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Posted: 3/22/2013 3:50:41 PM EDT
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So I just jumped in and bought the following:
Dillon RL550B reloading press set up with dillon 45acp dies.RCBS rotary case trimmer,RCBS 357/38spc dies,RCBS 9mm dies,RCBS 45acp dies.1200 winchester large pistol primers,1000 small pistol primers,1 full container of Accurate #5 powder and 1-half full container of Accurate #5 powder,1-90% full container of Hodgen Universal powder, 1-25% full container of Winchester #231 powder.1000 230 grain FMJ bullets. RCBS digital scale and some other odds and ends. I am not new to reloading but only have experience with single stage press. What else might i need? I plan on loading 223 and 40 in addition to 45acp. Bought all this as a package deal and I have some other components already such as brass and more primers large and small pistol and rifle. Im pretty happy as I shoot twice a week and it is killing me. |
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So I just jumped in and bought the following: Dillon RL550B reloading press set up with dillon 45acp dies.RCBS rotary case trimmer,RCBS 357/38spc dies,RCBS 9mm dies,RCBS 45acp dies.1200 winchester large pistol primers,1000 small pistol primers,1 full container of Accurate #5 powder and 1-half full container of Accurate #5 powder,1-90% full container of Hodgen Universal powder, 1-25% full container of Winchester #231 powder.1000 230 grain FMJ bullets. RCBS digital scale and some other odds and ends. I am not new to reloading but only have experience with single stage press. What else might i need? I plan on loading 223 and 40 in addition to 45acp. Bought all this as a package deal and I have some other components already such as brass and more primers large and small pistol and rifle. Im pretty happy as I shoot twice a week and it is killing me. Did this setup come with Caliber Conversion kits for all the calibers you intend to reload? Additionally, if I were you, I would pick up a few Qucik Change kits(toolheads and powder measures) to make caliber changes go faster. |
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As noted above, Dillon presses are normally sold with one caliber change kit.
With the Dillon 550B you need the proper base plate, locator pins and powder funnel for each caliber - in addition to the reloading dies. If it has 9mm, .45 ACP, 38/357 dies and caliber change kits (shell plate, pins and funnel) you'll still need a 10mm/.40S&W caliber change kit as well as a .223/.222/221 caliber change kit. (see the conversion chart link below). I agree with the advice given above to get caliber change kits for each caliber you plan to reload frequently, or at a minimum get a tool head and powder die for each caliber to avoid having to re-set the dies every time you change calibers. And, if you are loading rifle and pistol calibers, having at least 2 measures is nice as you can leave one set up with the small charge bar and set the other one up with the large charge bar (but more on that below). HOWEVER, Dillon is about 6-8 weeks behind on orders and the e-bay prices are giving new meaning to the term "gouge" as a quick change kit (stand, tool head and powder measure) that should cost $104 MSRP will sell for nearly twice that right now. So now is not a great time to buy those particular parts. In the interim you may want to deal with the extra effort to switch calibers until the panic buying dies down, Dillion is caught up on orders, and/or e-bay prices are sane again. ----- This link will be helpful to you in terms of knowing what you can load with existing shel plates, pins and funnels, and making sure they are properly matched. Dillon caliber chart The Dillon 550B manual is here: Dillon 550B manual ----- I have mine set up with 5 quick change kits on stands on the shelf behind the press for the pistol calibers I load with it. Each is marked with the caliber on masking tape (blue as it's a Dillon after all) on the front side of the tool head, and I also have the powder, charge and bullet type that the measure and dies are set for on a card in the powder measure hopper, so I know what it's set for when I put it on the press, even after months of setting on the shelf. I have the dies for each of the other rifle calibers I load for it set up on their own tool head with the caliber marked on the tool head again in masking tape with a smaller over lay of tape with the bullet type the seating dies are set for. I do not have dedicated measures for my rifle calibers (other than .223 where I use the easy BL(C)-2 and H335 ball powders almost exclusively) as many of my rifle loads use extruded powders that do not measure as well through the Dillon measure as they do through my Redding BR-30. So I have a Dillon powder measure adapter attached to my BR-30 and it then sits on top of the regular Dillon powder die on each tool head. The measure can then be quickly swapped and set for any of the rifle loads. When using that measure, you have to remember to manually operate it when the shell plate is at the top of the stroke. I have found the Dillon powder measure adapter also fits over Lee charging dies (such as you have in 3 die straight wall rifle cartridge sets) which eliminates the need for a Dillon funnel. I keep the rifle tool head for each caliber set up and stored in a quart size zip lock freezer bag as the non carbide dies are more prone to rust in humid climates. ----- More light is always a good thing on a progressive press and it's worth $25 or so to add an LED light kit from one of several sources. Most are 6 LEDs in a strip that you just stick on the inside of the press frame and route the cord down the press and out of the way. It will add light needed to properly see and inspect cases, powder charges and finished rounds as you load and cycle the press. ------ Setting up the tool heads and adjusting the dies is not hard, but order is important and you'll want to follow the manual instructions until you under stand what's most important. See the linked manual above. Once you go through that process, you'll also understand pretty much how the press works as well. ------ The biggest PITA is changing from small to large primers as you have to change out the magazine tube and the primer arm, but that gets quicker and easier in time, and it's a good time to clean out the area around the primer arm anyway. ----- The Dillon Dust cover is a good idea if you keep the press somewhere where dust is an issue, or if you have kids who might get into it as it's lockable (not theft wise but for tamper proofing). ------ Dillion presses are good buys for what you get, but it's strategic on Dillon's part as they know you won't stop with the basic set up for one caliber. Caliber change kits are $46 and quick change kits are $104 direct from Dillon, so keep that in mind if you decide to go the e-bay route. Even at those prices, you eventually end up with a lot invested. For example I paid $375 or so for my 550B 10 years ago (the press price has not increased much) and then $75 to $90 each for 5 quick change kits over the years (that price has risen a bit more percentage wise) as well as about $30 for each of three additional tool head and powder die sets, plus the powder measure adapter for $25, and 8 caliber change kits at $40-$45 each, so I probably have about $1250-$1300 invested in that original $375 press. But it's been money well spent. |
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Good advice so far. So I'll just add a pic to inspire you.  Great looking bench! |
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I've had 3 permanent changes in station in the last 7 years, so I try to keep things easy to move. If you are space challenged or move frequently, it's hard to beat as it's easy to transport but rock solid when set up for reloading.
