Time for a new press setup for 9mm and .45. Recommendations?

[M1911]

I load 45 ACP, 9mm, and .38 Spcl on the Dillon 550. It is a good press, but it does have its issues, particularly with the primer feed.

Loading .38 Spcl on it can be "interesting." The .38 Spcl case is long and narrow, and modern powders take up very little of the case volume. As a result, it is very difficult to visually inspect the powder charge. And since the 550 only has 4 stations, you can't have a powder check die. I can tell you from experience that squibs during a sanctioned match just suck.

I can load about 300 rounds an hour. I've loaded about 200 batches on my 550 (on the order of 40,000 rounds), I don't have any idea how someone can get 400 rounds an hour out of a 550. YMMV.

I'd love to get a 650, but that isn't the budget right now.

 

[*chris*]

The LNL case feeder is terrible and primer system will eventually wear the press and lead to high primers.
.

Your entire post is a bit exaggerated but let me just address these two points. If you can follow the instructions the case feeder works perfectly. I have used it for .223, 9mm, 357 mag, and 45ACP. I would agree that it is very complicated and if not setup right hard to use. There are a lot of different spaces, funnels, and tubes that need to be exactly in the right order or the case feeder is a mess.

I agree if you are reloading fast and powder is falling out of the filled rounds e.g. .223, the powder will get stuck in the primer bar and gum it up. I don't normally seem to have this problem. If you are not losing powder in your rounds the primer bar stays clean and works fine. EddieCoyle points out another issue that the bottom of the primer seater creates a divot in the frame, which I do agree is an issue, but I have not experienced it yet.

Maybe you guys reload beyond what the machine is capable for and the 650 is more robust for high-volume shooters? I think I may buy a 650 to see what all the hubris is about!

Chris

 

[EddieCoyle]

If you can follow the instructions the case feeder works perfectly.
Chris

No, it doesn't.

 

[exo]

I've seen the powder check station mentioned a couple of times here about the 650. I find it is a waste of time to bother setting it up. The press is auto indexing, you can't "forget" to charge a case. Just keep an eye on the powder level in the powder measure. Or if you're moving so blindingly fast that you can't, get the powder level check thing for the powder measure.

I've never produced a squib load on my 650, and I do not use the powder check die.

 

[EddieCoyle]

I've never produced a squib load on my 650, and I do not use the powder check die.

I think it would come in handy when loading bottleneck cartridges (that are hard to see into) with coarse stick powder, the granules of which can 'bridge' inside the drop tube so that one charge is light, with the next one being heavy.

 

[exo]

I think it would come in handy when loading bottleneck cartridges (that are hard to see into) with coarse stick powder, the granules of which can 'bridge' inside the drop tube so that one charge is light, with the next one being heavy.

That's a good point, I've been using spherical, flake, and very short extruded powders thus far.

 

[Supermoto]

Your entire post is a bit exaggerated but let me just address these two points. If you can follow the instructions the case feeder works perfectly. I have used it for .223, 9mm, 357 mag, and 45ACP. I would agree that it is very complicated and if not setup right hard to use. There are a lot of different spaces, funnels, and tubes that need to be exactly in the right order or the case feeder is a mess.

I agree if you are reloading fast and powder is falling out of the filled rounds e.g. .223, the powder will get stuck in the primer bar and gum it up. I don't normally seem to have this problem. If you are not losing powder in your rounds the primer bar stays clean and works fine. EddieCoyle points out another issue that the bottom of the primer seater creates a divot in the frame, which I do agree is an issue, but I have not experienced it yet.

Maybe you guys reload beyond what the machine is capable for and the 650 is more robust for high-volume shooters? I think I may buy a 650 to see what all the hubris is about!

Chris

Nope. The LNL is crap. I want my press to run like my guns. 100%, I don't want to fiddle **** with it to get it to work. I don't want to reload ammo. I want to be shooting it. The LNL
was not only a waste of money, it was a waste of time.

The 650 works all the time, 100 rounds in 5-6 minutes, every time. No adjusting stuff, no screwing around with springs. Just pull the handle.

At the last major. My 9mm chrono'ed 1390,1385,1387.

