Star/Dillon adaptation?

[Pelallito]

I wonder if anybody has adapted the Dillon case feeder to work with a Star reloader that has a Hulme case feeder attached to it? It seems to be a logical adaptation since Chevron feeders are not made anymore.
I would appreciate any ideas, advice and, if possible, photos of successful adaptation.
Thanks for the help.
Regards,
Fred

[Lifetyme]

I posted a photo in my personal gallery for you to look at.  Hope this helps.

Good Luck!

Bob

[333OKH]

Hi, New here, i have a originol Chevron Case Feeder, i have copied it to make 2 more case feeders, George.

[davidaz45]

Yes, I have a metal platform made for a Star several years ago that raises the loader and has a plastic bucket underneath to catch loaded rounds, etc. I bolted the Dillon feeder mounting post on the side of the platform and with the use of the Hume feeder it is perfect. I doubt the platform is available any more but one could be constructed from wood or Corian or a metal bracket for mounting to the work bench could be made. This arrangement is certainly the way to go.

[45ACP]

Four years late, but....I have a Dillon on my Star. I'll post a pic, easy to do works great.

Hope this helps.

Wayne

[Joatmon]

Hi Wayne, I was thinking about this a few days ago.  Using the single plastic riser tube with the Hulme feeder does not seem to be that efficient.  I have seen pictures of a simple bowl/funnel arrangement on top of a tube that slopes and starts the cases (by gravity only) down the tube to the feeder.  Does this work ok for the folks out there that use this arrangement?  I think that Lee currently has a setup like this on their progressive press.  That got me thinking about the Dillon/Hornady feeders but I am probably too cheap to go that route.  Is your setup using the feeder for the 550 or the 650?  Just curious, I think they are slightly different. 

John

[rbwillnj]

Before I bought my first Star Reloader, I had a Lee Loadmaster.  It was a terrible reloading press which left me sorting through bins of loaded rounds looking for the ones with no primers, upsidedown primers, and primers inserted sideways.  The one thing that I really liked about the Lee Loadmaster was the case feeder assembly.   

After trying the Hulme case feeder with a single tube, then a Freeloader, I adapted all three of my Star Universals to use the Lee case feeder and collator pictured below.   The cost is very low, it can be used with any caliber if you have the proper top plate for your Hulme.   It holds about a 100 45 ACP cases.  As the feed tube gets low, just rotate the turret to drop another 20 cases.   You can drop hadfulls of cases in the collator, give it a little shake and they all turn bottom side down and drop down the tubes.

[Joatmon]

That looks like a great solution for economical case feeding, straightforward and inexpensive, nice job.  Thanks for including the pics, the turret arrangement looks like it helps a lot I bet.  You spoke of a "freeloader" case feeder, that must be what I saw in some other photograph.  I was hoping that gravity feeding would be consistent enough to not have the occasional upside down case, sounds like it works for you.  I am assuming you can buy the Lee feeder without the press?  If so, it looks like I may have a nice little project in my future.  Thanks again for the nice idea.

John

[rbwillnj]

You can buy the parts separately from Midway (and probably elsewhere) Buy the large pistol casefeeder assembly and the Collator.  Together they cost about $27.   Then you just need to make something to bolt the case feeder to (brass part in my picture) and a piece plastic tube to go from the Lee Case Feeder to the Hulme case feeder.   I used a section of original Hulme tube.


http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=300548

http://www.midwayusa.com/browse/BrowseProducts.aspx?brandId=1262&refineSearchKeyword=Collator&Click+to+begin+refined+search.x=7&Click+to+begin+refined+search.y=14

[Star73]

The "freeloader" was, & in my opinion still is, the easiest & cheapest solution to supplying cases to the hulme feeder. We them many yrs ago at Camp Perry. A fellow from Wisconsin I believe showed them. I copied it for my own use gluing a bottom in a funnel for a trial run it has been in use ever since.

I helped a shooter set up a dillon 650 w/ all the bells & whistles. Their case collation system is large & expensive yet still only performs the same task.

In contrast a home made freeloader costs a couple of bucks.

[Joatmon]

Thanks for the links, I was doing a bit of checking earlier and it looks like the Midway prices are as good or better than any I found.  Hopefully they will have these in stock.  I think I may try this approach first since there sounds to be a proven history of success with this for you and others (and I like the cost).  Plus, gravity should be able to be counted on at least for the near term...

The person from Wisconsin that sold those items at Perry wasn't Tony Sailer (from CH) by any chance was it?  Thanks again for the information and background folks.

[Star73]

I Have the installation instructions for the "freeloader" probably as the result of a purchase of star parts sometime in the past. There are no names, individual nor company. There is a street address in Janesville WI. I believe in the past I have heard that contacting persons at the address have resulted in  " they  knew nothing of it. Accordingly I have not included the address here.
Ron

[45ACP]

Hi John:
              The reason that there is only one tube into the Hulme case feeder is that the Dillon has a huge bucket on top with a revolving plate which orients the cases base down. It then rotates over the "down tube" until it has filled the tube and it is stopped by a micro switch. As the tube empties, the Dillon switches on and stops when the tube is filled again. There is no user intervention, all is automatic. I did at one time use the bowl and funnel, which is a great low cost option, but for quantity loading the Dillon is the way to go in my opinion. I will check the model number in a day or so and post. The Dillon, I admit is a bit pricy, but I think worth it.

Wayne

[45ACP]

Hi John:
            I found the info. Mine is a Dillon XL650 case feeder:

http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/content/p/9/pid/25550/catid/1/XL_650_Casefeeder___110_Volt


I got the large and the small pistol plates with it, and have been well satisfied.

Cheers, Wayne

[Joatmon]

Hi Wayne, Thanks for the response and the link, I was curious since the price on the 550 feeder is actually higher than the 650 feeder.  I figured there had to be some small difference between the two and wanted to make sure which one you used.  I have used (briefly) a Dillon 650 in someone elses reloading room so I am familiar with how they work.  I was glad to see that someone had tried this hybrid and that it works well (nice installation).  Did you have any delays when you ordered the parts?  I am seeing lots of stories in other forums about lengthy intervals (weeks) where reloading supplies/presses are backordered.

I may try the gravity/bowl feed system first, my volume of reloading probably does not match yours and the economics work a bit better for me.  However, if a little extra green becomes available I may be tempted...  Thanks again, this is a nice forum. 

John