Which Dillion reloader to buy

[ireland94]

With an opportunity to buy a Dillion reloader which should I buy? Keep in mind that I will only get this chance once and I want the capability of both 9mm and .308. I am thinking the 650 would be the one to buy. The RL 550B would seems to be too little but the XL 650 just right even though I have never used either. I expected to be loading around 500 rounds/month. What ever I buy will be it, there will be no chance of a future press purchase. I realize that the 650 is a little more advanced than I initially need but there seems to be a lot of successfully users of it. Thanks in advance.

[Chris Keen]

Get the 650 all the way.

[D.Hayden]

Welcome to the forums..

Call Brian.....

http://www.brianenos.com/pages/dillon.html#which

[John Z Sr]

I've owned every piece of equipment that Dillon makes and they are all great, if you are only planning 500 rounds per month, I would go with the 550, just my opinion

[orangeman711]

650's rule. Be sure to get the brass feeder also. Call Brian,he will fix you up with exactly what you need and nothing else.

[G-ManBart]

Better to have and not want than want and not have!

[VegasOPM]

I have been using a 550 for years and it has fed my habit quite well. I know that the 650 is faster, but I actually prefer the manual indexing on the 550. I think that it helps with quality control and I can deal with problem cases more readily. They even make a case feeder for the 550 now.

[grandbagger]

get the 650

call Brian for the set up

[jimzim]

Get the 650 with case loader and strong mount. You won't regret it!

[CocoBolo]

I second your motion for the 650, it rocks. Now for 308 get a nice cheap single stage to do all your brass prep work, then when the brass is ready load it on the 650. That is how I do 223 except on my Hornady LNL. The 650 does mostly 38 Super and 40 S&W, which ever I'm shooting primarly at the time. I switch out about every 6 months. The Hornady is a good loader as well and it set up for everything so if one goes down I can just switch to the other.

You might want to research the powder you are going to use in the 308 and see if it is one of the powders the Dillon does not handle well, if that is the case then you can use a Hornady Powder measure on the Dillon, I do that all the time for convience.

Now if you are going to whimp out on the 650 I would definately recommend the Hornady LNL over the 550. It is not as smooth as the 650 but it is very versitle and a bit easier in terms of set up and adjustment, and rock solid lifetime warranty and free parts. At your level of production you won't need the case feeder and it is a bear to get it right, unlike the 650 that has no adjustment and works.

Resale - You can always get 90% of your money back selling a 650. The LNL will bring maybe 60%. Unlike the Ford Tarus you get 25% after 3 days or try selling Pointiac.

BrianEnos Store - No Sales tax, no shipping and good prices, its the place to buy.

[Bshooter]

I agree with VegasOPM, the 550 is easy to use. the manual indexing helps you keep an eye on things and with a case feeder, you can load anything you want. I have had 4 of them set up at one time. Since moving I had to let 2 of them go but still enjoy reloading on them after 20 years. Bshooter

[Alan550]

I agree with VegasOPM, the 550 is easy to use. the manual indexing helps you keep an eye on things and with a case feeder, you can load anything you want. I have had 4 of them set up at one time. Since moving I had to let 2 of them go but still enjoy reloading on them after 20 years. Bshooter

The 550 case feeder only works for pistol calibers, not the .308 the OP mentioned.

Alan~^~

[Sparky]

I agree with VegasOPM and Bshooter on the 550. I've been reloading for 40 years and I like the

hand indexing of the 550. However, I have never tried a 650. Pick the one with the features

you like the best and not what someone tells you is the best.

[Caspian_45]

I jump in here. First 500 rds an month is nothing. Second is the 308 going to be for a precision rifle? Th 550 will be better for precision rifle loading. The 550 is very versitale. The 650 is more complicated . I have 2 550's, a 650, and a 1050. Unless I was loading high volumes of ammo I'd stick with a 550. The change over from small primers to large primers is quiker. If you go the 650 with case feeder route, the case feed change over is going take time too. Yes the case feeder makes loading quiker. But at 500 rounds a month it's a wash IMO. You could get 2 550's for just a little more than a 650. And IMO if you get the 650 and don't get the case feeder you wasting your time and money. Thats were the 650 really shines over the 550. From my experiance the 650 will double the rd output of a 550. Loading ammo is not so much about quanity, but quality.

Which ever way you go, be sure to buy extra tool heads and powder dies. Get a spare parts kit for the press and extra primer tubes in both primer sizes. Also if you think at any time you will load other .473 bolt face calibers (.308 & 45 ACP) get the powder funnels for those calibers too. The 308 shell plate works with a LOT of calibers.

Definetly call Brian. He'll hook you right up.

[Bob DuBois]

I have two 550s had them both before the 650 came out. The 650 is a faster machine for sure. I load 30.06,223,45acp,38-357,40S@W,9mm and 38 Super on my machines. Change over takes only a few minutes and the machine is rock solid. Dillon has sent me anything that has broken in the last thirty years. Cost is lower for the 550 allowing more money for components. I don't get in a hurry and load between 450 and 500 rounds per hour a 650 will double that but cost more. All Dillon equipment holds value well. Recommend Lee die sets, I've had good results with them and they are on sale this month at Midway USA.I think caliber change will be quicker with the 550. It's the old saying speed cost how fast to you want to go. Either machine is a good investment. The more you use either the more you'll shoot and the next thing you'll shoot well over the 500 rounds you intended.The answer, how much can you spend at this time on the machine, you'll enjoy either one.

