Dillon 550B Production Rate?

[XD Niner]

I am considering buying a Dillon 550B to reload .45ACP. I've seen estimates of 400-500 rounds per hour with this press with some of the key accessories. My question is, how long will it really take to process the rounds when considering all steps of the process? This includes not just those executed with the progressive press but case cleaning, lubing, setup for session (assuming no die changes required) and cleanup. For instance, how long would it take those of you who own this press to produce 1000 rounds in a single session assuming you are starting with just the dirty brass?

And to sneak in a second question, how much cost per round for just the components (primer, powder and bullet) assuming you have "free" brass?

 

[BruceB]

Xd, pard;

I don't really see how case cleaning can be considered as part of the actual loading process. My brass goes into the tumbler when I return from the range, and when clean the cases go into storage....sometimes for months.

.45 ACP cases do NOT need to be lubed if you use a carbide sizing die, and if production is important, having a carbide sizer is critical.

I don't start sessions just "with dirty brass".

"Setup for session" with no die changes involved simply means filling some primer tubes and adjusting the powder measure. I'd say ten minutes at the very outside would have me ready to go, even if I had to change the shellplate. If it's necessary to change primer size, maybe five additional minutes would be needed.

Primers bought locally at retail cost me 1.6 cents each. A five-grain powder charge costs me 1.4 cents, and my self-cast Lyman 452374 bullets, 230-grain roundnoses, cost me about 0.3 cents each....total cost for GOOD full-power .45 ACP practice loads is about 3.3 cents per round, or $3.30 per 100 rounds. Not bad, hmmm?

Fixating on production rate is a mistake, in my experience. Concentrate on careful, accurate work and let the increasing production rate come from increased familiarity as time goes on. I've rigorously studied production speed and methods for casting my bullets, but never for loading the ammo, beyond a casual interest in how many rounds I have at the end of the run. I do believe that my 550B, with NO added accessories beyond a bunch of primer tubes, easily gives me 400-plus rounds per hour. That's plenty for me.

I've been using the 550B now for over ten years, and it is one fine machine. You couldn't do better, in my book!

 

[HSMITH]

I have two 550B's.

I can sustain 400 rounds per hour easily, and can get over 500. You can sustain a loading rage of 350-400 per hour easily just as it comes out of the box.

To get 500 you NEED a primer tube filler and at least 5 primer tubes, I use a Frankford Arsenal cheapie primer tube filler.

I can reload my 45 acp 200 gr SWC lead practice ammo for 5.5 cents each with commercial cast bullets. When I cast my own bullets cost comes down almost 4 cents per cartridge.

 

[caz223]

I dink around with brass for an hour a day, once I fill up a 5 gallon pail of processed brass I don't have to worry about brass for a while, until it gets half full.
Once you have a 5 gallon pail of clean brass ready to go and bulk bullets, primers, and a keg or two of powder, you can really crank out the ammo on a 550.
I didn't get a 650 because of the higher price of caliber conversions, quick change kits, and I really don't shoot a lot of one caliber, I shoot a lot of different calibers.
I average 350 taking my time, and I don't have any fancy stuff like primer tube fillers, etc.
If I'm in a hurry (But still paying attention.) I can hit 450 and hold it for an hour, but I only do that when I'm running out of daylight, and I need to shoot.

 

[HRT]

During my most recent loading stint t took 2-1/2 hours to load 1000 round from a dead start. That included setting up the powder scale, verifying charge weight both on the scal and in the manua;, loading primer tubes and shuffling boxes. My 550 is working great right now, and as usual I should add. I buy my cast 200 gr LSWC at around $40/k in 6K lots, primers work out to be 1.5 cents each or about $75 per 5K sleeve, and powder around $16/lb for AA#2 or Hogdon HS 6 which yield approximately 1200 rounds so the cost looks like $3.44 a box of 50. The powder is one of the few places that I have not been able to really cut the cost. I don't buy powder in large lots becuase my demands vary considerably. If I'm shooting pins on a second chance table near max loads of AA#5 and a 200gr LSWC get the nod at about 1050 fps out of a full size pistol. If I'm just playing 5.5 or so gr AA#2 or HS6 at around 800-859 fps gets the nod.

 

[P0832177]

With primer tubes filled and some music on I did a run of 500 45ACP in 53 mintues on 550 B. I started with the machine all set up and ready. I do give the cases a light shot of Spray lube before reloading. I have a slower rate loading 223. But, I used prepped and primed cases when load 223 on the 550 B.

