Hornady bullet feeder

[fellas]

Hi guys what is your say about the hornady bullet feeder overall is it worth and (i know hornady says no to use with lead bullets) have anyone use it with lead mainly to load 9mm

thanks

fellas

[silerlock]

The bullet feeder is ok. Mine took some tweaking with sand paper and a dremel to drop .40 bullets and not get hung up in the spring tube. It will not work with lead bullets. The collets will not allow a bullet to drop on a case because lead bullets are a bigger dia. If i didn't have a cabelas credit and got the bullet feeder free withe the points, I would be a little disappointed with it. It works, but usually just sits there because i'm loading moly bullets, or switching calibers and dont feel like setting it up.

[CocoBolo]

I have a hornady bullet feeder gathering dust. Does it work yes, it works just fine, you of course have to spend the time to adjust it mount it etc. It makes more noise than a rock tumbler. Be sure to keep it clean as debris in the bullet feeder gets into the bullet die and you got a case of HungChow, yep bullet stuck in there then disassemble it clean and rock on.

Mine is gathering dust because I load with a handfull of bullets and I am just as fast without it, plus the big one is I can't see in the case with the bullet stuffed in there to see if there is powder. So when using it I have to rely on just seeing the Powder measure plunger go up and down, and by the way things get real tight between the bullet seating die the powder measure and the bar that holds the case feeder so keep an eye out, I loaded a bunch of squibs when the plunger started getting hung on the case feeder bar.

I have used it with the Dillon XL650 but when I do that I lose my powder check and it slows me down so I am at the same speed anyway, so go figure.

It is not going to work with lead or moly bullets ooh well maybe you get it going but you will spend all your time cleaning it to get the bullets to pass thru the die as the moly will come off etc.

[mjs408]

I have never messed with 9mm lead bullets. But on my 45 hornady bullet feeding die, I opened the collets up to feed the larger OD lead bullets. I have had mixed results sometimes they work okay, sometimes they stick.

[ben b.]

Losing the powder cop is what has kept me for getting a bullet feeder.

Edited October 26, 2012 by ben b.

[Franklin SR]

I'm contemplating crimping/seating in one function so I can keep the lockout die plus bullet feeder at the same time.

Edited October 26, 2012 by Franklin SR

[Stan-O]

Well, the 9mm Hornady bullet drop die I've bought in the beginning of 2012 came with the PTX, so you can save a station by using that and removing the expander.

As I don't like the electric bullet feeder (neither noise nor the price of it) I've switched to the RCBS bullet drop die.

[PROBIKE101]

any body want to sell me the one your not using ?????????????? pm me

[get2now]

I've loaded about 3,000 Bear Creek 9mm 124 gr. lead TC bullets with my Hornady bullet feeder. Of those 3k, I've probably had 20 drop in upside down. There is some fiddling that has to be done with the adjustments but I have found it is still money well spent. I have it attached to my RL1050. There was some tweeking just to make a mount so it would work with that loader. The 9mm bullets dropped through the collet and spring tube with ease right off the bat. I just switched it over to .40 and had a lot of trouble with the plastic collet. The bullets, (Bear Creek .40 cal. 180 gr. lead TC's) would not drop into the spring tube. I had to take a dremel and open the plastic collet a little so it wouldn't squeeze the tube. Now they drop through just fine. Changing over to 45 will be next but that's in a couple months. Those bullets will be Bear Creek 200 gr. lead SWC's.

There is one thing though, I lay my arm across the cartridge bin just like when I would load with a handfull of bullets and place one on each cartridge. Because the bullets are bigger they have a tendency to lean over when the shell plate advances to the next station. I don't have any experience with any other loader than the 1050, but I'm really glad I got this feeder.

One other thing, the collet in the dies can be adjusted. They have slots in them creating 4 fingers which can be opened wider or closed. I had to adjust the 9mm die but not the .40.

