"If you decide on the Dillon, it's going to be about $500 to get started. Probably not too far off from the Hornady. This would be the press and the extra stuff required."
Actually, cheaper than that for the Hornady based on current prices.
"Supposedly, one of the big "advantages" of the Hornady is that you can just change powder bushings, so the caliber change is quicker."
Obviously, you have no clue what you're talking about related to Hornady bushings. It's Lock N Load bushings that have nothing to do with the powder.
"Thing Hornady owners conveniently forget is that, if you're changing calibers, you're most likely changing powder too. This means you have to remove the powder measure, dump it, and then refill with the correct powder. God help you if you change calibers and either forget to change the bushing or put the wrong one in."
Fact is, the Hornady measure is easier to swap powders out on, because you can remove it quick and easy without a huge square hunk of aluminum and a die set hanging off of it.
"Dillon purposely makes their set-up so that you change the whole tool head including the powder measure. I have 5 total set ups. I slide a tool head out and slide a new one in. Total caliber change takes maybe 2 minutes (including the shell plate). If you have to change primers (small to large, etc.), add a few minutes. Can't be any faster on the Hornady, and if you change powder it's going to be WAY slower."
Wow, nice marketing spin on the fact the Dillon toolhead design is ten years old and obseleted by the Lock N Load bushing system. Dillon didn't do that purposely, it was just the best idea back then. But you forget to mention all those extra crappy over priced powder measures and extra junk to get to that speed and on top of that, the Hornady is still faster. Lesse, 5 powder measures vs. one powder measure - That's $280 bucks more you had to spend just to get close to the Hornady in changeover speed. Let's see, we're now at a $380.00 difference in price. And sorry, charlie, but it's not "way" slower. You're assuming that, because those crappy Dillon powder measures are so slow to adjust. And the Hornady still beat the Dillons, because the Hornady can handle powders the Dillon cannot without major modfications.
"If you need to get by cheaper, read the "sticky" at the top of the forum about tips and tricks. You can use Lee powder measures. Now you're talking maybe $20 for the tool head and powder measure."
Ah, so now you have to make compromises in your powder measure to save a few bucks, though the truth of it is the Lee Pro Auto Disk is as good as powder measure as the Dillon. But you still DO NOT have as good as powder measure as a Hornady Lock N Load powder measure, because it doesn't handle as many powder measures. Ok, so that's 4 Lee measures at only 30 bucks each, so you're now at only $120.00 extra for powder measures, plus buying Lee die sets to work with them. So only $220.00 more than the Hornady.
"I assume you have to change the powder bushing on the Hornady just like you do on the Dillon if you have the through the bushing powder feed."
Yes, except it's a lot easier and quicker to do.
"I don't understand the thing about primers clogging up the works with a Dillon. My 550 spits the primers into a little cup that mounts under the press."
And leaves nasty primer residue all over the place, just like most single stages have done for years.
"I had a Hornady with an auto advance. I thought it was a PITA and tried to disconnect it. When you're setting up, every time you cycle the handle the damned shell plates moves. If you're trying to set the flare for bullet seating, you have to keep moving the case around. Actually, that's the single biggest reason I sold the Hornady and got a 550 instead of a 650."
So you're really saying you didn't have the mechanical aptitude to get comfortable with automatic advance and needed a turret style press to be comfortable.
"Bottom line....I think the powder measure thing is WAY overblown. If you don't buy separate measures, you spend your time dinking around adjusting and dumping/replacing powder. Any time you have to go thru all these motions, there's more chance of error. Yeah, it cost maybe $75 each. Since the gun I'm using to shoot the reloads is maybe $1,000+, it isn't a big deal IMO."
Notice here the Dilllon powder measure requires a bunch of dinking around adjustments. The Hornady takes a few seconds and as far as dumpiing/replacing powder, you should always dump and store your powder to take care of the powder. You'll notice no one in those Dillon owner pictures keeps powder in those measures. With the Hornady, the powder measure adjustment is so easy, especially with the Micrometer insert, adding powder measures because of adjustment hassles isn't a consideration and you don't need them, because you're not tied down to a toolhead.
"Guys have gotten into lots of bashing about price. Actually, I think it's pretty stupid. You'll probably have the press for years and years. Why would you care about $100 over the course of 10-20 years? In any event, in the end it seems to come out pretty close."
Actually, it's not a hundred bucks over that period. It's several hundred bucks. Enough to buy several guns, especially if you collect milsurps. Additionally, why blow your money on something that costs more and performs less when you can get better performance for less money? Pouring money down the toilet for less performance is, to me, pretty stupid. And if you're going to have it for years and years, why not get something that gives you more bang for the buck?
