Bullet counter for Star/Magma

[6bg6ga]

You already have that, It's called 100 primers at a time in the primer tube


I cast and load in quantity, 1000+ at a time. Since I have to run a lubed bullet back thru every now and them a counter is just another item I don't really need. Nice idea and good instructions no matter what anybody may think. For my needs the scale works just fine. 230gr head x 1000 =33 lbs give or take a little or a full coffee can.
Simple man with simple needs thats me

dave

Some had mentioned a counter and that is why I came up with it and posted it.
I personally like the counter for its ability to give a ball park number. I chose the cheap counter off ebay so that it would be cost effective. I believe in the KISS logic of keeping it simple and agree with your idea of keeping track of the primers used. To my line of thinking at best the count is going to be close because you are running a lubed bullet thru the sizer again and this throws the count off.

[dnotarianni]

I fully agree with you. Like I said my idea of simple is 100 primers at a time or a full coffee can full. 1 coffee can = 1000 primers

Dave

[RoGrrr]

For those of us who are "coffee ignorant" (I never use the stuff so I'm not familiar with what kind of coffee can you're talking about. I recall the meetal 1 Lb cans but now they have the red, blue, green PLASTIC things. Are you calling those CANS ?)

I cast til I'm tired of doing that.
I lube til I run out of boolits.
Then, somewhere along the line, I start pulling the 650 handle. I count primers and as my bullexxxx OOPS, excuse me. I meant BOOLIT tray fills up, I put them into boxes. Lots of stops/detours along the way...

Counter would be a neat addition for both the sizer and the 650.

I fully agree with you. Like I said my idea of simple is 100 primers at a time or a full coffee can full. 1 coffee can = 1000 primers

Dave

[dnotarianni]

For those of us who are "coffee ignorant" (I never use the stuff so I'm not familiar with what kind of coffee can you're talking about. I recall the meetal 1 Lb cans but now they have the red, blue, green PLASTIC things. Are you calling those CANS ?)

I cast til I'm tired of doing that.
I lube til I run out of boolits.
Then, somewhere along the line, I start pulling the 650 handle. I count primers and as my bullexxxx OOPS, excuse me. I meant BOOLIT tray fills up, I put them into boxes. Lots of stops/detours along the way...

Counter would be a neat addition for both the sizer and the 650.

Those metal 1 lb cans are only 12oz these days. I use the big blue plastic thing thats 39 oz. Wife kills one of those off every 2 weeks and I just fill them up with lead. 1000 45's to a can. 1 can and 1000 primers = 3 hrs of quiet relaxing in the basement loading on the Dillon.

[wymanwinn]

My "counter" is pretty simple...i have wood boxes (6 x 6 x 6" inside) that i fill with the bullet flavor marked on the side....i can get as many as 3500 38spl-130gr or about 2500 45acp-230gr......i have boxes for 38spl-130, 38spl-158, .40s&w-180, 44wcf-200, 45colt-200, 45acp-230 and a host of other bigger stuff....when the box is full i stop casting/sizing....

and then i load using the 100 rule....stack those 100count primer boxes till i'm tired of loading....

wyman

[Ian Robertson]

I don't count a lot of what i load, it just goes into a can. If I want to know what I have or want to take I use a digital scale, $14, weight ten and use a calculator if my brain is not working that day. Fun project however.

[Frozone]

one place this counter might be a use, is for those of you who have 'automated' their Stars.
Just set the counter and let the star run by itself for x number of cycles then stop.
wouldn't take too much more circuitry to do that.

[6bg6ga]

one place this counter might be a use, is for those of you who have 'automated' their Stars.
Just set the counter and let the star run by itself for x number of cycles then stop.
wouldn't take too much more circuitry to do that.

So far I haven't seen any that are running full automatic. There are several that I have seen videos of. One with air cylinder and one with an electric motor. Please point me to the full automatic video so that I am able to enjoy seeing something inspiring. This semi-automatic operation is very boring. When I get done with mine it will be full auto. So far I am dealing with a proximity switch and timing issue. Trying to prevent any jam possibility and full auto shutdown capabilities. Your circuitry on this primitive counter I found would be helpful but I think maybe a commercial model might be in order.

[RoGrrr]

i would like to know how far a stick of lube goes for each boolit and then i would know when to change it before running it out and getting that air pocket which sucks. and maybe i will be selling some. i am looking forward to getting it done and thanks for the details.