 

[happy old sailor]

spot on comments above. i cant improve. in my mind, speed is not what a progressive is all about. it is the convenience factor that rates number one. when everything looks good, one pull begets one cartridge. i want my rounds to go bang, not poof or boom. i try to stay a couple hundred rounds ahead in each caliber i shoot so i can be off to the range when the notion strikes. at one time i shot K's of .45 acp and kept a K ahead. this took two forevers using a single stage press. in these latter years, a progressive, one bullet per pull, is such a blessing with five pulls yeilding five cartridges instead of one. carbide sizing dies sure beat rolling cases across a messy/sticky lube pad. now there is titanium to improve on carbide and spray lube for rifle cases. why oh why didnt they invent this stuff fifty years ago.

if you have or are getting a 550, it is a fine machine. work to develop a system always thinking conservation of motion. do your loading smoothly and steadily and the round count will come. tis the operator, not the machine, that determines the hundreds per hour. old cliche "you do your part" etc. even with a single stage, this a truism.

.

 

[ulflyer]

I have two 550B's and couldn't ask for better; however, I have never approached the numbers the guys above get. Possibly because I don't use the machines often enough to become highly proficient. Just wanted to give another view.

Sure hate loading the primer tubes one little primer at a time. Checked with Midway to see about getting one of the primer loaders...the $30 type..but they were out of stock. Does anyone know if these gadgets work with Dillon tubes, or if the tubes that come with it work with the 550?

 

[HSMITH]

ullflyer, I use the $30 Frankford Arsenal primer tube filler. Yes it works with the Dillon primer tubes, I just take off the plastic filler tip and put it up in the FA unit. There is a little slop in there so you have to hold it just right or they will just sit on top of the tube but it isn't hard to do by any means. When full put the tip back on and you are ready to go, just put the tube on the magazine and pull the pin when ready. I can load 5 tubes in just a minute or two.

 

[Captal_de_Buch]

I loaded 500 230 gr 45acp in one setting on my RL550 for the Indiana state IPSC/USPSA match a few years ago.. shooting Limited 10.

I only have one Large Pistol Primer tube.

It took me about 1 1/2 hours load those 500 45acp rounds..

That includes dumping primers into the primer tray, shaking the tray around until they are all oriented correctly, picking them out of the tray and putting them into feed tube - did that 5 times.

When the primer feed fed the last primer I would take the time to "clear the deck", by that I mean I would finish out the cases that were primed so I could start again fresh and I wouldn't have to worry about knowing the status of anything left in the system. At this point I would take a break, sip some coffee and re-adjust my seat.

I don't work real hard at it, I like to take my time when realoding.

Dillion Rocks!!!

After thought - this time doesn't take into account running the loads through a SAMMI cartridge gauge.. something that I do to all "match" but not everyday blasting and practice loads.

After - after thought - My final stage is a Lee Factory Crimp - Lee Factory crimp "Rocks"

 

[CB900F]

XD;

I've had a 550B for years, possibly over a decade. Nothing to add that hasn't been said already on the thread. Well, except for one thing.

I wouldn't be surprised if somebody shows up who will try to talk you out of going with the Dillon. They'll almost certainly tout the Red Machine. Says he's had both & Red is better. However, he always has a hard time explaining why Red hasn't taken the market by storm - if you were to believe how good it is.

Yours, another very satisfied Dillon user.

900F

 

[g56]

My Dillon 550 is celebrating its 20th anniversary with me, it has been and remains a perfect relationship! I can comfortably load 400 to 500 rds per hour on my 550, there is a little set up time, I fill the powder measure and check for the correct charge, it's never been off but I check it anyway, I fill some primer tubes, it takes about a minute or so to load a primer tube with 100 primers, and I have 5 large and 5 small tubes. I wait till the low primer alarm goes off, that means there are 3 primers left in the tube, then refill the tube with primers, if I am loading a large quantity I might need to top off the powder, sometimes I need to get some more bullets out when loading large numbers.

I have to say that buying that Dillon 550 in 1985 was the best investment I have made in reloading.

 

[1911user]

I don't count the time in the tumbler. 400-500 a hour is reasonable if you have cleaned, sorted (if required) brass and bullets located close and ready to load.

