[Goose5]

I have been reloading for many years on a single stage press. I want to move up. I don't intend to compete, or shoot thousands of rounds a month. I have turned over the thought of a turret press. The thought of 4000 pulls for 1000 rounds does not appeal to me. So, a progressive will be on my bench and I know my monthly round count will be far below justifying said press. That's okay. I have been flirting with the Hornady LNL but I can't find any in stock right now.

My questions are for Dillon owners.

1. Some complain about slop in the tool head. Have you had any trouble with this?
2. I have noticed in many posts about..."I started out with a 550 but moved up to the 650." Why? Is the 650 worth the extra 100 dollars?

[dmftoy1]

Oh no . . you've opened a whole can of worms now!! (Mentioning Dillon and Hornady LNL in the same post) :)

Slop in toolhead - I believe it's a non-issue. If you do a search in this forum someone did a real nice study showing runout and other stats. If I bothers you then you can pick up a kit from Uniquetek that locks it solid but I think it's a non-issue

550 vs 650 - I upgraded recently and to me the pros/cons are that the 550 is easier to swap calibers and a bit cheaper, the 650 has auto indexing and case feed. I've found that I load high volume stuff on the 650 and everything else on the single stage. The thing about the 650 is that it's NOTHING to crank out 2000 rounds of ammo . . with the 550 I thought nothing of cranking out 800 or so in a sitting. (now I'm slow on a progressive and really take my time . . and like to do 1-3 hours sessions max)


Just my .02

Regards,
Dave

[Goose5]

Sorry. My intention was not to start a flame war over which press is best. I am sure both are fabulous. I have been thinking about the 650 lately because I can't seem to find anyone who has the Hornady in stock.

[jarhead]

Part of a recommendation would consider several factors in your shooting/reloading habits -



Do you load more than one caliber?
Pistol cartridges only or rifle cartridges too?
If you load multiple calibers, do they all use the same size primer (i.e. all large pistol, 1 large pistol & 1 small pistol, etc.)?
Do you use any brass that have crimped primers (i.e. once fired military)?
Do you want to reload enough during the winter to shoot the rest of the year?

As you move up in progressive reloaders, they tend to get more complex (which to many is enjoyable), if you are only loading one caliber for 300-400 rounds a month then a Dillon Square Deal may be the best option... as your number of cartridges to reload and volume increases, the recommendations would likely be different.

[Floppy_D]

Further, check ebay for used Dillon 450's. Here is one (http://cgi.ebay.com/Dillon-450-press_W0QQitemZ170186577833QQihZ007QQcategoryZ71120QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)currently under $200 including shipping, with 4 die sets. I wanted to go progressive and do so inexpensively, and I went with a used 450. The original receipt says it is 22 years old, and it runs like a champ.

[mc223]

I have loaded on the 550 for several years and have experienced some frustrations with the powder measure. These frustrations can be overcome with a little effort on you part. Polishing the inside of the measure has provided me with more than adequatly accurate drops with even the most difficult of powders.
I would suggest checking out the Brian Enos website for package deals, where at least most of the stuff you will need is included.

http://www.brianenos.com/index.html

I have loaded on a 650 and it is in my opinion well worth the 100 or so bucks over the 550 if you plan to load huge quantities of ammo. I have loaded thousands of rounds with my 550 without a significant problem. Yeah there have been an occasional spent primer getting hung up in the chute and binding but not much more than operator error otherwise.
I load some of my precision ammo single stage style and pistol and rifle blasting stuff in progressive style. I have never had second thoughts or regrets for my choice. I am very pleased with the performanc and longevity.
I totally agree with the recommendation of a used machine. Dillons No BS warrantee covers them too.

[James41]

1. No head slop on my 550B, works just great. I use my old Lee dies they work fine.

2. Your better off with a 550B, easier to use, works just fine for pistols and rifles, less money. You can do 200 to 300 rounds per hour with out even breaking a sweat.