[Franco79]

I see alot of people have the Hornady Bullet Feeder and complain that it makes ALOT of noise, but the unit does do its job. Well, I can respect the noise part and how that will get old real quick since the unit runs all the time.

I came across a sound dampening material called "Dynamat." They sell it at any Custom Car Audio place. I wasnt a believer on how well it worked, but after listening to a cars custom bass blaring with and with out the Dynamat, I believe it will work for the Hornady Bullet Feeder. You cut it to size, tear off the plastic film and stick it on the outside of the hopper.

I dont have a buller feeder, but I am thinking of getting one. If anyone gets ahold of thie stuff and applies it to the buller feeder, please post here and let us know how well it works.

Heres a link to it, yes it is expensive. But remember, you only need enough to cover a small hopper, not a car door (http://www.eastwood.com/xtrm-dynamat-door-sound-kit-12-sq-ft.html)

[Boxer1]

I too am runnig seat crimp in one die along with the lock-out die. It works ok with lead if you have consistant bullets and have the die opened/ polished enough to work. I use plated with no problems. That being said all of my friends that ask I tell them with the Inline Fabrication bullet tray it is just as fast. I made a cover out of 2 layers of neoprene gun cleaning mats to quiet down the bullet feeder otherwise it was too loud to run non stop and acttually slower than hand setting bullets. If you do not have the case feeder yet get it first then maybe consider the bullet feeder but lower your expectations over what the case feeder adds to capacity.

[rpd]

I've been using the bullet feed die for jacketed 9mm with some plastic tubes pre-loaded, aka poor man's bullet feeder. I don't have the actual bullet feeder(collator) but the bullet feed die works great. I load the bullets in the tube very quickly and it frees up my hands/eyes to focus on any other issues in the loading process. Not perfect, but it works and it sped my loading up considerably. I will probably buy the bullet feeder itself sometime soon, but for now what I have works.

[Grumpy's Toy]

I know im gonna catch hell from Sarge, but dollar for dollar you can't beat the Hornady bullet feeder (much better than their case feeder). I solved the noise problem by lining the outside and bottom part of the inside bowl with that stuff they use at stereo shops, also made a top and lined it.

I replaced a 3" section of the wire spring inside the bowl with a plastic tube and mounted a micro switch to it. All problems solved for around

$270.00 including all the dies to make 45acp, 45lc,38/357 and 9mm. I'm willing to live with an upside down bullet once in a while so i don't have to put them on one at time.

The money you save can buy a lot of bullets, i'm not cheap, just frugal.

[MarkS_A18138]

guys i have been working on one that will drop 105gr lead bullet with lube for cowboy...it will work after you hone collet A out a bit. But my Kiss bullet feeder will not run a lead bullet with lube on it. I built what looks like primer tubes that hold 30 rounds, more than that will cause problems..works awesome with the 105gr from bayou bullets.

[Franco79]

HAHA, a few post up I reccomended that people by that "DYNAMAT" from a stereo shop. So tell us, how well does it work?? Is it ALOT better than without it? Looks you did some other mods to the bowl. Care to post some pictures and say why you did the mod and what it did for you? Im in the market for a bullet feeder, so Im doing all my home work now..

I know im gonna catch hell from Sarge, but dollar for dollar you can't beat the Hornady bullet feeder (much better than their case feeder). I solved the noise problem by lining the outside and bottom part of the inside bowl with that stuff they use at stereo shops, also made a top and lined it.

I replaced a 3" section of the wire spring inside the bowl with a plastic tube and mounted a micro switch to it. All problems solved for around

$270.00 including all the dies to make 45acp, 45lc,38/357 and 9mm. I'm willing to live with an upside down bullet once in a while so i don't have to put them on one at time.

The money you save can buy a lot of bullets, i'm not cheap, just frugal.

[Grumpy's Toy]

Franco, you bet it makes a difference. First, just putting Dynamat on the bottom half of the bowl (inside) makes a big difference let alone the outside and a insulated top becuase the noise is comming from bullets bouncing off the wheel hitting the bottom of the bowl. Second, putting a micro switch in the system, makes it work like my dillon case feeder, only works when needed. I'll admit, before i made these changes, i could never hear the low primer alarm going off on my 650.

