First Progressive Press Input

[G11354]

Im considering investing in a progressive reloading press and find myself torn between a Lee Loadmaster or the Dillon RL550C.

The 550 has a fantastic record and warranty, but the Loadmaster is roughly half the cost but requires a bit more tinkering as I understand it.

Any input would be appreciated.

 

[Walkalong]

You have a good understanding of it I think, bottom line is do you want to spend the dollars. In the long run the Dillon is likely the best choice. My son has a Loadmaster and likes it, and I have an LNL (A Projector before that and a Lee Turret before that.). Being a young married father, my son chose the Loadmaster for the price point. It is serving him well. His needs are not great, but he is loading .223, .357, .40, & maybe 9MM in small quantities.

 

[Whiterook808]

IMHO you will be much happier with the Dillon in the long run. I bought my 550 twenty years ago and I see myself happily using it for the rest of my life.

 

[rsrocket1]

I thought this was going to be an LnL vs 500 war. No doubt that if you can afford the 550 even if it's a little painful now, get it. There's no question that the 550 is a better value in the long run over the Loadmaster. I have the LnL but I only chose it because the effective price I got with the free bullets and an incredible rebate deal at Cabelas was down around $150. If I had to pay full price on an LnL or 550, it would have been a gut wrenching toss up and I'd probably be happy with either one even after all these years.

 

[Toprudder]

My first press was a Dillon 550B and I don't regret it for one minute. I never think about how much I spent on it, and I do tend to be a titewad.

I have Lee equipment (hand press, cheap C frame press, and Classic Turret) but there is nothing about the Dillon that makes me wonder if I should have saved money and bought the Loadmaster.

 

[rsrocket1]

Yeah, I figure I've loaded and shot around 50k pistol rounds alone since getting the press so the cost of components have been around $3600. That makes the difference in the cost of the presses insignificant. Heck, it makes the cost of the guns insignificant too. Although the relative difference in the cost of the press is insignificant, the convenience and quality of a good press will stay with you its whole life.

 

[frankmako]

I would go with the dillon. Got my 550 in 82. I use it weekly. Dillon stands behind their stuff. But the real question is how many rounds do you shoot a year and what cal. Sometime it is cheaper to buy ammo over getting set up with lots of reloading equipment just to load a small amount of ammo.

 

[G11354]

Appreciate the input everyone! I decided to take te dive and buy the 550C.

 

[nettlle]

I bought my 550c almost two years ago. It's been trouble free and caliber changes are fast and easy. I got some extras like the Strong Mount, Inline Fabrication Skylight, and Dillon Roller handle that I really like.

 

[SCC]

You've already decided, so this is really for those that come after. Answer this question "How much ammo can I conceivably be using in the future?" Take into account the likelihood of additional calibers and the possibility of getting into competition shooting. Buy the press that can efficiently support this additional potential need if it exists.

 

[Hokie_PhD]

You've already decided, so this is really for those that come after. Answer this question "How much ammo can I conceivably be using in the future?" Take into account the likelihood of additional calibers and the possibility of getting into competition shooting. Buy the press that can efficiently support this additional potential need if it exists.

Good advice. But one big question.
Isn’t the 550 the Dillion that uses proprietary dies?
And isn’t it difficult to change the dies?

I ask as I’m not ready to get a progressive yet, but if money is available Dillion would be a top consideration. The reason for my question is to figure out if a 550 or a 650 under which uses. My understanding is that they’re very different and depending on needs one would be a much better choice in the long run.

 

[nettlle]

The Dillon SQDB uses the proprietary dies and not the 550c. I have two Dillon tool heads set up for my 550c for quick change. One for 9mm and one for 45acp. 9mm is Dillon dies and the 45acp is Redding dies.

 

[Hokie_PhD]

The Dillon SQDB uses the proprietary dies and not the 550c. I have two Dillon tool heads set up for my 550c for quick change. One for 9mm and one for 45acp. 9mm is Dillon dies and the 45acp is Redding dies.

