Dillion 550???

[kalielkslayer]

I have had my 550 about 30 years. I probably load for 10 or more different cartridges.
I have got by with one powder measure.
It's all about what your priorities are.
And ratios: Time vs. Money, Space vs. Convenience.
It's all good as long as you are happy.

10 years ago I probably would have moved my measure. Now I’m at a point in my life where I just want to set it once and make minor adjustments for seating depth and crimp if I change bullets.

 

[Armorer 101]

Multiple dispensers with adjustable increment knobs.

If you only buy two, buy one for pistol and one for rifle loads so you do not have to take the powder dispenser itself apart. Just make a stand to hold the spare dispenser upright.

 

[Laphroaig]

To me, readjusting the powder measure is one of the most time consuming activities when changing toolheads. I have 3 Dillon measures and could use another one to be complete. I might get a spare powder bar to see how that works.

I've also heard that you can rig up a Lee Auto drum with a Lee powder through die on Dillon presses and save a couple of bucks. I've thought about doing that but am unsure if the savings would be worth it.

 

[Herman B]

Do those of you that use this model purchase multiple powder dispensers too?

I did not purchase multiple reservoirs ('tube', as you call it). I'm a moderate/medium volume loader so I move the entire Powder Measure from one toolhead to another. And with it goes a UniqueTek Powder Micrometer to regulate the charges. I have multiple 'powder dies' as Dillon refers to the threaded tube that holds the actual die/funnel. I leave those tubes locked in the toolheads.

Fewer reservoirs makes for less storage bulk. I spent mucho time slicking-up the entire measure buttery smooth - not going to repeat that X times, except for the polished funnels. The Powder Micrometer is a very significant time-saver - makes returning to preferred charges and extrapolating infinitely easier than guestimating and diddling with a coarse-threaded, hex head lacking indexing. On my shortest list of Dillon upgrades. But if one doesn't spend much time developing/varying loads, the micrometer may not be for them.

As noted, moderate volume. Thus I'm not going to buy a Powder Micrometer for every toolhead so I just move the whole she-bang from the collar-clamp up.

 

[kalielkslayer]

Well, I’ll be moving entire powder assembly shortly. Ordered 2, but they are on back order.

 

[LightninST]

Well, I’ll be moving entire powder assembly shortly. Ordered 2, but they are on back order.

Better Days are coming or so they say !

 

[garandsrus]

I load too many calibers to have a powder assembly for each. I don’t even have tool heads for everything and I have quite a few tool heads. Since it does take some time to set up the press, I just load bigger batches so I don’t need to load that caliber again for quite a while. If I am working up a load and haven’t made the big batch yet, I either leave the press set up with that caliber or leave the powder assembly on the tool head until I am finished. At that point, the powder assembly can go to the next project. The dies will stay in the tool head unless it is needed for something else.

Knobs on the powder measure bolt help quite a bit on adjustments. This looks like a good source: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Dillon-Pow...925842?hash=item2658d22b12:g:QMoAAOSw2z9gJINM I just ordered several. In the past, I had bought the knobs at Home Depot. They just push onto the hex nut.

Adjusting the powder measure to a new charge is pretty quick. I normally get the thrower within a grain or two after a relatively few number of throws. The powder gets dumped back into the hopper. At that point, I am rotating the knob one or more revolutions at a time. If you are a long way away, weigh a charge and then open the knob two turns and drop another charge. Figure the rough number of grains per turn and then you can figure out approximately how many turns to get to where you are going with the next throw. After just a couple throws, you will be within a grain or two. I make sure that I am throwing lighter charges than I want so that adjusting the charge bar is always opening it and not compressing a charge already in the powder bar.

Once I am close, I charge a case and put it next to my scale. I start throwing real charges into primed brass, weighing every one. The powder in the extra charged case is used to trickle in the amount of powder I need to get to the desired weight. The powder is dumped from the scale back into the case and put back into the press and a bullet is seated. I also adjust (open) the powder bar by 1/4 to 1/2 or so turn and then throw the next charge. I keep repeating the cycle, reducing the amount that the charge bar is changed as I get closer to the final weight. After I get to the final weight, I still weigh the next 5 or so charges to confirm it, I haven’t ever counted, but I probably get a charge dialed in with 10-15 throws. Add another 5 for confirmation, and then start the batch.

