New to this and just starting to look at machines I have seen cheaper machines but you need to go onto youtube and watch videos of how to make the machine work and how it jams, etc.
The Dillon 650 looks like a nice one and expensive but I only need one machine.
Any advice on a nice machine to reload?
I have a
Glock 29 10mm
Glock 27 40
sig p220 45
XD 9mm
XD 45
AK
AR
Thank you.
Lots of guys bleed true Dillon Blue. And they are solid machines and you won't go wrong with one.
However, were I looking to buy a machine in the Dillon 650 class, I would almost certainly get the Hornady Lock-n-Load AP instead. Less money, similar features, capability and add-ons. Locking collars are a fraction of the cost of a new Dillon toolhead. And Hornady is also known to stand behind their products. So for me, I would vote for Red.
Dillon works and works well.
New to this? No, I would never in a million years start to reload with a Dillon. Get a more simple press and LEARN TO RELOAD slowly.
Dillon screams proprietary. Know what you are getting into. Reloading is great, setting up a fairly complex machine out of the shoot, could cause loss of fun.
Eventually I will get a Dillon. Maybe. ;D
This will drive me to a progressive I am sure
(http://fellingfamily.net/images/762brass_web.jpg)
But I second a single stage for starting out. Not that you can't learn on a progressive, just harder.
While I have a Dillon 550B, and know the rest of the line they are an investment in your future. But I will say I use my single stage presses a whole lot more...
The RCBS Big Max is used for the heavy duty resizing sizing and pass through sizing functions. It has the needed leverage for doing these task and then some!
The RCBS Jr. is used for case expansion, bullet seating without crimping and final crimping because of the feel appeal feedback it yields.
I like the RCBS hand primer for the look and feel with inspections.
I have a system of hand weighing my powder charges, dump one inside the casing, while the next charge is settled & checked, the bullet is placed on each charged casing and seat to proper depth. After they have all been loaded and seated I re run them applying the proper crimp for the cartridge being loaded.
While this may not be as fast as some progressives, I have full control, can see and feel what is going on at each station...Quality Control at each and every step! ;D
I have a Dillon 650 with a bunch of calibers. That said I purchased it used about 5 years ago for less than $1K. It probably cost (with all the accessories it came with) close to $2k when it was new. It is an awesome press and knowing what I know about it now, I would have bought it new if this one hadn't become available. I was using a Square Deal for the prior 20 years and I've got nothing but great things to say about that press as well.
Two 650 and one 550 in basement. I drank some blue koolaid and would do so all over again. I do like the hornady press too. Do you have any friends with these machines to allow you to feel them out??
I have 2 Hornady LnL Progressive presses. I think they're a great value. I have a friend with two Dillon 650s. They work great, they cost more.
Just like a firearm, it's kind of a personal choice. But I think it kinda boils down to those two things. Both have their flaws. Both have their Gee that's cool features as well
If I had the money I would get the RCBS progressive.
http://rcbs.com/Products/Presses-and-Kits/Progressive/Pro-Chucker-7-Progressive-Reloading-Press.aspx
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Seven stations is definitely cool. That's a lot of money though. Does it have the same accessories as Dilon and Hornady? Like bullet feeders case feeders etc. etc.
http://www.rcbs.com/Products/Accessories-Replacement-Parts/Reloading-Accessories/Progressive.aspx
But, I agree on spendy. And no on press primer pocket swage. Gives the 1050 from Dillon an advantage in the over 1K range.
And I don't see a case feeder in the accessory list.
Quote from: sstewart on January 27 2016 07:57:31 AM MST
Seven stations is definitely cool. That's a lot of money though. Does it have the same accessories as Dilon and Hornady? Like bullet feeders case feeders etc. etc.
Bullet feeder, yes. A case feeder is in development, and I believe that it is behind schedule. From what I hear, they are also working on a retrofit for some problematic issues with fragile plastic parts in the priming mechanism. The RCBS rebate is $75 right now, so that helps a little.
The 7 stations would be nice, but it would be hard to not just step up to the Super 1050 with the swaging station.
If a guy didn't need a case feeder, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend an auto-index Pro 2000. I load 6 different calibers on mine and it is simple and reliable. Sturdy cast iron. Caliber changeover takes less than 2 minutes, and the cost to add a new caliber is inexpensive. I like APS priming, so I'm surprised that the market has largely ignored it. In fact, I almost never use my hand priming too any more. If loading on the SS, I still prime them on the Pro 2000. It goes really quickly.
I have had a Dillon 550 for 25 years. It is a great machine. If it disappeared, I would start over with a 650.
I have a case feeder (right hand) and a bullet feeder (left hand). They have worked well for me.
Back in the mid-80's I learned on a RCBS Rock Chucker single stage and then pretty quickly graduated to a Dillon RL550. Both are great machines with just different production rates.
As a novice-never-reloaded-before I started on a Dillon 450 circa 1980. Jumped up soon to 550, loaded on it for 20 years. Sold it for more than it cost me new (with dies/tool heads) for step into 650.
Now closing in on nearly 40 years reloading. Never had nor needed 'single stage' nor anything else. If I want I can use my 650 as a sort of single stage.
For me it was a question of 'would you rather spend your time shooting' or 'would you rather spend your time reloading'.
I learned how to operate the Dillon, which in reality is just like a single stage only 5 different aspects of that single stage going on at the same time. You learn to pay attention to nuances, the way a musician in a symphonic orchestra learns to play their instrument together at the same time as everybody else.
Stimulating and very efficient! One handle pull, one bullet reloaded.
Outstanding technical support as well from the factory.
I never had a single stage press. I am soon to add one just for pass through sizing 10mm.
The Dillon XL650 is awesome. I have the case feeder and a MR. Bullet feeder and I can crank out 100 rds in 20 minutes. I might have $1200 bucks in atm but its capable of 800 rds an hour when you get it dialed in.