Armory Sponsor
Posted: 4/30/2009 5:21:12 PM EDT
|
Can someone please help me pick what I need in a dillon press? I have read many threads and this is becoming very confusing. I would like a progressive press and my primary purpose is to reload 9mm. Second goal is to reload 223. It appears that one press just doesn't do it all? Or, is there a model that will do the 9mm and then with some changes can switch to the 223? It's really not a money thing as I can afford it, it's just that I need to understand what is needed if I want to do both calibers?? Looks like the choices are the 550, 650, and the super 1050 and then a bunch of add-ons for all of them? The general caveat is NOT TO BUY THE 1050 if this is your first machine but no explaination as to why? I'm not a rocket scientist but I can follow instructions pretty good so i'm wondering why it is advised to stay away if you are a newby at this? I'm cautious about spending the money for the entry level machines and then have to resell it in order to get the advanced model. Is there something so difficult here that I am not seeing? Thanks in advance for any and all help............ |
|
The 1050 is a great press....I moved up to one, but started with a Lee single stage. The 1050 is doing a lot of things at the same time, so attention needs to be paid that everything is going fine. Brian Enos has a pretty good writeup with details on how to pick a Dillon press.
http://www.brianenos.com/pages/dillon.html |
|
I can only share with you my expericene with Dillon.
I started reloading some 16 years ago. I was in your shoes back then, and I decided on a Dillon. It was a toss up betweent he 550 and 650. The 650 has an extra station that you can use for a "powder check." Being a newbie, and scared to blow up my gun (Yes, I only had one at the time) I wanted to MAKE SURE I did it right, so I opted for the 650. I have never looked back. Now I load .45acp (My first love) as well as 9mm and 38/357. I have since been bitten by the Little Black Rifle bug and am starting to load .223 Remington. I just ordered the dies and conversion kit this week. (Damn Three Gun Shoots. ;)) It takes me about 10 minutes to convert from .45 to 9mm, and that's because you have to switch out the primer station from Large Pistol to small pistol. I opted to get a separate toolhead for each caliber, so all you really have to do is remove two alignment pins, and slide off the entire tool head. Then slide the new one into place. Each toolhead has it's own powder hopper, so once I have it dialed in for my favorite powder, I never have to adjust it. You then replace the casefeed adaptors two pieces are slide in plastic, and one is an aluminum screw on piece, and then case plate/index plate. There are three locator buttons that also need to be swapped out. The case feeder just requires a simple swap out of the disk plate as well. It's so simple it's brilliant. The 550 also has that same simple interchangeability. It is only lacking the extra station for the powder check system. Theoretically, since there are only 4 stations, they are closer together and closer to the center of the press. So THEORETICALLY, the dies should be CLOSER to vertical, and in THEORY should be more consistant. I believe the 550 can load a larger variety of calibers as well. I don't know for sure, but you can check on Dillon's website to verify this. |
|
The 550B is a four station, manual index press. The casefeeder only works for pistol cases. Conversions are cheaper for the 550. You can swap just a few parts, plus the toolhead, and be loading again in just a few minutes.
The XL650 is a five station, auto index press. The casefeeder works for rifle or pistol cases. Other than that, same as above. With either of those presses, you'll want an extra toolhead, the conversion kit for the other caliber, a second powder die, and probably an extra powder bar so you can just swap it out instead of resetting the measure or buying a complete measure. You'll also need the appropriate casefeed plates if you buy the case feeder(it comes with one, just buy the other one).The casefeeder isn't mandatory, but loading without it is sort of like putting a 55mph governor on a Ferrari. I loaded on my XL650 for a long time without the casefeeder and regret not buying it when I bought the press. IMO, and take it for what you paid for it, starting out on a progressive is something of a steep learning curve. It was a steep learning curve for me and I've been loading for nearly 20 years. Everything happens at the same time, and the chances for a mistake are greater if you're not familiar with a proper loading sequence. The other thing is that progressives aren't really designed to do small quantities, and by design, they are harder to work with when developing a load or trying new components. A quality single stage or turret(I'd recommend a turret) press will still be very useful after moving to a progressive for the reasons above. I honestly can't imagine not having a couple of single stage presses on the bench for load development and/or small batches of precision ammo. It's just plain easier to use a single stage or turret press for some things. Just don't forget all of the other stuff you're going to need. 
Bad pic of my XL650 
|
|
Quoted: Stand by for CoSteve and Assaultriffler with their 650 stories.  I started with a Rock Chucker and still have it. Then I added a 550B. Still have it. About 3 years ago a coworker wanted to sell her slightly used (just 1K of 45acp cranked out on it) 650 plus all the trimming for about 40% of retail. This put me in a quandry. Do I buy it and sell for a quick buck later and stick with the 505B? Do I buy it and spend more money on all the caliber conversions and then sell the 550B? or do I buy it and keep the 550B? All 3 choices meant buying it so I did. I ended up dedicating the 650 to doing 45ACP since that's the caliber it came converted with, and then to do my two highest volume calibers on it: 9mm and .223. The 550B does everything else: 380, 38, 357, 40, 10, 44 mag, 762x39, etc That's my story and here's my Dillons:   |
|
I have been loading on a single stage RCBS for 15+ years.
