Dillon 550 vs turret press

Looking for some opinions here. Im getting tired of setting dies up every time i need to swap one in my rock chucker. Ive been considering a turret press with multiple heads. I like what i see from the redding t7. However i do own a dillon 550 as well. It occured to me today that it is essentially a turret press with smaller turrets. Any reason you can think of not to just buy the caliber conversions i need and a couple tool heads and set my dies up in them? I do not intend to prime on press for my hunting ammo which i currently reload 5 different calibers. The calibers over lap suck as 308 and 7-08, 270wsm and 300wsm, 223 so im really only in need of 3 caliber conversions and tool heads. Give me your thoughts please.

 

Also for clarification im just not a fan of the hornady quick change bushings. The lee are growing on me a bit but not sold there either

 

Both are great. I have several toolheads for the T7 and 750; they're both easy to change and make great ammo. T7 didn't need any aftermarket.

If you put 1 cartridge through at a time on your 550 it would be like using the T7 without the chore of moving the turret. Not familiar with how solid the 550 tool head fits. I have a kit on my 750 tool heads to tap and screw them into the press which made it closer to the T7 in consistency.

 

I use the Hornaday cross lock lock rings. Still got to screw them in and out but no setup.

 

From the sounds of it your using Lee dies with the o-ring. You need some good locking rings on your dies. Like said the Hornady split ring is what most use.. Set once and done.

 

If you already have a 550 multiple tool heads is the way to go. I have a Lee Turret and I have multiple "turrets", in fact one for every caliber I reload.

-Jeff

 

I am with Bartojc on this one.

 

I use a 550........old one converted to the latest configuration if it makes any diff. Load a buncha calibers on it and I've often thought the turret analogy is right on. While I keep my more common calibers more or less permanently adjusted I also keep one spare tool head for the odd ball need that would otherwise require me to break down an already set up head.

I too keep mulling over acquiring one of Redding's presses, but the Dillon already does nearly all it would. I will suggest tho that you acquire some of the smaller diameter die nuts for those tool heads......the newer design makes adjustments lots easier.........Lee is ok, but not quite the same as being able to really lock a die in position as those solid nuts.

 

550 tool heads are a really quick change operation
UNTIL you figure in changing shell plates and even worse, primer size. Primer changes sometime require a little minor twicking as you go. In future I would love to have 2 550s- one dedicated to small primer and one for large primer.
I’ve found using my Lyman Spartan best for my hunting loads (although a T would be nice) and leaving the progressives (SD and 550) set up for 38, 357, 45 and 5.56.
Jmho

 

You would get more exercise with the turret, you would have 3 more strokes per completed round than you would have using the 550.

If they share a common primer size and shell plate you could probably swap the 550 faster than some turrets.



The priming system would be more involved because it’s integrated into station #1 but there are short cuts to swapping between small and large.



Cost would be a valid reason, with a turret all you would need in a shell plate and dies, vs a caliber conversion, tool head and powder measure. That said, I one can reduce the cost a bit if they use the same measure and just swap out the powder bars.

 

You are correct in that you will only need 3 caliber conversions. But you'll need 5 toolheads, one for each caliber and also need 2 additional specific powder funnels to go with your dies that weren't the caliber conversion. Unless you don't plan to charge cases on the Dillon then you can get by with only 3 shell plates (and locator buttons) that they sell separately.

 

Like the Ultimate Locking Rings.

And different colors can be assigned to different dies (Resizing, seating, crimp, etc.) - https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1022927572/

The Ultimate Lock Rings also come integrated with the quick change bushings - https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012825974

But the Lee bushings only work with Lee presses.

 

Actually looks like you can convert any single stage press that accepts a 1 1/4" bushing now with the use of this conversion bushing.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1021759892

 

initially i was thinking i could setup 2 each 2 die sets in each head. my thought was sizing/depriming die station one bullet seater in station 2 next cal sizer die in station 3 and then matching seating die in station 4. for those rounds i intend to prime off press as i currently do. the more i'm considering this though if loading the second set of dies i would either have to pull the buttons or insert brass in station 1 and rotate 3 or 4 positions each time so i think thats less than ideal. so i either need to have a tool head for each cal as you mentioned or go a different route.

