RCBS 2000===Dillon 550??????

[lostone1413]

posted January 13, 2004 04:50 PM
I'm thinking of getting a Progressive reloading press. For now I use the rock chuck and have had good luck with it and very good service from RCBS. I see a few Pro 2000 Progressive presses on E-Bay I was wondering if anyone has or knows someone who has the 2000 Rcbs press and how they like it and how does it compare with the RL 550B Dillon press????

 

[Peter M. Eick]

I don't have a 550 so I cannot compare but I really like the safety of the rcbs aps primer strips on my pro2000. That was the selling feature to me, but the APS strips never caught on. The pro2000 is a good machine, works well for me and I have had no real problems with it.

What it comes down to is do you want your primers in a plastic strip or stacked on top of each other if they detonate. Since my daughter sleeps above the reloading room, stacked primers were out of the question.

Do some searchs on primers blowing up in the tubes. There have been a few threads on it lately.

Good luck.

 

[klw]

I've got two RCBS Pro 2000 and two Piggyback #3's all of which use the strip primers.

I've also owned quite a few of the Dillon machines, everything from the Super Star kit (Dillon's first product) to the RL1000.

Certainly the Dillon's are nice BUT based on my experience I think that the newest variations of the RCBS are better. Much slicker primer system.

 

[griz]

I've got a 2000 but do not own a Dillon. Besides the priming, the other difference is the die layout. The RCBS has the powder measure in the frame of the press, not in the Die Plate. This makes it cheaper to have permenant set ups for differnt calibers, but removes the option of throwing the powder at anthing other than the third station. I would like that capability to be able to charge cases, use a powder check die, seat the bullet, and crimp on yet another die. If I understand correctly I could do that on the Dillon. Overall I am quite happy with the RCBS and have no plans to get a Dillon.

 

[MoNsTeR]

I wouldn't trade my 550 for a dozen Pro2000's.
(Yes, I have both.)

 

[Master Blaster]

So far I have had no detonations of primers in the magazine tube.

The primer is far from the rest of the primers in the magazine when its actually seated in the case, since the primer slide is 4" long and picks up a primer and then moves forward to the hole in the ram. Unless you pounded on the tube with a hammer I dont really see how this could happen.

I love my 550 about 20,000 trouble free rounds loaded so far, and I havent even worn out the plastic tip on the feed tube yet. (replacable cost 15 cents)

 

[m1911joe]

Have not had any KB's on my 550's primer system. Have had it since 1985.
From what I have heard is that the primer strip system is being discontinued!
Don't know how much good that system will be when the
strips wear out and you can't buy any more.

Please make mine a single stack like my 1911. Don't have any problem
with it.

 

[Deavis]

I owned a RCBS2000 for a couple years and I liked everything about the machine except the priming. The APS strips were a good idea but loading them with the included strip loader, since APS didn't catch on, is a pain in the butt. I changed to the regular RAM priming system but it never really worked to my satisfaction, even after RCBS replaced the a couple components for me.

I bought a Dillon 650xl simply because I hated the priming action of the RCBS so much. The entire action and setup of the Dillon puts the RCBS to shame for quality. However, you pay for it with Dillon and the 2000 is a good all round press. Can't go wrong with either brand because both have good customer service.

Anthony

 

[klw]

RCBS strip primers

I e-mailed a friends who works for RCBS and asked if the strip primers were on their way out. ABSOLUTELY NOT!! True only RCBS uses them but, well, RCBS also is owned by the same people who make these primers.

I've probably used about 60,000 of these strip primers. The few jams I have had were very minor.

I've put a lot a primers through other types of progressives, Star's, Dillon's, etc. Though they too worked well, in my opinion the RCBS strip primer system is a DISTINCT improvement.

I've got right at 100,000 strip primers and am looking to order another 60,000 shortly. Obviously I'm a fan.

 

[g56]

I've loaded so many rounds on my Dillon in the last 18 years I can't even keep track, I do know I've used 13,000 primers in the last 2 years! RCBS is good, I have a Rock Chucker sitting right next to the Dillon, but for quantity loading Dillon is the one.