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Posted: 1/2/2014 2:38:25 PM EDT
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So I just priced out a Dillon 550 progressive press and basically I want to see what other peoples investments were initially, specifically for progressive presses.
Basically I used the Dillon Interactive Purchasing Guide to piece this together. I'm only 21 and want to get into reloading and I want a press that is gonna last a long while. Shopping List: RL 550B - $439.95 Caliber Conversion Kit to be Included: 9mm - $0.00 RL 550B Deluxe Quick Change Assembly - $103.95 RL 550B Spare Parts Kit - $18.95 Dillon RL550/XL650 Strong Mount - $48.95 Dillon Aluminum Bullet Tray-for Square Deal, RL550 & XL650 - $41.95 Dillon Roller Handle (Aluminum) - $45.95 Dillon's RL 550 Toolholder w/Wrench Set - $28.95 Cartridge Case Bin & Bracket- $24.95 Die Type: 9mm - $63.95 Dillon Handgun Case Gages- $15.45 D-Terminator Electronic Scale - $139.95 Dillon 4 Small pick up tubes - $23.95 Dillon Primer Flip Tray - $20.95 Lyman 49th Edition Reloading Handbook - $24.95 Dillon's CV-2001 Vibratory Case Cleaner - $188.95 CM-2000 Case/Media Separator - $73.95 Berry's Kinetic Bullet Puller - $29.95 L.E. Wilson Case Deburring Tool - $20.00 Dillon Case Lube (8 oz. Bottle) - $8.95 Dillon Rifle Case Gages: 223 Case Gage - $26.95 RL 550B Caliber Conversion Kit .223 - $45.95 Die Type: .223 Remington - $162.95 Walnut Hull Polishing Media - $23.95 Ground Corn Cob Polishing Media - $15.95 Grand Total: $1,665.34 Is this overkill? What am I missing? What'd you spend to start? |
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If you've got the coin, go for it. 20 years from now, you will look back and be thankful you did.
If you move the decimal point to the left and then divide by 2 you would be close to my startup costs 
I started with a cheep single stage press, a $20 tumbler, dies that were given to me, and a lee scale. |
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If you've never reloaded before, don't get a progressive, get a single stage or turret press.
Reloading has a quasi steep learning curve to it. Using a progressive has a quasi steep learning curve to it. Trying to do both at the same time almost guarantees you will have a major problem with one of them. Besides, everyone who uses a progressive still needs a single stage or turret press for small batches/problem cases/match quality/ etc, etc. If you want to have everything now, buy a rockchucker kit. If you don't mind waiting you can pick up a lot of stuff used. When I moved out of my fathers house the press I bought was a Lyman turret press for $25 at a yardsale. 15 years later it is still used & sits nicely next to my progressive. |
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Yes, that's overkill. You do not need $162.00 .223 die sets and at least ten other items on your list. A good single stage press is the best way to start reloading, especially when it comes to rifle rounds. A good power trimmer is going to be purchased eventually so you might as well do that now. Read the pinned threads at the top of the page, lots of good information there.
