I am not trying to start a fight........Dillon vs Hornady

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Pretty much EVERYONE makes a decent loading rig...it's all about what YOU think is ideal for your use.
Dillon makes some FINE equipment...and it's not any more expensive that RCBS and others.
Lee makes some fine equipment that gets the job done...and costs a whole lot less.
 
KansasPaul said:
Both would be fine machines for reloading. I like the Dillon 550 although it is not an auto progressive like the 650. Big price difference between the 650 and Hornady L-n-L. One thing to be aware of with the Hornady though - in some of the smaller calibers such as .380, only Hornady dies are long enough to work in the L-n-L. I called Hornady about this and their customer service confirmed that some dies are okay (length) while others are not. Some Lee will work, some Lee dies will not. If you have to purchase new die sets in order for the machine to work you need to factor that into your decision. Because of the variety of different manufacture dies that I already owned my decision was to go with an RCBS progressive versus the L-n-L.

Blessings,

Paul
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Just turn the nut over on the Lee dies, then they will work.
 
Winchester,

You are welcome, and feel free to ask any specific questions you may have. The points you mention are very good. I'll add that the powder measure has been outstanding for me. Once you set it, it's on with very little, if any, variation with the powders I use (.01gr). And Red is a good looking color!
On your LCTP, DO NOT sell it. Keep it for the SS work and for lower volume work as needed. Like I said - my RCBS RC is on the bench beside my LNL.
 
I prefer the Hornady because you can keep your right hand on the handle and do the busy work with your left. The comparable Dillon 650XL demands a case feeder from the outset, while the Hornady case feeder can easily come later or never.

I waited on my LnL case feeder and was able to snag a good sale price much later. I don't know that their "Ammo Plant" bundle of press, case feeder, and bullet feeder is that much of a savings, not to mention that users of lead bullets would not use the bullet feeder.

I have not owned, used, or seen a Dillon up close, but did the feature comparison and believe I made the right choice for me in going with the Hornady.
 
6. And not that this one matters much but it is just a good looking press:)
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The strange shade of blue must be an acquired taste. I would be tempted to change it on arrival. As machinery porn goes, I think my Hornady is right up there in good looks.
 
mstreddy, and anyone else that would care to answer........

I do have a specific question about the Hornady powder Measure in regards to stick powders specifically Varget, as that is what I use for .223. I have read and heard about Varget being difficult to measure consistently through the powder measure. Is that true? I have heard that the powder measure sometimes has trouble with stick powders, that they sometimes can get lodged in the opening and have to be sheered.

Is this something that I would need to worry about, or is this something that I could simply overcome by using a different powder for .223?

Thanks again to all for your help and advice!!!

John
 
RealGun said:
The strange shade of blue must be an acquired taste. I would be tempted to change it on arrival. As machinery porn goes, I think my Hornady is right up there in good looks.
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RealGun,

Funny thing is......Blue is my favorite color ;)

But there is something about the LnL that is just flat out appealing! ;)
 
Hornady works great for me. The only thing I don't like is that it doesn't include ANY case feeding mechanism unless you buy the case feeder. With the Dillon you get the tube that you can manually fill and the separate feeder is just for the hopper and motor assembly.

I've personally never loaded on a Dillon but their reputation speaks for itself - its great equipment. HOWEVER, the Hornady costed less for me, and with the 500 free bullet rebate it was a no-brainer.
 
Cost is the major factor that lets Hornady beat Dillon when it comes to multiple caliber reloading.

You need one powder measure, and no extra toolheads.

Changing from large pistol primers to small pistol primers takes 5 minutes, without any rush.

For the price of a 650 with 2 toolheads, you can buy 2 LnL AP presses, have change left over, and have one setup for large pistol and the other for small pistol.
 
Where is the best resource for the shell plates? I am searching for the best price on those!
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eBay has a bunch, but you have to consider BuyItNow and whether shipping is included...if not, how much additional. Amazon is a good source but again consider what shipping is included...you know how that goes.
 
After loading on a Dillon 450 for over 20 years, I decided that it was time for an upgrade (not quite sure why). I bought the L-n-L, but for some reason never cared for the press. Not saying it wasn't a good press, just saying I didn't care for it after using a Dillon for so many years. Personal preference. I sold it and bought a Dillon 650 and a case feeder. I love the press. I'm glad I talked myself out of selling my 450, which still works great. Now I have one press for 45ACP (the 450) and one press for everything else. If you don't care about a 5 die press, don't overlook the 550 just because it has manual indexing. I don't see that much of a difference in the amount of ammo loaded in a given time. Besides, time spent at the loading bench is time well spent and shouldn't be hurried. JMHO.
 
I have not owned, used, or seen a Dillon up close, but did the feature comparison and believe I made the right choice for me in going with the Hornady.
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This is all that really matters, if you are happy with it.