A 650 is great if you need lots of volume, but your going to pay quite a bit more for it. If you only need say a thousand or less a month then the 550B would be the much better deal.

[Roccobro]

650 has auto indexing so less chance of a double charge. It is what I would have bought if I started reloading a year ago. Got the LNL because it is so much like the 650 but a little cheaper in initial costs and caliber conversions.

I still drool over my Dillon catalogs every month (not over the girls either!) I'd like to get a 1050 before I retire.... in 20 years. :D

Justin

[Nekron]

dmftoy1: Thanks for the suggestion about Uniquetek; I've always longed for a way to take the slop out of my toolhead fit. I didn't like the variance in the OAL of my .45 rounds. It didn't affect function - I'm just picky like that.

[jenrob]

I have a Hornady prog. and am the same I might look though both my Hornady catolog and Dillon catolog about the same (everyother day). If it was between the 550 and 650 I would get the 650. Reasons 1. Auto index 2. 6 stations this allows a powder cop and a seperate crimp die. 3. Auto index with case feeder. now that they have a case feeder for the 550. And as my wife always says you have to always get the most expensive. Nope if that was the case would have got a 1050 (one of these days) but it doesn't have a lifetime warrenty on it.

[Deavis]

Forget about the price difference you'll pay right now. You are making an investment for the long term and it is the peak of ignorance to consider only the present in your decision. The 650XL is slightly a larger investment, however, it is a better press overall. More stations, auto index, case feeder, etc... I bet you'll find that you will grow into it. No different than buying a safe based on your present supply of guns... ill advised.

You say that you like to take your time reloading, that's fine. However, I'd rather spend my time shooting and if you want "ultimate" satisfaction from reloading you'd stay with a single stage. You are looking at progressives because you realize you need more ammo in less time and that is nothing to be ashamed of. You can knock out 1k in an hour if you are fast or 2 hours if you are slow and be plenty happy with your product.

Forget 200-300 an hour with a 550. Pay the extra money and enjoy your time at the range or spend it with your family. The 650XL is no more complex than any other press out there for people of average intelligence. Read the instructions and you'll never have a problem. If you do Dillon is a phone call away.

[dcloco]

The 550B will crank out 600 223 rounds in an hour....without a case feeder.

I would still stick with a 550B. The cost to change calibers between a 650 and 550 is enough to be considered significant.

[Citroen]

I have a Dillon RL 450 that I bought new something like 25 years ago - still use it about every day and it still works just fine. I am considering upgrading the powder charger but for now am still using the pushbar unit that came with the press.

Dillon customer service is outstanding.

Oh, I only load 45 ACP and I only use the primer stage to de-prime. I prime with a Lee AutoPrime - the hand held unit.

John
Charlotte, NC

[WNTFW]

You didn't mention what caliber. I'm assuming pistol.

I have a friend who swears by Lee Pro 1000. So much that he gave away a 550B. I found this out after buying a 550B. The head slop seems to be a non-issue & can be addressed if it were. The 550B has a wide range of calibers & you will always have a press that is easy to resell.

I haven't seen the Pro 1000 or know anything about other than the price is quite attractive. That and is not suitable for cartidges over a certain length. It can do .223 but not .308. Supposedly you could set up 3 for the price of a 550B. I'm just going what someone who seems to know has told me. I'll be going check it out soon. Even though I already have the Dillon.

[wally]

To me, its not progressive if it doesn't auto index!

No issues with the XL650, other than the powder measure is a bid tedious to adjust as it scale to guide you.

--wally.