I own two Dillon 550's. One is set up for handgun ammo, the other is their stripped model which is dedicated to rifle rounds. I tumble, resize, trim, tumble and prime rifle brass on a single stage and a bench mounted RCBS priming tool. Then I store them in zip lock baggies until I'm ready to do load development. It runs through Dillon's basic reloader quickly simply drop charging and seating each bullet. I use the standard 550-B they way it was intended when reloading handgun ammo. Handgun ammo is tedious to load on a single stage. Progressives are the only way to go in that venue. Buy Dillon or Hornady's tool, I think they are both top notch. Good shooting. |
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Quoted:
If you've never reloaded before, don't get a progressive, get a single stage or turret press. Reloading has a quasi steep learning curve to it. Using a progressive has a quasi steep learning curve to it. Trying to do both at the same time almost guarantees you will have a major problem with one of them. Besides, everyone who uses a progressive still needs a single stage or turret press for small batches/problem cases/match quality/ etc, etc. If you want to have everything now, buy a rockchucker kit. If you don't mind waiting you can pick up a lot of stuff used. When I moved out of my fathers house the press I bought was a Lyman turret press for $25 at a yardsale. 15 years later it is still used & sits nicely next to my progressive. With all due respect If you are mechanically inclined I see no reason not to start on a progressive or even a super 1050.You can work slowly the first couple sessions until you get used to it. But if you arent tight on budget then get 2 presses. I didnt even use my rockchucker the first year but I like it for working on brass while I watch tv. When I get behind I crank up my dillon. |
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That's a very nice list, but you forgot a couple of things. A powder scale. Beam or digital, quality ones are around $90 +. Stay away from the cheap $30-40 digitals, they drift. You will also need a caliper. The $30 ones are fine for reloading. A machinist grade caliper is over kill. And a case gauge or headspace gauge is nice to properly set your 223 dies. Dillon make high quality dies, but the cheaper dies will work ok.  Some 550 p0rn to inspire you. |
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I always advise to start on a single stage and work up to a progressive. Just my opinion though, but the startup costs are much lower. +1 good advice if you ask me. your not really out much cost if you start with a single stage, this will let you learn how everything works and you will be less likely to screw up. plus you can always use an extra press, I have friends with 5 or 6. my reason for getting into reloading was to make match .308 ammo for my bolt gun, I started with the bare bones. hand press kit (has a priming tool, case lube,powder funnel)- $50 dies - $30 lyman handheld case trimmer - $20 lee primer pocket cleaner - $3 lee debur/chamfer tool - $3 my startup cost was $106 I cleaned all my cases by hand since I was only making 50 rounds max, I discovered I liked reloading and my ammo was turning out way better than I expected so I picked up a few more things at a time as I had the money. my advice is crawl before you walk, start with a single stage it will teach the operation of things. If you find out you like it and have time for it then upgrade. |
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I recently started handloading. My main reason was for loading .223 bulk and .308 so I opted for the dillon 550B over a single stage.
A good feature of the 550B is the option to use it as a single stage and using multiple tool heads set up for different calibers so you don't have to keep swapping out dies. You can interrupt the progress anytime you need to with this press. You do not have to load in one pass and from what I have read many here don't. I would not hesitate getting a progressive as my first press. JMHO |
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As I am processing .45 ACP brass tonight, pulling the handle down already over 2000 times on a RCBS Rockchucker...I say buy the Dillon if you have the money. There is no reason that you shouldn't buy the Dillon if you are mechanically inclined. Reloading isn't rocket science, it is just a process of consistancy and paying attention to detail.
Don't get me wrong, I really like my RCBS Rockchucker, it does a great job, I am glad that I bought it, and it is a fantastic tool for beginners as well as experienced reloaders, but the Dillon would really speed up the process, expecially with handgun reloading. Eventually, I may consider buying a Dillon 550 or 650 if I have 1.5K+ to spend on additional equipment. The RCBS Rockchucker initial lower cost has allowed me to stock up on all of the other reloading components; Giraud trimmer, Thumlers Tumbler, multiple dies, more ammo cans to store ammo and components, additional tools, brass, bullets and powder, without breaking the bank. I would have more time on my hands if I bought the Dillon first, but I wanted to gain experience and see if I liked this reloading hobby before I invested on a Dillon. |
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I don't believe reloading falls into the category of buy once cry once. I have only been doing it a little over a year, but have been using a Lee classic single stage. I invested about $400-$500 in equipment which includes 5 sets of dies.
The only regret I have is not buying a better scale and maybe a better powder drop (hard to tell how good this one is with a crappy scale). I wasted $40 on a cheap scale, and now I need to replace it. As it is I can produce safe ammo, but it is very hard to make small changes that maximize accuracy. Lesson learned the hard way, don't go cheap on a scale. Personally, I'd rather spend the money on components and shoot more. Maybe I will upgrade to a turret press next year. |
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I started out with a Dillon 550 about 10 years ago. My first box of ammo cost right at $1000.00.
