Thanks Mr. Dillon

Mike W1

Mike W1

Active Member
Just finished loading 2009@ .45 ACP's on my SDB. That many on a single stage could only be thought of as drudgery and not fun. 20-100 wouldn't be a problem but the 600+ 9mm's I've yet to finish on a single stage aren't something I'm looking forward to doing. But at age 75 it's a little hard to justify another SDB for the less than 1000 rounds I probably shoot in a year.

Funny thing is though I stay entertained casting with DC molds and have no desire to increase output with more cavities. Also perfectly happy with my LAM II sizer. Somehow those activities don't seem like work compared to large numbers of handgun round loading. Possibly because I don't have to handle them about 5 times.
 
Brad

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
I too appreciate Dillon. Got my 550 sometime in the mid to late 90s. The large primer slide is showing enough wear to cause binding issues. New one will be here tomorrow. No charge, not even postage.
 
Cherokee

Cherokee

Medina, Ohio
I got my 650 w/case feeder about 12 years ago. Yesterday afternoon I did 1500 9mm for the next month or so. I run a lot of 357 Mag, 9mm, 45 ACP and 45 Colt with the 650. Well worth the money. Really like the no BS service, haven't bought any parts, they replace the worn out ones at no cost.
 
Mike W1

Mike W1

Active Member
Bohica said:
You know you can get a 9mm caliber conversion for the SDB instead of an entire new unit.
Click to expand...

I do but one thing I'm not willing to fiddle with is the changeover to a different size primer. Talked to a happy 650 owner at the barber shop today! Asked him if he or anyone he knew ran cast bullets thru the bullet feeder but he didn't know anyone that did. Always wondered if feeders would work with a "stick" cast bullet. Still don't kinow.
 
Brad

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Pretty much got new everything that is involved in the priming process. Way more than I expected.
No charge for any of it.

IMG_3260.JPG
 
waco

waco

Springfield, Oregon
Brad said:
The large primer slide is showing enough wear to cause binding issues.
Click to expand...
I'm having the same issue with both small and large. What part number did you look up? I'm having trouble finding it on their website.
 
Brad

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Don't look it up.
Contact their customer support and tell them what the problem is. I sent an email. They responded by asking for an address. Next communication was telling me it was on the way at no charge. Total time around 10 days.

New primer slides, complete, both large and small primer. New primer magazine housing. New primer slide nearing plate. 3 ea large and small primer magazine orifice tips.
 
fiver

fiver

Well-Known Member
looks like everything but the return spring, and the actuator rod.

I like to use a little graphite or motor mica on the primer slide parts.
also the rod being a titch out of true will put a tiny bit of bind on the slide at the end of the stroke.
I'm kind of a spaz about making sure it is running true.
 
Brad

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Not to me or freebullet. We are only 150 miles from Hornady.
 
F

freebullet

Guest
Haha, I was just messing with Brad & interjecting hornady into the Dillon thread. :p

Sorry bout that, carry on.
 
Pistolero

Pistolero

Well-Known Member
I bought my 450 in 1982,IIRC, after a couple of years of struggling to keep up
with practice and match ammo with my wonderful wife's excellent Christmas present,
a RCBS Rockchucker.

The Dillon 450's primer and powder cycling were manual, and it was
pretty darned easy to get no powder rounds. In about 1984 or so, at the National
Championships in Phoenix, Dillon had a big display. They were offering an upgraded
system to cycle the powder with the powder funnel - and paid royalties to Lee on
this design (Auto-disk). Shortly thereafter they offered the auto primer feed. I kept the
upgraded 450 (basically a 550 without the easy change shell heads) until a friend
needed one, sold it to him (he only loaded for .38 Spl) and bought a 550. After years
of swapping primer systems back and forth to go from small to large primers when
swapping die heads....I bought a second one, so they stay permanently set up for
large on one and small primers on the other. Much faster caliber changing.

I love my Dillon loaders, have a Square Deal, inherited from my father that will wind
up out in my vacation home for loading there.

Love their support policy, too, although I rarely need it.

Bill
 
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KHornet

KHornet

Well-Known Member
Being old, crotchety and set in my ways, maybe 20 years ago I advanced from a single stage press to a Turret. Still staying behind the times, progress, etc, about 3 years ago I got a 4 hole lee press, mostly for handgun, but still have 2 turrets. I figure I shoot between 4-5000 rounds a year, and the wife probably another 2000 plus of centerfire.

Twenty plus years ago, I could have afforded a Dillion, but was satisfied with what had at the time. Being retired, when I have nothing else to do, I reload, and keep a very ample supply of ammo for every thing I reload for (well over 20). Dillions are great, but I just don't feel the need for one. On the other hand, I have probably close to 100 or more molds, and have developed a fondness for Lee 6 cavs, and NOE 4-5 Cavs. I do enjoy speed in casting, but have no great need for same in reloading. Go figure.

Paul
 
Cherokee

Cherokee

Medina, Ohio
I started in the 50's with a Lyman nutcracker in 30/06 (still have it), then a CH C press (which I gave to my Bro to start him off), then moved to an RCBS Jr followed by the CH 4 hole H press back in the late 70's. Wow, that CH was fast. Then in Dec 02 I got the 650 with case feeder. What an improvement in speed. All my high volume loading is done on the 650 and the fun experimenting and testing is done with the RCBS and CH presses. I too love the 5-6 cavity molds for their quantity casting because my back can't take long casting sessions, and the Star for its speed of processing bullets. I shoot 10-15k rounds a year and, although retired, I have lots of other things to do as well as reload and shoot.
 
Pistolero

Pistolero

Well-Known Member
I started in the 60s with a Lyman 310, like Cherokee and probably a whole lot of others.
It is a really good way to learn the basics.

Bill
 
KHornet

KHornet

Well-Known Member
I probably have nutcracker dies for maybe 7-8 ctgs, I started
loading with one in 222. Every now and again, I get a wild
hair to go back to basics, and will load a box or two of
222 or 06 with a nutcracker. That is usually enough to
scratch my itch, and bring me back into the world of
the technology of todays reloading.

Paul
 
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