[caz223]

I'm not calling BS on anybody, but my personal best with my 550s is around 450 an hour, but that's checking every case for powder like you're supposed to.
It's relatively easy to hit 400 as long as you keep focused, but I never felt the need to do over 500 an hour, and I wouldn't plan on it if you have never used a 550 before.
Just trying to keep your expectations in line with what I've seen.
I shoot a dozen calibers, and the 650 doesn't make sense to me, as the cost for caliber conversions can really add up.
I have a dozen quick change kits, and 2 550s, and it really takes no time at all to get started loading the caliber I need ammo for.
If I had 1 650, it would take much longer to set up, with the case feeder, priming systems and all, but if you loaded one caliber for 4-6 hours the greater throughput would be worth the caliber change downtime.
I tend to load with a friend, and I can keep 2 550s fed and watch what he's doing as well as crank out a few on the other machine.
If you're new to progressives and have a 650, you can crank out a lot of bad ammo in no time at all if you don't pay attention to what you're doing. Just something to be aware of....
The simplicity of the 550 is nice sometimes.

[bofe954]

I bought a 550 and don't regret it. I was fairly new to it and loaded 300 .45 ACP in 1 hour. That is start to finish, from picking up primers from a flip tray to boxing up the loaded rounds. My guess is that loading more would be quicker, since you get used to the repetitive motion, maybe I could get 1K in 3 hours.

The 550 isn't really progressive in my book either since it isn't auto indexing. For the money I think the LnL is a better deal, since it is comparable to the 650 for less money. It is even a better deal with the bullet offer, and if you can swing some discounts from Cabela's it is a smokin deal.

I went 550 because it was proven, there are tons of people using them and tons of info out there, and all I really wanted was a little more speed than my Lee turret.

Check out the brian enos site for $'s of setups and differences between the units.

Anyone using the 650's without the case feeders and bullet feeders? What kind of speed do you get then? Just curious, part of the reason I went 550 was my perception that the real speed advantages of the true progressives would only come with case and bullet feeders which would bump up the price and complexity.

[bigbird1]

you can't find the Lock N load anywhere? seems strange, I once had a old guy tell me when looking for a machine shop to do some work, go to the one you have to wait on, there is a reason the other guy is not busy. Maybe it's the same here?

[nwb01]

If you don't plan on buying the optional case feeder for the 650 then all you really have is a auto indexing 550. The true beauty in the 650 is the case feeder and the auto indexing.

I can easily load 1000 rounds an hour on my 650, never made over 350 an hour on my 550.

[LeonCarr]

As far as slop in Dillon presses goes, I read that the US Palma Team .308 ammunition (Palma match shot with open sights at 800, 900, and 1000 yards) is loaded on a Dillon 650, and it shoots 2 inch 10 shot groups at 600 yards...so much for slop :).

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

[dogrunner]

Used my 550 for well over twenty years with absolutely zero complaints.

Customer service is outstanding in the unlikely event you ever need it.

As stated, the caliber change issue alone is real justification for the 550.

[KeithB]

87% of IDPA nat qualifiers use Dillon

Lately we are hearing stories of the LnL AP bushings falling out.

No slop in my 550B Tool head and it has never popped out

[snuffy]

Tool head slop? Some people have too much time on their hands. They have to think up problems so they can offer solutions. But then tis the season for cabin fever, isn't it.

http://photos.imageevent.com/jptowns/garden03/websize/P2080001_edited.JPG

http://photos.imageevent.com/jptowns/garden03/websize/P2080002_edited.JPG

I rigged up my dial indicator to read the so-called-slop of the toolhead. In the 2 pics, you can see how much deviation is taking place during loading of some 45 ammo. What is important here is it is the same each time! I loaded 25 rounds while watching the indicator. Each time it returned to zero, and each time it deflected .013.

Now if it was defecting a different amount, not returning to zero, then I would say there's something to be said about a kit to remove the play in the toolhead.

As far as loading with a 650 WITHOUT a case feeder, I tried that! Didn't take me long to scare up the $$ for a case feeder!:rolleyes::uhoh: Bullet feeders ARE available, BUT they cost as much as the whole 650 loader!:what: Setting a bullet on the case mouth just doesn't take that long.