I see no problem starting with the Dillon, but having a single stage makes life so much easier even with a progressive machine. Also, start with bulky powders that will overflow if you double charge and that will go a long way keeping you out if trouble. I think some of the stuff on your list may nice to have but I've had a enjoyable experience without it. Best of luck and welcome to re loading! |
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This is coming from a guy who's last press upgrade was from an old school single stage (RCBS RS-2) to another single stage (LnL) on the cheap, and I think I'm in hog heaven just being able to swap out dies so quickly once they're adjusted to the LnL bushings, so take that grain of salt.
If I had the money to burn (I'm opting to keep stocking up on components for now), I'd love a Dillon as well and will probably get one eventually. If I could order one right now and figure a way for the credit card statement to read "women's shoes" instead of "gun stuff", I'd get 2. I think you should spend some more time reading threads on this site and see how easy it is to save some $, especially on the case prep operations- lizard litter in place of specialized tumbling media, homemade case lube, check the EE and your local Craigslist for deals, etc. If your budget is truly $1700 roughly, I'd be asking myself "how much more can I get for that" and work it that way. Don't skimp on important stuff, but I can't see spending more than $50 on a die set unless you're doing benchrest competitions, and you'll probably find more use in having (2) $65 tumblers rather than a single more expensive unit. If you have a wild hair or an itch that really needs scratching, well, I fully understand that too and will not try to talk you off the ledge other than to say that I'd still drop more money on components right now vs fixed assets. Pretty easy to see what's going to inflate more in price in the coming years. I truly hope I'm wrong but components surely won't lose value. If you start simple with good parts, you'll get a better feel for what you truly need/want as you grow into it and you'll be able to sell off upgrade create expendables for decent amounts. Good luck to you - welcome to the addiction. Don't read the "how I built my own rotary tumbler" thread or you'll find a way to drop another few hundred bucks pretty quick. |
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So I just priced out a Dillon 550 progressive press and basically I want to see what other peoples investments were initially, specifically for progressive presses. Basically I used the Dillon Interactive Purchasing Guide to piece this together. I'm only 21 and want to get into reloading and I want a press that is gonna last a long while. Shopping List: RL 550B - $439.95 Caliber Conversion Kit to be Included: 9mm - $0.00 RL 550B Deluxe Quick Change Assembly - $103.95 RL 550B Spare Parts Kit - $18.95 Dillon RL550/XL650 Strong Mount - $48.95 Dillon Aluminum Bullet Tray-for Square Deal, RL550 & XL650 - $41.95 Dillon Roller Handle (Aluminum) - $45.95 Dillon's RL 550 Toolholder w/Wrench Set - $28.95 Cartridge Case Bin & Bracket- $24.95 Die Type: 9mm - $63.95 Dillon Handgun Case Gages- $15.45 D-Terminator Electronic Scale - $139.95 Dillon 4 Small pick up tubes - $23.95 Dillon Primer Flip Tray - $20.95 Lyman 49th Edition Reloading Handbook - $24.95 Dillon's CV-2001 Vibratory Case Cleaner - $188.95 CM-2000 Case/Media Separator - $73.95 Berry's Kinetic Bullet Puller - $29.95 L.E. Wilson Case Deburring Tool - $20.00 Dillon Case Lube (8 oz. Bottle) - $8.95 Dillon Rifle Case Gages: 223 Case Gage - $26.95 RL 550B Caliber Conversion Kit .223 - $45.95 Die Type: .223 Remington - $162.95 Walnut Hull Polishing Media - $23.95 Ground Corn Cob Polishing Media - $15.95 Grand Total: $1,665.34 Is this overkill? What am I missing? What'd you spend to start? Sir, I'll try to keep this short. When I started reloading AFAIK a Dillon progressive was not yet on the market. I bought RCBS components including a Rockchucker press, scale, dies, PM, primer flip tray, etc. Prices now are not comparable to what I paid so I'll not try. Although I now have a RL-550B and an XL650 I still use the single stage mostly for resizing bottleneck rifle cases. Obviously you're intending to reload for 9mm and .223 Rem. Looking at a recent copy of the Blue press there are a number of items on your list that perhaps you don't really want. The reloading bench I made was purpose built to mount the Dillon progressives to it without the strong mount and roller handle. I use the box my bullets come in instead of the bullet tray. I have multiple tool head stands I made from scrap 1X4 and a broom handle and I keep the caliber conversion kit parts in the blue box they came in. If you read carefully in the lower right corner of the January 2014 Dillon Blue Press they offer a powder measure adapter for those of us that use "long grain extruded powders" to reload various rifle cartridges. Since long grain extruded powders are the choice of many reloaders with good reason obviously Dillon recognizes their powder measure is not the best choice for the purpose. Just like in the picture on page 13 I use a Redding 3BR powder measure mounted at the second stage of my 550 press when I reload most rifle cartridges. Therefore I would reconsider buying the deluxe quick change assembly that includes an additional Dillon PM and just buy the additional tool head and later a better PM such as the Redding. I've looked at what's included in the 550 spare parts kit and while somewhat inexpensive at $18.95 frankly since I've been using my Dillon 550 since 1984 I've never had need to replace any of the parts in the kit. Besides Dillon's no BS warranty will replace any part you break or lose. While I do have a Dillon CV2001 tumbler and the large media separator I didn't start out with them. I cleaned cases by hand and later used a kitchen colander to separate the media from the cases. Consider this: If you tumble fired brass before removing the primer and resize/deprime/ reprime on station one of your 550 you'll end up with small bits of tumbling media spilling from the inside of the case onto the primer feed bar and race. I've always considered this process somewhat messy and to be avoided. The Dillon 550 primer feed mechanism doesn't work well when fouled with case tumbling media. Lastly, I bought a 40# bag of fine grain tumbling media a while ago from a site recommended by our mod Dryflash. I don't remember the name of the company he recommended, Graingers comes to mind, but perhaps you should consider the finer grain media if you're going to buy the tumbler and media separator, the fine grain media works much better and less media gets stuck in the primer cone if you tumble the brass without removing the spent primer first. And OBTW one bag of tumbling media such as on your list won't be enough to fill a CV2001 tumbler. One further item of concern. As already mentioned by another you'll need a caliper to measure case length for one. In my experience reloading .223 Rem brass most has to be trimmed after one firing/resizing cycle. That means that any once fired brass you may pick up will likely have to be trimmed after you've resized it. Therefore you'll need a case trimmer. I recommend Giraud but they're not cheap. HTH, 7zero1. |
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http://www.grainger.com/product/ECONOLINE-Blast-Media-2MVR5?searchQuery=2mvr5 This is the corn cob mentioned in the post above. It is small enough to flow through a flashole, unlike corn cob from the pet store that you have to pick out. |
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I would skip the Dillon rifle dies and go with RCBS, Redding, or Hornady for a lot less $$.
How much do you plan on loading at a time or per month? If you think thousands of rounds of pistol then I would think about the XL650 and a case feeder instead. I have a 550B and while I love it I constantly question whether I should have gotten the XL650 when I was choosing as it was only $100 more at the time. |
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$1666, meh, I've spent that much this year alone on bullets, primers, and powder, pick one. Your initial cash layout will be spent many times over in components and recouped exponentially in savings over factory ammo.
As others have said, you can save a few bucks not purchasing some items from Dillon, and purchasing some items elsewhere. First, get 25# bags of walnut media from a feed store or online. Nevermind the bullet tray and tool holder. Info in the Lyman manual, and more, can be found online on manufacturer's web sites. Find a cheaper bullet puller. Cheap Lee dies work fine. So do RCBS and Hornady. Get some Dillon 1" die lock rings. Look for another scale in the $100 range. You mentioned a deburring tool but no other trim tools. You are going to have to dedicate a toolhead to .223 brass prep, sizing and trimming. This is the subject of a whole 'nother thread and is the major pain in the ass with rifle reloading. Quoted:
everyone who uses a progressive still needs a single stage or turret press for small batches/problem cases/match quality/ etc, etc. I guess I wasn't included in your poll. XL650, nothing else. |
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Read through the first article here to understand what you need to buy:
http://www.ar15.com/content/page.html?id=400 |
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Quoted: I started on a single stage and spent around $200; excluding components. But if you go the Dillon route expect at least $2000. And that's not includeing brass, powders, primers and bullets. I just went the Dillon route and was no place near that amount (with compenents I just added together for 9mm I still haven't hit half that).
