Looking for a Progressive

[MSURunner]

Looking for a progressive to roll through some ammo for the AR's/handguns. I already have a Co-Ax for higher precision work, so looking for something that can increase the throughput, as it's too time consuming to keep with my current process. Having said that, I do have high expectations for the ammo it should be able to produce once the machine has been properly calibrated. The leading candidate for me right now is the XL750 but also looking at the LNL AP. I would probably be limiting my mass production runs to 223 and 9mm, though an argument could be made for 6.5 CM down the road. It would seem to me that the XL750's drawback of caliber swapping would then be more or less neutralized. Any advice from users? Anyone got either one of these (or a XL650) they are looking to offload? Reloading Classifieds say I don't have sufficient privileges to post for some reason so unable to put in a WTB thread there. Thanks in advance all!

 

[woolecox]

I have experience with the Dillon RL550B. All I load on it pistol. For that, it is excellent. I have been using it for 15 years now. It is slower than the 650/750 but in an hour, I can load more than I will shoot in my weekly matches.

I have 5 different quick change heads set up and ready to go. Takes about 5 mins to swap.
Rifle is a PIA on a progressive unless you opt for the case prep machine. Big $$$.

Dillon is top shelf. Warranty and service second to none. Highly recommend.

 

[ShtrRdy]

You're looking in the right direction. I've got an XL650 that I love.

 

[sea2summit]

I've got a 550...well now I've got two so I don't have to swap primer cups. Load 308, 556, 9mm, .40, .44, and .45. My 308 and 556 easily hold an inch using the powder drop out of my AR platforms, I actually haven't calculated SDs though and need to do that, when I want to get them really tight I measure each charge.

 

[P7M13]

I have a LnL AP. It's great for pistol and small calibers like the 5.56, SPC or Grendel.
I dont think it is stout enough to load anything larger like CM or 308 -- I snapped the ram plate off mine when loading 308 and have never tried it since.
Hornadys service was excellent, tho'.

 

[woolecox]

I've got a 550...well now I've got two so I don't have to swap primer cups. Load 308, 556, 9mm, .40, .44, and .45. My 308 and 556 easily hold an inch using the powder drop out of my AR platforms, I actually haven't calculated SDs though and need to do that, when I want to get them really tight I measure each charge.

How do you prep your brass before running it through your 550? Do you lube, resize, and clean the lube off before running through the 550? What about the primer pockets? What about trimming?

I am too OCD not to do these steps on rifle brass.

Dillon does have a case prep machine but it will be well over $2k to get it set up as shown on their website.

Dillon CP 2000 Case Processing Machine

The CP 2000 combined with the BL 550 Basic Loader might be a good way to go for high volume rifle loading.

You are looking at a high cost for both of those machines and with dies and accessories set up as they show on their website. And, good luck getting anything now. I have had a case feeder on order for over 2 months now. They still can't tell me when it will ship.

 

[nksmfamjp]

I have an LNL AP, runs smooth. Caliber change cost is reasonable.

 

[marchboom]

I've had a Dillon RL550 since approx 1984 and it has never failed. I load a lot of different handgun calibers and .223. I do a lot of case prep and prime prior to using the Dillon. The depriming pin is removed from the sizing die. There are pros and cons about the RL650/750 machines and the one that might be a concern is that you don't have complete control over the shell plate movement like you do with the RL550. But I would not hesitate in buying the RL750.

Dillon just makes great stuff and their CS is top notch.

 

[sea2summit]

How do you prep your brass before running it through your 550? Do you lube, resize, and clean the lube off before running through the 550? What about the primer pockets? What about trimming?

I am too OCD not to do these steps on rifle brass.

Dillon does have a case prep machine but it will be well over $2k to get it set up as shown on their website.

Dillon CP 2000 Case Processing Machine

The CP 2000 combined with the BL 550 Basic Loader might be a good way to go for high volume rifle loading.

You are looking at a high cost for both of those machines and with dies and accessories set up as they show on their website. And, good luck getting anything now. I have had a case feeder on order for over 2 months now. They still can't tell me when it will ship.

For rifle.

I do a Lee universal decaping die on a rockchucker while watching chick flicks with the wife. Tumble.

Lube then size in the 550 because it's fast. Trim (had a RT-1200 on the 550 for a while, hated it, seemed like it never cut square). Chamfer/debur/pocket clean on rcbs station. Tumble again.

Run on 550 to prime, powder (drop or hand charge), seat, crimp, done.

Pistol.

Tumble. Put in 550 and crank away. I'm pretty slow and average 350 an hour for pistol.