 

[drgrant]

I believe the 650 and above is out of my league price wise. Doing some pricing on one of the popular places to buy dillon puts me at way over $1k to set myself up with a 650. For the foreseeable future I can imagine loading more than 20,000 a year in pistol calibers. So I'm not sure if a $1500 investment designed to do double that capacity is really needed

If you're loading more than 1K/caliber year the press will pay for itself pretty quickly. Skinflinting a couple hundred bucks or so on a press just doesn't make any sense, unless your volume is so low that it actually would make a difference. Think about it for more than 5 minutes and it makes sense- particulalry given the price deltas between commercial and reloaded ammo have gotten that much wider than they used to be. (For example I load .45 for FIFTEEN dollars a box cheaper than you can find it at most stores... )

-Mike

 

[drgrant]

I can load about 300 rounds an hour. I've loaded about 200 batches on my 550 (on the order of 40,000 rounds), I don't have any idea how someone can get 400 rounds an hour out of a 550. YMMV.

Putting everything in the right place and having presorted brass helps. For example I set aside R-P .45 brass when I know "I need to make 100 rounds right now" because I know I can basically fly through all 100 pieces with no hangups. I don't do it with every headstamp but I have classes. EG, "easy" "not too bad" "total shit garbage brass for throwaway use" and "everything else that isn't unuseable" type of deal.

-Mike

 

[M1911]

I don't sort my 45 brass anymore. That takes way too much time. The main hangups now are those $@#! small primer 45 cases.

 

[drgrant]

I don't sort my 45 brass anymore. That takes way too much time. The main hangups now are those $@#! small primer 45 cases.

That's part of the reason I sort the brass. To weed that shit out and throw it in it's own pile. It doesn't take that long when you do in huge batches. It's also nice to get rid of things like A-MERC and so on.

-Mike

 

[M1911]

That's part of the reason I sort the brass. To weed that shit out and throw it in it's own pile. It doesn't take that long when you do in huge batches. It's also nice to get rid of things like A-MERC and so on.

It's just so damn hard for me to actually distinguish between small primer and large primer 45s, even with my reading glasses on. Sigh.

 

[*chris*]

No, it doesn't.

Do you still have one? I can come over and set it up for you. I don't reload as much as you do, but I have loaded a few thousand 9mm, 38 special, 45ACP, and .223 without any issues.

I need to load some wadcutters, maybe I will record myself.

I spoke with Dillon for quite a while today, he was pretty confident that I could get my casefeeder and bullet feeder to work no problem with the 650. Apparently the 650 comes stock with the case feeder hardware which is pretty cool. I may buy a 650 this weekend to play with it, I really liked the Dillon tech, he was super knowledgeable. The 650 really isn't much more than a LNL AP since it comes with a case feeder and the dillion equivalent of the shellplate.

Chris

 

[Bendad97]

I've always been a Lee Man myself.

 

[yogi]

I have had the LNL for close to two years. It's my first press, so I am no expert. It has its quirks, like the shell plate, no matter how much I tighten it, always has to be checked and tightened after about ~300 rounds. Maybe thats normal i dont know but its annoying. The powder measure lately has to watched and tweaked more than ever (like every 150 rounds...normally a half grain). The old primers have been getting stuck every once in awhile jamming the shell plate (and the die, i believe, is properly set). Overall its been good to me but i would like to see a Dillon and compare.

 

[Rate_of_Twist]

I have had the LNL for close to two years. It's my first press, so I am no expert. It has its quirks, like the shell plate, no matter how much I tighten it, always has to be checked and tightened after about ~300 rounds. Maybe thats normal i dont know but its annoying. The powder measure lately has to watched and tweaked more than ever (like every 150 rounds...normally a half grain). The old primers have been getting stuck every once in awhile jamming the shell plate (and the die, i believe, is properly set). Overall its been good to me but i would like to see a Dillon and compare.

This is the type of stuff that scares me.... Quite frankly ( and no offense to you ) my cheap Lee setup doesn't have those issues.... It's just slow and feels like it could fall apart at any time.


I'm leaning 550 or square deal right now, as after reading here and brianenos forums it seems to be more along what I want. The other issue with the 650 is the overall height. I would have to completely rework my basement area and make a new bench as my ceiling are low and it doesn't look like I have the room

 

[jaypap]

I have a 650 and a 550 love my Dillons.

I have had others but none better.

 

[exo]

I spoke with Dillon for quite a while today, he was pretty confident that I could get my casefeeder and bullet feeder to work no problem with the 650. Apparently the 650 comes stock with the case feeder hardware which is pretty cool. I may buy a 650 this weekend to play with it, I really liked the Dillon tech, he was super knowledgeable. The 650 really isn't much more than a LNL AP since it comes with a case feeder and the dillion equivalent of the shellplate.

Chris

The 650 comes with the mounting for the case feeder, it does not come with the case feeder.