Caliber changes take as long as they take, period. There's just no getting around it. I try to load all my ammo in the winter time,(like now), so I've saved up components to load a bunch of the same caliber, while it's set up. One thing I'm gonna do is get another complete primer feeder. Then it's just 2 screws to change sizes.

jenrob ; I have a Hornady prog. and am the same I might look though both my Hornady catalog and Dillon catalog about the same (every other day). If it was between the 550 and 650 I would get the 650. Reasons 1. Auto index 2. 6 stations this allows a powder cop and a separate crimp die.

How come mine only has 5 stations? Is the sixth station like the 19th hole on a golf course?:scrutiny: Just picking on ya jenrob.:D

[Hunter0924]

If it were me I would continue to look for a Hornady L-N-L.
The bushing set up is great (and no they do not fall out) an well as the Get Loaded promotion.
Of the folks I spoke with that has used both Dillon and Hornady they preferred the Hornady.
http://www.comrace.ca/cmfiles/dillonLeeHornadyComparison.pdf

[snuffy]

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=314049

If it were me I would continue to look for a Hornady L-N-L.
The bushing set up is great (and no they do not fall out) an well as the Get Loaded promotion.
Of the folks I spoke with that has used both Dillon and Hornady they preferred the Hornady.

Then why are those folks on that thread having so much trouble?

[jenrob]

dang snuffy
How come mine only has 5 stations? Is the sixth station like the 19th hole on a golf course? Just picking on ya jenrob.
guess I got a littttttle carried away with my typing It was supposed to be 5 station vs 4.
Out of the Dillon and Hornady they both have there problems. If it were me doing it again I would buy Either the Hornady or the 650 which ever one I could get at the time that I was looking. Now to say something that I'll get pounded for there the same press ones red ones blue setup a little different. one takes tool heads one take bushings. Guess this means that I'm not one of those brand loyalest.

I hear all these thing you can make a lot of bad rounds in a short time with a 650 as well you can do the same on a 550. man if I get 400 rounds an hour out of my Hornady I'm feeling pretty good about it. that being said I have to be on the ball loading primes and have the make sure everything is set ready to go. I want to see a video just 5 min long of somebody doing over 900 rounds an hour. Not to say it can't be done but just to see it. at a 1000 rounds an hour that is about 3.5 seconds per round now take 10 refills on primers at about 10 seconds a refill man your cookin my arm hurts thinking about that.

[Roccobro]

Then why are those folks on that thread having so much trouble?

Most of those problems listed are only seen by the OP. I have had none. I must be the odd man out? :confused: I'm actually thankful that there is a list of possible problems and solutions should I need to check myself before calling Hornady CS.

I still see threads every other day on owners having problems with their Dillons. Maybe I should start logging all those threads for you as a "fact" that Dillon is not a good press. But please, lets not go there, here. They both make ammo fast. :)

The first posts is asking the difference between the 550 and 650. he says he already CHOSE the LNL but they are out because of popularity. Imagine that.

Lets just help present Goose with FACTS to choose his second choice press and be done with it?

I want to see a video just 5 min long of somebody doing over 900 rounds an hour. Not to say it can't be done but just to see it. at a 1000 rounds an hour that is about 3.5 seconds per round now take 10 refills on primers at about 10 seconds a refill man your cookin my arm hurts thinking about that.

I wasn't even going to touch that, but I'm curious too...

Justin

[dmftoy1]

I want to see a video just 5 min long of somebody doing over 900 rounds an hour. Not to say it can't be done but just to see it. at a 1000 rounds an hour that is about 3.5 seconds per round now take 10 refills on primers at about 10 seconds a refill man your cookin my arm hurts thinking about that.

I can easily see where it can be done at that rate but I wouldn't feel comfortable doing it. For me about 800 rounds an hour is a pretty reasonable rate with a 650 and a casefeeder. (and a vibra-prime) I am pretty anal about visually checking every load (even with a powder check alarm) and if something doesn't feel right then I'll stop and and take a look and figure out what's going on. While high rates are definately achievable I'd feel pretty nervous shooting ammo if I was consistently cranking it out as fast as I can. The one thing I have to say about the 650 (and probably the LNL) is that you really do need a low primer alarm as it's very easy to run through 100 primers.

