer as I recall.
EDIT3: I actually used a Lee UNIVERSAL CASE FEEDER adapted as a bullet feeder :uhoh:
:D
 
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jmorris said:
Without a collator, bullet feeders seem like something the Government would come up with.

You pick up each bullet by hand, orient it base down and place it into a hole, while your production is at a complete halt, to avoid picking up a bullet, orienting it base down to set it in a case while your loading..
Click to expand...

Following this with interest to the question and whatever answers show up.

I just started using a new Lee Breech Lock Pro press because of a finicky 45acp pistol and having to add the Carbide FCD into the mix. Otherwise I do just fine with an old Lee Pro1000 and the standard 3-die sets. I have thought of adding one of these feed dies and supply tubes into the 3rd position on the press just because it would make it easier than constantly reaching around to the rear of the press to place the bullet into the case. So for me it is more of a convenience than trying to increase production rate.
 
Tilos, I used tape on some of the tubing too, but I used electrical tape.....you could color code if you wish....they even have green. ;)

  • I also use the next size tubing to "sleeve" over where needed to fit. Fit in place...then thin super glue finishes the job. The thin-wall tubing sizes telescope.
  • I also found that a too tight fit was often cured by drilling a 1/32" hole at the overlap...then sawing out and trimming a slit to the hole. Works perfectly. make sure the slit is wide enough to allow the tubing to go small enough.
  • The only ladder I needed was one to drill a hole in the ceiling! Tubes are easily removed by lifting them a 1/2" from your floor position.:p I did use a CPVC 1/2" coupler once to piggy back one just for fun. It did work, but replacing them 36" at a time works just fine.

As for collators on the electric side, I only bought one.....the Hornady pistol bullet version when it first came out. Obvious to most of us, the Mr. Bullet Feeder collator is a superior and expensive option. The homemade copies are very nice too...but you have to buy a 3-d printer. After a mod or two, the Hornady works for me for pistol at least. I do admit that I don't have jmorris' endless supply of talent to make one, or surplus funds to buy the expensive stuff any time I want. I have to pick and choose. PC7 was my last money drain.....thoroughly enjoying that one, but as a result, no commercial collators in my future and I'm fine with that. But then, I don't shoot as much as some of you.

One thing I have noticed is that changing calibers on commerical bullet and (case) collators takes as much time as loading 4 36" tubes by hand. If you are planing to load 1000's...you might put a collator higher in the procurement list!:)

One thing I did buy was two of RCBS's new tube rifle feeders in 30 and 22 calibers. (they came out at the shot show a year ago) They are nice, and the price isn't too bad....they work excellent!...as well as MBF's. They sell extra tubes, but I'll bet you can guess, that the thin wall ones we are used to buying cheap, work just fine.:evil: For them's who want a collator for it....make one or wait for RCBS to.

AT the shot show this year, at the RCBS booth, they were hinting about something major coming....tight lips so far.......seems that they have a "big" release coming this summer.....not even a hint. It would be nice if they would come out with electric collators for jmorris serious types!:) With my luck it will be a revised pro chucker super 7 with no upgrade! Who knows..... maybe both.... It better be good....they had nothing new at the show show!:(
 
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BrianC636 said:
I've been eyeballing this unit. Looks pretty solid and seems to work with all the standard bullet feeder dies.

http://socalsw.com/Mag-P-Large-40-cal-45ACP_p_30.html
Click to expand...

After watching some videos and looking this over I placed an order for the .308 and .45 versions. At the end of the day this is a much better quality solution than something that I could have made. It also works with the Mr. Bullet feeder dies that I already own.

Thanks to everyone for the thoughtful responses to this thread that helped me to solve a problem.
.40
 
forty_caliber said:
After watching some videos and looking this over I placed an order for the .308 and .45 versions. At the end of the day this is a much better quality solution than something that I could have made. It also works with the Mr. Bullet feeder dies that I already own.

Thanks to everyone for the thoughtful responses to this thread that helped me to solve a problem.
.40
Click to expand...

Let us know how you like it once it arrives.
 
BrianC636 said:
Let us know how you like it once it arrives.
Click to expand...

I received the feeders but I have not had a chance to use them yet. I can say that they are very high quality items. Excellent fit and finish and precision machine work. There was a little hiccup with the order and an incorrect part was sent. I emailed with David and he not only corrected the problem but went out of his way to do so expeditiously.

Not only did I get quality merchandise, I also got outstanding customer service.

.40
 
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