Going to qualify a little here. This is just my opinion from long term use. Bought our ranch in the hill country in 1992.
Larger place and used 15 or more feeders to cover the place. Both bulk and spin cast.
The feeders ran 24/7/365 as year around supplemental feed sources all year…not just for deer seasons.
Literally we purchased just about every brand feeder made trying to find one that would truly last. I'm not going to bash any particular brand.
This is what we found…. Any brand that has a seam that is done with a press brake will eventually leak. So all the galvanized boxes that have three sides bent and the fourth side an overlap seam will leak eventually. Any feeder with legs that attach with bolts on the corners of the boxes will eventually leak.
The best feeders we found for longevity, no leaks long term, no rusting out long term were Texas Wildlife Supply feeders. Bulk or Spin.
They have heavy gauge steel and seams are welded. No bolts going through the legs into the hoppers or box.
I'm not trying to be arrogant here or a know it all. Just offering practical advice after truly spending thousands of dollars on feeders over the last 44 years of buying the damn things that were supposed to be good.
All of them will last 5 years or more. Few will last over 15 without resealing seams and bolts. If they leak they will eventually rust out…especially if feeding protein pellets due to the salts and ingredients in them.
Look for brands that have welded seams made of heavier steel and no bolts going into the hopper or box part.
That's all I got to share.
TAMU Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences
Boat racing is like a beautiful woman.......expensive, high maintenance, but well worth the fun!