[redneck2]

The problem with threads like this..

Different shooters have different needs. A guy that wants to crank out 5,000 rounds of pistol ammo to blast at plates has different needs from a bench rest shooter

Somebody that has multiple calibers or does load development has different needs.

I have a 550. I personally like the fact that it is manual advance. Load development is a PITA with auto advance IMO. I also load for over a dozen calibers, so conversion time (and to a smaller extent cost) is somewhat a factor.

I had to chance to trade pretty much even up for a 650 with case feeder and passed. Trouble was, wrong calibers. Also, I didn't want to spend lots of time making caliber changes. With the 550 and tool heads, it just takes typically a minute or two per swap.

[caz223]

Yeah, I hate changing over.
To the point where I almost bought a loadmaster in each caliber I load, as opposed to 2 optioned out 550s and 10 deluxe quick change kits.
It's rare for me to load more than 3 hours on a single caliber, I ususally run low on everything all at once. :D

[jarhead]

I haven't had a problem hitting 1000+ per hour... Dillon 1050 with two RF100 primer fillers! On the flip side, if you need me to change calibers (especially if a different primer size) that tends to cut into my production time considerably and can become a rather drawn out affair.

[mallc]

One more for the XL650 with case feed. Bought mine at the end of the NRA Reloading Class. We had hands on with everything from Lee Loaders to the 650.

It takes a bit of tinkering to get a tool head set up but once it's set, its pretty much plug and play. I've put about 15 lbs of powder through it in 3 calibers the first year.

The 650 is not a good press for working up loads, That means you get to buy another press for that part. :)

Scott

[bigbird1]

The fact is the lock N load is comparable to the 650 , they are both great presses, have excellent service on both, They all have problems , just at the moment horned has a deal the price Dillon can't beat. I personally think hornady is selling below cost just to get them out there and make a name for themselves. Get Dillon to lower their price and it would be a tie for sure!!

[Luggernut]

I love reading these threads--- so much widely varying info. I've heard different people say that they get 200 to 800 on the same press. Well I have the LNL and if I preload the primer tubes and don't measure an occasional load, COL or check primer seating I'm sure I could crank out the higher side of that. But what's missing in these discussions is the operator's skill and our desire for good quality control. I also tend to have to slow down with mixed brass as different primer pockets don't seem to seat as consistently as say an entire batch of nice Federal or Starline brass.

Here are some things that DO have an impact and need to be considered:

Auto indexing- no question this speeds things up an possibly helps prevent double charges.

Case feeder- I don't have one but that impacts throughput for sure. I've seen them in action.

Extra stations- I want a powder cop and separate seating/crimping station- that needs 5 stations. Very important to me.

IMO- I'd only consider the 650 or LNL or above... regardless of volume.

[jenrob]

My Hornady has a case feeder and a Dillon powder die alarm and I still wouldn't feel comfortable pushing out over 500 an hour.
But as said the ? was which one and why basically.
Now if I was only loading Rifle it would be the 550 (really I would just do a single stage) if I was doing pistol I would get the 650 to take advantage of the 5 stations and use a powder die as it is made for pistol not rifle.
I still want to see a 5min video of somebody pumping out 900-1000 rounds an hour. I think it would just amaze me. seeing somebody move that fast reload primers and pull that handle that fast. I would be in ahh.

[jenrob]

Wow after I posted that and read it it sounds like I am putting the 550 with a single stage. This was not at all myy intentions. I think the 550 is a great press I have used one a few times and really like it but I prefer the 605 or Hornady for the extra that they have.

[SR_]

Goose,

If you're OK with just pistol rounds, take a look at the Dillon Square Deal B. It is often overlooked.

I have two - just too lazy to switch over the primer feed so one is set for large primers and one is set for small primers.

