Which Progressive Loading Press would you choose

[TAB]

there is a guy that sells dillon stuff, that cuts thru all the crap and just sells you what you need and what you want.


the name of the web site will come to me, give me a few.


If all you want to do is load pistol ammo, the square deal from dillon is a very good deal.  you just must use dillon dies.


edit found it

http://www.brianenos.com/index.html

[m25operator]

I was talking to a Dillon tech when I needed a part, and was asking about the 650, he asked what do you have now, and I said I have 2 550's, his response was I would rather have 2 550's than 1 650, I had one set up for small primer and the other for large, still do, I can do caliber changes in minutes. Yes a little Prep is needed, but it works great for me, 2 550's can be had for about the same price as 1 650, if you load 1 caliber, then the 650 will do you well, but if you load multiple calibers, you might consider my solution.

[MikeBjerum]

We bought the Dillon 650.  At the time the two of us were reloading between 1k and 2k per month each.  We looked at the 1050, and never considered the 550.

I'd buy the 650 again.  It is just plain old good, solid and reliable!

Down side is just like anything reloading or guns - You can spend as much as you want, and you never spend less.  We priced it out the way we wanted it and figured by splitting the cost we would get it for half price ... we just bought twice as much, and we smiled the whole time!

[alfsauve]

there is a guy that sells dillon stuff.........= brianenos

 Got to chuckle,though I'm having trouble recall as I get older.

Seriously, Tab, thanks.  a) I hadn't even thought that there were Dillion retailers  and b)  Yes, Brian has tons of good stuff on his site.  I should have thought of checking there.

[Solus]

there is a guy that sells dillon stuff, that cuts thru all the crap and just sells you what you need and what you want.


the name of the web site will come to me, give me a few.


If all you want to do is load pistol ammo, the square deal from dillon is a very good deal.  you just must use dillon dies.


edit found it

http://www.brianenos.com/index.html

Bought my 650 setup from Brian. 

Good guy to work with.  Let him know just what you need and he will "custom" fill your order...making sure you have all the options you need and none you don't need.

Sometimes you might not get a part that would come standard with an order from Dillon but you don't pay for it either.

You might have to then purchase the part if you expand your capabilities, however.

The 650 has room for 5 dies in the tool head where the 550 and Square Deal only have 4, allowing for more options.

The primer system on the 650 can be removed with with only two hex screws and you can have a large primer system and a small one on hand and swap out as needed.

The "Quick Change" packages save a lot of time but cost a lot of money.  They consist of a tool head loaded with the dies of the caliber, including the powder/expander die and a powder measure.  You will still need to swap the shell plate.

If you have the case feeder, you may have parts to change there, the biggest time consumer being the case feed plate.  However .40 S&W and .45 ACP use the same plate and 9mm and .380 ACP use the same plate.  It is not fun to change the plate.  You either need a step ladder (or chair) or need to remove the case feeder from the machine.  I use a 3 step ladder.

Then you have to consider power charge.  You can have the powder measure on the quick change tool head set for one powder and load and can either have another tool head with powder measure set to each of your loads, which gets expensive.

An option I use is to purchase a micrometer adjustment kit from UniqueTek http://www.uniquetek.com/site/696296/product/T1231
An easy installation but with some fine fitting to get it set correctly.

Unique offers several items for Dillon presses.  One is the CNC machined tool head and another is the Toolhead Clamp Kit.
Don't know if the increased precision advertised for these products would make a real difference...but I'll give it a try some day.
 
Of interest to reloaders would be the Brass Wizard.  Anything that makes brass recovery easier and quicker is golden.
http://www.uniquetek.com/site/696296/product/T1231

[Sponsor]

[Overload]

My only question would be why a 650 over the less expensive 550 or Square Deal B?

[TAB]

My only question would be why a 650 over the less expensive 550 or Square Deal B?

The SDB can only load pistol and only 14 cal.  it uses dyes that only dillon makes.  its a great press if all you want to do is load one of those 14 and don't want to spend a bunch of money.

as to why the 650 over the 550.    3 main reasons

1 5 staions vs 4,  allows you more opitons.
2 you can get a case feeder.
3 speed.

[GASPASSERDELUXE]

In regards to the case wizard. It works pretty good for the first 4 or 5 cases the they start falling out as fast as you can roll them in to it.

[alfsauve]

Brian Enos's site clears up a lot of things about the Dillion presses.

He cuts through the fog and lays out what he thinks is necessary, nice-to-have, and optional.  For example, the training DVD is only recommended for reloading newbies.

I was leaning away from the powder alarm and think it's just another gadget needing attention.  So I'm thinking I'll be happy with 4 stations.   And the added advantage of quicker caliber change.   To that end it looks like I can get the

550
Strong Mount
Tool holder w/ tools
Maintenance Kit
4 additional small primer tubes

for $545.75   ---- doable.

I'm opting not to get what I view as very expensive case  and bullet holders.   I think I can make my  own for MUCH less than Dillion wants for them.   It costs nothing extra to add them later if I'm wrong.

The uniquetek micrometer looks like a must have if changing calibers. 

Thanks everyone.

[TAB]

The only real diffrence in time between the 550 and the 650 is if you need to change primer sizes.  Other wise the time is the same.

If there is no primer size change its a simple matter of shell plate, tool head swap and then adjust/check the powder measure.

Honestly They are both really easy to change over( atleast compared to alot of machines and the 1050)  so I would not worry about that too much.  Besides I would never recomend reloading more then one cal in a day.  Way to easy to make a mistake and well you know.  More so if you are doing something like 380 and 9 mm.   


I would also highly recomend the roller handle.