Question for those using 650 and double alpha bullet feeder

[Venti30]

Hello all,

 

i am am using a Dillon 650, started with it roughly 4 or 5 months ago, reloaded roughly 5,000 rounds.

 

i am considering using the double alpha mr. bullet feeder. 

 

My my question for you, if you use the 650 and this bullet feeder, were you able to retain the use of a powder checker by combining the seat/crimp station?

 

i find it comforting to know that if I am not looking, that powder check is there to back me up.

 

Also, if you would share your opinions on using the mr bullet feeder, I’d appreciate it.  The good, the bad and the ugly are welcome!

look forward to your thoughts, and thanks in advance. 

Edited March 24, 2018 by Venti30

[michael.flitcraft]

I would recommend ditching the powder checker vs combining the seat/crimp stage.


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[Sarge]

Seat and crimp in same step seems to cause problems based on what I have read here and elsewhere. I see no need for a powder check with pistol cases. I just make a habit of looking in every case before the Bullet drop. A good light is a better investment than a powder check in my opinion.

[prebancolt]

Yes, you can retain the powder check.  And yes, setting the seat/crimp correctly is harder than individually, but once set, it works fine.  I've loaded tens of thousands of 9s, 40s, and 45s including lead this way.  

[Service Desk]

19 hours ago, michael.flitcraft said:

I would recommend ditching the powder checker vs combining the seat/crimp stage.


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+1

[Venti30]

Okay, thanks for the input here. 

 

Ill likely run run without at first, ordered a camera tha5 I think will work well as a back up.

 

Bullet feeder should be here in a few days. 

 

Thanks again

[rhett45acp]

Since when do we crimp rounds head-spacing on the case mouth?  :-)

 

I love my Mr. Bullet Feeder.  I have never used a mechanical / optical powder check.  I use my two eyes with a LED light focused into the case mouth at the same station the bullet feeder is located.  Even before the MBF this was my practice.  I do the same on the SDB.

 

 

[191138sc]

On 3/23/2018 at 8:39 PM, michael.flitcraft said:

I would recommend ditching the powder checker vs combining the seat/crimp stage.

+1 seperate seat and crimp. Visually check each case for powder.

[Waccamaw]

First time replying, long time reader. I have been reloading 1 year 39 times. I do reloading on my 650 with a mr bullet feeder and always find it interesting how folks find it difficult to set up a seating/crimp die. I am also amazed how folks are able to check a bottle necked case visually to confirm a power check, if I wanted to check each case I would us one of my single stage presses. In the ammunition mfg   

 business we set weight parameters to reject any rounds that did not meet specs.  Rcbs makes a fine seating/crimp die (with directions). 

Miliage may very. 

[Deerhunter9790]

I use a 650 to load all my 9mm with a Mr bulletin feeder. I do not use a powder check and seat and crimp at different stations. I just visually check. I ten to load about 2k a month and it works great. I cannot imagine life without the bullet feeder now.


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[cs62]

I have a 650 and use a Mr Bullet feeder and load .40 S&W and 9mm on it.  I have separate seat and crimp dies and a mirror (purchased on eBay a couple years ago) attached to the seat die which is adjusted down to view the powder charge prior to cycling the next round in.  This works well for me.

[cvincent]

I turn the mark 7 650 on and leave the room.
No powder check. No charge or double charges are not even on my mind. I’m more concerned with having a bin full of rounds with no primer.


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[Sarge]

4 hours ago, cvincent said:

I turn the mark 7 650 on and leave the room.
No powder check. No charge or double charges are not even on my mind. I’m more concerned with having a bin full of rounds with no primer.


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Sounds like a recipe for disaster

[Youngeyes]

15 hours ago, cvincent said:

I turn the mark 7 650 on and leave the room.
No powder check. No charge or double charges are not even on my mind. I’m more concerned with having a bin full of rounds with no primer.


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I do hope you were trying to be facetious because that's one of the scariest things I've read on the Forums in a while.

