View Full Version : Dillon 550?
I am considering starting to reload my empty 9mm/.40 and .223 brass.
I've joined Brian Enos's forum and checked out his package deals for the 550.
My question is whether or not a Dillon 550 will be too much machine for what I plan on doing. I only shoot a few hundred rounds per month, sometimes a little more.
Would a single stage press be better?
What do you think?
rubberneck
10-05-10, 13:05
The 550 is perfect for what you want to do. If you are anything like I was when I bought my first 500 you'll find that the number of rounds you shoot monthly will go up once you start reloading. You could get by with a single stage press but them you'll be working harder for the same result. The time savings alone is worth the extra up front costs.
I upgraded to a 550 from a Rock Chucker (with the piggyback upgrade to the Rock Chucker as an intermediary step) since the time it took to reload 9mm, 40, and 223 on the single stage was much much longer than it took to shoot them up...
Check out the Hornady Lock N' Load and the Dillon 650 also.
I like the 550, but wanted auto-indexing and cheaper/quicker caliber conversions (not just the tool head, but also the shellplates and primer system), so I went with the Hornady.
Plus the 1,000 free bullets made my all-in cost about $200 for the press after selling the bullets off. I think you can still get 500 free bullets until Dec 31, and Midway had the LnL on sale for $385.
Tennvol12345
10-05-10, 20:22
I shoot about 2K centerfire handgun rounds a month and I reload on a Dillion 550B. I considered upgrading to a 650 but the 550B does everything I need it to do and I like the "feel" that it gives me knowing that I've seat a primer correctly. I will say that the one downside to the 550B system is the primer slide, Dillion says they should last 500K rounds but I've had to replace mine after 20K.
Before I loaded on my 550B I loaded on my dads. Hell I started cranking out bullets when I was 10 and that was 23 years ago.
The 550 is perfect for what you want to do.
Indeed. I've since added a single stage to supplement my 550 and take some of the grunt work and special little runs off of it.
It takes 5 seconds to do a complete caliber change on my Locknload single stage. The 550 takes like 5 minutes or more if you switch primer sizes.
I've loaded on my Dillon 550 for years without a hitch except for the initial set up when I dropped a spring. Dillon express mailed me a new one FREE OF CHARGE, so I could get my Christmas present up and running. Primarily.45 ACP but started 5.56 and 6.8 SPC with no problems. As to the single stage, I started out with a turret, which I use when working up loads or when doing something that only requires a few (less than 100) rounds. I'll always keep it (or replace it with a single stage) but the Dillon is the way to go. You will end up shooting more, but gee is that a bad thing?
I just bought a 550. Its nice. Not had the chance to use it other than decapping. Be aware the accesories add up fast, but they should last a lifetime. I'm into it for almost 800 with the press and strong mount and roller handle and tray, a quick change kit, shellplates, extra primer tubes, parts kit. I like it so far. Glad I got it. I can see it will be alot quicker than the single stage I've been using.
I believe my bonus will be spent on a 550 package!!! :secret:
If you want more specific info on the dillon 550B, such as tweaks, resolving specific problems, etc., the Brian Enos forums is a good source. Those 3gun shooters, as well as competitive pistol shooters, have messed with the Dillon presses, powder measures, etc, for years and know their shit.
I've adopted some of their suggestions, such as chamfering the opening in the powder drop tube, shimming the aluminum tool head to reduce OAL variation, and which powders work best in the Dillon.
You can also order the Dillon through Enos and get a small discount.
Mark
MarshallDodge
10-10-10, 12:24
The 550 should work great for your needs. I loaded 468 rounds of 40 S&W in one hour last night with my wife keeping the primer tubes full.
You can't go wrong with the 550. I load on a 550, a 650, and a super 1050 and I like the 550 best. Dillon no BS warrantee is just that. Anytime I have broken anything, a quick call to dillon and the part is in the mail that day. You can get a good deal on it from Enos.
You can also order the Dillon through Enos and get a small discount.
If you go to enos's website and are looking for the small discount: Due to Dillon policy, people like Enos, and me, sell Dillon at MSRP. However, we set our own shipping rates so your discount is reduced or free shipping compared to buying directly from Dillon.
I mention this just so people won't be confused when they go there.
You can't beat the quality and ease of use and amount of info on B. Enos website. He returns emails the same day. Ships fast. A good place to buy from.
