Reloading Options - Square Deal B or 550B

[BCrane]

I know this isn't my thread, but I was in the same boat as the OP until today.

I live about a half hour from Dillon, so I went in because I wanted to play with both reloaders... but still had the intention of walking out with an SDB. They actually have them set up with brass and bullets so you can manipulate them.

I walked out with a full 550B setup/strong mount/trays

The SDB is nice, but I am a big boy with very large hands..and the SDB is tight to get into. You wont regret either press, they are both very well built..but the 550 just felt better to me and I already had the dies.

That.. and with how impulsive I am, I am bound to end up with a limited setup in .40

[MARKAVELI]

I know this isn't my thread, but I was in the same boat as the OP until today.

I live about a half hour from Dillon, so I went in because I wanted to play with both reloaders... but still had the intention of walking out with an SDB. They actually have them set up with brass and bullets so you can manipulate them.

I walked out with a full 550B setup/strong mount/trays

The SDB is nice, but I am a big boy with very large hands..and the SDB is tight to get into. You wont regret either press, they are both very well built..but the 550 just felt better to me and I already had the dies.

That.. and with how impulsive I am, I am bound to end up with a limited setup in .40

You lucky dog you! I'm jealous I wish I live next door to dillons! I would wake up in the morning in my PJ's and a cup of coffee and reload my ammo! Lol .... Jk BC! Have fun and be safe!

[470nitro]

I know this isn't my thread, but I was in the same boat as the OP until today.

I live about a half hour from Dillon, so I went in because I wanted to play with both reloaders... but still had the intention of walking out with an SDB. They actually have them set up with brass and bullets so you can manipulate them.

I walked out with a full 550B setup/strong mount/trays

The SDB is nice, but I am a big boy with very large hands..and the SDB is tight to get into. You wont regret either press, they are both very well built..but the 550 just felt better to me and I already had the dies.

That.. and with how impulsive I am, I am bound to end up with a limited setup in .40

Congrats on the purchase. You won't be sorry. I'm a medium-sized hands guy and I still appreciate the extra room on a 550B.

[Joe4d]

Only problem with a square deal, your stuck with the dies that come with the press and that limits the quality of ammo you can load. Using a stock pistol, it will work Great. Get into a quality built SV,STI,Les Baer etc with a tight chamber then the square deal might not produce ammo that will run.

Go with a 550B and you can use any dies out there, as a U die. While you might move up to a faster machine later, The 550B can produce better quality ammo for any gun you may purchase later.

All Dillon presses hold value, the 550B is just a lot more use full machine because of die selection.

I have two 550B's that have served me well.

Shooting varied STI guns and a few others with aftermarket barrels. I use other brands of dies than Dillon in all the calibers I load except 223.

Caliber change over only takes a few minutes. If your loading several calibers that's a plus also.

The 550B would be with you for a long time and all you need are dies and shell plates when you purchase the next fire arm, who knows what caliber it might be?

Hmmmm...I'm not buying that with the possible exception of .40 brass that has been fired in guns with an oversized chamber. I have match guns with Bar-Sto, Nowlin, KKM, Schuemann, Storm Lake and STI and ammo off an SDB works in all of them, all the time. Ask pretty much anybody who's shot with me much and I'm the one guy who's gun never pukes. In .40 I run the cases through a U-die the first time and after that they're fine. I've lost count, but in Super and SC I'm sure I've loaded 100K+ (probably more like 150K) and never ran into a situation where the ammo didn't chamber properly. R,

Thats exactly my original point, Even advocates of the SDB admit you have to run the brass on another press with another die to get ammo out of the SDB you can trust.

[noylj]

Neither one, but that is my opinion.

If you only want to load one type of round (just 9x19, say) and you don't mind having to use proprietary dies, then the SDB might be for you. At least it auto-indexes, which for me is a convenience and a safety feature.

If you are going to load for more than just one type of round (say 9x19 and .40S&W and .223), then you want a 550B. However, you give up auto-indexing.

Personally, I would get the Hornady L-N-L as being more versatile and inexpensive and comes with 500 free bullets, but that wasn't the question.

[Sarge]

Only problem with a square deal, your stuck with the dies that come with the press and that limits the quality of ammo you can load. Using a stock pistol, it will work Great. Get into a quality built SV,STI,Les Baer etc with a tight chamber then the square deal might not produce ammo that will run.

