xl650 without casefeeder question

[Pat Miles]

I don't have a case feeder... and here's why:

I live in Denmark, the most expensive country in the world! By the time the casefeeder reaches Denmark, it is subjected to shipping, import tax (30%) plus what the dealer makes on it... at the end of the day this amounts to $300! And a case feeder ain't worth that, not for a student like me anyways. I'd rather spend that on shooting.

And oh yeah... I paid a fortune for my 650... but love it to death!!

Let's see...you obviously paid a fortune for your 650 (shipping, import tax, etc.) and you love it. I can assure you that after you spend that lesser fortune for the case feeder you will love it also.

CYa,

Pat

[Tom S.]

I don't have a case feeder... and here's why:

I live in Denmark, the most expensive country in the world! By the time the casefeeder reaches Denmark, it is subjected to shipping, import tax (30%) plus what the dealer makes on it... at the end of the day this amounts to $300! And a case feeder ain't worth that, not for a student like me anyways. I'd rather spend that on shooting.

And oh yeah... I paid a fortune for my 650... but love it to death!!

I understand your position. Students usually have limited funds and must be frugal. Just use the case feeder as an incentive to do well in your studies, graduate with honors and get a good paying job so you can afford one. You'll be glad you did...

[GunslingerDK]

I understand your position. Students usually have limited funds and must be frugal. Just use the case feeder as an incentive to do well in your studies, graduate with honors and get a good paying job so you can afford one. You'll be glad you did...

Thanks Tom! You're right... I will get the case feeder sometime around, just not now.

I did however find an alternative. I bought 2 pieces of plastic tube around the same diameter as the one that comes with the machine. But they are much longer and have a split in the buttom. Each holds 50 9mm cases and 25 .38 specials, for now it works fine

I saw another solution I'll try soon. I know a guy who mounted a "case feeder thingy" from a Lee 1000 (i think), you know that little device with 4 tubes... his works like a charm... so i'll copý his design when I get around to it!

By the way. A 650 without options is $1000 here, and then comes the dies, toolheads and so on....

[abcd]

While all three of my 650's have case feeders, one can have a less expensive solution by adopting the Lee Load Master colander to the top of the tube. It actually works amazingly well, but you need an additional support - the tube alone will be too flimsy.

Before i bought my first 650XL (1994) i had 4 LEE progressives and thought the casefeeder was too expensive, so i used the LEE tubes, mounted on a rotating bar and had 8 tubes full of brass, used the colander to fill the 4 tubes, rigged, bent, bolted the mount onto the 650 and used it that way for almost 13 years.

I was on a budget and didn't mind it coz this was something i was proud of (i made it and it worked for me) . . . also back then (1994-2007) they didn't have the forums, internet and all the info available like now.

it was after my 2nd 650 (2007) that i decided to get the casefeeder, i moved the casefeeder between presses, 3rd 650 came along and i made sure the casefeeder came with it.

i still have the LEE tubes, colander and rotating bar. . .one day when the motor gives in, i may have to resort to the good old days....

[KennyW]

I've had my XL650 now for a couple of weeks. No casefeeder. I wanted the "as it should be" option from BE. But, didn't want the wifey to get sticker shock.

I will get the casefeeder next month. But, for now, I load just fine without it.

Today, I loaded 250 rounds of 9mm, right out of the tumbler, in about 1 hour. With my single stage, it would have taken me about 4 hours, done on 2 or 3 successive nights to load that much.

[dcmdon]

The 650 w/o a case feeder combines the worst of the 650 with the worst of the 550.

You get to fiddle with cases AND you get the vastly more complicated caliber change over that comes with the 650.

[Tom S.]

The 650 w/o a case feeder combines the worst of the 650 with the worst of the 550.

You get to fiddle with cases AND you get the vastly more complicated caliber change over that comes with the 650.

Caliber change over on the 650 is not vastly more complicated if you're willing to spend some bucks. I know, I'm set up for 9mm, 38/357, 357 Sig, 40 S&W and 45acp. Except for primer change, change over only takes a couple minutes. Primer changes add a couple minutes, but again, I have two complete primer set ups.

[André]

I'll second Tom S. I bought a separate tool head and powder die per caliber + a complete priming system. Caliber conversion would be even faster by adding a powder measure for each caliber but that's becoming expensive.