Check out the Hornady Lock N' Load and the Dillon 650 also.
I like the 550, but wanted auto-indexing and cheaper/quicker caliber conversions (not just the tool head, but also the shellplates and primer system), so I went with the Hornady.
The only reason I would want auto indexing was if I was going to plunk down the cash for a bullet and shell feeder. Otherwise manual indexing is just as fast(you can only grab a bullet and shell and insert them into the shell plate so fast and that will be the limiting factor on either machine) and a whole lot simpler.
As to the Hornady having cheaper/quicker caliber conversion, thats not quite true. Buying a 10 pack of bushings for the LNL(2 calibers) runs you 50 bucks. Buying 2 tool heads for a 550 are 40 bucks, 2 tool heads for a 650 are 50 bucks. So pretty similar there. Shell plates for the LNL are 40 bucks, a caliber conversion kit(shell plate, powder funnel, and locator buttons) are 45 bucks or so, so again, pretty similar there.
As far as how quick they are to change, I have no experience with the Hornady, but I can change my 550b out in about 10 minutes and that is with cleaning everything up and re lubing what needs it and anything else that needs to be done.
The thing I like about the Dillon stuff, and really Brian Enos, is that he sells stuff for caliber conversion by itself. You can re-use the shell plate for several different calibers depending on what it is(9mm plate works for .40 and a few others as well, same with .223 working with a few different rounds also).
The Dillon dies are more expensive, not the most expensive, but more so than Hornady or Lee dies. I have only Dillon dies because I thought the quality was worth the extra money for the 3 main rounds I load. If I get something that I am not going to shoot alot(.44mag for instance) I will probably pick up some lee dies or something cheap like that.
As for the 550b, its a great machine. I have thousands of rounds loaded on mine with almost no issues. The two things that pop up from time to time are the primer feed system screws up, but that is usually a quick fix of taking the system apart and cleaning it up. I have had spent primers land down on the primer slide and then it cant go back far enough to pick up a new primer. The other problem I have from time to time is that the cotter pin that holds the little door on the primer shoot in place gets bent and then the door jams up and pushes things out of alignment. Now that I know what causes it, as soon as I see it I pull the cotter pin, straighten it out, and throw it back in. I have read on the Brian Enos forums to get a large safety pin and put it in there, I havent done that yet.
And prepare to spend double what you thought on accessories. I have about 2000 total into my setup for .223, .45, and 9mm. Most things are not expensive, 50 bucks or so, but they add up. I have the electric trimmer setup as well, which for me, was well worth the cost. I also got a Dillon Super Swage, but I never really got it setup right and just end up using my hand reamer for the primer pockets.
Two things I definitely recommend is the roller handle and a second powder throw with the rifle powder bar in it. Powder bar is a PITA to change(its not that bad, but I dont want to do it every time I switch form pistol to rifle). You can get a deluxe caliber change kit(I think thats what it was called) with a powder thrower, caliber conversion kit, tool head, and tool head stand.
The Dillon dies are more expensive, not the most expensive, but more so than Hornady or Lee dies. I have only Dillon dies because I thought the quality was worth the extra money for the 3 main rounds I load. If I get something that I am not going to shoot alot(.44mag for instance) I will probably pick up some lee dies or something cheap like that.
Dillon dies are not as bad when you look at the cost of separate crimp and seating dies from the other brands.
And the reversible easy to change seating stem for pistol dies. And if you load lead, the fact that they come apart easily without losing their setting so you can clean out excess lube, lead shavings, etc.
And that they are made for progressives with the wide radiused mouths etc. I upgraded some RCBS dies I was using to Dillon because of that alone. Redding also makes progressive die sets with separate seating and crimping dies and they are in line with Dillon pricing.
Dillon dies are not as bad when you look at the cost of separate crimp and seating dies from the other brands.
And the reversible easy to change seating stem for pistol dies. And if you load lead, the fact that they come apart easily without losing their setting so you can clean out excess lube, lead shavings, etc.
And that they are made for progressives with the wide radiused mouths etc. I upgraded some RCBS dies I was using to Dillon because of that alone. Redding also makes progressive die sets with separate seating and crimping dies and they are in line with Dillon pricing.