[PhillySoldier]

My 650 and Bullet Feeder are fairly new but so far the 2in1 Seat and Crimp die works perfectly once adjusted. I was really hesitant of it myself and did plenty of researching on it before hand. My only dislike is wishing I could find a 2in1 with a micrometer dial. I go crazy w overturning it and wanting it spot on down to the exact thousandths mark.

[Nalle2491]

I have an extra space on my 750 since I dont have a Bullet feeder, and thought about using a powder check in the mean time until I decide to put a mr. Bullet feeder on my machine. Has anyone used the DAA magnetic powder check or the is Dillon the way to go?

[Sarge]

1 hour ago, Nalle2491 said:

I have an extra space on my 750 since I dont have a Bullet feeder, and thought about using a powder check in the mean time until I decide to put a mr. Bullet feeder on my machine. Has anyone used the DAA magnetic powder check or the is Dillon the way to go?

Actually, the way to go is mount a light and look at each case as it indexes from powder drop. I see into each case clearly just as I lower the ram to drop a bullet from MBF. Once you get MBF that’s what you’ll have to do anyway. Save the money for MBF!

[ck1]

On 7/7/2020 at 11:14 AM, Nalle2491 said:

I have an extra space on my 750 since I dont have a Bullet feeder, and thought about using a powder check in the mean time until I decide to put a mr. Bullet feeder on my machine. Has anyone used the DAA magnetic powder check or the is Dillon the way to go?

 

On 7/7/2020 at 12:47 PM, Sarge said:

Actually, the way to go is mount a light and look at each case as it indexes from powder drop. I see into each case clearly just as I lower the ram to drop a bullet from MBF. Once you get MBF that’s what you’ll have to do anyway. Save the money for MBF!

 

I agree with Sarge, put your $$$ towards Mr. Bullet Feeder. Skip the powder check and get a $15 magnetic sewing machine LED off Amazon.

 

That said, I can see how one might look hard at a powder check as extra insurance or whatever, and I was leaning that way myself for a while. I was considering using a 2-in-1 seat/crimp die so I could have both the MBF and powder check... but thing is, when it comes down to it, you're/we're going to be in front of the press anyways... we're the monkeys who pull the handle (at least until we're ready to drop $2000+ on an autodrive system), and since a smooth pull matters, and we're not just yanking away, might as well just keep on eye on what we're doing in order to be safe and make better ammo...

 

IMHO the DAA powder check does look like the best option out there if one wanted to get one, but fact is, all of the 2-in-1 dies currently available are a compromise, and while there seems to be a few guys out there who manage to get it to work, part of the cost of using that station on a powder check is getting ammo that more than likely isn't as good as could be made with separate seat and crimp dies/stations.

 

For what it costs for the press + accessories + components + time; might as well try to make the best ammo we can instead of choosing to trade some quality for being less attentive.

 

If I ever hit the lottery and buy a $10k+ full-auto Mark 7 with like 10 stations, I'll probably feel differently, it'll have a powder check lol.   

 

Edited July 9, 2020 by ck1

[Bkreutz]

I used the "lo powder alarm" for a few months when I first got my 650, I quit using it because powder was sticking to the probe for the alarm and getting all over the shell plate. When I was considering a bullet feeder (I hadn't bought one yet) I tried every way I could think of to cause a double charge, or a no charge condition. I never did find a way of doing that, I concluded that it was almost impossible to over or under charge on a 650, so I stopped worrying about it, bought the Mr Bullet feeder. I look for a number of things during the cycling of the press. I look at the new case being pushed into the shell plate, a 9mm case is the same height at the plastic pusher piece, I listen for the clack of the case falling into the tube, I listen for the sound of the bullet going into the tube. About the only problem I've had with the MBF was upside down bullets, in which case the one that's nose down goes into the case and powder, the second one stacks on the base of the first slug, then it falls off and to the floor. I've pretty much eliminated that by getting the setup done correctly. I case gauge with a hundo, and have about a less than .5%, those I break down and reuse the powder and bullet, sometimes the primer, depends on how bent up it gets. I've loaded around 200K rounds on the 650, I've thought about a 750, but I'll wait until I win one at a match. I'm retired so time is not an issue.