I think it’s important to always open the powder bar when adjusting it. If I ever need to close it, I will do it at the top of the press stroke when the powder bar has already dropped its powder so it’s empty. Going one direction also eliminates any backlash in the screw, making the adjustments much easier.

 

[nettlle]

I served my time single stage reloading. Over 56 years. When I bought my 550 I bought a complete tool head for each caliber. Dispenser and all. It's one of the best things about my 550.

 

[BCR#1]

I didn’t see that option on their site, but I probably didn’t look hard enough. I just searched conversation kits, tool heads and powder measures.

Now $276.00 + tax/shipping. https://www.dillonprecision.com/rl-550-e-z-change-kits_8_2_26742.html

Bill

 

[jmorris]

But I didn’t purchase multiple powder dispensers. So I’m going to have to change the powder tube each time.

Do those of you that use this model purchase multiple powder dispensers too?

I have extras but not for everything, each press comes with two bars and extra ones were only $14 last time I bought them. Doesn’t take much longer to swap them out once you mount it to another tool head. A lot faster than resetting the measure every time you swap and much cheaper as well. I still throw a few charges, to start with, returned to the hopper, then confirm with a scale but they don’t adjust themselves.



As far as how low you can go with the small powder bar, 2.8 grains of Clays is the smallest charge I have needed to throw and it works.

I don’t personally use one but there are folks that have made and/or sell modified/ machined tool heads and shims that go under or on top, that make going from SPL to magnum quick and easy using the same dies, assuming all you are changing is case length.



If I know how much I want to move any die, I threw together this simple fixture to hold a 1” indicator that makes precise adjustments simple and easy.

 

[Klaatu Barada Nikto]

I have a 750. Multiple tool heads but only 2 powder dispensers.
One with the large bar and one with the small bar.
But.... I have multiple powder base dies. This way when I get the powder funnel set up I leave it in the die and just remove the powder dispenser.

 

[Klaatu Barada Nikto]

For any XL750 owners I feel this is a "must have".
I've broken 2 of the soft white plastic sleeves on the fail safe arms. They were free to replace but a week is a long time to wait.
This thing allows enough rotation to clear a bullet feeder because of the slots instead of the OEM stamped steel brackets "one hole location".
Think it was Uniquetek


They make one for the 650 but I'm not sure if they make one or if it's even needed for the 550.

 

[Chuck R.]

I've got 5 Dillon powder measures shared between a 550 and 650, a couple stay set up for my predominant match cartridges; 9mm and .223. I've got 9 550 toolheads. IMHO the biggest weakness in the Dillon PM is the adjustability and ability to repeat settings.

I've converted all of mine to use these:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077J5DVRP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and added these:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F2NG6J5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Which makes it fairly simple to record powder charge settings and move the
measures from tool head to tool head. It just takes a couple seconds with the electronic scale prior to loading to confirm.

 

[Kp321]

I have four measures, one each for the three powders I use the most and one spare for everything else.

 

[greyling22]

I put a lee powder die and auto drum on my dillon. I like it a lot better, and it's so much cheaper. I can get the drum and dies for about the same price as dillons dies. And you can buy toolheads cheap on ebay. In different colors!

 

[Laphroaig]

Going one direction also eliminates any backlash in the screw, making the adjustments much easier.

When dealing with the Dillon measure, this bears repeating. I've had "weight drifting" of about .2 grains that I attribute to backlash.

 

[kalielkslayer]

Now $276.00 + tax/shipping. https://www.dillonprecision.com/rl-550-e-z-change-kits_8_2_26742.html

Bill

If I add another caliber I’ll go that route. But I already bought the conversions and tool heads for 5 calibers if you count .38 and .357 as different calibers. I wish I’d known that was an option.

 

[rfwobbly]

I have 2 powder measures. One has the Small Powder Bar for pistol; one has the Large Powder Bar for rifle.

 

[bihj]

One for each 'powder bar'

 

[Tensaw]

I ordered my 550 set up for 9mm. Along with dies I got a deluxe quick assembly for each when I started loading .45 acp and .38 special. This assembly includes a toolhead, powder measure and a couple other things. It allows me to change calibers with very rarely needing to adjust the powder measure or dies.