Square Deal B vs XL-750 for new reloader

TacticalJanitor said:
Good info. Can I ask a few question?

Do you have the case feeder on your 750? Do you happen to know how many handgun shells you can load at a "normal person" pace per hour? Do you have quick change plates or do you swap dies to change calibers? How long does either take to change over?
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Yes, I have a case feeder. At an easy, relaxed pace, I can load about 300-400 9mm in an hour. If I really got on it, that number would go up. I have quick change plates...5 of them. With the plates, it takes less than 5 min to change between calibers.

Hope this helps.
 
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As a new reloader hobbyist, starting with the Lee Loader and a mallet and ending up with the XL750 and Lee Pro 6000, the XL750 is a godsend. After futzing around with a Lee Loadmaster, the XL750 is well worth the investment, it works right out of the box and with much support (videos, blogs like this, press instructions, etc). Take a look at page 34 of the XL750 instruction manual to see what calibers require what parts. For example, I reload 22 TCM, 223, 300 BO, and 380 ACP with the same shell plate, station 1, pins, and bushings and this is true for many other calibers so you don't have to buy a conversion kit for each caliber. I only reload about 100 at a time (I shoot to reload), the auto bullet and case feeders cost as much as the press, so I use the DAA mini bullet and case feeders for about $100 each that works great for me. Hope this helps!
 
TacticalJanitor said:
Another thought. On the 750, it seems that I would be able to put either a bullet feeder or a powder check on the extra station. How important is a powder check? Would be a good idea for a new reloader to have one?
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I think a powder check is a must have for loading progressively, be it a new reloader or seasoned veteran. All of my dedicated pistol tool heads have them
 
My first progressive was an SDB. As I got into competition and my shooting volume went through the roof, I graduated to a 1050 and am very glad I did. It was the right decision at the time. Eventually I quit competing and the 1050 was used less and less. Eventually I sold it - and my other progressives - and am back down to that original SDB. It has been rebuilt several times and still does the job.

In my opinion, the OP is correct regarding the 200 rounds per hour figure. Yes, when everything is going well, the cyclic rate is much higher, but including stops to refill hoppers and fix things that go wrong, 200 is about right. That's less than half the production rate of the 1050 - and presumably the XL750, with which I have no experience - and so based on the OP's criteria, I think the 750 is a better choice for him.

I strongly agree with others who have suggested a single stage as a first press, however. I know that advice probably will be met with the same reaction which normally accompanies advice to start with a .22, but much like a .22, there is no better place for even the most advanced beginner to start, and a single stage (again like a .22) lasts forever and never stops being useful.
 
SDB for pistol and a rock chucker for rifle is how I do it. I have a 650 set up for .223 but it pretty much just collects dust. I'm trying to get my kid to take it but he doesn't currently have room


Downside to sdb is it takes proprietary Dillon dies. I bought my sdb used and it came with stacks of caliber conversions so I'm set up for 10 calibers.
 
I greatly appreciate the efforts that everyone has put into advising me in this thread. A member here hooked me up with a really great price for a SDB, but alas, that company will not even entertain a conversation about shipping it to me in another state.

After all the valuable info and insights here, I've decided to order a 750 today with most of the extras. However, there is one last important question that I could use a hand with.

How tall is an XL-750 with the case feeder installed? I have eight-foot ceilings in my hobby shop and 42-inch worktables. It might be wise to find out if I have enough room...or if I will need to build a lower bench to accommodate the 750 (which is not a deal-breaker). In a previous life, I built cabinets for a living.
 
.38 Special said:
I strongly agree with others who have suggested a single stage as a first press
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I disagree. I started with a 650, it continues to be the only press I need and I’ve had no regrets.

As a matter of fact, I’ve heard many reloaders who started with a single stage and later got a progressive lament that they didn’t start with one to begin with.
 
Nature Boy said:
I disagree. I started with a 650, it continues to be the only press I need and I’ve had no regrets.

As a matter of fact, I’ve heard many reloaders who started with a single stage and later got a progressive lament that they didn’t start with one to begin with.
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I know people who started with .44 Magnums and still don't own a .22. I will continue to recommend against it.
 
My kids first rifle was a .22 but they were 7 and 10 respectively.

There’s no rational reason to suggest that everyone’s first press should be a single stage or their first firearm be .22

It’s borderline condescending
 
TacticalJanitor said:
I greatly appreciate the efforts that everyone has put into advising me in this thread. A member here hooked me up with a really great price for a SDB, but alas, that company will not even entertain a conversation about shipping it to me in another state.

After all the valuable info and insights here, I've decided to order a 750 today with most of the extras. However, there is one last important question that I could use a hand with.

How tall is an XL-750 with the case feeder installed? I have eight-foot ceilings in my hobby shop and 42-inch worktables. It might be wise to find out if I have enough room...or if I will need to build a lower bench to accommodate the 750 (which is not a deal-breaker). In a previous life, I built cabinets for a living.
Click to expand...
you won’t regret it!!!
 
