Should I buy my reloading equipment locally from a professional reloading company?

[JLStorm]

I am going to be buying some dillon reloading equipment. There is a company near me called Better Bullets http://www.betterbullets.com/index.htm that is an FFL but makes most of their money reloading for clients, they are very friendly there and their prices for equipment are ok, not amazing, but ok. They are very close to me and I think I could walk in there at any time and ask them any questions I have about the process. I have also heard that Dillons customer service is great as well.

Which would you buy from, the manufacturer or a reseller with a lot of knowledge who is 10 minutes away from you?

 

[Buzztail]

Yep, I try to buy from, and support local business when I can. Even if it's a little more money.

 

[JLStorm]

Would I still get Dillon's warranty and be able to use their customer service if I needed it?

 

[garand]

It used to be that anything blue in color sent back to Dillon was under warranty. This has been slowly changing over time due to costs but as far as I know Dillon's warranty holds on presses, dies and a few other items. Things like electronic scales have different warranties.

 

[Outlaws]

You mean if you buy a Dillon from a distributor, will it be under warranty still? Yes. I got mine used from a private party sale and it is fully covered.

 

[JLStorm]

Yes they are a Dillon reseller.

 

[SASS#23149]

I"d buy from the local guy,the warranty will still be in place.

 

[RustyFN]

I would buy from the local dealer as long as the price was in the ball park.
Rusty

 

[Walkalong]

I'd buy from them as long as the price is reasonable and they are friendly and helpfull as you say. The few extra dollars will be well spent with someone like that who is knowledgable and helpfull to their customers.

 

[Jim Watson]

I bought my S1050 from a nearby commercial reloader. He had it sent in with his regular order of parts and equipment from Dillon and I saved on shipping. He actually discounted it a bit; I had been looking at an original 1050 and got caught in the transition to the Super. So he took a little less markup and my total cost was for very little more than a 1050 plus shipping.

When I wanted the gradual advance lever to avoid powder sloshing, they furnished it on guarantee... after I asked for the rep I had discussed it with on the Net when the first phone guy wanted to charge me $78 for one part.

I had a secondhand SDB completely overhauled after the frame cracked.

Dillon presses are guaranteed regardless of source or age. I know of one guy who had to pay for some stuff because the crook-bay seller did not include everything that normally comes with the press. No breakage, just shorted on a long distance second hand purchase from a stranger.

 

[E20thLRP]

"Midwayusa" has always been great to me just the last month they sent me the wrong bullets > I called them up not only did they send me the right bullets but told me to keep the wrong ones they sent and to Give them to someone at the Range..now that's Good Folks!! But I would also use the local
Guy that way you have the best of both Worlds.. sometime I don't want to wait on shipping..I buy from my Local Guy but he is a lot HIGHER ....Echo out.

 

[Linear Thinker]

Jim W,
You mentioned:

"When I wanted the gradual advance lever to avoid powder sloshing"

Please explain - the gradual advance lever is new to me, and I've been using RL1000s and 1050s for a long time. Powder sloshing is all too familiar with a 1050.

Sorry for diverting the thread.
LT

 

[Jim Watson]

I understand that what I call the gradual advance lever is a change to put the Super 1050 indexing back to where the regular 1050 was. If you get sloshing of powder in an original 1050, I don't know what to do about that. The new advance has pretty well cured the problem with .45 ACP + HP38 in my S1050.

Much discussion at one time on the Benos board.

 

[Linear Thinker]

Jim - thank you.
I will check the Brian's board for more info. My presses are 1000s and 1050s, not Supers. They all slosh, more so with some powders. I was considering slathering the bottom of the shellplates with grease at some point, to retard the sharp stop of the shellplate advance. Will do more research.
LT