Your right I forgot about the differences in the Dillon dies and why they were a little more expensive. I guess I havent used any other cheaper dies so I forget that they dont have the reversible plug as well as the separate seating and crimp die. I did not know that the mouths were larger than regular dies specific to the progressive machine. Thats good to know.
Dillon lock rings suck though.
Dillon lock rings suck though.
how so? I've been using them for years and they work just fine. I have in fact replaced other cumbersome brands with Dillon ones.
The Dillon dies seem to be quality but it would be nice if the lock ring had a set screw to hold it in place. It's not a huge deal but it would be nice. I'm still happy with the ones I own.
how so? I've been using them for years and they work just fine. I have in fact replaced other cumbersome brands with Dillon ones.
Kind of a long story. Several years ago I purchased an AT500 and a .223 trim die, w/Dillon trimmer. While trying to get the trim die adjusted to bump the shoulder .003" I used the supplied Dillon lock ring. But whenever I started up the trimmer motor, the die would spin a tad in the toolhead on startup. I guess it was the torque of the motor, it visibly spun the die enough that my efforts to achieve .003" shoulder bump just flew out the window.
So I attempted to tighten the lock ring some more, get that mutha on there tightly. In the process I broke the ring. It snapped from the pressure I applied using my channel locks or whatever wrench I had at the time.
So then I called Dillon customer service/tech support and explained the situation. They mentioned they had never heard of this happening, basically the guy was kind of like, "It sucks to be you". They were kind enough to SELL me a replacement lock ring for the whopping $2 or whatever they charged for it at the time, while tacking on the obligatory S&H. No offer to just send one out, he was clear I would have to purchase one because I broke the lock ring. Fair enough I suppose, he was right, I did break it, but it was because their lock ring/die/toolhead combo didn't allow the die to stay put. So I ordered a couple of replacements and a couple of other items to defray the S&H.
After the replacement arrived, same story. The die still spun on motor startup so I ended up using the new lock ring on top, a Lee lock ring w/rubber o-ring on the bottom of the toolhead (that I had to file down one side a bit to provide necessary clearance from an adjacent die or the ceter shaft, something) and some thread locker to keep everything in place.
It all works perfectly now, I can't complain about performance of the setup. Actually I'm very pleased with the setup, to this day when folks ask about "what trimmer should I get" I recommend that reloaders give strong consideration to the Dillon trimmer system. But it was a royal PITA getting to the point that the damn thing worked like it was supposed to. And everytime I read about Dillon's "no BS" warranty, I just chuckle.
mkmckinley
10-11-10, 19:41
I use a Dillon 550B and feel like I made the right choice. I have no experience with the Hornady but after doing a bunch of research I went with the Dillon. The starter kit Enos sells for about $1000 is legit. I wouldn't even consider using only a single stage. It's just too inefficient. The only time I use my Rock Chucker is if I want to do an intermediate step without pulling a die out of a 550 toolhead. I recommend getting dedicated powder measures for the calibers you load the most and then have an extra one for those once-in-awhile calibers. Even shooting a few hundred rounds a month you'll pay for your setup pretty quickly. Just buy components in bulk.
jmart: I have the dillon 1200 trimmer, dillon dies, tool heads, lock rings, etc... and have not had a problem with the trimmer die torquing and unlocking the lock ring. My lock rings have been rock solid through thousands of rounds and lots of adjustments due to trying different bullets/weights/OAL/etc... I have the wrench dillon sells for the lock rings as well as a socket for the actual die so I get no slippage of anything. I have been 100% happy with the setup.
rjacobs,
I don't doubt you for a second. My situation was probably one where the die diameter was threaded to minimum spec and the toolhead and/or lock ring was machined to the maximum. Not enough grip from the threads. I don't think this is a prevalent design flaw, it's not like I read about this happening often, yet it happened to me. Just the luck of the draw I guess.
I like my setup now that it's solid. Zero complaints. As stated before, it was just a royal PITA getting to that point.
Kind of a long story. Several years ago I purchased an AT500 and a .223 trim die, w/Dillon trimmer. While trying to get the trim die adjusted to bump the shoulder .003" I used the supplied Dillon lock ring. But whenever I started up the trimmer motor, the die would spin a tad in the toolhead on startup. I guess it was the torque of the motor, it visibly spun the die enough that my efforts to achieve .003" shoulder bump just flew out the window.
