Lee bullet feeder issue

[Captain*kirk]

I recently purchased Lee bullet feeder dies for both .44 and .45 caliber for use on my RCBS turret press. Setup was quick and painless, just requiring me to move the ball bearings to the other set of holes for longer bullets. As per instructions, I set them to drop a bullet plus 1/2 turn and filled the tubes. Worked perfectly until each tube would get down below 10 bullets, then the die would start hanging up and not dropping the bullet. Not sure if the die body needs lube or what? Anyone else experience this, and what was the outcome?

 

[Captain*kirk]

Well, think I got to the bottom of this...at least temporarily. Had to completely disassemble the die and polish the mating surfaces with gray Scotch-Brite, then wipe everything down with a thin film of RemOil. After re-calibration per the instructions it seems to work now. I must say, very shoddy finish work on the steel and no excuse for that on a 50 dollar setup. I foresee more monkeying with this down the line. My suggestion to anyone purchasing one of these is to polish those surfaces to a mirror finish using RemOil and 600 grit wet-or-dry before even setting it up. I may end up going back and doing that later. Again, no excuse for that sort of sloppiness. I believe I may go on Midway's site and leave some comments.

 

[LiveLife]

As per instructions, I set them to drop a bullet plus 1/2 turn and filled the tubes. Worked perfectly until each tube would get down below 10 bullets, then the die would start hanging up and not dropping the bullet.

Anyone else experience this, and what was the outcome?

I did the opposite when I beta tested the bullet feeder die and pre-production rotary magazine. I adjusted the die with couple of bullets and later 5-10 bullets in the tube. (There were no instructions when I beta tested the bullet feeder die ) - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...agazine-for-spp-pro-6000-beta-testing.913099/

From the beta testing thread - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...p-pro-6000-beta-testing.913099/#post-12477139

This is what I did to adjust the Lee bullet feeder die:​

1. Screwed the die in the breech lock bushing and inserted in the press
2. Raised the die body up until full travel of ram up did not actuate the die
3. Put couple of RMR 9mm 115 gr FMJ bullets in the drop tube and kept lowering the feeder die 1/4 turn until bullet dropped with full travel of ram lever and bottom of drop tube extended just slightly below bottom of bushing
4. O-ring in the bushing allows for easy adjustment of die in the bushing

This was final production instructions - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...6000-beta-testing.913099/page-6#post-12709588

 

[Captain*kirk]

I did the opposite when I beta tested the bullet feeder die and pre-production rotary magazine. I adjusted the die with couple of bullets and later 5-10 bullets in the tube. (There were no instructions when I beta tested the bullet feeder die ) - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...agazine-for-spp-pro-6000-beta-testing.913099/

From the beta testing thread - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...p-pro-6000-beta-testing.913099/#post-12477139

This is what I did to adjust the Lee bullet feeder die:​

1. Screwed the die in the breech lock bushing and inserted in the press
2. Raised the die body up until full travel of ram up did not actuate the die
3. Put couple of RMR 9mm 115 gr FMJ bullets in the drop tube and kept lowering the feeder die 1/4 turn until bullet dropped with full travel of ram lever and bottom of drop tube extended just slightly below bottom of bushing
4. O-ring in the bushing allows for easy adjustment of die in the bushing

This was final production instructions - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...6000-beta-testing.913099/page-6#post-12709588

Thank you for your input! I will be loading more this weekend to see if I really 'fixed' it or not. What was happening with mine was the die would move up but not release the bullet as the plunger was hanging up. I adjusted it with a handful of bullets after polishing and it released all of them so we will see. If it hangs up again I'll follow your lead and see if it improves

 

[Captain*kirk]

Welp, looks like that did it.
50 rounds flawlessly dropped without a hitch.

 

[LiveLife]

This is what I did to adjust the Lee bullet feeder die:

If it hangs up again I'll follow your lead and see if it improves

looks like that did it. 50 rounds flawlessly dropped without a hitch.

Great.

I love happy endings.