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Quoted:
http://www.grainger.com/product/ECONOLINE-Blast-Media-2MVR5?searchQuery=2mvr5 This is the corn cob mentioned in the post above. It is small enough to flow through a flashole, unlike corn cob from the pet store that you have to pick out. Sir, I hoped you would add the link to Graingers, I've added to my contacts list. Thanks. 7zero1 out. |
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I currently handload 38spl, 357mag, 40s&w, 10mm, 45acp, 45Colt, .223, 5.56, 30Carbine, 30-30, .308, and 30-06 and have over 170,000 rds under my belt and I'm still learning. I'd suggest that you read my 550 Tips and Tricks tutorial HERE before you order anything. I had my 550B for 4½ years before I got my 650 and you can save some real money if you follow some of my suggestions. While I currently have a XL650 with casefeeder, these are the steps I used on my 550B when reloading necked rifle cases. As with all consumer presses made, you must perform 2 cycles to reload necked rifle ammo, a case prep cycle and a reloading cycle. I strongly recommend that you buy two toolheads for your 550B for each necked rifle caliber you reload; one for the case prep and one for the reloading so that you can leave the dies setup and adjusted correctly. For rifle dies, I use a combination of Lee Pacesetter dies, a Dillon Resizing die, and a Lee universal depriming die (and of course, Dillon's powder through die for their powder measure). I like the Lee Pacesetter’s Bullet Seater die better than Dillon’s because it has a knurled knob on the top to hand adjust the depth vs Dillon’s bolt top. However, Dillon’s Resizing die is superior to Lee’s because it includes a carbide expander button vs Lee’s steel one. I’ve found that I don’t need to lube the inside of the case using the carbide button and don’t get that ‘squeak’ or any neck stretching common of steel buttons without lube. The combination of the Lee Pacesetter set and Dillon Resizing die costs less than a Dillon die set so you don't pay extra for this combination. I also install a Lee Universal Depriming die in station #1 of my reloading toolhead so that it insures that no media remains in the flash hole prior to reloading. I could check each case by hand and manually remove each piece but I’m lazy and the universal die will do it automatically. For $10, it’s cheap insurance. As necked rifle brass 'grows' over time it must be trimmed. I'm a fan of the Dillon Trimmer setup on the case prep toolhead because with it I don't have to worry about checking each piece of brass for length. Further, I don't have to handle each piece separately to trim it because the trimmer is setup on the case prep toolhead and will trim those pieces that require it automatically as I cycle through my brass. Brass Prep (using your case prep toolhead setup): 1. Inspect Brass and Sort By Headstamp 2. Tumble / Clean Brass - Lizard Litter Walnut & Turtle Wax car polish - 1 hr max 3. Lube Brass - Dillon Spray Lube not One-Shot 4. Install Case Prep Toolhead in 550B - confirm adjustments - (Use Dillon Case Gauge to confirm shoulder set and case OAL) • Dillon Decapper / Resizer die in #1 - I resize and decap at this stage • Dillon Trimmer in #3 - I have the die set to just touch the case but trim at the proper length 5. Insert brass in station #1 and crank handle to Decap / Resize 6. Advance shellplate and insert additional cases in station #1 as with normal reloading 7. As case comes to station #3, the trimmer will trim the case if necessary 8. Tumble / Clean Brass - Lizard Litter Walnut - 10 minutes max 9. Inspect brass again 10. Swage - Dillon's Super Swage only on 1st brass processing cycle 11. Store prep'd brass for reloading in future I neither chamfer, de-burr the