At one point I had two LNL's (pre and post EZ ject), sold them both in favor for the 650's but I can see how you won't miss the 650 if you have never used one.

Hornady works great for me. The only thing I don't like is that it doesn't include ANY case feeding mechanism unless you buy the case feeder. With the Dillon you get the tube that you can manually fill and the separate feeder is just for the hopper and motor assembly.
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This is why the LNL looks so much cheaper for just the press but costs more than the 650 to add case feed. All the Dillon needs is the collator and the LNL needs everything. Also why the Dillon has fewer problems with its case feed device.

I do have a specific question about the Hornady powder Measure in regards to stick powders specifically Varget, as that is what I use for .223. I have read and heard about Varget being difficult to measure consistently through the powder measure. Is that true? I have heard that the powder measure sometimes has trouble with stick powders, that they sometimes can get lodged in the opening and have to be sheered.
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This is why I bought my first LNL. A friend gave me a 20lb keg of 3031 that the Dillon measure didn't like. Unfortunately the LNL measure didn't like it any better.
 
John,

I haven't loaded Varget. Where can I find some of that? I've mostly used spherical powders in the PM and they have worked great. I've used Win231, WST, IMR4227, and BL-C(2). I used 4064 and it was crunching a bit, I have used RL-15 in the RCBS measure that is very similar to the Hornady and can't remember any issues. There are some posters here that use various powders without many issues. Let's see what they have to say.

Eddy
 
bullethead,

Thanks for that! I think that due to amount of change over that I will have to do, the LnL is the better option for me. I have no doubt that the Dillon is a fabulous press, it has to be with such a loyal following. But after the math and some other considerations, the LnL makes more sense for me.

Thanks again!
John
 
This is why the LNL looks so much cheaper for just the press but costs more than the 650 to add case feed. All the Dillon needs is the collator and the LNL needs everything. Also why the Dillon has fewer problems with its case feed device.
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Hornady street price seems to be $436, with the case feeder at $334. That puts it a few dollars cheaper than the Dillon. They are so close that one has to look to what other things need to be included to find any differential, if significant.
 
My only complaint again the hornady is that unless something has changed or I have bad info, they don't support the press in terms of parts availability after they move on to a new press whereas the dillion will supposedly support the press forever. That said, I like the hornnady press better, though I run a Lee mostly because of cost and because I simply love the case feeder. They seem to have mostly worked out the priming issues as well.
 
I've had the opportunity to try the Dillon, Hornady, and RCBS which I own, and to be truthful with ya, I'm used to my RCBS and at my age, I'm too old to change. I don't understand why you don't continue to use your Hornady LNL if your happy with it. I know the customer service at RCBS is fantastic and they have about completely rebuilt my entire press since I owned it for free. Incidentally I've owned it for well over 20 years and loaded quite a few rounds thru it in that time, and got the updates on it also for free.
 
loose noose said:
I've had the opportunity to try the Dillon, Hornady, and RCBS which I own, and to be truthful with ya, I'm used to my RCBS and at my age, I'm too old to change. I don't understand why you don't continue to use your Hornady LNL if your happy with it. I know the customer service at RCBS is fantastic and they have about completely rebuilt my entire press since I owned it for free. Incidentally I've owned it for well over 20 years and loaded quite a few rounds thru it in that time, and got the updates on it also for free.
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Loose Noose,

If you are addressing me I do not have a LnL. I used one in the past. I currently have a LCTP and want to upgrade to a 5 station progressive and was torn between the Hornady and the Dillon. So before I pulled the trigger on one or the other I wanted to get some pros and cons of each to consider before purchase.

This thread has delivered big time! It stayed in the friendly helpful spirit that I have come to enjoy about this site over others.

All my questions and concerns have been addressed, and I will be adding a LnL to the bench at the end of the week! ;)

Thanks again to all for your help and assistance!

John
 
I have had the Lee progressive and now have a Hornady . I just had to order parts for the Hornady and they up graded my parts with improvements they made since I first purchased mine.I have been very pleased with both the press and the service from Hornady. I to have had trouble using Lee dies on the Hornady.
 
Winchester 70 said:
mstreddy, and anyone else that would care to answer........

I do have a specific question about the Hornady powder Measure in regards to stick powders specifically Varget, as that is what I use for .223. I have read and heard about Varget being difficult to measure consistently through the powder measure. Is that true? I have heard that the powder measure sometimes has trouble with stick powders, that they sometimes can get lodged in the opening and have to be sheered.

Is this something that I would need to worry about, or is this something that I could simply overcome by using a different powder for .223?

Thanks again to all for your help and advice!!!

John
Click to expand...
I think if the Hornady has trouble with a certain powder, the others will too.
 
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