Oh ok
Thanks for setting me straight.
That’s why I asked

 

[nettlle]

We're both here to help the OP.

 

[jmorris]

I have loaded 100 rounds faster with the Loadmaster but the 550 is a “better” press, IMO.

 

[Whiterook808]

Also the SDB is only for pistol cartridges while the 550 loads most rifle and pistol cartridges.

 

[Dudedog]

Nothing against the Dillon but if you are considering a 550 you might want to look at the Hornady LNL as well.
One more station, which comes in handy for a bullet feeder, a powder cop/lockout die or lets you seat and crimp in two stations.
really happy with my LNL.

 

[kmw1954]

Appreciate the input everyone! I decided to take te dive and buy the 550C.

Good for you and I am certain it will serve you well for many years.

When I restarted loading and went with a progressive I went a completely different way. When I started my search I knew nothing of these presses so I did research. Read forums like this, asked questions and watched videos on all of them. Then I took what I already knew from loading on a single stage and found what I thought would work best for me. Turns out I was correct in my choice. At first I thought I wanted a turret press but ended up with what some think is the worst press ever devised. The Lee Pro 1000. Been loading on it for a few years now and couldn't be more satisfied.

Yes I looked at the Dillon Square Deal B, the Dillon 450, 550 and 650, Watched hours of videos on these. Then looked at the Hornady AP and again watched hours of videos on it's use and tricks or upgrades. Then of course I watched the videos on the Lee Turret presses, the Pro 1000 and the LoadMaster.

After spending all that time watching videos and asking questions on the forums I found that even though the Lee Turret was nice and would do everything I wanted I decided upon the Lee Pro 1000 because it was inexpensive and really is a simple design w/o a whole lot of adjustments to make. As a matter of fact the whole press has just one adjustment point for the press timing. It also didn't have all the spare parts that every other progressive press has The priming system has just 4 moving parts; the primer pin, pin spring, case sensor and the case sensor clip. How can it get more simple?

Now I will add that I am NOT a high volume loader so I do not need the speed or volume that a Hornady LNL AP or a Dillon 650 or even the lowly Loadmaster can produce. I do not see me ever getting to that point in this hobby. I also do not detract from the fact that there are people out there that really do need that much press. But just because they need that volume doesn't equate that everyone else does too. I will also add that all my reloading is for pistols and everything I load for has been done with a simple 3 Die Pistol Set of dies. But that is my story and exactly where I'm at within my hobby.

 

[nettlle]

A few things about a Dillon 550c. It's an uncomplicated and easy to use progressive. There are not any possible timing issues with it. Caliber changes, if needed, are probably not going to be easier or quicker with any other brand.

 

[Livin_Cincy]

Most Dillion users:

• Purchase complete tool heads with powder measures for each caliber.
  • This is a considerable cost to review and compare.
    
  • Pistol Caliber Conversions are $48+ $113+ $70 = $230
• Purchase many after market products for their Dillon to get it to run like a fine watch. Look into these costs.
  
• Purchase the press for peace of mind and use.
  
• Figure 4-500 rounds per hour with a 550 in an hour with more in the second hour of the same caliber.
• Resale has been 70% of new or better for many years.

The Lee LM is functional at a lower price point. Lee recommends a progressive press if you shoot more than 500 of a single caliber per week. So, The Loadmaster will push out 5-700 per hour with more stops & starts. Mastering the load master may take a week or more. The sell for $260-70. Resale is higher than people think, about 70% of new retail price.

The new Breech Lock Pro by LEE is an interesting press. It is functional like a 550 where you load a case and place a bullet by hand. You can add a case feeder for < $30. A bullet feeder is similar in price. So you can make it produce more. You can also just make a single case like a turret press.

I use the LEE Classic Cast Turret with an inline fabrication case ejector. You can do 2-250 per hour. Mind you, it is (4) pulls per cartridge. So I load two 100 round boxes and set up for another caliber in an hour. I am looking at a progressive to save time... But then I ponder why give up something so simple ? This is why so many love their Dillon 550... It is just simple.