400 an hour is a nice pace especially if you have loaded primer tubes available (or a helper). That's about the speed I load and have time to feel every primer seat, verify similar powder levels in every case, examine each bullet to be placed for gross defects, and watch the overall operation of the press. I normally load 1-5 primer tubes just before a reloading session. I don't like to leave loaded primer tubes out even though the kids know the danger.
500 an hour is loading fast IMHO and you'll need all components close for quick refills.

This does not include time for a quality check of no high primers, similar cartridge overall lengths, and marking the brass for easy seperation at matches. This doesn't take long, but is good insurance.

 

[Lloyd Smale]

with a 550 you need to slow down and smell the roses! Its way to easy to get a double charge or a squib load on one if your trying to make it into a production machine. The square deals and 650 with auto index are much better for really cranking out ammo. I to use the frankford arsenal primer tube feeder and really like it.

 

[Bronson7]

Yeah, I'm with Lloyd on this one. I crank out about 300 rounds/hr at a leisurely pace. Sometimes less. To me, one crank per round vs four or five is what matters. A lot easier on this old arm.
Bronson7

 

[HankB]

The Dillon 550B is a fine, versatile machine, but I don't particularly like the fact that you have to manually index the turret. Others disagree - it's a matter of personal preference.

If you're only going to load .45 ACP, consider the Dillon Square Deal B. That's what I use to load straight-wall pistol cases like the .45. Once I'm going, I can crank out a box of 50 in just under six minutes, working at what feels like a comfortable pace - that's over 500 per hour. But with filling primer tubes, occasionally check-weighing the powder being dropped, inspecting and boxing the loaded rounds, etc., I'm probably lucky to get half that rate.

 

[RugerGuy]

I'm only getting 250 to 300 rounds an hour. After reading threads on Ka-booms I' want to make certain I don't repeat their mistakes. I often stop midstream to check my powder drops and OAL . No such thing as being too safe.

 

[Tory]

That sounds good to me!

I keep checking powder charges, etc. and am lucky to break 200/hr., even with those nice, big .45 cases. My .38 Super loads take a LOT longer, because indexing quickly spills powder from the case.

 

[BigSlick]

I loaded 1000 rnds of 45 ACP Friday on the 550B

Actually 998, tossed 2 Aguila brass that had high primers in the recycle bucket.

From start to finish, loading 5 primer tubes, filling the powder res to the top, opening two boxes of MG 230's and having them near the bullet tray for quick refill, checking every 20th round or so for the first 100 rnds for correct powder charge, then about every 40th afterward, making sure the bullets were placed correctly so the jacket wouldn't shave or flake and emptying the mini bin when it was full (about 200 rounds) it took about 2 hrs 20 minutes.

Painfully slow by many accounts, but I shot them all yesterday and today. Chronoed about 10 strings and every last one went bang and was within 19 fps on the chrono.

For me, loading on a progressive isn't a race or competition to see how many I can crank out, more of a convenience.

I love the 550B... and I didn't drink the blue koolaid

BigSlick

 

[trickyasafox]

big slick

2 hours and 20 minutes for a k of rounds is pretty impressive to me, but thats because if i bang out 30-40 an hour on my single stage im feeling pretty high and mighty

 

[Souris]

I Have a Dillon 550B. I load .38 spl and .357 mag on it (for now). I figure that I average about 300-350 rnds/ hour. I am not really trying to load FAST. More like steady.
I generally load only one primer tube at a time so that when I am out of primers I get a break for as long as it takes me to load a new tube and empty the uotput bin into another container. This also keeps things from becoming to boring.

 

[Grump]

300-350 rounds per hour with carbide die pistol rounds, everything included. Goes down if I box them or do anything other than dump 'em bulk in a box.

Comparing with an RCBS Green Machine--SAME! What I lose to loading the casefeed tubes I regain in its priming system--no primer pickup tubes, just shake 'em all upside down and pour into the primer feed.

Both of these figures are from a dead stop, empty machine, and they include stoppages to primers not dropping into the seating station or missed case pickup (Green Machine -- including disconnecting the powder dump--it's not case-actuated) and stoppages to mystery hitches (Dillon-usually the resizing station having the case mouth hang up b/c the case is tilted a bit, or the bullet tipping over or falling off the case mouth on the seating station).

Cleaning lube off of rifle cases adds a step, but I've never timed its effect on total production.

 

[EastDallas]

"Convinced"

I have been struggling with whether to purchace the 650 or the 550 to get back into reloading and based on this thread you folks have convinced me I need nothing more than the Model 550. Thanks for the great input and the thread!