Purchase Locally or Just order from Dillon?

Joined
Aug 4, 2012
Messages
1,145
Likes
893
Feedback: 24 / 0 / 0
I've decided on getting a new XL650 and I was just curious if it's worth going to a local shop or if I'd be better off just ordering direct from Dillon. If pricing is comparable then I'd prefer to buy local. I'll be setting up for .45 and 9mm with an eye towards .223 in the future. Basically, I'll need the the whole shebang, press, dies, plates, toolheads, case gauges...starting from scratch. I'm also not going to get the feeder yet...eventually, just not yet.
 
Probably best to go Brianenos.com so you can really get everything you want at once. Plus they have a ton of support there.
 
Road trip! Spare? That was the spare.

You're not a real Dillonite until you've been to the Scottsdale store.

I've decided on getting a new XL650 and I was just curious if it's worth going to a local shop or if I'd be better off just ordering direct from Dillon. If pricing is comparable then I'd prefer to buy local.
Most stores sell Dillon at MSRP, but one way to look at this is if you can get the same price from your local store, not only are you supporting a local dealer, but you make it more likely that your local guy will keep stocking Dillon parts. This will come in handy when you break your last decapping pin on a Saturday morning.
 
Last edited:
Another Brian Enos fan. I placed a large order with him and then he called me to go over a few things and save me some money here and there. Great guy.
 
Most stores sell Dillon at MSRP, but one way to look at this is if you can get the same price from your local store, not only are you supporting a local dealer, but you make it more likely that your local guy will keep stocking Dillon parts, which will come in handy when you break your last decapping pin on a Saturday morning.

That's sort of my reasoning but general consensus seems to be Brian Enos. I did go to his site and compared to Dillon, prices were about the same if memory serves. Do you get a better deal if you call?
 
Plus everyone that said Brian Enos! Bought my 650 and accessories from him. Plus everyone else on all the information his site has, and that you NEED to read FAQ's he has explaining the machines and how he would order them. He will answer any question you have that is not in the FAQ. All his orders are drop shipped from Dillon. I hope you like yours as much as I do mine.
Just a side note, Dillon sells for pretty much same price wherever you go, and Shooter's Outpost in Hooksett has a large Dillon display if you want to go and touch & feel.
 
Check shipping costs from Enos vs. Dillon. Last time I checked, Brian had free shipping on orders like yours. Dillon charges a lot.
 
I got my 650XL @ Shooters for $524.

Was that bare bones or did it at least include one conversion kit?

- - - Updated - - -

Check shipping costs from Enos vs. Dillon. Last time I checked, Brian had free shipping on orders like yours. Dillon charges a lot.

If I put everything I need into the cart, it comes up at $16...which I don't think is unreasonable at all. Dillon is $25. And I did realize I had thrown a couple of extras in the cart on BEnos which accounted for the price variance.
 
If your new you cannot beat Brian. He can answer any questions and the guide he has on his site is helpful. Configuring the press is confusing but using his site/packages/templates make everything a breeze with a little poking around.

-Mike
 
As everyone has already said go with brianenos. No tax and it used to be free shipping on orders over $400. It looks like it is now capped at $16.99. I've had incorrect parts shipped (wrong casefeeder plate and some wrong caliber conversion parts). Brian has always been super quick to make it right.
 
Brian Enos it is then. Thanks everyone!

Get the case feeder

I was just thinking about spreading some of the pain over time...hence no case feeder or .223 for now. I also figured that would give me an opportunity to get my feet wet, so to speak.
 
If you can actually find the stuff you want locally , God bless. I'm hesitant to say your local place will probably just go to Brian Enos.
 
Brian was a top shooter in his day - even racked up at least one Bianchi cup win. His navigation skills on the streets of Phoenix, however, leave a bit to be desired (my wife and I got lost with him once).
 
Brian Enos it is then. Thanks everyone!



I was just thinking about spreading some of the pain over time...hence no case feeder or .223 for now. I also figured that would give me an opportunity to get my feet wet, so to speak.

If you're not getting a casefeeder a 650 is kind of a waste. The press is designed for volume. Not getting the casefeeder kinda defeats that. You might be better off with a 550.
 
If you're not getting a casefeeder a 650 is kind of a waste. The press is designed for volume. Not getting the casefeeder kinda defeats that. You might be better off with a 550.

Like I said, I want one. I just figured I could get up and running for a bit without it first, then add it on later. Everything I read says the case feeder for the 550 is crap, plus it's pistol only. I do want to get into 223 reloading as well, so I thought once I'm comfortable with pistol I could get the case loader and start on 223 with the 650.

Of course the other part of me says Eff it, buy the whole thing now but that does take a ~$800 setup to ~$1,600 (with case feeder and all of the 223 accouterments).
 
I'm with drgrant 100%. Even for pistol the case feeder will make loading much quicker and easier.

It's a big part of enabling the press to have the excellent rate of production it's capable of.

Elevated steel mount, roller handle, case feeder...1000 rds / hour in complete comfort.
 
Brian Enos has a unique relationship with Dillon (he's been a friend of Mike Dillon ever since Mike was making presses in his garage). Presses you order from Brian are actually drop shipped from the Dillon factory, so you get the same speed of service, reliability and warranty.

I'm with drgrant 100%. Even for pistol the case feeder will make loading much quicker and easier.

If you want to take it to the extreme, get a bullet feeder (either the Mr Bullet Feeder or the fancy one from GSI), and a Mark VII autodrive. Mark VII is owned and run by a couple of guys from the Hopkinton club (I have no business interest in that venture but I shoot with the owners).
 
Last edited:
Buy more primer pick up tubes than you think you'll need. It's nice to have them loaded with 600 primers, then roll through them. Take a break refill tubes and knock out another 600 rounds. I only have a 550 & no case feeder. My next purchase will be a 650 with the case feeder from Brian Enos
 
Thanks for all of the advice guys. As far as the case feeder, I wasn't thinking I'd wait for years to get one, I just thought maybe I could put it off six months or less. That would give me an opportunity to familiarize myself with the press and reloading in general. It would also take a little sting out of buying it all at once...along with primers and projectiles...starting from scratch here.

To be honest, I could probably get away with the 550 with regards to anticipated volume I expect to put through in a given month based on the Brian Enos numbers, but I'd rather not have buyer's remorse down the road.
 
Back
Top Bottom