What am I missing with the new $800 + stand and fill feeders?

I was at Cabelas and saw the stand and fill feeders and they are expensive. Yes, they appear to be built very well but why can't you just cut the legs off your regular old 300lb barrel feeder and stand and fill? The spinner will still sit at about the same elevation as the ones I looked at? Standard barrel feeders cost about $200 - $300. You can buy 2 or 3 for the cost of one of those with the same All Season motors.

Who said you can't? Unless your motor needs the added height to get corn out far enough I don't see why you wouldn't cut them down.

I use protein feeder legs on my spin feeders since they are shorter legs. My spin feeders are 600# capacity and I can stand in the back of a truck or Ranger and fill them easily. I can shorten them even more if needed. I have mine feeders in pens so I can go as low as I want. If you have cattle or don't have a pen then you would need to have a Eliminator Spinner Plate and/or large varmit cage and then stake the legs really well of each feeder going that low to the ground. Hogs, cattle, coons, etc will give you more problems.

If you look around you can also get a 300# All Seasons Stand and Fill feeder for around $530 or less or a 600# one for $20-25 more.

Exactly my point!

Big attractions for stand-and-fill style are:

-skids instead of legs (no legs to pull out, bend). Very stable.

-heavy welded cage around spinner, control unit. Protection and keeps varmints from stealing corn.

With a stand-and-fill you don't have to use a feed pen to protect the feedder. The ability to fill it while standing on the ground is nice too.

$800 would be on the high end. As STX pointed out you can find the 600lb All Seasons for ~$575 if. You can find barrel units from a couple fabricators on here in the $400 range as well.

Cheapest prices I've seen on stand n fills have been right here.

http://www.texasaeoutfitters.com/standfill.html

I paid $599 for my 600# AS S&F and I love it. Hoping to add another this fall but first I need a S&F protein feeder.

1 thing that has kept me away from the stand n fill feeders is having an animal/target behind the feeder and it will not clear it. I have decided to stay with winch ups and use the cordless drill setups on them. Easy up, easy down.

J&L in Cross Plains selling 300 lb All Seasons Feeder for $280.

That is exactly what I did. Corn is not thrown quite as far but it works for me.

If you have a heavy rodentia population, they will get into the feeder box and kill the machine. The more expensive stand and fills have heavier varmint cages to prevent raccoons from accessing the spinner.

Don't understand rodents getting in the box. Maybe it depends on your spinner plate...I use the spring loaded Eliminator Spinner plate and they do not get in.

My 600lb AS stand and fill didn't cost $800. It works great. Handles all the pigs, cows and deer hand it and still throws. I don't have to climb a ladder and be in a dangerous situation when I'm alone at the lease filling feeders. Don't have to winch it up and deal with a hanging feeder that I have to lower and raise to check the level. Not to mention the long poles to deal with to move it around or to new leases. I like mine. In 25 years of leasing I've used a lot of different feeders. Commercially built and home built. My next feeder will be a stand and fill as well. But to each his own.