Going to get a Dillon

[MoreIsLess]

I sold my Lee Classic Turret Press and I am going to get a Dillon, either RL550 or XL650. I understand that it's a lot of hassle to change calibers on the 650 and not so much so on the 550. However after having automatic indexing on the Lee I am concerned I may not be satisfied with the manual operation of the 550.


I have several questions:

1. My understanding is that you decide what caliber you want the press for and then if you want to switch to another caliber you have to buy a conversion kit for each caliber (plus the dies). Is that correct,for both the 550 and the 650,

2. how much time and headache is involved in switching calibers?

3.Does the press shipped with whatever die for what ever caliber your getting the press foryou decide you want

 

[PlusP]

If you do a lot of small batches of different calibers you'll want a 550,if you do large amounts of one caliber the 650 is what you need...
I had a loadmaster years ago and now I use a 550 I like the manual indexing it gives me a better feel as to going on when running the press.
There are no price breaks on new Dillon stuff and used presses sell fast at 80% of retail ..
I'd recommend you call Dillon and ask all the questions you can think of .
They can fit you with a press that will best match your needs and won't pressure you to buy unless you say want to...

Yes you will need a conversion kit ,tool head and dies to change calibers The 550 parts will cost less...

The 550 change over takes 10 minuets the 650 maybe more ..

 

[GT1]

Neither one will swap out like the turret on the Lee.

But neither one seems to be a job if you have tool heads ready to go with dies on them. 10-20 minutes to change over, from my understanding.
None of them come with dies, just the correct shell plate and primer set ups for the caliber you choose.

Any brand of dies will work, Lee, RCBS, etc, etc.

Start here: http://www.brianenos.com/pages/dillon.html

 

[dbarnhart]

This 2-part video will give you a very good idea of what a caliber change on a 650 is like:

http://ultimatereloader.com/2009/09/07/xl650-caliber-change-22-250-to-45acp-part-i-hd/

http://ultimatereloader.com/2009/09/07/xl650-caliber-change-22-250-to-45acp-part-ii-hd/

 

[PlusP]

http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/customize-reloader.html

 

[rbernie]

Last year, I moved from a Lee Classic Cast Turret to a 550B and I couldn't be happier.

Swapping the toolhead on the 50B requires pulling two pins - just about as simple as the Lee turret. I (mostly) use the Lee dies and AutoDisk on my 550B and they work well. I have moved to Dillon carbide pistol sizing dies because they work with less force needed than their Lee counterparts.

In operation, I use my left hand to rotate the shell holder and put a bullet on the case mouth of the brass in the third die, while my right hand puts a new case in the ram; it's really very fast (much faster than the Lee, even when using the Lee autoindexing) and very simple. I really can get 400-500 rounds made per hour.

 

[MoreIsLess]

This 2-part video will give you a very good idea of what a caliber change on a 650 is like:

http://ultimatereloader.com/2009/09/07/xl650-caliber-change-22-250-to-45acp-part-i-hd/

http://ultimatereloader.com/2009/09/07/xl650-caliber-change-22-250-to-45acp-part-ii-hd/

Wow, what a pain. I guess if you don't want to have to deal with this hassle and you load multiple calibers the best thing to do is load enough ammo for each caliber to last you for the entire month or get a 550.

 

[MoreIsLess]

If you do a lot of small batches of different calibers you'll want a 550,if you do large amounts of one caliber the 650 is what you need...
I had a loadmaster years ago and now I use a 550 I like the manual indexing it gives me a better feel as to going on when running the press.
There are no price breaks on new Dillon stuff and used presses sell fast at 80% of retail ..
I'd recommend you call Dillon and ask all the questions you can think of .
They can fit you with a press that will best match your needs and won't pressure you to buy unless you say want to...

Yes you will need a conversion kit ,tool head and dies to change calibers The 550 parts will cost less...

The 550 change over takes 10 minuets the 650 maybe more ..

I only load 3 calibers, 45ACP, 9mm and 38 spl. I probably load 9mm 5 times for every 1 time I load .45 and .38 5 to 1 over .45 I tend to stick with 9mm for a week or so when I load 9's and probably only once a week for .45

 

[Damon555]

With the exception of the powder measure (which you need to set unless you buy one for each caliber) changing calibers on the 550 takes about 5 minutes....and that's being in no rush. No headache at all.

No need to get new dies...just use the ones you've already got on hand.

I just got the 550 and couldn't be happier....The quality is top notch and it a breeze to load up tons of ammo.