 

I have a turret press. About the only time I kind of use it's turret function is when I'm sizing 38spl, 357mag, 9mm and 380acp as I wet pin tumble them all together to get them clean enough to size. I'll do all the 9mm cause that's what I pick up the most of, set aside the revolver brass and 380s as I work through the 9mm, change the shell holder and click over to the next sizing die and do the others.
I have a Lee factory crimp die now, I may try running the seater and crimper in the turret press.

 

I saw this after I posted a comment in the reloading section. Check out Midway USA. They’re currently running a weekly special on the eight station Lyman All American turret for $219. Shipping may be extra.

Feedback I’ve seen from THR regulars that use them has been positive. A T7 is my daily driver and I’m exceedingly satisfied with the two I have. Looking over the Lyman though it’s hard for me to see where Redding can justify the significant price difference.

Maybe another T7 owner can give their perspective or a Redding owner can chime in on that with some insight.

 

Either will do what you want to do, but lemme tell you a little story about my 550. My 550 started out as a 450 with no powder measure and not autoprime in the 80s when I was still in the military. I loaded millions of rounds on it. It rusted out in storage...and Dillon replaced all the bearings and the ram under warranty. Some time in the early 00's, I upgraded it to a 550...new frame, auto prime system, powder measure, etc. Still loading on hit, hundreds a week. Around 2015 or so, I noticed it was getting a bit sloppy, was not as tight as it used to be and developing a bit of play. Somebody told me about Dillon's refurb, I called them up....yep, they'll rebuild the press for 89.00. I shipped it off to them. 6 weeks later I got a brand new 550 in the mail...they charged my credit card 89.00. Apparently after 35 years of use, millions of rounds, 2 warranty rebuilds...they decided I'd got my use out of it and just shipped me a new one. So yeah, at that level of loading, 550 or 750 is the way to go, buy once, cry once and never have regrets.

BTW, I think I have like 30 or 40 caliber conversions for it at this point. Every thing from 32 ACP up to 338 LM. The stuff I have just one load for...I have toolheads I haven't touched the dies on in 20 years, lol. I've never regretted any of them.

And too give you an idea of how little I like to tinker with things once they are set up...I own 2 750s....so I don't have to convert primer sizes!

 

Look on eBay, you can find tool heads and conversion kits. Keep looking for a bit, I have scored some deals for my 750. There is usually a lot more for the 550. Joferusa has good aftermarket tool heads. Sometimes guys sell tool heads,conversion kits and dies all ready to go. Good luck

 

use the 550

buy some more toolheads

 

Yep, Dillon's like Browning........only way to go!

 

I go the opposite way. It’s a whole lot cheaper to just swap dies on a T-7 than it is to convert a 550 over to a new caliber, at least in my case going from 9mm on my 550 to 300 BLK. I would need a tool head, a caliber conversion shell holder, a powder die, powder measure.
On the T-7 the only thing I need besides the dies is a shell holder, and the patience to screw the dies in.
I looked at converting my 550 over and it’s just too spendy.

 

I’d rather buy a good single stage press and use the savings from the cost of a turret to buy other reloading gear.

With good die locking rings that are clamped to the die, they will not lose their setting. Lee o-ring lock dies are not good for holding the setting. (Lee now has split ring lock rings that positively lock the ring to the die.)

I have a Dillon BL550 (no priming system, no powder measure) because I prime off the press and I use a Redding 10-X or RCBS Uniflow on my progressives. But. the advantage of the 550 over a turret is one completed round for one pull of the handle.

You can buy more tool heads, but I even screw my dies in and out of one tool head. I have several tool heads on hand but I use only one. The locking die rings maintain my settings.

 

I use Hornady Bushings a lot of Hornady Bushings, but I bet I am one of few on here that have run both Blue and Red. Plus if you don't like the Hornady bushings then your really not going to like the Lee. (top 1991 Dillion had just came with the digital scale bottom 2023)

 

Why would i not like the lee? I do have a lee app press that has the sline lock bushings. It seems fairly solid but i have only put apx 2500 pieces of brass through it and most were with a lee universal deprimong die.

 

I have a Redding T7 and a Dillon 550C. I reload 45acp and 9mm on the Dillon and 308 on the T7. I reload rifle on the turret because of my preference to weigh each powder charge for rifle. The powder measure on my 550 is very accurate but because of of all the jiggling around it's not quite as accurate as a beam scale and powder trickler. I enjoy reloading on both but if I only had a choice of one it would be thee 550. Not saying that a turret or progressive is any better than the other but for the way I like to reload I use both.

In any case I hate changing dies.