Mr. Chitlin

I looked back and was slightly off. I also purchased some kind of small upgrade that added about 12 dollars. The total was $402, including the $49 refurb fee and the small upgrade (whatever it was). Parts totaled $341. Here's what I bought for $100 and sent in: Here's what I got back: I think the only thing I got back that I sent in was the frame and the handle. Everything else was brand new. Here's the invoice. The $61.10 is what I sent to them. The 550 now sits between a 1050 on the left and a 650 on the right.

I bought a used 550 several years ago for $100 that was in rough shape. Sent it in with a check for $49.95 and it came back about 10 days later looking like a brand new press. The parts replacement list was $422.

I'll play... How many cartridges do you make in an average loading session? 1000 to 2000 if I'm loading 9mm, 40SW, 45ACP or 223. How many cartridges do you make in an average week? 0 - I usually only load when my stock gets low and that all depends on how much shooting I am doing. Right now with the cold and ice my ammo consumption has been 0 rounds for the last month. Which press do you use? For Handgun, Dillon 650. For 223, Dillon 1050. For most other stuff, Dillon 550. How many cartridges can you load in an hour? ( not loading 100 and using math to get your answer but how many in a real hour if you were going to load for 2 or more hours straight? Burst rates are fine but the are a lot higher than you would get if it was your 8 hour a day job. I can load 100 rounds of 40 in about 6 minutes on the 650. Then I stop, put more brass in the brass feeder, add another 100 primers to the primer tube and load the tray with another handful of bullets. I probably average ~10 minutes per hundred by the time I do all the stuff. I don't load to see how fast I can get done. How long is your average loading session? A few hours generally Knowing what you know now if your reloading equipment was lost or stolen what would you buy today? I'd replace whatever got stolen/lost with an identical machine.

We shot just yesterday and a SS shooter had several mags on his belt with anywhere from 2 to 4 rounds in them. He did get thru the 30 round stage but left a string of mags that a blind man could follow. My method that has worked for me for years (knocking on wood...) has been to put any used mags back on my belt with the bullets pointing backwards. After everyone is finished with the stage and we go back to load I take those mags out of my belt and either reload them or drop them in my range bag and put full mags back on my belt.

I have both, plus a 1050 set up for 223 only. The 650 gets my high volume stuff, 9mm, 40SW, 45ACP, etc. The 550 is set up for large primer and stays that way. It loads my low volume stuff, 10mm, 30/30, 35 Rem, 45/70, 300 Mags, etc. Stuff that I only shoot a little of a year. Caliber conversions and toolheads are cheaper for the 550 and I don't regret having both on my bench.

Yep, mine still works like a charm. I think I paid $19.95 for it. Wish I had bought a truck full.

A bunch of small parts, some worn out, others I broke one way or another for my 10 year old 650. My best Dillon story is this 550 that I bought for $100. These are the pics that the guy selling it sent me. What you see is what I got. I sent it in, requested a couple of upgrades that I was going to pay for and here's what I got back. Total time door to door was exactly 14 days. Here is the invoice that was enclosed. Total parts minus warranty equals what I paid on the bottom line. That's my $161.10 Dillon 550.

Dang, I'd be tempted to sell mine for that price.

I can relate... My 550 refurb

Mine is usually 1 or 2 per thousand. I was ordering some parts from Dillon several years ago and asked the guy on the phone what the acceptable rate was for rounds. He said 2 to 3 per hundred. I told him that if my 650 had that failure rate I would go back to the Lee 1000. That was about my failure rate with it.

I have several powder bars set for the various charges. I just change out the powder bar. It's marked on the end with a sharpie as to the load and powder it throws.

I have a couple of boxes of Federal Hydra-Shok 9mm +P+ marked Law Enforcement Only sitting on my shelf. Our local PD issued them until they went to 40 SW.

On my bench, the height to the top of the bench is 32", and the height that the 650 sets above the bench is 42.5" to the top of the casefeeder. The strong mount that I have is the 550/650 combo mount. I wanted the higher mount so the 650 handle would set about the same height as the 1050 handle.

I have a Dillon 500 and Frankfort Arsenal. The Dillon is LOTS quieter than the FA. That's the only 2 I have any experience with.

I use this same setup. I can't remember when I last had a round that failed the case gauge.

Are you using Dillon dies? What is the diameter of the decapping pin? I'd like to be able to decap and resize at one stage. I'm using Dillon dies. They came on the 1050. It will be a couple of days before I get home to measure the pin. It's whatever came in the dies though.

I load them. I run them through a 1050, maybe that's why every once in a while I get one that feels tight. I'll have to check tomorrow. My theory is if it's boxer primed, I load it for blasting ammo. For hunting ammo, I'm more selective with the brass.

I like that idea. I'm going to do that.

My first tumbler was a Midway 1288 (back in '88 or '89). When I turn my tumbler on, I do it before I go to bed at night and turn it off when I leave for work the next morning (it's in the garage). The 1288 finally bit the dust in the mid to late 90's. I called Midway about ordering a motor and was told that if it had Midway's name on it, it was covered by a lifetime warranty. All I had to do was to send it back, they would credit me the amount of shipping, and they would send me a new tumbler. I received my new Midway 1292 tumbler and used it just as hard until about a year or so ago. Same thing, motor quit, I called, they said send it in for a free replacement. I'm on my 3rd Midway tumbler in about 20 or 21 years and only paid for the first one.

I use RCBS and Lee dies on my 550 and 650. The only problem you might run in to is that some of the non-Dillon dies are shorter and you sometimes have to put the lock nut on the bottom of the tool head instead of the top. Other than that, you should have no problems.

I load my low volume stuff on a 550 and my high volume stuff on a 650. The 650 is LOTS faster in my case. The case feeder and auto indexing make a world of difference. I do good to get 300 to 400 per hour on the 550 but 100 every 6 to 7 minutes is no problem at all on the 650. I just flow better with the 650.

I was experiencing this same problem with my 650. I have the round feeder on my 1050 and the square on my 650. I called the tech line about 2 months ago when I was fed up with it and the guy told me that the round vs square didn't make a difference. He said to clean inside the funnel with a rag with Dillon Case Lube on it. That seemed to help a little but I still have the problem. What part number do I ask for, and if I have any problem with the guy n the phone, can I tell them to get int touch with you??

I ordered my parts yesterday. They were cheap enough that I ordered 2 sets so if anything gets damaged I'll have an extra set. I expect them to be here by the weekend.

I like Blue... 1050 on the left, 550 in the middle and 650 on the right.