Does the RCBS Tube Pistol Bullet Feeder work with the Lee Classic Turret Press?

You betcha it does! https://shop.rcbs.com/WebConnect/Ma...=index&productId=6304&route=2012+New+Products

Which means it should fit on my Hornady LNL as well, sweet!

Yep, should work no problem. If it will work on the Lee with the turret spinning around, should work with any progressive or turret press. It actually does speed things up. Next up is a try at the RCBS case actuated powder dispenser linkage for use with my Uniflow powder measure. If this stuff works together, I've definitely got a nice rig set up.

Cabela's already sells a single RCBS bullet feeding die that includes sleeves for use with multiple calibers. They don't yet sell these new stuff noted in the RCBS 2012 catalog yet. Since I have points on my Cabelas Visa available, I'm trying to find out if I can use the Cabelas die with the new RCBS tubes. If so, I'll buy the tube packs for the 2 calibers I need and a single die. That will be less than buying 2 cliber specific dies with tubes.

That sounds like a great plan. The more we know about these options the better, faster, and funner reloading can be.

Interesting. The RCBS web-site does not show a picture of this. Midway apparently doesn't have it yet. I would really like to see what it looks like and how it operates.

RCBS says I can't use the available die from Cabelas with the newer tubes, looks like I'll have to get them from RCBS directly, or somewhere else.

dickttx - download the 2012 catalog, the die part numbers are shown on page 3. They must have internal colets similar to the Hornady bullet feeding dies that release a bullet from the tube when a case is present. I'm going to find and get these for 9mm and 45ACP.

Just purchased dies and extra tubes at lower cost than RCBS site from www.omegaoutfitters.com. Search for RCBS item numbers and add to cart. $14 and change shipping, still under $100 for 2 caliber bullet feeding for the LNL WOO HOO!

You can buy clear plastic tubing and do the same thing with the Hornady version. But since it works just like the Hornady I bet you still can't use lead bullets with it.

Just found this for it: http://www.rcbs.com/downloads/instructions/RC246_TubePistolBulletFeederInst.pdf

Maximumbob54 said:

You can buy clear plastic tubing and do the same thing with the Hornady version. But since it works just like the Hornady I bet you still can't use lead bullets with it.

Just found this for it: http://www.rcbs.com/downloads/instructions/RC246_TubePistolBulletFeederInst.pdf

Click to expand...

RCBS told me that I couldn't use the bullet feeding die shown here Cabela's: RCBS Pistol Bullet Feed Die with the new plastic tubes.

And yet the instructions posted above show that this die has what appears to be the same plastic inserts for various calibers. I still think you could buy one die, change the inserts, and drop the properly sized plastic tube on top.

I received my RCBS Tube Bullet Feeder on Monday. I am using it on my Hornady LnL press and it works just great! I just finished loading 100 rounds of 9mm in under 30 minutes.

Since I am also using a RCBS Lock Out die to check my powder, I first have to run the cases through the size/de-capping die before I begin loading. Once that is done it's just a matter of keeping the tube full of bullets and feeding the empty cases onto the shell plate.

Set up is fairly easy. What I did was run a empty case up into the die and adjust it so that the case mouth just opens the small plastic fingers holding back the bullet. The only problem I had was that the white plastic bullet feeder has some excessive plastic flashing on the fingers that I needed to trim off with an X-acto knife.

It is well worth the 35 bucks I paid for mine. No more smashed fingers and the productivity increased tremendously! Wish they made one for .223 bullets!

Here is a link to the instructions: http://www.rcbs.com/downloads/instructions/RC246_TubePistolBulletFeederInst.pdf

John, if you're loading 9mm/38/357 you'll need the small tube bushing 781229. The die is fairly shallow from the top, so a tube doesn't have enough support to keep it from falling out. Could fabricate something I'm sure. I just finished installing the Uniflow powder measure with the case activated powder drop linkage. It all works together with the Lee Classic Turret Press. Woo-hoo

Received my dies and spare tubes last night, went about installing them on my LNL. With this die I will loose one station, so because I will continue to crimp my 9mm and 45ACP separately from seating, I decided to remove my sizing die and do it off the press. Not an issue since I already deprime (univaersal decapper) prior to ultrasonic cleaning, so sizing a bunch of brass is no biggie for me. My 5 station set-up is now flare, powder charge, set bullet, seat bullet, taper crimp.

Some initial observations:

Don't be surprised if you have to remove the excess plastic flashing from the white bullet feed fingers (you get 2 with the die). The bullets won't drop/feed if you don't .

Moving the Hornady powder dispenser to station #2 requires it to fit only one way so it doesn't interfere with the primer feed tube or the new bullet seating die during operation. Not a biggie, just need to be aware of it. Remember that this will also mean you have to look on the right side of the press to perform your powder drop QC check, and you may have to determine what other die to remove if you keep your powder cop type die.

When the instructions tell you that you need a certain amount of measured flare or bell, believe them. I had to apply way more bell than I needed to have a bullet sit on top of the case, but they do feed really nice from the die. The bullet drops into the case when activated, and every one of them is straight. No tilting or falling off the top of the case. I was pleasantly surprised at how tight the bullet was sitting in the case prior to actual seating. It took a little effort to pull it off.

This set-up is really nice, and will allow you to MORE THAN double your production pace. No more placing bullet with left hand and then placing a case in station #1. Now it's just a simple matter of placing a case and pulling the handle. I was actually able to get this to be a continuous motion, meaning I can place an empty case, eyeball the powder drop, and keep the handle in essentially constant motion. Full up-down-seat primer in about 2 seconds, call it an easy 20 to 25 rounds a minute.

Tubes will easily hold 50 9mm bullets. You'll be limited to under 40 bullets using 45ACP RN or typical SWC shaped bullets. Maybe closer to 50 bullets with the button style SWC's. Not a big deal to go to a hobby store or somewhere to get longer tubes if you need them. I've got a total of 4 tubes for each caliber, so I've got plenty for the 100 primers in the press.

I'm going to ditch the plastic slip on caps that are provided to keep bullets from falling out of the tubes. Hitch pins from the hardware store will be a better solution and easier to work with, just like is used for feeding primers.

I'll try and post pics of the set-up after I get home tonight.

john, you may want to look at the Hornady or RCBS powder/expander dies. I use the RCBS Pistol Powder Expander—Pro 2000, since I only have four stations. I decap, tumble, and resize before running everything through the Lee Classic Turret. It's an interesting sight

I'm good with my Lee and Lyman M expanding dies. I may have to investigate the PTX option for the Hornady die/powder drop, but like you, have no problem with sizing off the progressive. I still owe this thread pics.

Hopefully this pic worked, and is worth a thousand words.