dillon square deal B

[cl4p-tp]

I have a Lee single stage press that I bought about 1.5 yrs ago and I'm wanting to upgrade now. I reload for pistols only, (I hardly ever shoot rifles so it's not worth my time) mainly 45s. Guess I was wondering if there was anything I needed to know about it.

Also, while I'm here can I load 38 spl loads in 357 brass? Ju.st got a 686 and I would love it if I didn't have to set up 2 different dies

Thanks in advance

 

[j. rap.]

If i remember correctly you can load both calibers on 357 dies

 

[ohsevenflhx]

Yes on the square deal you use the same dies for for 357 & 38 sp, but they are set up to far different OAL's. Same with 40 s&w and 10mm....same dies.
I have 2 Square Deals, one for 40 s&w, and one for 9mm. They change to different calibers quickly, and easily enough, but it still takes 15 minutes or more to get everything "tweeked" in perfectly. I can at a relaxed constant pace load 400 rounds plus per hour on them. I have 5 primer tubes filled and ready to go when I start reloading. Refill the powder measure each time I recharge the primers.

 

[Encoreman]

IF you do pistols I don't think you can go wrong with a Square deal. I bought a well used one on evil bay several years ago and as I had been loading on a Rockchucker I literally couldn't walk by the Dillon without loading at least 15-20 and chuckling to myself. Once you have it set up right you can easily load 300 rounds of good ammo per hour. Good loading!!

 

[ohsevenflhx]

Also... hang on to your Lee single stage press. I use mine to bulge bust my 40's, and other misc tasks.

 

[jmorris]

I have two of them and all the other Dillons as well. The SD cost $130 we we got ours, at what they go for today, if you ever thought you would load something there are not SD dies for I would get an LNL for the same price.

 

[GLOOB]

Also, while I'm here can I load 38 spl loads in 357 brass?

I'd add a smidge to the minimum load info. The longer case capacity might leave a bullet stuck in the bore on a cold day. Other than that, no problem. And obviously you would load to 357 OAL, not 38 OAL.

 

[Fisherdave10]

I have loaded lots of 9mm, .38 and .357 magnum (same dies) on my dad's old SDB that he bought in the 80's. It's a nice press, doesn't require too much adjustment and it's relatively simple when you do have to adjust things.

What I hate about it is it takes it's own proprietary non-standard die sets that can't be used on any other reloading press. You have to buy the sets right from Dillon. You'll be spending close to $100 just to change calibers.

Remember if you go the SDB route, you're stuck doing only pistol rounds. If you get a larger progressive press, you can load almost any caliber and use standard die sets.

 

[NWcityguy2]

Yes, how many calibers you plan to load on a single SDB should be considered. 1 caliber and you are saving money, 2 calibers is a wash, 3 and it is costing you more than a more versatile press.

 

[Furncliff]

The SDB was my first press. After a year I bought a Hornaday LNL. I have large hands and a tremor and the SDB was a bit frustrating to use. I thought the frame was too small and constricted. I haven't used it since I bought the LNL, which fits me better. For better or worse I do a lot of load testing and the way the LNL is set up works better for me. I also prefer the style of powder measure that Hornaday uses. I load only pistol calibers.

If you factor in the free bullets that you get from Hornaday, first with the press and then with each die set you buy, it looks pretty enticing.

 

[Super.45]

I have mine for years and its a great machine. Keep it clean and it will give you years of great service.

 

[Series 70]

SDB is an excellent press for pistol calibers. I mainly do .45 and some .38 with it. Which reminds me, I need to run off another 1000 or so of .45...

 

[anothernewb]

I love my SDB! caliber conversion can be expensive, but they do show up on fleabay from time to time. For now I only load 45acp on mine, and I keep the single stage for loading 38/357 (just don't shoot them that much yet) and .308

 

[coalman]

IMO the SBD is the best value for non-pro pistol reloaders. I have two w/ more than 50k on them. Owned a XL650 and it was a nice press, but too much press for my needs. Buy used if possible to save $. Dillon works and CS rocks.

 

[dsm]

Get yourself a MRdial for the powder measure and all will be good. I strictly have a SDB set up to load 45 acp and it works great.

 

[Ditchtiger]

I bought a SDB as I only shot handguns.
Then a .222 came along, a .308, then a 444 Marlin, then the 54r.
So now I own a 550 also.
FYI, when I got the SDB it was only $180, the Blue Press was in a news paper format, and then came the swimsuit issue.

 

[Lost Sheep]

Also, while I'm here can I load 38 spl loads in 357 brass? Ju.st got a 686 and I would love it if I didn't have to set up 2 different dies

Thanks in advance

Only one of my 357s have ever even SEEN a 38 special case, and that one only 50 cases. Since 1975, I don't do 38s. It is just so much easier to keep my inventory to only the 357 cases.