 

[MoreIsLess]

With the exception of the powder measure (which you need to set unless you buy one for each caliber) changing calibers on the 550 takes about 5 minutes....and that's being in no rush. No headache at all.

No need to get new dies...just use the ones you've already got on hand.

I just got the 550 and couldn't be happier....The quality is top notch and it a breeze to load up tons of ammo.

After watching that video on changing calibers on a 650, I'm kind of leaning toward a 550. I kind of concerned about the manual operation, I am sort of used to auto indexing as I had a Lee Turret press.

Just curious, what were your reasons for considering the 550 over the 650?

 

[Metal Tiger]

BRIAN ENOS DOT COM is where you want to go for all things Dillon.

I bought 550B and 4 Deluxe conversions kits for .44 Mag, 45 LC, 45 ACP, and .357 Mag all with there own powder measure and fixens. You will not be disappointed going this route for up to 1K rounds per month of each caliber. If you are a BIG time reloader in one or two calibers with over 4K of each per month then go with the Dillon 650 other wise stay with the Dillon 550B.

Either one is awesome.

 

[Samari Jack]

Have the 550B and after getting my body automated, love it. Only real gripe I have is the press tends to block visibility a bit. Another is I wished I could look down in the brass on station two and actually see the powder before going to station three. .38s are especially hard. Not much powder in a whole lot of brass. Before I got my routine down I had a round get past me without any powder. Bullet stuck in barrel. Pretty obvious when it happened and tapped it out with a wood dowel after putting the barrel in a vice.

Brings up another thing. No such thing as to much light over the press.

 

[cfullgraf]

Keep up with resizing shortly after shooting and dump the press mounted priming system then prime with a hand primer and cartridge change overs will be a breeze with tool heads set for each cartridge.

Send resized and primed brass through the press for loading and it goes slick and easy.

I prefer progressive presses that auto index (Hornady L-N-L and Dillon SDBs) but lots of folks like the Dillon 550 with the manual index.

 

[cencrunner]

Doesn't take long to train your left thumb. With the detent being so positive as you rotate the shell plate it really is no big deal to advance manually. Unless you are doing really large amounts of reloading in one caliber the 550 gets my vote.
I had both a 550 and a 650 and sold the 650, the 550 fits my reloading needs well. Of course I'm not reloading 2000 rounds of 38 at once either. Both presses are quality items, just depends on your needs.
Frank

 

[rightside]

I started on a 650 and cannot imagine using anything else. I load between 1500 and 2000 rds a month, split between 9mm and .45 and occasionally load for a few of my rifles.

I must admit I load enough to last for awhile of each caliber, but then with the 650 that is a snap.

 

[Damon555]

After watching that video on changing calibers on a 650, I'm kind of leaning toward a 550. I kind of concerned about the manual operation, I am sort of used to auto indexing as I had a Lee Turret press.

Just curious, what were your reasons for considering the 550 over the 650?

There were 2 major factors involved in my choice of the 550 over anything else.

#1 and the primary reason was the fact that I had never loaded on anything other than a single stage press before except for just trying out my brothers RCBS. I didn't want to waste my time on anything of questionable quality. Money was no object but I was mindful of what I was spending. Having never used an auto-indexing press I figured manually indexing wasn't really that big of a deal.....and it isn't. So I went with the Dillon 550

#2 was the fact that I hadn't read 1 bad review about the 550. Every other press had some problem or another that was a consistently showing up in negative reviews. I thought it over for quite some time and I figured I might as well do it right the first time. So I went with the Dillon 550.

Once I got the rhythm of the 6 steps down (insert bullet, insert case, pull handle, prime, check powder charge and rotate) everything fell into place. It's like being in heaven compared to loading on a single stage.

 

[1in9twist]

For me, I like to have an auto index press for calibers I shoot alot of. .40 & .223. Just one less thing to track. That being said, I have a Dillon 550 that I use for smaller runs of ammo.

 

[MoreIsLess]

I am really in a quandry over this. I want to buy the 650, I can afford the extra expense, but I'm hung up on the time it takes to change calibers. However, I am used to auto indexing (Lee Classic Turret) so I'm afraid if I get the 550, I'll wish I had went ahead and got the 650.

 

[rfwobbly]

Forget the about auto indexing. That's a distracting ruse.

Instead, focus on the volume of reloading your shooting requires. You'll be happiest when the machine is matched to the production output.