If you load straight walled cases (.38, .357 Mag, .45, 9mm) you're fine. It will not handle necked down cases - for example the .357Sig round. It will not load rife ammo.

I'd love to have a 650 with a brass feeder but I often load at night when my wife is sleeping and don't want the noise of the case feeder. I'm OK with the speed of the SDB and it pumps out flawless ammo. Some don't like that it only uses Dillon dies - but given the cost of the machine, that is not a big deal.

I have the various die sets on tool heads making change over a breeze. I even have 3 powder measures so I don't reset powder setting. (If I did it again, I'd just get extra powder measure slides - a much less expensive way to keep your powder setting).

Now if money is not an object, get the Dillion 1050 Super - you can specify the primer depth setting and those things really fly. I've never heard anyone say that they don't like their 1050. However, tool heads and accessories are pretty pricey.

[stubbicatt]

I really like my Super 1050 press. I use it for reloading 223 ammo from once fired GI brass with primer crimp intact. That's the only way I will buy my brass, this way I know how many times it has been fired. It is convenient because station two swages out the primer crimp.

If I were to do it over again, I think I would get the 650. It is an excellent press, and allows the loading of commercial brass just as fast, and is easier to change out toolheads and shellplates.

[ramcphee]

Goose 5:

I have owned and loaded on both the Hornady LNL, and the Dillon XL 650.

Both machines can load a lot of ammo quickly, however they both have there own quirks. The Hornady's case retaining spring around the shell plate is an almost constant source of annoyance; this spring will come apart as you are using the press. It can be screwed back together but you must remove all the cases in the shell plate that are at various stages of assembly. I've tried using super glue to hold this spring together (suggested by Hornady's technical staff) didn't work. If you use a lock out die on your press another little problem arises. After you place a bullet in the case mouth, you must keep a finger on the case so it will enter the seating die and not fall out of the shell plate. The shell plate retaining spring dips down at this point and does not keep tension on the case in the shell plate. The case feeder assembly constantly needs to be re-adjusted, as it comes out of alignment easily. The LNL requires a shortened seating die that will not hit the case ejection spring; if the die hits the ejection spring you cannot complete the stroke. You can remove the ejection spring but then you have a progressive machine that doesn't auto eject the completed round. Hornady's dies have this shortened seating die other die manufacturers do not. "The press uses all standard 7/8 x14 dies" yes it does as long as you have the seating die shorten at a machine shop. The last thing about the LNL is the case feeder is loud, and will not feed the last six of so cases. A small point but valid.

The Dillon XL650 has two annoying points; both are in regards to the primers. Primers will jump out of the spent primer cup and bounce on the floor, not all the time but enough to be really annoying. Secondly if a case fails to feed into the shell plate, thus producing a empty space in the shell plate, a primer is fed and when not used dropped to a ramp to be collected and reused, which at time lets the primer hit the floor (this ramp is referred to as a ski jump by 650 owners ).

Both of Dillon’s problems are easily cured as listed on many posts on the web.

Bases on the problems that I have experienced with the Hornady LNL, I have sold that machine and have kept the Dillon 650. Keeping alignment of systems such as the case feeder is a none issue with Dillon, the locator buttons are a must better system (in my opinion) that the shell plate retaining spring.

If you load a multitude of calibers the Hornady is a must cheaper investment over the Dillon. However I have always believed that expensive is cheap, and cheap is expensive. Good luck with your decision, I just felt you should have information from someone that has owned and used both machines.

[Kingcreek]

Half of all my reloading is for .45 and I have a Dillon Square Deal dedicated to that. everything else (5 rifle and 4 pistol calibers) can be done very well on my Dillon 550B. Never tried to set any round count records because quality means more to me than speed. Dillon customer service is excellent plus.

[Roccobro]

If you're OK with just pistol rounds, take a look at the Dillon Square Deal B. It is often overlooked.

