TESTED: Double Alpha Academy Turbo Case Feeder

Does the turbo case feeder plate from  Double Alpha Academy expedite your progressive reloading? We put it to the test! 

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About the Double Alpha Academy Turbo Case Feed Plate

We opted to test the turbo case feed plate on the Dillon XL750. We’ve used many DAA products before, many in the signature orange including various primer tools and a case feeder for the Dillon RL550.

The turbo case feed plate is an enhanced design of Dillon’s plate, which is also used in the Hornady case feed system. 

Dillon Case-Feed Plates (left) compared to DAA Turbo (rignt)

The DAA plate is thicker with enhanced feed channels. This product is designed for faster feed rates and more reliable feeding from the case feeder. 

From Double Alpha Academy:

The DAA Turbo Case-Feeder Plate is a highly modified and evolved reloading accessory which will greatly increase the output speed of your current Dillon case feeder.

The plate is designed to handle all pistol calibers – from .380 to 0.45, so one plate can now handle all your pistol calibers!

** For the very long revolver cases (38SPL and 357) the plate must be elevated using a large washer (not included). Not recommended for use with .44MAG.

The DAA Turbo Case-Feeder Plate is built very differently from the original Dillon Plate. Our plate is much thicker, and incorporate deep feeding grooves into each of the 32 output pockets on the plate. These grooves greatly improve the efficiency of picking up brass as the plate rotates, ensuring that more of the pockets output a case, on each rotation. This increases the output speed by 30-80% compared to the original plate. (output speed gain varies per caliber. Highest gains are with 9mm, lowest with .45)

The thicker plate design also serves to offer better support to the cases as they drop out the exit hole, reducing the likelihood of them rotating on the way out and possible causing a hang-up in the output funnel.

The DAA Turbo Case-Feeder Plate includes an aluminum slip clutch assembly at its center, to insure the disc can slip and not stall the motor if a jam occurs. Our slip-clutch assembly includes a handy stainless steel D-ring which makes it much easier to grab hold of the plate from its center and lift it up off the motor shaft, and out the case feeder. (experienced reloaders will know that this can be difficult to do without such a feature, especially with a well-used, dirty plate/casefeeder)

The 292 mm diameter of the DAA Turbo Case-Feeder Plate makes it a drop-in fit for both the original AC Dillon case feeder, as well as the newer Variable Speed DC model. It will also fit and can be used in the Mark7 case feeders and the Hornady case feeder as well. (It is recommended to use the Dislodge-Wedge in Hornady case feeders)

Each DAA Turbo Case-Feeder Plate ships including the innovative DAA Dislodge-Wedge for Dillon Variable speed Casefeeder (also sold separately). This wedge replaces the original Dillon wedge in the Variable speed case feeder, further improving performance. (customers not using the Dillon variable speed case feeder, may not use this wedge). This larger, contoured wedge fits down to the base of the plate and eliminates case pinching and jamming, experienced occasionally with the original, smaller Dillon wedge.

Baseline Test 

To test the efficiency and reliability of the turbo compared to the standard case feed plate, we used a pile of 9mm cases. According to DAA, you’ll see the best improvements in performance with 9mm cases. You’ll see gains with other calibers, but not the level of improvement the DAA turbo case feed plate offers with 9mm cases. 

We also have an updated wedge from DAA for Dillon’s case feeder. If you have an old AC power supply version of the case feeder, you don’t need the wedge. There is a wedge in the DC variable speed units, like I’m using, so I will replace the original wedge with the DAA wedge for the test. 

Returning to the turbo case feed plate, it has a built in clutch and adjustment screws, but with a center D ring for easy removal. 

Currently, my Dillon 750 is set up to load 45 ACP. To static test running 9mm brass through the case feeder, I just let the pieces fall into a bucket. 

I started with the baseline test, using the original plate and wedge. Specifically, I used the small pistol case feed plate. There is also a stock large pistol case feed plate. With DAA, one size fits all from 9mm to 45 ACP with an optional shim for long cases. 

I waited until the case feeder dropped the first case, then started a one minute timer. Once the machine had been running for one minute, I took the bucket of brass (bucket zeroed on scale) and calculated the number of cases based on weight. (Each 9mm case weighed 3.8 grams.) 

With all Dillon factory parts, the case feeder spit out 75 cases in one minute. 

Set-Up and Test of Turbo Case-Feeder Plate

When I work with the case feeder plate on a Dillon press, I like to remove the entire bowl and dump out the brass. Also clear out any extra debris or tumbling media.

The next step is to drop the plate in, then swap out the wedge. Install is easy — remove the two Dillon screws on the side of the bowl and insert the larger DAA screws for the wedge. Angle the wedge into position where it is bottomed out but not rubbing against the case feed plate. 

I added the exact number of cases as we used in the baseline test and conducted the experiment again. 

334 grams equates to 88 (87.89) pieces of brass cycled through in one minute.

Conclusion 

The Double Alpha Academy turbo case feed plate definitely sped up the case feeding prices, spitting out 88 pieces of 9mm brass in one minute compared to 75 9mm cases in one minute with the Dillon factory parts!  This is 17.2% faster! 

DAA’s plate is also convenient. The turbo plate works for small and large pistol cases — no switching!

Get the Gear! 

Double Alpha Academy Turbo Case-Feeder Plate – $44.95

Double Alpha Academy Wedge – $8.95

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Thanks,
Gavin Gear

 

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