If I want to shoot 38 special power levels, I just load light. The difference isn't that much and the load manuals have powders that give me what I want, so I don't fear the extra case volume lowering pressures to the level of erratic burning or stuck bullet levels.

I don't own any 38 specials, so this is easy for me to do. If I had one, I would have to "bite the bullet" on the possession of 38s.

Lost Sheep

 

[cfullgraf]

Only one of my 357s have ever even SEEN a 38 special case, and that one only 50 cases. Since 1975, I don't do 38s. It is just so much easier to keep my inventory to only the 357 cases.

Right, i have pretty much done the same up to the point I got a 38 Special.

Now, I have two 38 Specials.

These days, I prefer shooting lighter loads so now I only load 38 Special that i can use in both the 38 Specials and 357 Magnums. I have not loaded any 357 Magnum cases in about a decade. I am still working off old 357 Magnum inventory. (I know all the merits and demerits of shooting 38 Special in 357 Magnum chambers so lets not go there in this thread.)

When I was still loading on a single stage press, I had a spacer that changed the setting between 38 Special and 357 Magnum cases. Since I got a progressive press, I have two sets of dies, one for each. But, the 357 Magnum set has been gathering dust.

 

[4895]

The Dillon Square Deal is a good deal for me. The cost for the dies includes the shell plate and locater pins ($85) or cheaper on ebay. Comparing to a 550 or LNL it costs the same or more to buy dies for those presses plus the ($45) shell plate and locater pins.

Don't even consider the die changes a problem as you can buy extra tool heads fairly cheap if you want to save time. Even without them, as someone mentioned before, it only takes 10-20 minutes to set it up.

I can say the Dillon powder measure works quite well with ball and flake powder. My loads with Unique, Blue dot, Red dot, are as consistent as Bullseye, 231, HS6, H110, etc.

If you do purchase one, be sure to buy a few cans of compressed air to clean out the shell plate often. A few small paint brushes in different sizes also help when cleaning it up. Nothing to worry about, but it needs to be done.

You may have some trouble adjusting to the operation of the DSD overall as I did, but if you keep at it you will be making quality ammo in no time at all. When you realize how much you can load up, you may start taking advantage of the bulk buys and internet sales on components. The DSD is like raising 3 teenage linebackers and likes to eat a lot. If you buy one, you will be very happy. Best of luck to you.

 

[whtsmoke]

If you reload handgun ammo the SDB might be good but the LNL or the Dillon 650 make more sense if you intend on loading everything evn if you have a single stage press. The dies are not that expensive you can get them for around 50 bucks and a shell plate even at bass pro is only 35 but you can get them cheaper.

 

[Hondo 60]

What I hate about it is it takes it's own proprietary non-standard die sets that can't be used on any other reloading press. You have to buy the sets right from Dillon. You'll be spending close to $100 just to change calibers

You have to look very closely at TOTAL COST.
Proprietary dies kinda suck.
Especially if you already have some die sets.

 

[TonyT]

The only minus to the Dillon SDB press is that it does not use normal 7/8x14 thred dies. I opted for the Dillon 550 which uses standard dies. Caliber changeover without change in primer size takes two minutes. Conversion of primer size takes another two to four minutes. I have the dies set up in individual holders so that all it requires is pulling out two pins and changing the shell plate. I also opted for extra powder dispensers since I load 32 S&W Long, 38 Special, 357 mag, 9mm, 38 Super, 40 S&W, 38-40, 44 Special, 44 Special, 45 ACP, 45-70 and 458 Win Mag. I thus have powder dispensers for three different ranges of powder dispensing.

I also have an old RCBS A-2 press form 1966 which reloads the limted amount of other rifle calibers I shoot.

 

[erikk8829]

Loaded on Lee 1000's for years & had 4 of them. Finally one was getting quirky so I got tired of tweeking, sold them all and bought a SDB-THE TRANSITION WAS UNREAL!!! Just bought another so now have one set up for .45 & other for 38spl/357. Still do all my rifle rounds on a SS Lyman turret

 

[erikk8829]

I recently bought a second Dillon Square Deal press and wanted to add a strong mount like I have on my other one. Checking Dillon's prices I discovered that there was almost a $20.00 difference between the mount for the SDB and the 550 On checking further I found that the reason for this was that a different design primer catcher needed to be used with the strong mount.
To solve this problem and save $20.00 to boot on a flimsy plastic primer catcher I took a 38 spl case, drilled out the base to the diameter of the casing and replaced the plastic catcher holder bracket with the pistol case which is held in place by the plate for the fail safe primer system A 3/8 ID plastic tube slipped over the case allows the primers and the dust to be routed to a covered container below the press. Works like a dream