Bullet Feeder or Powder Lockout/Check?

Psychbiker · April 22, 2012, 07:52 PM

I have a Hornady LNL and am about to start loading 45acp. I've been loading 9mm for a while.

Do you feel a bullet feeders is worth it?

I have a case feeder. With the bullet feeder I will lose the RCPS powder lockout die I ordered because I seat and crimp in separate stages. If I seat and crimp in the same stage I can do it all but I had bad results when I seated and crimped in the same stage.

I can get a use Hornady Bullet Feeder for about $180 plus the price of a the die and new tube. Still debating if its worth it.

Don H · April 22, 2012, 09:00 PM

If I had your set-up and installed a bullet feeder in the place of the lockout die, I would feel compelled to visually check the powder level in each case. That would probably take as much time as it would to pick up a bullet and set it in place. I wouldn't see much, if any, savings in time.

Jim243 · April 23, 2012, 12:39 AM

I am missing something here, the LNL is a 5 die (station) press, do you need to have a die station for priming??

I have the same issue on my Lee Classic Turret press but it is only a 4 station press and priming is done on the down stroke at the 1 st station.

Well to keep it short, I have no problem preping the cases before loading by sizing, decaping and priming before hand. That way I can use my press for loading only.

Station 1 - Powder through die
Station 2 - RCBS Powder check die
Station 3 - Seating die
Station 4 - Factory Crimp die.

But that's me and no worry that the powder did not make it into the case.
Jim

Does the bullet feed not seat the bullet at the same time??

jmorris · April 23, 2012, 07:48 AM

Quote:

am I missing something

Yes, a powder check die and/or a bullet feeder

I think the bullet feed is worth it but I also like the PC die too. GSI is the only company that makes a bullet feeder (that works) that feeds and seats at station 4 allowing retension of the powder check and crimping on #3 and #5. The bad news is that they only make them for Dillon machines.

bfoosh006 · April 23, 2012, 09:02 PM

Read this whole post....

$28.00 Bullet feeder for Any Progressive ( It does work , bought the stuff , assembled it and love it. Best spent money in a long while. )

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_6_42/34...=bottom#bottom

You can have both !

jmorris · April 24, 2012, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Read this whole post....

$28.00 Bullet feeder for Any Progressive ( It does work , bought the stuff , assembled it and love it. Best spent money in a long while. )

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_6_42/34...=bottom#bottom

You can have both

. Five pages of thread...can you point us to the page where it shows how the Hornady feed die can be used while retaining a powder check die and seat and crimp in two different stages.

bfoosh006 · April 24, 2012, 01:53 PM

You will need to seat and crimp with one die.

jmorris · April 24, 2012, 06:23 PM

That's not having both, one station seat/crimp is a deal breaker for the op.

bfoosh006 · April 24, 2012, 08:30 PM

Geez...jmorris ... you win ... the OP will just have to follow your advice.

I was just offering a cheap bullet feeder idea that works, given the option of a cheap bullet feeder at one station and seating/crimping at one station, I would try to figure out the seating and crimping die.

Again, jmorris thanks for speaking for the op....

BTW, read the 5 page link yourself, you might learn something.

jmorris · April 25, 2012, 04:23 PM

No winner here and if you would have read the first post you would have understood "a cheap bullet feeder" was not what the OP inquired about. The OP wanted to feed and seat in two operations with a powder check die all while using a LNL. Having owned or currently owned almost every bullet feeder at one time or another that leaves only one choice for the LNL, the Lee bullet feeder. I left it out of my post because I found it to be substandard.

BTW I did read the 5 pages trying to learn how "you can have both" after your comment.

April 22, 2012, 07:52 PM	#1
Psychbiker Member Join Date: April 13, 2010 Posts: 27	Bullet Feeder or Powder Lockout/Check? I have a Hornady LNL and am about to start loading 45acp. I've been loading 9mm for a while. Do you feel a bullet feeders is worth it? I have a case feeder. With the bullet feeder I will lose the RCPS powder lockout die I ordered because I seat and crimp in separate stages. If I seat and crimp in the same stage I can do it all but I had bad results when I seated and crimped in the same stage. I can get a use Hornady Bullet Feeder for about $180 plus the price of a the die and new tube. Still debating if its worth it.

April 22, 2012, 09:00 PM	#2
Don H Senior Member Join Date: May 8, 2000 Location: SLC,Utah Posts: 2,704	If I had your set-up and installed a bullet feeder in the place of the lockout die, I would feel compelled to visually check the powder level in each case. That would probably take as much time as it would to pick up a bullet and set it in place. I wouldn't see much, if any, savings in time. __________________ Don http://www.utahconcealedcarry.com/forum/

April 25, 2012, 04:23 PM	#10
jmorris Senior Member Join Date: November 22, 2006 Posts: 3,077	No winner here and if you would have read the first post you would have understood "a cheap bullet feeder" was not what the OP inquired about. The OP wanted to feed and seat in two operations with a powder check die all while using a LNL. Having owned or currently owned almost every bullet feeder at one time or another that leaves only one choice for the LNL, the Lee bullet feeder. I left it out of my post because I found it to be substandard. BTW I did read the 5 pages trying to learn how "you can have both" after your comment. Last edited by jmorris; April 25, 2012 at 04:30 PM.

April 23, 2012, 12:39 AM	#3
Jim243 Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2009 Location: Just off Route 66 Posts: 5,067	I am missing something here, the LNL is a 5 die (station) press, do you need to have a die station for priming?? I have the same issue on my Lee Classic Turret press but it is only a 4 station press and priming is done on the down stroke at the 1 st station. Well to keep it short, I have no problem preping the cases before loading by sizing, decaping and priming before hand. That way I can use my press for loading only. Station 1 - Powder through die Station 2 - RCBS Powder check die Station 3 - Seating die Station 4 - Factory Crimp die. But that's me and no worry that the powder did not make it into the case. Jim Does the bullet feed not seat the bullet at the same time?? __________________ Si vis pacem, para bellum

April 23, 2012, 09:02 PM	#5
bfoosh006 Senior Member Join Date: February 17, 2009 Posts: 1,089	Read this whole post.... $28.00 Bullet feeder for Any Progressive ( It does work , bought the stuff , assembled it and love it. Best spent money in a long while. ) http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_6_42/34...=bottom#bottom You can have both !

April 24, 2012, 01:53 PM	#7
bfoosh006 Senior Member Join Date: February 17, 2009 Posts: 1,089	You will need to seat and crimp with one die.

April 24, 2012, 06:23 PM	#8
jmorris Senior Member Join Date: November 22, 2006 Posts: 3,077	That's not having both, one station seat/crimp is a deal breaker for the op.

April 24, 2012, 08:30 PM	#9
bfoosh006 Senior Member Join Date: February 17, 2009 Posts: 1,089	Geez...jmorris ... you win ... the OP will just have to follow your advice. I was just offering a cheap bullet feeder idea that works, given the option of a cheap bullet feeder at one station and seating/crimping at one station, I would try to figure out the seating and crimping die. Again, jmorris thanks for speaking for the op.... BTW, read the 5 page link yourself, you might learn something.