The Reloader Dude on YouTube pruchased a Dillon 550BL, loaded too lheads with LEE Dies & Powder measures, and is very happy. He has a Redding Turret and a Dillon 650. He wanted something faster than his LEE LCT and the 550 does that just fine. So he does all his small batch work on his 550. The 650 does one thing, 9mm. I really think he has something to think about with buying the 550 BL. Personally, i would just buy the 550c as the cost of the priming system & powder measure seems fair.

With all of this said... The 650 is $100 more than a 550 when you add the Caliber conversion cost. Auto Index is very nice and reduces squibs. Squibs being the downside to the 550. Many operator errors have produced squibs from people that use a 550. The 650 also gives you a 5th die location. I am not positive, but I believe you can hand load a case on a 650 if you want to. So you could buy just a shell plate for your low volume calibers and use a LEE die set and powder measure.

I doubt if this helps much.
Every brand seems to have people that love and hate them.
All brands fail.

I am stuck with my LCT as I can just spend less time in front of the TV and make all I want with no issues.

 

[nettlle]

Auto index, regardless of who makes the press, is not a reducer of squib loads.

 

[kmw1954]

A few things about a Dillon 550c. It's an uncomplicated and easy to use progressive. There are not any possible timing issues with it. Caliber changes, if needed, are probably not going to be easier or quicker with any other brand.

You are absolutely correct. Though it was the manual advance that steered me away from the 550C. I know many of you swear by it and that is fine. It just didn't fit with what I wanted to do. That's all there is to it. Also the decision not to go with the SDB was the proprietary dies.

As for the caliber change I do not believe it is any easier or faster on the 550C than what it takes me on the Pro 1000, though I do know the shell plates for the caliber change are less expensive than the Dillon

 

[nettlle]

Yes, with the Dillon 550c, there comes with it the dreaded manual advance. If you buy the optional Dillon 550 bullet tray (which I highly recommend) you will place the bullet in the case mouth and, while your left hand is resting on the bullet tray, you will advance the index plate with your left thumb without moving your left hand. Not a conscious effort. To get the advantage of the Dillon 650 or Hornady LNL the optional case feeder has to be purchased with them. Everyone seems to think that the case feeders come with the Hornady LNL's and Dillon 650's in the price when they compare them to a 550. They don't. And the case feeders add just another layer of complexity.

 

[Nature Boy]

I am not positive, but I believe you can hand load a case on a 650 if you want to

Yes it can. I hand load like a single stage on my 650 for all my precision rifle loads, only it’s better because you can have a dedicated tool head set up with the powder drop and seating die so it’s a one piece flow from prime to powder to seat to completed round. Less chance for a mistake and more efficient.

It’s even better for brass processing if you have a case feeder. I lube the cases, dump them in the hopper and just keep pulling the handle until they’re all decapped and re-sized.

Then, if I want to make a lot of pistol rounds I do a change over and I’m cranking out a lot of ammo in full progressive mode.

 

[cfullgraf]

When I first got into progressive presses, I wanted only a press with an automatic index and bought a Hornady L-N-L.

Over time, a few cartridges that I reload that are very full of powder tend to splash a bit of powder around when the press indexes. I also had some other indexing issues with one or two cartridges.

The various suggested solutions to the spillage problem floating around the internet never completely eliminated the powder spillage.

I bought a Dillon BL550, the basic, stripped down version of the RL550C and have found the manual indexing is not an issue to operation. In short order, it just becomes an automatic part of the operation like pulling the handle for the sizing/powder charging/bullet seating steps or pushing the handle to seat the primer.

The advantage to the manual index, I can control the speed of the index and eliminate the powder spilling on index.

The auto indexing presses have an upside in production rates as more things can happen more automatically but the few cartridges that I load on my BL550, I still load more ammunition, faster than I can consume them.