case neck, nor clean the primer pockets. I don't do Bullseye shooting and found that I don't need to clean my primer pockets to achieve the accuracy I'm looking for. My son (younger eyes) can shoot 5/8” dia, 5rd groups using ammo I produce with this process in his Savage .223 so that’s good enough for me. The Dillon Super Swage does a great job at both removing the crimp and swaging a uniform primer pocket and my Dillon trimmer leaves a smooth, 4° slanted, bur free edge. I use both boat tailed 55grn, 62grn, and 68grn bullets for my .223 as well as 147grn FMJ and flat based 150grn SP bullets in my 308 and 30-06 and have had no issues with inserting the bullets into the cases without inside chamfering. Further, I’ve removed some bullets to check for any scratches or gouges but have found none. Reloading (using your reloading toolhead setup): 1. Install Reloading Toolhead in 550B, fill powder measure, primer feed, and bullet bin - confirm adjustments • Lee Universal Decapper die in #1 – ‘insurance’ to remove any media in flash hole • Dillon Powder die in #2 • Lee Pacesetter Bullet Seater in #3 – Lee’s knurled knob is easier to adjust depth than Dillon’s • Lee Pacesetter FCD in #4 – adjust so that die gives a slight crimp 2. Insert case into station #1 and crank handle while adding bullets just like with 9mm 3. Inspect finished rounds 4. Box and label Go to range and make empty brass to start cycle once again. Straight walled (mostly pistol) calibers don't usually require trimming and therefore, can be processed and reloaded in a single cycle. They also usually don't require lube when using carbide resizing dies so that's what most people buy. Because of that and the fact that you don't need to trim them as they don't tend to grow, most people tumble them clean and then reload them directly without a case prep cycle. Many people find that Lee Deluxe Carbide 4 die pistol die sets are both economical (1/2 the price of Dillon dies) and work great. I use them on my 38spl, 357mag, 40s&w, 45acp, 10mm, 45 Colt, and 30 Carbine. (Note: Some 9mm and 45acp brass could be military and therefore need the primer crimp swagged or reamed before reloading but that can be avoided by using only commercial brass.) Here are my personal straight walled pistol reloading steps I used on my 550B. There are other ways to do it, but this worked well for me. Reloading (for pistol calibers using commercial brass): 1. Inspect Brass 2. Tumble / Clean Brass - Lizard Litter Walnut & Turtle Wax car polish - 1 hr max 3. Install Reloading Toolhead in 550B, fill powder measure, primer feed, and bullet bin - confirm adjustments • Lee Decapper / Resizer die in #1 • Dillon Powder die in #2 (proprietary for the powder measure so you don't use the Lee version) • Lee Bullet Seater in #3 • Lee FCD in #4 4. Insert case in station one and crank handle while adding bullets 5. Inspect finished rounds 6. Box and label Go to range and make empty brass to start cycle once again. Below are my suggested changes to your shopping list. Shopping List: RL 550B - $439.95 Caliber Conversion Kit to be Included: 9mm - $0.00 RL 550B Deluxe Quick Change Assembly - $103.95 I assume this is for your .223? The press will come with everything for your 9mm except dies. RL 550B Toolhead - $11.35 You'll want an extra toolhead for your case prep on your .223. RL 550B Toolhead Stand - $20.95 For your case prep toolhead. Some type of trimmer for your .223 brass I suggest you consider a Possum Hollow Kwick Case Trimmer and Power attachment. You can get them for the mfg HERE. Lee Universal Decapping die - $12.00 This is cheap insurance for station 1 on your .223 reloading toolhead to insure that media isn't lodged in the flashhole. RL 550B Spare Parts Kit - $18.95 Dillon RL550/XL650 Strong Mount - $48.95 Dillon Aluminum Bullet Tray-for Square Deal, RL550 & XL650 - $41.95 Look to my suggested alternative Dillon Roller Handle (Aluminum) - $45.95 Dillon's RL 550 Toolholder w/Wrench Set - $28.95 Look to my suggested alternative Cartridge Case Bin & Bracket- $24.95 Die Type: 9mm - $63.95 I suggest you try Lee Deluxe Carbide 4 Die sets. Cheaper, about $35, and I like them better than Dillon's because both the bullet seater die and FCD are hand adjustable vice Dillon's wrench adjustable set. Dillon Handgun Case Gages- $15.45 D-Terminator Electronic Scale - $139.95 Dillon 4 Small pick up tubes - $23.95 Dillon Primer Flip Tray - $20.95 Look to a cheaper plastic alternative in the $4 - $6 range Lyman 49th Edition Reloading Handbook - $24.95 While good, you can start with free on-line reloading information from the powder manufactures Dillon's CV-2001 Vibratory Case Cleaner - $188.95 While good, they are a bit spendy and you can get a cheaper alternative. CM-2000 Case/Media Separator - $73.95 I've been using a plastic colander over a 5 gal plastic bucket for over 10 years and over 170,000 rds. Berry's Kinetic Bullet Puller - $29.95 Franklin Arsenal Impact bullet pullers are $15 L.E. Wilson Case Deburring Tool - $20.00 Dillon Case Lube (8 oz. Bottle) - $8.95 Dillon Rifle Case Gages: 223 Case Gage - $26.95 RL 550B Caliber Conversion Kit .223 - $45.95 Die Type: .223 Remington - $162.95 I use a combo of a Dillon resizer/decapper and then Lee Pacesetter set for my necked cases. Lee's had adjustable bullet seater is better than Dillon's wrench adjustable set and together they cost ½ what the Dillon set does Walnut Hull Polishing Media - $23.95 Go to Petsmart and get Lizard Litter. A 25lb bag costs under $20 and it's crushed Wanut hulls. Ground Corn Cob Polishing Media - $15.95 I use only walnut |
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Don't forget a Sturdy bench. Sams club in Clearwater has some perfect for stand up reloading with a 2" laminated top that is rock solid. Take your bench height into account with the strong mount. Nothing wrong with starting with a 550, just take your time. There is a lot going on with each pull, Your undivided attention will be required with every pull. Did we scare you off? I am in Clearwater for the winter and would be happy to help get you started if you are nearby. |
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Wat??? I just went the Dillon route and was no place near that amount (with compenents I just added together for 9mm I still haven't hit half that). Quoted:
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I started on a single stage and spent around $200; excluding components. But if you go the Dillon route expect at least $2000. And that's not includeing brass, powders, primers and bullets. I just went the Dillon route and was no place near that amount (with compenents I just added together for 9mm I still haven't hit half that). When I bought my 550 and all the extras it was around $800. If I had to buy EVERYTHING and go the Dillon route; yes I can see me spending around $2000. Those caliber conversions and dies can add up. I guess if you only reload a few calibers it will be cheaper. |
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I currently handload 38spl, 357mag, 40s&w, 10mm, 45acp, 45Colt, .223, 5.56, 30Carbine, 30-30, .308, and 30-06 and have over 170,000 rds under my belt and I'm still learning. I'd suggest that you read my 550 Tips and Tricks tutorial HERE before you order anything. I had my 550B for 4½ years before I got my 650 and you can save some real money if you follow some of my suggestions. Great post. Thank you. |
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Brian enos has it and will give your help if you call him apparently.