I think all newbs should start on a single stage and go progressive later. The BIGGEST misconception is that the entry level stuff will just go to the closet after you have 'better' stuff. Single stage is indispensable for working up loads, loading just a few rounds, prep stuff, etc etc. That said, Blue Koolaid ie 650 with many bells and whistles came a few weeks ago. Gonna crank out the first 9mm rounds on it this weekend. ( Been out of town working lately, no free time) |
|
550B. Powder check is nice if you are loading .38 Special* but useless with .223 Rem since a double charge will spill powder everywhere. 9mm could use one if you are reloading in poor light (really bad idea) so a little LED light mounted on the toolhead to illuminate station 3 makes powder check all but not needed. The 550 is all the complexity a complete neophyte to reloading can comprehend. But don't think you will be turning out 550 rounds per hour the day UPS drops off that white cardboard box with the blue printing...as tempting as it sounds, start small, start slow. First step is mounting it. Stronger is better. No such thing as too strong. Measure twice, drill once. And you will remount it at least once because of ergonomics. Never load the priming tube with 100 primers unless you KNOW it is set up and feeds primers correctly. Always test with no more than 5 primers. 5 spilt primers are a lot easier to clean up. Primer magazine tubes have a key, they only go in one way. And they can be damaged. Fortunately, the press comes with spares. But once you use one, order replacements. Shellplate adjustment is tricky. It needs to be as tight as possible while still allowing free turning. And with the locking screw loose, moving the shell plate WILL tighten the adjustment! So hold onto the wrench when turning the plate to check for free movement. And remember the locking screw! When you spill powder or miss a primer and leak powder, it can jam the shell plate so get used to making this adjustment. Get a hand vacuum. In progressive loading, dirt builds. Clean cases are a must. Same with lube. Set up each station INDPENDENTLY, starting with sizing/decapping, then priming, then powder and finally bullet seating. Run through each station at least 5 times to make sure all is fine. Die adjustment can be tricky. Get headspace gauge for the .223 Rem. 9mm? Not a problem. But a chambering gauge will find those oddballs. Use only quality cases. I recommend Winchester or Remington. Learning on junk or crimped primer cases only slows you down, they aren't progressive friendly until processed. In .223, you need to trim every other loading, more if you over-size. If you have only one rifle, skip the headspace gauge and just use the rifle chamber on sized brass, unprimed. If it chambers without using the forward assist, it is fine. Don't slam the bolt home, just ease it down on the sized brass. It should take only light finger pressure on the forward assist. DON'T FORCE IT! You will jam the action... *(.38 Special uses small charges of fast powder and it is a fairly large case, 2nd generation of the .38 Colt, lengthened twice hence the excess capacity and the danger to reloaders). |
I started about 7 yrs ago on a Dillon 550B and for 70K+ rounds it was a champ. Once you learn it, the 550B will handle any caliber thrown at it with grace and speed. Dillon's trimmer works very well on it for rifle case prep and you can easily crank out 500 pistol rds per hour which is nothing to sneeze at. However, after about 4½ years I got tired of hand feeding the cases and looked at adding a casefeeder. Processing necked rifle brass is what finely pushed me over the edge because you have to cycle them through your press twice (case prep then reloading) and that got old really quick. At the time, Dillon didn't make one for their 550B yet so I had the choice of either the 650 or 1050. I don't have room for 2 presses so I cleaned up my 550B setup and posted it on line for sale. It took my 2 minutes to sell it for my asking price of 80% of current retail! I selected the 650 because of it's more economical and less complicated caliber changes. Its worked out very well and my only regret was waiting so long.  |
If you can afford it and shoot both large and small primered rounds go with 2 650's
Set one up for small pistol/rifle and the other for large pistol/rifle. That will minimize your changeover time if your time is really valuable like mine. With a few mods I don't see how you can do much better than the 650. Billet dieheads, primer drop tube, thrust washer, new ejector wire, etc. I don't use the powder check very often. Case feed is a must for me. Especially rifle. I do all rifle sizing on a forster single stage press. Hope you have primers already! Nick |
|
Quoted:
You can call Dillon Precision (or Brian Enos) and put yourself at their mercy. They will not steer you wrong. Tell them what you need/want and they will give you EXACTLY what you need to fulfill your wishes. You are making a very wise choice. +1000 especially Brian Enos. He will take the time to listen to you and what you need. Either a 550 or 650 would be a fine choice. I use the 650 for IPSC pistol and 5.56mm I use a 550 for smaller batches, like 6.8mmSPC, or .44mag. |
|
Quoted:
Each toolhead has it's own powder hopper, so once I have it dialed in for my favorite powder, I never have to adjust it. I hope you just mean that you don't have to deal with dialing in different charges, and not that you never touch your powder measure at all after initially setting it. I myself run with a 550B - a 650 wouldn't give me (personally) anything more, really. I prefer to be more involved in my reloading, so casefeeders don't interest me in the least. For me, I feel that I would need to be averaging >500 rounds a week to justify investing in casefeeders, powder-check dies, or other "extra automation" features; something which is definitely not within my budget (I average more like 100 rounds a week). |
|
I have both the 650 and 550.
I've loaded on the 550 for years and prefer the primer system to the 650's. That said, much like AssaultRifler, I picked up the 650 loaded for a song and use it for my high production calibers. Just finished a batch of 8k .223 on the 650 and ended up with quite a few more high primers than I have in the past loading on the 550. The feel during seating just isn't there with the 650 but case prep and actual loading is much faster on the 650 w/casefeeder. I still use the 550 for my low production (1-2k) pistol and rifle. |
Armory Sponsor