I have read sooo many times that if you never need to change calibers and load pistols cartridges, the SDB is an awesome machine. Comes with the dies you'll be loading for and is consistent in churning out quality rounds.

If I didn't have to present a "reloading budget" to the boss before getting into reloading, I would have planned out multiple machines. Now I know why having more than one is so important for a nut like me. :D

Justin

[highlander 5]

I have had both the 550b and the 650xl and personally for lack of aggravation the 550 is better and the cost of tool heads and shell plates are cheaper.
I have 2 650s and load both rifle and pistol with them. The reason I have 2 is changing the primer cups is a royal PITA because there is no room to get a wrench into such a tight space. BTW I load 223,7.62x39,308,40/65 and 45/70 on my 650. Oh in case your wondering the shell plate kits are $60 apiece for the 650 but I don't remember the cost of the kits for the 550 but its quite a bit less

[mike_in_md]

I have a Dillon 550B and 450 rounds per hour is what I consider to be the upper end of the capability for speed. I usually will do about 300 rounds the first hour and then work my way up to about 400 rounds per hour. Trying to go like a bat out of hell usually causes me to make mistakes and will drop me down to 250 per hour due to mistakes. Now if you add a casefeeder on a Dillon 550b you will get about another 100 rounds per hour. There is a major problem with Dillon 550 casefeeders and that is that they currently will only work with pistol cases. The Dillon 550 casefeeder does not work with rifle cases, and Dillon has stated that they gave up trying to get the casefeeder to work with rifle cases...so, keep that in mind if you want a progessive loader for both pistol and rifle and use a casefeeder. If that is the case, get a Hornady or Dillon 650.

One big plus for a Dillon 550B is that it always works...every pull!

[Seiko]

I have a 650, and just got a used 550 (that I haven't used yet)

I Love my 650. I think it is worth the extra $100 just not to have to index the shell plate after every pull. I recommend you go do some reading brian enos (http://www.brianenos.com/pages/dillonfaqs.html) has some really well thought out writing on the Dillon machines.

Now If your just going to be shooting one or two pistol calibers I would get a Square deal b. But if you plan on doing more then that, or switching often Id go with the 650-550

[RugerGuy]

Seiko, I'm in the other boat. I've got a 550B that I've had and a XL650 that I haven't set up all the way yet. 300 rds an hour is all I'll do with my 550 because I stop occasionally to check my OAL and powder weights. I use TiteGroup so I don't want any double charges. BOTH of my presses I could probably sell for what I paid for them. Because I don't load rifle or that many calibers if I had to do it all over again I might just buy a XL650 with a few extra Deluxe Caliber Changes. BTW, this is a great thread !!

[dougestyle]

I have a 550B and really like it overall. Just a couple of bad things though. First, I find it a little expensive to change calibers (although not compaired to the 650). Second, when I reload for accurate rifle rounds, I end up using it as a single stage anyway- not Dillons fault though. In the end its a good loader especially if you want to do a lot of rounds quickly.

[Nnobby45]

Which Dillon?

http://www.brianenos.com/pages/dillon.html#which

[Roccobro]

Wow, I must be "we todd did." I didn't realize the SDB was auto-indexing.

Funny how the above article says it "unnecessarily complicates things." :confused:

Justin

[Jacka L Ope]

I've had my RL550 since '86. Never have experienced any "slop" in any of my tool heads. Nor am I inclined to "move up" to the 650. Haven't any problems with it. Still cranks out rounds as reliably as ever and Dillon's support is still rock solid.

[Kingcreek]

DougestyleSecond, when I reload for accurate rifle rounds, I end up using it as a single stage anyway- not Dillons fault though.
:confused:
How does that help?

[Hoser]

If I were to do it over again, I think I would get the 650. It is an excellent press, and allows the loading of commercial brass just as fast, and is easier to change out toolheads and shellplates. Just say the word and I will have a new 650 on your doorstep and pay the difference and have 3 1050s on my bench. Really. Call me if that 1050 isnt working out.