Dillon 550/650
- Thread starter gman
- Start date
I have used both Dillon dies and those from Hornady and RCBS. All work equally well.
What I really like about Dillon dies is the ease with which you can remove the searing stem and the crimp die for cleaning without altering the die setting. Dillon makes then such that the innerds can be removed from the die body from the top instead of unscrewing the die from the toolhead.
I have a 550 and am very pleased with it.
What I really like about Dillon dies is the ease with which you can remove the searing stem and the crimp die for cleaning without altering the die setting. Dillon makes then such that the innerds can be removed from the die body from the top instead of unscrewing the die from the toolhead.
I have a 550 and am very pleased with it.
Chris
Well-Known Member
I have used a 550 for many years and am more than content with it. 500 rounds an hour is plenty fast enough for me and it is a fine and well-made machine. The manual index doesn't seem like a handicap to me, it doesn't hurt production much if any. I think it keeps me engaged in the loading process, in essence I consent to advance cases to the next position and can stop if anything doesn't feel right.
I have never used Dillon dies with it, just plugged in what I had depending on caliber. RCBS, Redding, even Lee. I never looked at Dillon dies and did not know about what Brad says above. I guess I would try the Dillons if I needed to buy dies for the 550, heck I've tried every other brand.
I have never used Dillon dies with it, just plugged in what I had depending on caliber. RCBS, Redding, even Lee. I never looked at Dillon dies and did not know about what Brad says above. I guess I would try the Dillons if I needed to buy dies for the 550, heck I've tried every other brand.
fiver
Well-Known Member
I have both the 550 and 650.
actually I have 4 550's and a 650 [I gave a 450 away some time back]
I could easily live without the 650 and quite often wish it wasn't even on the bench, it's probably loaded 500 rounds since me and my dad bought it new together in the 90's sometime.
I tried leaving it at his house when I moved to Idaho then he took it off his bench and brought it to me.
actually I have 4 550's and a 650 [I gave a 450 away some time back]
I could easily live without the 650 and quite often wish it wasn't even on the bench, it's probably loaded 500 rounds since me and my dad bought it new together in the 90's sometime.
I tried leaving it at his house when I moved to Idaho then he took it off his bench and brought it to me.
fiver
Well-Known Member
oh yeah on the Dillon dies.
the seater die stem and such is reversible just by pulling a clip and pushing out a pin then flipping the insert over.
their size dies also have spring loaded de-priming pins to pop the primers out with a bit of force.
but I use a mix of everything you can imagine.
redding,rcbs,wells,lee,Dillon,lyman,Hornady,pacific.
quite often on the same tool head.
the seater die stem and such is reversible just by pulling a clip and pushing out a pin then flipping the insert over.
their size dies also have spring loaded de-priming pins to pop the primers out with a bit of force.
but I use a mix of everything you can imagine.
redding,rcbs,wells,lee,Dillon,lyman,Hornady,pacific.
quite often on the same tool head.
The 550 does all I need. I prefer the manual index. I can keep better track of things that way. I don't want a bullet feeder or case feeder. I tend to load 2-300 rounds at a time them quit. Only once have I loaded 1000 in a day. I prefer to avoid fatigue and the possible errors that come with it.
quicksylver
Well-Known Member
I like the 550...any further automation for me would only increase the probability of a screw up..
Auto primer and powder feed are enough to watch...
I use any dies I have..the dillions are good ..but the others work as well..
Auto primer and powder feed are enough to watch...
I use any dies I have..the dillions are good ..but the others work as well..
Primer feed is the one I have issues with. The primer feed and all associated areas needs frequent cleaning. The grunge it collects from the decapping will bind it up pretty quick. I like to remove the primer slide every thousand rounds or so and wipe everything down with an alcohol swab.
I did have a hole in the primer tube stand, or whatever it is called, strip out years back. I called Dillon and a new one arrived a few days later at no charge.
I did have a hole in the primer tube stand, or whatever it is called, strip out years back. I called Dillon and a new one arrived a few days later at no charge.
quicksylver
Well-Known Member
Brad.. called Dillion and told them I crunched my large primer feed tube..they sent me a complete rebuild kit ..all new tubes ends and associated parts for the primer feed...I could dang near build a second press..good company "No BS" for sure...
Hawk
Well-Known Member
I also use everything in my Dillion 550 (RCBS, Hornady, Lee). We had an RCBS Rock Crusher before the Dillion (I still have it and load larges rifle rounds that have to be lubed on it). I just use whatever pistol dies I have on hand.
Bought the Dillion in the 80's and have loaded many, many thousands of rounds on it.
I'm pretty focused when it comes to reloading and the manual indexing is perfect for me. Gives me time to check everything before I advance to the next round.