Well, I'm glad I asked about the height. Major memory malfunction. The ceiling is 84 inches and the benches are 40. That's pretty tight for a 42 inch press if a fellow wants room to clean the case feeder or dump shells into it.

Looks like I'll be building a new bench. I really needed to do it anyway. I'm currently cleaning up a pile of guns and gun gear every time I need to build something with the woodworking tools. A dedicated firearm station is just the ticket.

Do you folks prefer to work standing up or sitting down when on a progressive press? I've always been a "stand up when doing stuff" sort of guy, but I may not have room to do it with the 750.
 
TacticalJanitor said:
I read that a 550 doesn't have room for a powder check and bullet feeder. To be fair, I haven't spent much time reading up on the 550.
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The 550 has a 4 die toolhead. First is resize, deprime, prime. Second is powder. Third is bullet seating. I don’t use the last position.

I don’t know if you could put a powder check in third station or not. I just look in the case when I advance the platform (manual indexing).

I like my 550C a LOT.

Recommend you look at www.Scheels.com for your Dillon equipment. They ship very fast, and often for free. Prices pretty much same as Dillon website, but way faster to ship!
 
TacticalJanitor said:
Well, I'm glad I asked about the height. Major memory malfunction. The ceiling is 84 inches and the benches are 40. That's pretty tight for a 42 inch press if a fellow wants room to clean the case feeder or dump shells into it.

Looks like I'll be building a new bench. I really needed to do it anyway. I'm currently cleaning up a pile of guns and gun gear every time I need to build something with the woodworking tools. A dedicated firearm station is just the ticket.

Do you folks prefer to work standing up or sitting down when on a progressive press? I've always been a "stand up when doing stuff" sort of guy, but I may not have room to do it with the 750.
Click to expand...
Don’t think too hard about it!!! I have reloaded in a closet in Seattle. Some members reload progressive in a RV! One member mounted a press on a stool and reloads in the swamp!
 
Buzznrose said:
The 550 has a 4 die toolhead. First is resize, deprime, prime. Second is powder. Third is bullet seating. I don’t use the last position.

I don’t know if you could put a powder check in third station or not. I just look in the case when I advance the platform (manual indexing).

I like my 550C a LOT.

Recommend you look at www.Scheels.com for your Dillon equipment. They ship very fast, and often for free. Prices pretty much same as Dillon website, but way faster to ship!
Click to expand...

There is a Scheels about 45 miles from me and they do, indeed have a 750 on hand...but no dies. Of course, with the standard dies I can probably find them anywhere.

My though was to order it all from Dillon since they have most of what I want in stock at the moment (press, feeder, scale, vib cleaner, bullet puller, etc.). If they are going to charge me $100s for shipping though, I will probably drive up to Sheels tomorrow and see just how much accessories they have on hand.

Thanks.
 
TacticalJanitor said:
There is a Scheels about 45 miles from me and they do, indeed have a 750 on hand...but no dies. Of course, with the standard dies I can probably find them anywhere.

My though was to order it all from Dillon since they have most of what I want in stock at the moment (press, feeder, scale, vib cleaner, bullet puller, etc.). If they are going to charge me $100s for shipping though, I will probably drive up to Sheels tomorrow and see just how much accessories they have on hand.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
Scheels has free shipping. Why burn the gas. It will be there in a few days. They ship really fast.
 
TacticalJanitor said:
Well, I'm glad I asked about the height. Major memory malfunction. The ceiling is 84 inches and the benches are 40. That's pretty tight for a 42 inch press if a fellow wants room to clean the case feeder or dump shells into it
Click to expand...
I’m not sure if Inline Fabrication could help here or not, but I use their Quick Connect (QC) system which puts a plate on the bench and then separate plates for each press. Just a thought.
 
Regarding Dillon Dies, they are nice but pricey, and, depending on the caliber, on backorder for a looooong time. The Dillon sizer die comes with a spring loaded decap pin which is supposed to help flick the primer out and not have a half deprimed case hang up the shell plate. Pistol calibers come with three dies so you can expand and crimp in separate stations which I find useful. I do run a combination of Dillon, RCBS and Lee so I’m an ecumenical die user.
 
TacticalJanitor said:
Well, I'm glad I asked about the height. Major memory malfunction. The ceiling is 84 inches and the benches are 40. That's pretty tight for a 42 inch press if a fellow wants room to clean the case feeder or dump shells into it.

Looks like I'll be building a new bench. I really needed to do it anyway. I'm currently cleaning up a pile of guns and gun gear every time I need to build something with the woodworking tools. A dedicated firearm station is just the ticket.

Do you folks prefer to work standing up or sitting down when on a progressive press? I've always been a "stand up when doing stuff" sort of guy, but I may not have room to do it with the 750.
Click to expand...

Definitely standing up. I bought one of these as my bench: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-Kobalt-72-in-Work-Table/5000045517 it's 6' long...plenty of room. A tad pricey but I was too lazy at the time to build...I wanted to reload! lol...have fun buddy.
 
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