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Why no automatic primer feeder on presses ?


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If some/most of the professional loader type presses have auto primer feeds, why not some of the hobby progressive ones ??? Seems like it would be a huge selling point as messing with the primers is one of the more time consuming and disagreeable parts of reloading. Just mount the Dillon tube feeder on the press instead of loading tubes you then have to install on/in the press.

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It would actually be the $300.00 primer tube filler.

If the vibration were constant, you would just adjust the powder measure accordingly.

If you only dumped 100 in it at a time you would not be any worse off than a full tube of primers.

Any more reasons ??

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My 2¢, based on ~30 years of handloading, gun-store sales and commercial reloading experience:

1. Supply and demand: I've never had a hobby/amateur reloader asking for the automated primer feed

2. Speed: the automated primer feeders are an order of magnitude faster than the reloading machines, including the commercial ones. So, fitting one to an amateur-grade press would require sensors and cut-offs and other safety features.

3. Safety: Priming is the only dangerous step in loading/reloading the ammunition. Automating it removes the safety margin provided by the limited capacity of the primer tube, and the manual step of primer tube filling.

4. Quality: Even the fancy automatic primer feeders feed them upside-down once in a while. The only primer feeders that work 100% of the time, in my experience, are the ones on high-speed commercial machines such as Manuhrins or Lake City.

5. Price: the good-quality primer feeders, eg. M&A, cost more than the hobby-grade presses.

6. Noise and vibration: The automatic machines with a primer feed make quite a racket. Even the small ones, eg. a Camdex or an Ammoload, will rattle the whole house.

LT

Edited by Linear Thinker
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On top of what LT said, which are all valid points:

I think that the vibration issue would actually be reversed; not the primer feeder vibrating the machine, but the machine vibrating the primer feeder while you're loading.

Most hobbyist machines are not mounted absolutely rock-solid and cranking on the handle produces a little bit of rock on the machine. If the primer feeder was anywhere nearly as sensitive as the Dillon RF-100, I could see how that rocking would interfere with operation.

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Yes, the one in the first part of the video using the Dillon primer feeder. That could certainly be sold for the same price as it is presently. My understanding is that with the late model with the rheostat to control the speed of delivery it would not overfill whatever tubing was used to deliver the primers and you would not need to mess with filling the primer tubes.

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My Dillon primer filler runs about as long as it take me to load 100 rounds with case and bullet feeders. It consists of a hunk of at least 1/4" wall 2" box tube to make it as heavy as possible so the internal parts can do their job, this setup would likely not work on top of a 3/4" primer tube with the press shaking around.

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However, if you did like the video, it would remove that problem. Still think it would be better, especially mounted like the vid as it has been mentioned above that using the rheostat you can run out of 100 primers at about the same time you have reloaded the same # of cases. Lot easier to just dump a package of primers in than to mess with the primer tubes. Could not be too difficult to rig up the feeder tube as in the vid.

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My PW shotshell loader has a tray that you put 200 primers on and they run down a track to the primer arm. They cannot be delivered upside down due to the track. Something like that could easily be designed for the Dillon machines.

In the mean time I will use my Vibra Prime and load 10 tubes before I start reloading. It takes less than 15 minutes to load 10 tubes. I paid $23.95 for the Vibra Prime 8 years ago and it is still going strong. Wish they would manufacture them again.

Edited by Jaxshooter
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Idea: Mount the Dillon RF100 to feed directly into the primer tube and use a microswitch to turn it on and off. Wear ear protection. Install blast shield. Make sure homeowners insurance will cover...

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I thought of that originally, but, after seeing the vid I like the idea of mounting it next to the press on it's original stand and running the tube to the primer feed on the press. Keeps it mounted rigidly and retains all the Dillon safety measures. Appears a lot of people mount theirs near the press and run it filling tubes while reloading.

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I thought of that originally, but, after seeing the vid I like the idea of mounting it next to the press on it's original stand and running the tube to the primer feed on the press. Keeps it mounted rigidly and retains all the Dillon safety measures. Appears a lot of people mount theirs near the press and run it filling tubes while reloading.

