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Looking to Upgrade

Goomba

Goomba

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I'm looking to upgrade my reloading station, and I'm really looking at the Dillon RL550B.

My question is, I see it does not come complete where i can bring it home and make ammo, so i was wondering if anyone has experience with final cost of all parts needed. I have read up and believe all my dies will work fine so that does not need to be added(i had an old 3 stage press). I'm just not sure of all the parts needed to get going.

Thanks for the input/advice.
 
If you already have your dies and other ancillary reloading equipment (scale, primer flip tray, tumbler, bullet puller, etc), the 550 will come with everything you need to start making ammo. When you order, you will select the caliber conversion that will be included with the press. If you wish to start with multiple calibers, you will need to add additional caliber conversion kits.

There are many accessories that can be ordered with the press, such as roller handle, strong mount, bullet trays, etc, however none of these are absolutely required to get the press up and running. Everything you need, less dies, will be in the box.


Good luck,
Steve
 
now with my lee dies, will i need to buy another die for the Dillon? i have the 3 per set carbide dies. or will the dillon come with a powder die included if mine is not compatible?
 
I recommend you call Brian Enos (www.brianenos.com) He will set you up properly and carries the entire line and is great to do business with.
Dillon presses use their own powder die, which also bells the case (for pistol calibers). They are inexpensive, and definitely get one for every caliber you intend on loading. Also get a toolhead for each caliber, and the caliber conversion.

I love my 650, bought a used 550B which I havent set up yet, and just won a square deal at my gun club last weekend. I will likely sell the 550B or the Square Deal as do I really need 4 presses (have a Redding turret press as well) :-0
 
Thanks - great cowboy club -- first year I won one of the big prizes (and actually the GF won it). Not tickets necessary - just be a member....

Brian will set you straight. I did have an issue with a Lee die this week in my 650. It was an undersized die for 40 S&W to help out on the glock bulge... Anyway, the die is not a tall as a Dillon, or RCBS, Redding, Hornady... die and I almost ran out of threads - had to use a Dillon lock ring as the Lee one wouldn't grab.

I really love Dillon dies as well. The sizer is opened up a little more in the mouth and makes feeding a little easier, The seating die and crimp die (separate) have drop out inserts which make the really easy to clean etc.
 
my question is: how many calibers you gonna load, if its just a few, but a lot of the 3-4 spring for the 650, it will do
cart wheels around a 550.... but if more than a few then the 550 will be easier on caliber changes.

there are 2 great things about a 650, the csefeeder, (also available for the 550 but a waste in my opinion)
and the powder check die....

you can crank along with a 650 as fast as you can put bullets on.

with a 550 you have to turn the shellpalte, put in cases and bullets, unless you have a casefeeder.
 
I don't plan on making a ton, I am upgrading from my lee progressive 1000. I have thought about a 650 over the 550 but I believe it will be impractical for my use.
 
The 550 is an excellent press, my favorite for the money. If you plan on doing your reloading standing up, I would recommend the "strong mount" as it raises the press above bench level to a point that makes reloading more comfortable in this position.
 
ok, last question.

I now have the Dillon 550 with .40 set-up, already had my 3 lee dies and all the other stuff.

to switch calibers say to a 9mm the only thing i will have to buy (because i already have dies for 9mm) is 9mm conversion something.?

or a full caliber conversion kit?
 
Goomba,

I set up a tool head (i think thats what they are called) for each caliber - it makes swapping calibers on the 550 very easy.
So really you need the shell plate for the caliber of your choice. The dies for that caliber.
I even went as far as buying the powder dispenser for the new tool head so I can just swap out without having to recalibrate the powder amount.
 
I have a toolhead for each caliber. Once you get the dies setup you just don't wanna go messing with them much. Toolheads are about $15 each IIRC.

One other piece of advice I got... I bought two powder dispensers. One I keep setup for pistol with the small powder dispensing bars, and one with the large powder dispesning bar. I swap the powder dispenser around to the different tool heads as needed.

And you will need both a set of dies and a caliber conversion kit. The caliber conversion kit contains the shell plate, powder funnel and locator buttons. Sometimes different calibers may use the same shellplate or powder funnel, and Brian Enos is great about telling you how to save money.

Here is a link to a chart that I keep taped up on the wall near my reloading bench. It shows for each caliber what components are needed:

http://www.brianenos.com/pages/dillon/cal.conv.chart.html#anchor

Good luck on your new adventure!

Cheers,

Rich
 
Brian Enos seems spoken of highly, but I have called several times, left messages and not heard a word from this guy. i'm not concerned, but my expectations precede me
 

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