 

[redneck2]

Most of my loading is for rifle. Since it's typically low volume compared to pistol, I usually load one round start to finish. I find the 550 with manual index is much easier for that. I got the 550 originally after using another older brand that had auto index.

I have an automatic electronic scale that measures each load to +/- .1 as fast as I can seat the bullet. I had a chance to basically trade the 550 even up for a 650 and declined. I've got quite a few different calibers, so time/cost of changes was higher on my priority scale.

Whatever you do, get a separate tool head per caliber. TRUST ME on that. Don't have to get the whole set-up, but at least get the bare tool head.

I have a Dillon powder for each pistol tool head. I also have a Hornady/RCBS rotary and find the Dillon to be as or more accurate. Helps if you use ball powders. I went on a prairie dog hunt and cranked out over 1k of .223's in a little over an afternoon. I used the Dillon measure with AA2230. Excellent.

In any event, if I were loading 500-1k of .40's in a sitting it would be the 650. If you're like me and mainly bounce back and forth between rifle calibers with some pistol mixed in, I'd get the 550

HTH

 

[Kevin Rohrer]

1. My understanding is that you decide what caliber you want the press for and then if you want to switch to another caliber you have to buy a conversion kit for each caliber (plus the dies). Is that correct,for both the 550 and the 650,

I have owned a 550B off and on since 1995. Replaced it w/ a 650, and sold that to get my original 550 back.

Yes, you must get a separate Conversion Kit for each caliber, cost around $30, and they are the same for both the 650 and 550.

2. how much time and headache is involved in switching calibers?

If cost is more important than time, than go w/ only one die plate and powder measure. It will take a half hour or so to make the change on either press.

If you want to balance cost and time, go w/ the 550 and separate die plate, powder measure, and powder die for each caliber. Your dies and powder measure will already be set, so the change takes <5-minutes, unless you are switching from one size primer to another. Add 10-minutes if you do make that change.

If cost is no object, get the 650 and have separate setups for each caliber. Change-out time is 10-minutes, not counting changing primer arms.

The difference between the 550 and 650 is speed, cost, and control over the load process. It is easier to correct mistakes w/ the 550 than the 650. Since safety is more important to me than speed, I stayed w/ the 550. The difference in speed between the two presses is negligible as far as I am concerned.

Here is their decision helper screen:
http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/customize-reloader.html

3.Does the press shipped with whatever die for what ever caliber your getting the press for you decide you want

Either press comes w/ everything you need to get started, minus dies.

Dillon is a system you buy into, and you can sink a lot of money into your press to take advantage of its speed and flexibility. It's currently not the most expensive press on my bench, but will be some day once I buy different caliber setups for each caliber I will be loading on it.

 

[PlusP]

The 550 will serve you well and if you feel the need for a 650 you can sell the 550 for close to what you paid at any time ..
A friend of mine who shoots a lot (300 to 500 per month) is completely satisfied with his 550 that he's been running for the past 10 years....

 

[RandyP]

Congrats on your quandry - lol - I'm sure a lot of us low-budget folks would enjoy having your choice.

Dillon is a superb and very expensive (from my perspective) reloading system of presses and add-ons. On a plus side, I have zero need for that kind of output so would not have one on my bench even if I had the cash to throw at it.

As a highly satisfied Classic turret owner, watching videos of manual advancing press folks reload looks like a lot of busy work that I would not enjoy.

 

[PlusP]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KB6OS0LoRPE&feature=fvsr

The 550 drops a finished round on each pull of the handle that's 300 less pulls per 100 rounds . If you can master the manual priming on the lee the Dillon’s manual indexing is every stroke not 1 every 4 to manually prime on the lee it’s the same amount of work you are used to doing now less 300 strokes per 100 loaded rounds ..
The 650 is nice if you need a lot of ammo every month but it also needs the auto case feeder to utilize it’s full potential that’s $220.00 plus a $40.00 shell plate for each caliber 9mm and 45acp.. that's more things to change over as well ...

You will be very happy with the 550b

 

[RustyFN]

I have been loading on a Lee classic turret five years. I got a Dillon 550 a few months ago to speed up a couple of calibers. I kept the CT and still ue it also. The manual index on the 550 took a little getting used to but it wasn't bad. I went with the 550 because I used one at a friends house and knew it would meet my needs so I didn't want to pay the extra for the 650. You will also find that some calibers will use the same shellplate or locator buttons so you don't always have to buy a complete caliber conversion if you don't want to.