If you do set this up, take some pics for us. :)

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I don't prime on the press at all, don't shoot as much as I used to and have loads of brass so just prime with a hand priming tool - the new Lee one - while watching TV or just sitting around bored. Same reason I prep all the brass with the "wet" stainless pin method, then tumble for a short time in walnut hull with Nu-Finish car polish.

Just thought for the people who really shoot and load a lot that it would be a good addition to a progressive press.

2012_0128bullet-seperator0019.jpg

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  • 7 years later...

I'm interested in the off loader mount of the RF-100 to start for my 650.  The new RF-100 with the rheostat easily keeps up with the machine - about 1.5 minutes for 4 minutes on the machine per 100.  Sensors...OK, add them!  Jeez, we are paying $1,500 for an 650 and $2,500 for a 1050.  What's another $300-500 for a more professional situation.  I have a full automatic press and I have to pick up primers with a Primer Tube?  Really?  Even the RF-100 is still a cumbersome event when you get into the groove.  I have sent this idea to Inline fabrication to modify an RF-100 for an off-mount.  I have also sent them the idea for mounting the Mr. Bullet Feeder to a stand alone stand.  The case mount from the shaking inverts bullets and sometimes throws them.  I do have my 650 solidly mounted to a 400 pound wood working bench.

 

I like spending time shooting - Not reloading.

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  • 1 year later...
On 5/31/2019 at 11:21 PM, RobFromConway said:

I'm interested in the off loader mount of the RF-100 to start for my 650.  The new RF-100 with the rheostat easily keeps up with the machine - about 1.5 minutes for 4 minutes on the machine per 100.  Sensors...OK, add them!  Jeez, we are paying $1,500 for an 650 and $2,500 for a 1050.  What's another $300-500 for a more professional situation.  I have a full automatic press and I have to pick up primers with a Primer Tube?  Really?  Even the RF-100 is still a cumbersome event when you get into the groove.  I have sent this idea to Inline fabrication to modify an RF-100 for an off-mount.  I have also sent them the idea for mounting the Mr. Bullet Feeder to a stand alone stand.  The case mount from the shaking inverts bullets and sometimes throws them.  I do have my 650 solidly mounted to a 400 pound wood working bench.

 

I like spending time shooting - Not reloading.

I mounted both my 650 case feeders on their own stands, it certainly took away the vibration to/from the case feeder which made things run smoother.

Mr Bullet Feeder is on it's own stand shared between the two 650's.

It used to be a hell of a lot noisier too, with all that weight shaking around on that thin tube

Edited by Lazy Dave
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On 4/22/2012 at 7:32 PM, Jaxshooter said:

In the mean time I will use my Vibra Prime and load 10 tubes before I start reloading. It takes less than 15 minutes to load 10 tubes. I paid $23.95 for the Vibra Prime 8 years ago and it is still going strong. Wish they would manufacture them again.

I've tried every maker's variation of the "Vibra Prime" primer tube loader (Hornady, Frankford Arsenal, etc. )  and none of them were reliable.  They would constantly jam primers into the exit chute no matter how carefully it was held and deliver an unacceptable number upside down.  I contacted the makers, followed their recommendations and nothing helped.    Apparently my experience was not unusual as they disappeared from the market pretty quickly.  

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27 minutes ago, SteelCityShooter said:

I've tried every maker's variation of the "Vibra Prime" primer tube loader (Hornady, Frankford Arsenal, etc. )  and none of them were reliable.  They would constantly jam primers into the exit chute no matter how carefully it was held and deliver an unacceptable number upside down.  I contacted the makers, followed their recommendations and nothing helped.    Apparently my experience was not unusual as they disappeared from the market pretty quickly.  

Not sure if your "every maker's variation" includes the Pal Primer Filler.................

 

Purchased one based on my research here, and it's yet to produce an upside down primer; nor has it been anything but super reliable!

 

https://forums.brianenos.com/topic/244660-pal-filler/

 

🤔

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@spideysteve dude, where did you find that video? I can't believe they'd bother automating the Hornady. 

 

As for primer collators on "hobby" machines, Mark 7 does one and has another in the pipeline that will be around $500 for their Evolution machines. There is absolutely a market for it as their machines are selling very well. 

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