Customer service is second to none. Always quick to respond.
Bought the Dillion in the 80's and have loaded many, many thousands of rounds on it.
I'm pretty focused when it comes to reloading and the manual indexing is perfect for me. Gives me time to check everything before I advance to the next round.
Customer service is second to none. Always quick to respond.
fiver
Well-Known Member
moving to a 550 doesn't mean unbolt the single stage from the bench.
I load a lot of rifle stuff still on the single stage and use it to prep rifle brass to be loaded on the Dillon presses.
I do the same for some of my shot shell hulls when using the ponsess warrens too.
I will pre-size many of the cases so they function on the progressives smoother and give a better finished product.
I load a lot of rifle stuff still on the single stage and use it to prep rifle brass to be loaded on the Dillon presses.
I do the same for some of my shot shell hulls when using the ponsess warrens too.
I will pre-size many of the cases so they function on the progressives smoother and give a better finished product.
Hawk
Well-Known Member
That's what I do also. Resize and deprime most rifle brass on the Rock Crusher and load and on the Dillion.
The only thing I load on the Rock Crusher is the long range/big game hunting cartridges and I weight each powder charge. Probably not any more accurate than the Dillion powder measure, but at least I know I have done everything I can to make sure it is as accurate as possible for a clean kill.
The only thing I load on the Rock Crusher is the long range/big game hunting cartridges and I weight each powder charge. Probably not any more accurate than the Dillion powder measure, but at least I know I have done everything I can to make sure it is as accurate as possible for a clean kill.
Ian
Notorious member
I use the heck out of my single-stage and turret presses, mostly for rifle loads and brass prep. My progressives run a whole lot better and make better ammo when I put decapped, cleaned brass through them. Primer residue affects all progressive presses to one degree or another so I choose to avoid it.
Pistolero
Well-Known Member
I second what fiver said. I have two 550s sitting side by side, one pretty much stays on .45 ACP all the time, although I
occasionally make a run of .308, .44 Mag or other large primer stuff which I need a bunch of a standard load. The other
one is for the small primer stuff. But there is a Redding turret sitting right there that may get more actual hours on it
over a year doing small batches of experimental stuff. Once I have settled on a load, then I run a batch of hundreds to
thousands on the Dillons. Still gotta have a single stage, although the turret is nice, real nice.
That said, I do not resize stuff before it goes to the Dillons, they just run cases, although
trimming rifle has to be done in advance.
Bill
occasionally make a run of .308, .44 Mag or other large primer stuff which I need a bunch of a standard load. The other
one is for the small primer stuff. But there is a Redding turret sitting right there that may get more actual hours on it
over a year doing small batches of experimental stuff. Once I have settled on a load, then I run a batch of hundreds to
thousands on the Dillons. Still gotta have a single stage, although the turret is nice, real nice.
That said, I do not resize stuff before it goes to the Dillons, they just run cases, although
trimming rifle has to be done in advance.
Bill
Hawk
Well-Known Member
I trim all of my bottle neck rifle brass and resize it before trimming. So. it all gets resized before going to the Dillion.
My reloading bench is in the house and not very large (6' x 3').
I have seven presses, lube-sizers, vices, etc., two stations on my reloading bench and a poor man's universal mounting system for swapping them out.
Usually, the Dillion and the Rock Crusher are mounted there.
The rest of the bench gets used occasionally for small, "mad scientist" projects.
The big, "mad scientist" projects get done at the big work bench in the garage.
My reloading bench is in the house and not very large (6' x 3').
I have seven presses, lube-sizers, vices, etc., two stations on my reloading bench and a poor man's universal mounting system for swapping them out.
Usually, the Dillion and the Rock Crusher are mounted there.
The rest of the bench gets used occasionally for small, "mad scientist" projects.
The big, "mad scientist" projects get done at the big work bench in the garage.
Lagamor
New Member
I have a 550, and I usually shoot 800-1,000 pistol rounds a month. It's perfect for my needs, just wish I could pimp it out like you can a 650.
Don't need a shell feeder or a bullet feeder, but I wouldn't mind having one either.
Dillon dies are nice, but I'm not picky about brand. I did make the mistake of buying steel 40 cal dies though. Won't make that mistake again.
Don't need a shell feeder or a bullet feeder, but I wouldn't mind having one either.
Dillon dies are nice, but I'm not picky about brand. I did make the mistake of buying steel 40 cal dies though. Won't make that mistake again.
gman
Well-Known Member
Well gents I decided on the 550. It's on the way. I can see a second one in my near future. My Dillon SDB's can finally take a much needed rest. I, like a lot of you still use my first press I bought. I've loaded a lot of rounds on that Rock Chucker press. I do appreciate the feedback!