Go straight to the 650. Don't believe anything will happen if you buy a progressive and learn how to load on it. I've screwed up bullets on a single stage press and I'm sure others have too. Just bite the bullet and go straight into a 650. Heck I pieced one together for $1500 wit a lot of extra. EDIT: I think the only thing I'm missing AT FIRST GLANCE is a scale. I'm already into reloading so most of the stuff at the end I wouldn't need or purchase anyways. I simply found a spreadsheet that calculated how long it took to make your money back and wanted to know what I thought it would cost to start over with the knowledge I have now. With this exact setup and shooting 9mm for $0.10 (50 rounds a week) it was about 35 months. add in 45 ACP for $0.20 per round (50/wk) and its 14 months. RELOADING PAYBACK CALCULATOR 21079 Casefeed Assembly - Small Pistol (650/1050) $ 218.95 10483 Dillon D-Terminator Digital Scale $ 139.95 16944 Dillon XL 650 in 38 Super/9mm $ 566.95 13606 Primer Flip Tray $ 20.95 20049 4-Pack Small Primer Pickup Tubes $ 23.95 10330 Reloading Manual - Lyman #49 $ 24.95 20493 CV-2001 Vibratory Case Cleaner $ 188.95 15161 Dillon 9mm Stainless Case Gage $ 15.45 BE650 650 - As it should BE - Upgrade $ 128.95 11555 650 Toolholder with Wrench Set $ 29.95 17999 Bullet Puller (New Style, Berrys) $ 29.95 21146 650 Spare Pts Kit $ 25.95 DIGCA BrianEnos.com Digital Caliper $ 38.95 13733 Dillon Case Lube $ 8.95 13804 Rapid Polish $ 8.95 20675 CM-2000 Media Separator $ 73.95 10443 650 Machine Cover $ 39.95 Purchase Subtotal: $ 1,585.65 Shipping: 0.00 Tax: 0.00 Purchase Total: $ 1,585.65 |
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So I just priced out a Dillon 550 xl 650 progressive press and basically I want to see what other peoples investments were initially, specifically for progressive presses. Basically I used the Dillon Interactive Purchasing Guide to piece this together. I'm only 21 and want to get into reloading and I want a press that is gonna last a long while. Shopping List: RL 550B - $439.95xl 650, you can add the case feeder and other stuff later, trust me you will thank me later. Caliber Conversion Kit to be Included: 9mm - $0.00 RL 550B 650 Deluxe Quick Change Assembly - $103.95 RL 550B Spare Parts Kit - $18.95 Dillon RL550/XL650 Strong Mount - $48.95 whats your bench like do you need this? Dillon Aluminum Bullet Tray-for Square Deal, RL550 & XL650 - $41.95 You can always get this later if you really want it. Dillon Roller Handle (Aluminum) - $45.95 Dillon's RL 550 xl 650 Toolholder w/Wrench Set - $28.95 Cartridge Case Bin & Bracket- $24.95 Die Type: 9mm - $63.95 Dillon Handgun Case Gages- $15.45 D-Terminator Electronic Scale - $139.95 get a rcbs standard scale Dillon 4 Small pick up tubes - $23.95 Not needed press should come with 1 and thats all that is really needed. Dillon Primer Flip Tray - $20.95 Get an RCBS for like $9.99 Lyman 49th Edition Reloading Handbook - $24.95 Dillon's CV-2001 Vibratory Case Cleaner - $188.95 If it was me I would get a better wet tumbler and a cheap harbor freight vib tumbler. CM-2000 Case/Media Separator - $73.95 http://www.stainlesstumblingmedia.com/stm-complete-package.html Berry's Kinetic Bullet Puller - $29.95 L.E. Wilson Case Deburring Tool - $20.00 Dillon Case Lube (8 oz. Bottle) - $8.95 http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_6_42/305174_Case_Lube_for_cheap_bastards.html Dillon Rifle Case Gages: 223 Case Gage - $26.95 RL 550B xl 650 Caliber Conversion Kit .223 - $45.95 Die Type: .223 Remington - $162.95 Redding microadj. set for aiding in seating different gr. bullets Walnut Hull Polishing Media - $23.95 Lizard bedding from a pet store same stuff just 1/2 the cost Ground Corn Cob Polishing Media - $15.95 again just corn cob bedding from a pet store Grand Total: $1,665.34 Get it from Grafs and sons, or Brain Enos Is this overkill? What am I missing? What'd you spend to start? My suggestions in red. I just bought a 1050 and everything to do 9mm, .45acp, .223, 300 Blk. Just a few weeks ago. I also bought the stainlesstumblingmedia.com one posted above. 650 toolheads and extras are much much less expensive than for 1050. You might want a dillon superswage if you ever plan on reloading 5.56. Hope that helps. But thats just me. Buy once cry once. |
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