I weighed a boolit before and then aftersize/lube. I disremember whether it was 0.3, 0.4 or 0.8 grains of lube for my 45 boolit. However, I do remember that one stick/tube for my 450 sizer would do (computed out to) about 750 boolits.

I cast til I run out of lead or get tired of doing it.
Then I size til I run out of boolits or get tired of doing it.
Then I reload til I run out of boolits, primers, cases or just get tired of doing it.
I really don't worry about numbers....

After all, we never can have enough ammo.
And, we never can have too much ammo.

Very simple. Very easy.

[guidogoose]

I am a big fan of the K I S S philosophy. I am in complete agreement with those who have posted they either weigh them or dont care. IMHO, its seems like a solution to a non problem.

[6bg6ga]

Its amazing how most of those posting can manage to stay off topic. The topic was bullet counter for the Star/Magma and not how you manage to count bullets using coffee cans full of bullets or empty primer cases. Show me a mechanical counter or a different electronic counter and the post is in line with what I originally started. I even have people questioning the need for the counter. Really? If you don't want a counter or feel the need for one please don't clutter up the thread just don't post.

The thread is about "bullet counter for the Star/Magma" not how you count or not to count or you don't feel one is necessary. Found another counter that will work? Post it. Like a mechanical counter better? Post it. Found a way to interface it to your computer in order to count? Post it.

[sw282]

bg-l m a 65yo raising a 14yo. Been helping her do hm/wk since k3. l understand the need for a counter in this day and age. ln fact ANY counter.

btw-- l know old math AND new math. SHE does too. Plus she knows gun/math..
357-45acp-9mm-22rf-358156-H&G#50

Thanks for the thread

[6bg6ga]

bg-l m a 65yo raising a 14yo. Been helping her do hm/wk since k3. l understand the need for a counter in this day and age. ln fact ANY counter.

btw-- l know old math AND new math. SHE does too. Plus she knows gun/math..
357-45acp-9mm-22rf-358156-H&G#50

Thanks for the thread

Thanks for your comments

[buletdoc]

I was wondering about a counter for the Mark V Ballisti-Cast sizer. I sell several different bullets and right now weigh out each 500 box. A counter would be invaluable. The only thing is that the counter would have to work as each bullet drops from the die not on each stroke of the press.

[Frozone]

I was wondering about a counter for the Mark V Ballisti-Cast sizer. I sell several different bullets and right now weigh out each 500 box. A counter would be invaluable. The only thing is that the counter would have to work as each bullet drops from the die not on each stroke of the press.

That's not to difficult to do.
Use an photo transistor to read a bullet as it drops free. It's the same thing you likely have on your garage door.

The hardest part is the mount. If your sizer is a permanent mount to the bench it gets Much easier.

I'll build you one if you wish.

[6bg6ga]

I am kind of curious as to why not count the strokes. if your counting bullets dropping your count will still be off if you recycle a bullet thru again to lube the die or are you able to process 500 bullets without having to run a lubed bullet thru again?

[Mooseman]

Guys,
I have deleted the confrontational posts in this thread. Please stick to the topic and any problems between you guys need to be handled in PM's and NOT in this forum publicly for all to read.

Consider this a warning.

Rich

[6bg6ga]

OPTEK TECHNOLOGY - OPB815L - SLOTTED SWITCH, TRANSISTOR

Something like this would work if you are sizing bullets less than .375 dia. This could easily be wired up to work with the counter. It would require a few parts to go along with it.

[ballisti-cast]

That's not to difficult to do.
Use an photo transistor to read a bullet as it drops free. It's the same thing you likely have on your garage door.

The hardest part is the mount. If your sizer is a permanent mount to the bench it gets Much easier.

I'll build you one if you wish.

That's how I'd do it. Definitely something I'll look into making an option in the future, but I don't have any good idea on how far out it is as there are a bunch of other projects further up the priority list.

There is a switch on the machine that could be set up to count each punch stroke, but that's no good as the machine can jam and not be sizing bullets even though the punch is going up and down.

[6bg6ga]

Well I understand what your saying but won't the count still be incorrect if you recycle a bullet in order to lube the die?

Am I wrong in thinking that every so often a bullet should be recycled to provide lube for the die? Is this not necessary? If it isn't necessary then the photo transistor switch is the solution or possibly something as simple as a microswitch might work.

In re-reading the posts my 3 yr old house has Garage doors that use a light beam that goes all the way across the opening. I guess sensors like that would count anything going between them and they only cost $15 for the set.