[Yagi]

Fivefity in my opinion, because of the manual indexing....

[GrumpyOne]

The 550. Easier to switch calibers. Better quality (as far as manual indexing), and, once you get used to it, you can crank out about 350-400 rounds an hours WITHOUT a case feeder. Really, 500 rounds a month is a very small amount. You will never be disappointed in the 550, for what you are gonna load, the 650 is just a bit too much.

[SkyScrapin]

+1 for the 650. I was in a similar position as you. I don't see a need for another press any time soon. Buy from Brian, he'll get you all setup with great prices. Good luck,

Preston

[PJ BAD]

I'll add another vote for the 650 and call Brian when you are ready to buy.

[CocoBolo]

No case feeder, no 650, Hornady LNL way better than 550. Wins on every point, cheaper, faster, better, and auto index. Paint it blue if you have to. One double charge or squib from a manual index and you will want a fully progressive and you will already be out the money. You can screw up on a single stage but an auto index makes it harder to do.

Precision Rifle, you load those a a single stage press, that's > 300 yards bulls eye and once in a lifetime hunt for a trophy Grizzley bear.

If you call Brian he will talk you into the 550 because you don't load enough but once you get started you might have a change in habits.

[sidnal]

650 or a 550 and call Brian when you're ready...he'll take care of you!

[BradGannaway]

If you are really only going to load 500 rounds a month, and you don't think you will increase that, buy the 550, and with the money you don't spend on the difference of the 650, buy some components, scale, tumbler, case tools, and all other kind of stuff you will need.

If money is no object, get the 650.

You are really going to want a single stage for the .308............or maybe a turret style press.

I can run 500 rounds on my 550 in less than 90 minutes.........and that's not even trying to go fast.

[GrumpyOne]

No case feeder, no 650, Hornady LNL way better than 550. Wins on every point, cheaper, faster, better, and auto index. Paint it blue if you have to. One double charge or squib from a manual index and you will want a fully progressive and you will already be out the money. You can screw up on a single stage but an auto index makes it harder to do.

Precision Rifle, you load those a a single stage press, that's > 300 yards bulls eye and once in a lifetime hunt for a trophy Grizzley bear.

If you call Brian he will talk you into the 550 because you don't load enough but once you get started you might have a change in habits.

Coco, have you ever run a 550? Double charging a case is damn near impossible with it. In order to double charge, you'd have to double stroke the handle without loading a new piece of brass, and then you'd be trying to seat a primer in the piece of brass that you had already sized and primed. Not to mention that it's kind of hard to seat two bullets on top of each other in the seat stage. Needless to say, but you generally know if you screwed up when loading using the 550.

A squib can happen with any press, I have heard of plenty with the LNL, and with the Dillon's. Saying that the LNL won't give you a squib is completely false and is a downright dangerous statement to make to someone just getting involved in reloading.

Edited March 21, 2010 by GrumpyOne

[MemphisMechanic]

Coco, have you ever run a 550? Double charging a case is damn near impossible with it. In order to double charge, you'd have to double stroke the handle without loading a new piece of brass, and then you'd be trying to seat a primer in the piece of brass that you had already sized and primed. Not to mention that it's kind of hard to seat two bullets on top of each other in the seat stage. Needless to say, but you generally know if you screwed up when loading using the 550.

A squib can happen with any press, I have heard of plenty with the LNL, and with the Dillon's. Saying that the LNL won't give you a squib is completely false and is a downright dangerous statement to make to someone just getting involved in reloading.

Your logic is sound. But damn near every squib I've ever witnessed has been loaded by a 550 user.

[GrumpyOne]

Coco, have you ever run a 550? Double charging a case is damn near impossible with it. In order to double charge, you'd have to double stroke the handle without loading a new piece of brass, and then you'd be trying to seat a primer in the piece of brass that you had already sized and primed. Not to mention that it's kind of hard to seat two bullets on top of each other in the seat stage. Needless to say, but you generally know if you screwed up when loading using the 550.

A squib can happen with any press, I have heard of plenty with the LNL, and with the Dillon's. Saying that the LNL won't give you a squib is completely false and is a downright dangerous statement to make to someone just getting involved in reloading.

Your logic is sound. But damn near every squib I've ever witnessed has been loaded by a 550 user.

I would bet too, that every squib you've heard of with a 550 was probably loaded by a newbie, trying to go faster than they should, watching TV, or listening to the radio, and not paying attention to the powder hopper. Tell me this won't happen with a LNL? Besides, does the LNL have a no BS lifetime warranty? Drop that LNL outta the truck when you are moving and break something 20 years after you bought it..... I know what my 550 is gonna cost to get fixed, do you know how much the LNL is gonna cost?