So I attempted to tighten the lock ring some more, get that mutha on there tightly. In the process I broke the ring. It snapped from the pressure I applied using my channel locks or whatever wrench I had at the time.
So then I called Dillon customer service/tech support and explained the situation. They mentioned they had never heard of this happening, basically the guy was kind of like, "It sucks to be you". They were kind enough to SELL me a replacement lock ring for the whopping $2 or whatever they charged for it at the time, while tacking on the obligatory S&H. No offer to just send one out, he was clear I would have to purchase one because I broke the lock ring. Fair enough I suppose, he was right, I did break it, but it was because their lock ring/die/toolhead combo didn't allow the die to stay put. So I ordered a couple of replacements and a couple of other items to defray the S&H.
After the replacement arrived, same story. The die still spun on motor startup so I ended up using the new lock ring on top, a Lee lock ring w/rubber o-ring on the bottom of the toolhead (that I had to file down one side a bit to provide necessary clearance from an adjacent die or the ceter shaft, something) and some thread locker to keep everything in place.
It all works perfectly now, I can't complain about performance of the setup. Actually I'm very pleased with the setup, to this day when folks ask about "what trimmer should I get" I recommend that reloaders give strong consideration to the Dillon trimmer system. But it was a royal PITA getting to the point that the damn thing worked like it was supposed to. And everytime I read about Dillon's "no BS" warranty, I just chuckle.
Sorry to hear about it. While I personally have not seen this issue -- my trimmer does not attempt to torque the die further into the toolhead -- I don't doubt it was a frustrating experience.
You are probably correct in that the die was on one end of the tolerances or maybe the TH or both.
If you don't get satisfaction when speaking to a Dillon rep (does happen though rare), ask to speak to a manager or just hang up and call back and get a different guy. That usually gets things taken care of.
In the latest Blue Press Dillon has a new version of the 550 available called the BL 550 (Basic Loader 550). This is not an AT 500 though it seems to replace the AT 500. The BL 550 looks to be an RL 550B without the primer system and automatic powder system. It also seems, from the picture, that the finished bullet bin is gone.
The MSRP is $259.95 and it can be upgraded to the full RL 550B with the same add-on kits that the AT 500 had.
The difference between the BL 550 and the AT 500, from looking at the Blue Press listing for this, is that it uses normal RL 550B conversion kits, which are purchased separately. It does not come with a universal shellplate and a bunch of powder funnels like the AT 500 did. It also comes with the "star wheel" indexing thing, unlike the AT 500 which had a different indexing piece due to the universal shell plate.
Here is the Dillon link on their website
http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/content/p/9/pid/25792/catid/1/BL_550_Basic_Loader
The difference, as far as I can tell, between the BL 550 and the AT 500 is that the BL 550 does NOT have the universal shellplate and the powder funnels included, but does have the star wheel indexing lever from the auto eject kit.
In the latest Blue Press Dillon has a new version of the 550 available called the BL 550 (Basic Loader 550). This is not an AT 500 though it seems to replace the AT 500. The BL 550 looks to be an RL 550B without the primer system and automatic powder system. It also seems, from the picture, that the finished bullet bin is gone.
The MSRP is $259.95 and it can be upgraded to the full RL 550B with the same add-on kits that the AT 500 had.
The difference between the BL 550 and the AT 500, from looking at the Blue Press listing for this, is that it uses normal RL 550B conversion kits, which are purchased separately. It does not come with a universal shellplate and a bunch of powder funnels like the AT 500 did. It also comes with the "star wheel" indexing thing, unlike the AT 500 which had a different indexing piece due to the universal shell plate.
Here is the Dillon link on their website
http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/content/p/9/pid/25792/catid/1/BL_550_Basic_Loader
The difference, as far as I can tell, between the BL 550 and the AT 500 is that the BL 550 does NOT have the universal shellplate and the powder funnels included, but does have the star wheel indexing lever from the auto eject kit.
This is exactly how I purchased my AT500 and upgrade parts. I already had a Lee powder measure and Lee dies, and I prime off the press using a Lee hand-held primer tool. I didn't want to purchase the extra pieces that came with the 550 only to discard them so I bought an AT500 and the upgrade parts to turn it into a progressive.
This is a great deal for people looking to upgrade from what they already have. If you are getting into reloading for the first time you can either go this route (and fill the powder charging and priming holes with alternative products) or just buy a complete 550 that has it all.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.