Dillon Press

[Fiskare]

Considering a dillon press. Anyone have input?

[cowboy]

I have a 550 and have nothing but positive to say about it. Use it for 90% pistol - on rifle ammo I only use it for .222 and .223 where I'll load a 1000 rounds or so at a time.

Been around the Hornady and RCBS progressives and much prefer the Dillon.

If you have any specific questions - I'd be more than happy to give you my .02 cent opinion.

[Hairtrigger]

dillon SDB only pistol calibers
550B not auto indexing... more of a chance of a double charge! Could greatly benifit from another die station
650 costly ,,,,,
All Dillon machines come with a powder measure that has a slide bar, flake powders and small ball powders will cause fits
Consider the Hornady LNL AP. Much cheeper to change calibers if you are loading more than one . The powder measure is much better than what dillon offers.

[cowboy]

Originally Posted by Hairtrigger

dillon SDB only pistol calibers
550B not auto indexing... more of a chance of a double charge! Could greatly benifit from another die station
650 costly ,,,,,
All Dillon machines come with a powder measure that has a slide bar, flake powders and small ball powders will cause fits
Consider the Hornady LNL AP. Much cheeper to change calibers if you are loading more than one . The powder measure is much better than what dillon offers.

The 550 is auto indexing and I have no idea what I'd do with another station.
Have never had one incident with a flake powder or small ball powder and it has never caused any "fits ". Have checked powder charge 100's of times on beam scale and no problems.

Dillon's customer service and parts availability are second to none.

Have worked on 2 different new Hornady LNL AP machines in helping get them set up and running. Not going to knock them but if someone stole my Dillon - I'd buy another.

[Hairtrigger]

Originally Posted by cowboy

The 550 is auto indexing and I have no idea what I'd do with another station

I am pretty sure (POSITIVE) the 550b is manual indexing. I have owned several
anyway double charging rifle cases usually overfills the case and it becomes obvious. this means you get to pull out one of those little brass pins to get the case out, (dont lose it) the Hornady has a spring, just slide the case out until it clears the shell plate , the case it retained by a spring, I have yet to need to replace the spring or lose it. the spring works for all calibers!
A powder check die can be a handy item when loading cases that the powder does not come up the case far enough to see down the neck... this fits nicely in the 5th station, occasionally I will use a RCBS lube die on high volume like 223.
Another thing, to me the dillon feels left handed, on the Hornady I keep my right hand on the handle and feed bullets on the up stroke and empty cases on the down stroke. the dillon you take your right hand off the handle to insert the empty cases.... makes the Hornady a tad bit faster. This may be which press you start out on, I started on a RCBS Rockchucker which I kept my right hand on the handle and inserted cases and bullets with my left as well.

[MTBULLET]

+1 on dillon

Have had one (550) for over 10 yrs., only one problem, wore out tip on primer tube and powder slide bushing. called Dillon, had new "spare parts" kit the NEXT DAY, no charge ! If you have a problem/question, call 'em and you get someone who actually uses the machine to walk you thru it.

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

I have a 550B and if I could do it again I would do the 650, auto indexing and and extra station for a brass trimmer wow!