Thus I go for small, portable and efficient in my press set up. A friend and I built a pair of these using a 4x8 sheet of available 3/4" plywood with a half sheet of 3/4" particle board for the non structural middle and top shelf and a couple 2x4s for shelf supports and for reinforcement around the inside of the base under the bottom shelf. I've added another caliber change kit and a couple more 5 gallon buckets for ready to load brass, but this is still basically the same set up. Bullets are stored on the bottom along with a .50 cal can with primers, powder is stored on the middle shelf along with less frequently used tools and extra tool heads and dies. You'll note I also keep the cardboard portion of the primer box around the primer warning system, (or stuck between it and the magazine with the smaller Remington boxes) to ensure I keep track of what primers are loaded in the magazine. You'll also note I taped a piece of card board over the end of the bin on the press to allow me to go a bit longer before doing something with the loaded rounds. I've noted someone sells sheet metal inserts to accomplish the same thing, but I have not bothered to buy one yet. This has worked well for the last 5 years. 
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I've had 3 permanent changes in station in the last 7 years, so I try to keep things easy to move. If you are space challenged or move frequently, it's hard to beat as it's easy to transport but rock solid when set up for reloading. Thus I go for small, portable and efficient in my press set up. A friend and I built a pair of these using a 4x8 sheet of available 3/4" plywood with a half sheet of 3/4" particle board for the non structural middle and top shelf and a couple 2x4s for shelf supports and for reinforcement around the inside of the base under the bottom shelf. I've added another caliber change kit and a couple more 5 gallon buckets for ready to load brass, but this is still basically the same set up. Bullets are stored on the bottom along with a .50 cal can with primers, powder is stored on the middle shelf along with less frequently used tools and extra tool heads and dies. You'll note I also keep the cardboard portion of the primer box around the primer warning system, (or stuck between it and the magazine with the smaller Remington boxes) to ensure I keep track of what primers are loaded in the magazine. You'll also note I taped a piece of card board over the end of the bin on the press to allow me to go a bit longer before doing something with the loaded rounds. I've noted someone sells sheet metal inserts to accomplish the same thing, but I have not bothered to buy one yet. This has worked well for the last 5 years. http://i1111.photobucket.com/albums/h470/SDBB57/8E37B731-7F93-4E3C-8FF5-2F1BDC82E938-1449-000002EF47DFE186_zps86518e2f.jpg http://i1111.photobucket.com/albums/h470/SDBB57/BBC4E620-1634-4832-BAAD-BDCEF45F0B4F-1449-000002EF53A51CC7_zps7a221311.jpg Great, thanks! |
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Well, Sharpknife and I got a bench squared away, built some shelves and he got the 550 dialed in and loaded a few dozen .45. So far so good. Got a few toolheads coming and hunting down some conversion kits for .223, 9mm and .40 for starters. then added our combined equipment. Got a Rock Chucker to setup for short run stuff and a few other odds and ends but well on our way. |
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Well, Sharpknife and I got a bench squared away, built some shelves and he got the 550 dialed in and loaded a few dozen .45. So far so good. Got a few toolheads coming and hunting down some conversion kits for .223, 9mm and .40 for starters.[div] The .40 shell plate is also used for the 9mm along with the .223 buttons, so for the 9, all you need is die block and a powder funnel. Assuming you can find .223 & .40 conversion kits.  Also, your .45 (I'm assuming ACP) shell plate and buttons will work for .30-06, .308, .22-250 and all other cases based on the .308 / .30-06 cases.
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Quoted:
Well, Sharpknife and I got a bench squared away, built some shelves and he got the 550 dialed in and loaded a few dozen .45. So far so good. Got a few toolheads coming and hunting down some conversion kits for .223, 9mm and .40 for starters. then added our combined equipment. Got a Rock Chucker to setup for short run stuff and a few other odds and ends but well on our way. we are well on our way. now time is our biggest enemy. |
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