 

[budlight]

I've had a Dillon RL550 since approx 1984 and it has never failed. I load a lot of different handgun calibers and .223. I do a lot of case prep and prime prior to using the Dillon. The depriming pin is removed from the sizing die. There are pros and cons about the RL650/750 machines and the one that might be a concern is that you don't have complete control over the shell plate movement like you do with the RL550. But I would not hesitate in buying the RL750.

Dillon just makes great stuff and their CS is top notch.

223/556 any range brass I lube and resize/decap on my rcbs single stage. Then wet tumble and dry. I bought the Dillion Swager. Pistol I use a universal decapper on the single stage. Then wet tumble and dry. Or I have sized/decapped pistols cases and cleaned

I bought this hand priming tool. It is the best. quick change between calibers and adjustable primer seating depth

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1016958988?pid=582486

Even though my dillon rl550 can do every stage. Filling the primer tubes, dumping powder in a small lubed case like .223 just sucks and slows down production. So if it is all done ahead of time. oil free sized and primed cases. It off the races. I have different 4 stage blocks setup for all my calibers with everything on them. So you just have to install it on the press. Measure the powder weight a few times and its off to the races. I just sit at my bench and pump out 200-300 in a hour. My buddy has the dillon 750 motorized and I bought some base blocks for it. He was running the machine and and I was filling dozens of primer tubes and doing the base resizer for mass production of 40 cal . We did something like 4000 40 cal in one day as a group effort.

The whole problem now is you can't find primers or bullets. small rifle and small pistol primers are not being sold anywhere

 

[Mrkdiver]

Looking for a progressive to roll through some ammo for the AR's/handguns. I already have a Co-Ax for higher precision work, so looking for something that can increase the throughput, as it's too time consuming to keep with my current process. Having said that, I do have high expectations for the ammo it should be able to produce once the machine has been properly calibrated. The leading candidate for me right now is the XL750 but also looking at the LNL AP. I would probably be limiting my mass production runs to 223 and 9mm, though an argument could be made for 6.5 CM down the road. It would seem to me that the XL750's drawback of caliber swapping would then be more or less neutralized. Any advice from users? Anyone got either one of these (or a XL650) they are looking to offload? Reloading Classifieds say I don't have sufficient privileges to post for some reason so unable to put in a WTB thread there. Thanks in advance all!

550 B, easiest to change calibers and unless your a ammo manufacture you'll get plenty done plenty quick. 650 and 750's are a pain to swap out and are more expensive

 

[TRG65]

I load all my match rifle ammo on a 650. Before loading, I tumble, anneal, and then spray with Hornady one shot. Then I dump them in the case feeder and load away. Nothing with the primer pockets, and no trimming. The case is deprimed in one station and primed in the next. I resize and seat all in one pass. I use Whidden or Redding dies with a Sinclair expander in a Whidden floating tool head. My powder drop is done with an auto trickler and I pull the case out, add the powder, and then put back, and seat. I wipe off the lube when I pull out the case to add powder. My loads are usually SDs in the 5-8 range and ESs about 20-25 for a 10 shot chrono. Even my 6.5 Creedmoor gas gun had an sd of 12 for a 15 round chrono string.

Before the first loading I will chamfer and debur the case mouths, but that's it.

For 223, I don't even do that much. My 9mm and 223 are loaded on a 1050, I tumble, spray and load.

 

[19elkhunter51]

I have two Dillion 450's, a 650 and a Square Deal. All run like they are going to outlive me. Dillion wrote the book on customer service and I have always been impressed the few times I needed any help.
I don't load any rifle on my progressives and single load all my rifle on an RCBS Rock Chucker that is over 40 years old. The green press was my first press and still builds bullets like it was brand new.

 

[sailorjim]

Looking for a progressive to roll through some ammo for the AR's/handguns. I already have a Co-Ax for higher precision work, so looking for something that can increase the throughput, as it's too time consuming to keep with my current process. Having said that, I do have high expectations for the ammo it should be able to produce once the machine has been properly calibrated. The leading candidate for me right now is the XL750 but also looking at the LNL AP. I would probably be limiting my mass production runs to 223 and 9mm, though an argument could be made for 6.5 CM down the road. It would seem to me that the XL750's drawback of caliber swapping would then be more or less neutralized. Any advice from users? Anyone got either one of these (or a XL650) they are looking to offload? Reloading Classifieds say I don't have sufficient privileges to post for some reason so unable to put in a WTB thread there. Thanks in advance all!

I've been loading on my 550 over 40 years, both pistol & 308.I'm nuts on my rifle reloading. Decap & size on 550, pin tumble and trim cases if needed, then go through prime, powder, seat & crimp.