 

[crazymjb]

I love my 550. I dont shoot as much as I'd like to currently but once I'm setup I can make more than enough ammo for my current needs (400+ an hour). Components are more or less my limiting factor now.

Mike

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2

 

[RugerSlinger]

I have both the 650 and the SDB. Both are excellent machines and once setup I can load 1000rds and everything will still be perfect set. I could load 700+/hr on the SDB with some help of a friend. Have the friend insert case onto shell plate while I was placing bullet on powder filled case and cranking the machine with my other hand. They also filled primer tubes for me. If I was doing it by myself I could do 4-500/hr. Just make sure the friend is quick or you will crush his fingers. I only did it once. He was fine, another beer and we were back at it.

With the 650 I can do 800/hr by myself if I have 5 primer tubes filled and the machine filled. So I would only have to load 2 primer tubes once the first 600 are done. I keep them both setup but don't use the SDB that much anymore. I want another 650 so i can have on setup with Small primers and one with large primers, I find that it takes the most amount of time when switching out calibers.

 

[isaac]

I just started reloading and bought the 650 with the case feeder and couldnt be happier.

 

[Rate_of_Twist]

For all of you that have dillon 550's and 650's I wonder if you could help me with a spec. Dillon's web site stats that the 550 needs 35" of clearance above the bench top and the 650 needs 44" of clearance. Both of these are WITHOUT the strong mount.

Is this height requirement operational height ( I.e. loading the primers, filling the powder ect ) or just the physical press size requirements ?

I have VERY low ceilings in my basement ( only 75" ). With a standard bench height of around 36" I'm in real deep trouble!

 

[gerrycaruso]

I have a 450 and a 650. The 650 without the strong mount and case feeder is about 31 1/2" with powder sensor all the way up. With case feeder it's about 35". The strong mount for the 550 adds about 7 3/4" and the 650 adds about 6 3/4". If you want to use the case feeder you need to add enough height to dump the cases in. My bench is 34" high. To the shellplate is 46" and my ceiling height is 86". The 650 with strong mount and case feeder works but if my ceiling were any lower, I'd need a lower bench. I wouldn't eliminate the strong mount.

 

[Rate_of_Twist]

I have a 450 and a 650. The 650 without the strong mount and case feeder is about 31 1/2" with powder sensor all the way up. With case feeder it's about 35". The strong mount for the 550 adds about 7 3/4" and the 650 adds about 6 3/4". If you want to use the case feeder you need to add enough height to dump the cases in. My bench is 34" high. To the shellplate is 46" and my ceiling height is 86". The 650 with strong mount and case feeder works but if my ceiling were any lower, I'd need a lower bench. I wouldn't eliminate the strong mount.

Awesome post, Rep inbound...

So if I'm reading correctly 650 + case feed + strong mount = 41 3/4". Add to that enough to fill cases (+ 4"???). So the total working height of a 650 setup is roughly 46"?

 

[Rate_of_Twist]

It's done..... I went blue, and went 550b. After reading a ton it seemed the best fit. Ordered through The Gun Parlor in Worcester Ma, seems like a well thought out startup operation.

For anyone one looking for dillon stuff, they are now a dealer and looking to have stuff in stock. Give them a call

 

[eisenhow]

It's done..... I went blue, and went 550b. After reading a ton it seemed the best fit. Ordered through The Gun Parlor in Worcester Ma, seems like a well thought out startup operation.

For anyone one looking for dillon stuff, they are now a dealer and looking to have stuff in stock. Give them a call

550b is a great machine and it will serve you well. I boxed mine up when I got the 650. I was going to sell it but I may put it back into service as a dedicated federal primer for revolver machine if I can find the space.

Personally I would have gone with Brian Enos and saved the sales tax + free shipping (over $400). Some places have tried to be stocking Dillon dealers and they just can't compete with Dillon and/or Brian.

 

[100aces]

Best bang for the Buck is a Lee pro 1000.

 

[Supermoto]

Round every 2 secs, all day long

 

[Rate_of_Twist]

One of the best parts of organizing a dedicated reloading area? Going through my powders and primers and finding an extra 2 lbs of titegroup I didn't know I had!

Can wait for my new press..... Need components!

 

[SJan]

One of the best parts of organizing a dedicated reloading area? Going through my powders and primers and finding an extra 2 lbs of titegroup I didn't know I had!

Can wait for my new press..... Need components!

thats mine, I dropped it, give it back

Half of my basement is gun and reloading stuff. I clean and rearrange it all once a year or so, and I always find a few things I forgot I had.