My whole race car is insolated with that stuff, makes 1100 hp. seem quiet, well almost.

[RussellM]

save yourself the trouble and just get a Mr. Bullet feeder. period! It doubled my loading speed on my 650. I briefly had the hornady but it could not keep up, plus I could not tolerate the never ending noise.

Edited December 21, 2012 by RussellM

[Sarge]

I know im gonna catch hell from Sarge,

The money you save can buy a lot of bullets, i'm not cheap, just frugal.

No way man! Too each their own.

BUT you have $270 in a unit that drops bullets upside down on occasion, is loud and you had to modify it to shut off when not needed. I have $450 in one that I just set up, turned on and started loading while listening to the radio no less.

I'll give you this, the conversion is cheaper for you but then again I only load one caliber. I load enough of that one caliber though that the bullets I could buy with the difference could be loaded in an hour or so.

[Sarge]

And that's not to mention I can email Rick at Mrbulletfeeder day or night and get an immediate reply in almost all cases. And no, I did not have problems when I emailed him. Once was to thank him for a great product and once was to ask him to do a small sponsorship for our state match, to which he offered a huge donation without hesitation.

I still have not heard back from Hornady regarding sponsorship.

[Religious Shooter]

I have the Hornady. I also got the RCBS manual one:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/560110/rcbs-pistol-bullet-feeder-die-kit-380-acp-9mm-luger-38-special-357-magnum-90-to-158-grain-bullets

You can get the plastic tubes for the RCBS separately:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/599154/rcbs-pistol-bullet-feeder-die-tube-380-acp-9mm-luger-38-special-357-magnum-pack-of-2

The tubes are like the tubes for primers. Just fill them up while watching TV. Then cap them with the rubber ends. Come time to reload just use them like you would the primer pick-up tubes.

If I had to do it again I wouldn't have gotten the Hornady. I'd just get the RCBS with a bunch of tubes.

The RCBS works with Bear Creek moly. I haven't successfully used it yet with lead bullets with the strip of lube.

[Shadyscott999]

Had the Hornady and found it to be more trouble than it was worth. I now have a Mr. Bulletfeeder and don't think I could go back to loading without one. I have it on my 1050 in SuperComp and 1k per hour is a cake walk. Crooked bullets are a thing of the past with the new bullet drop design. I am going to order one for my 40 press in the next few weeks.

[theblacknight]

save yourself the trouble and just get a Mr. Bullet feeder. period! It doubled my loading speed on my 650. I briefly had the hornady but it could not keep up, plus I could not tolerate the never ending noise.

THIS. You can youtube compare and see that the Mr bulletfeeder flips the bullets, and its output is much higher then any other brand.

[Jaxshooter]

I am with Sarge why put up with noise and problems when you can spend a little more and eliminate the headaches. The Mr Bullet is the way to go. If you need info as to where to get a good price on one drop me a PM and I will let you know.

[Franco79]

Who has the Hornady Bullet Feeder at a reasonable price? I see Midway and Brownells has them for $270. Anyone have them cheaper?

[RoryW]

I am sure if you post a WTB in the classifieds you could buy one for half price. I was also frustrated with my hornady bullet feeder and had stopped using it because of noise and reliability. Over the holidays I had some free time on my hands (haven't shot since nationals) and figured I would redesign the feeder, since I already have it, and try to make it better. Well, I am happy to say that I am impressed with the final product. With a little precise tweaking I have it dropping consistently and I have also installed a switch to shut it off when full. The noise was surprisingly reduced due to the fact that the switch was shutting off so you would not be sitting there listening to bullets fall. My setup loads 9 and 40 consistently. Re-engineering time spent= a lot, parts=$6, and a little mill time for the dies. Now that I know what it takes I could probably set one up in an hour.