Go with a 550B and you can use any dies out there, as a U die. While you might move up to a faster machine later, The 550B can produce better quality ammo for any gun you may purchase later.

All Dillon presses hold value, the 550B is just a lot more use full machine because of die selection.

I have two 550B's that have served me well.

Shooting varied STI guns and a few others with aftermarket barrels. I use other brands of dies than Dillon in all the calibers I load except 223.

Caliber change over only takes a few minutes. If your loading several calibers that's a plus also.

The 550B would be with you for a long time and all you need are dies and shell plates when you purchase the next fire arm, who knows what caliber it might be?

Hmmmm...I'm not buying that with the possible exception of .40 brass that has been fired in guns with an oversized chamber. I have match guns with Bar-Sto, Nowlin, KKM, Schuemann, Storm Lake and STI and ammo off an SDB works in all of them, all the time. Ask pretty much anybody who's shot with me much and I'm the one guy who's gun never pukes. In .40 I run the cases through a U-die the first time and after that they're fine. I've lost count, but in Super and SC I'm sure I've loaded 100K+ (probably more like 150K) and never ran into a situation where the ammo didn't chamber properly. R,

Thats exactly my original point, Even advocates of the SDB admit you have to run the brass on another press with another die to get ammo out of the SDB you can trust.

Big +1! I got a 550B because of the die setup. 9mm, no problems with buldged brass. .40 brass will need processed elsewhere prior to running through an SDB.

[38SuperDub]

Lock-n-Load AP is looking pretty nice - I've seen it in the 370 range - plus 500 free bullets to get you started....

[G-ManBart]

Thats exactly my original point, Even advocates of the SDB admit you have to run the brass on another press with another die to get ammo out of the SDB you can trust.

But that's only true with .40, and only if you're using brass that's been shot in oversized chambers to start with. If you're using your own brass (I mark all of mine), it's a non-issue. It definitely hasn't been a problem with 9mm, Super, Supercomp, or .45acp. R,

Edited August 13, 2010 by G-ManBart

[38SuperDub]

I plan on getting a match barrel anyways which will all but take care of the Glock Bulge issue....but still better safe than sorry....

[Sarge]

I plan on getting a match barrel anyways which will all but take care of the Glock Bulge issue....but still better safe than sorry....

Just remember, if you buy anything other than new brass or ever pick up range brass like most shooters do you are going to get bulged brass.

Even then all you have to do is get a cheap single stage and a udie or something

Edited August 13, 2010 by Sarge

[Joe4d]

I think most reloaders reload to cut costs, a big part of cutting costs is buying used brass or harvesting it at ranges. Something to which the SDB isnt well suited. I also had chamber check problems with brass that had previously worked in my gun, Just not a fan of Dillon dies, maybe the SDB dies are different but once bitten twice shy.

[G-ManBart]

I think most reloaders reload to cut costs, a big part of cutting costs is buying used brass or harvesting it at ranges. Something to which the SDB isnt well suited. I also had chamber check problems with brass that had previously worked in my gun, Just not a fan of Dillon dies, maybe the SDB dies are different but once bitten twice shy.

True, for the most part, but lots of folks aren't using range brass or once fired. Still, a 550 costs at least $115 more (with a set of dies) than an SDB, which would cover a cheap single stage press (Lee Reloader $28), a U-die ($22) and a thousand once-fired cases

I suspect the SDB resizing die is a bit tighter than their standard dies. Using an EGW case gauge, which is tighter than any of the match chambers I've got, loaded rounds have plenty of room and drop in easily. I might have to borrow a standard Dillon resizing die, run a few through and compare. R,

Edited August 13, 2010 by G-ManBart

[MARKAVELI]

I plan on getting a match barrel anyways which will all but take care of the Glock Bulge issue....but still better safe than sorry....

I had said and thought the same thing till this Grumpy guy made some sense, "why spend money what you don't need too? If the problem comes around then invest on some tools to reload!" Save the money for component...

[GrumpyOne]

Lock-n-Load AP is looking pretty nice - I've seen it in the 370 range - plus 500 free bullets to get you started....

Everybody wants something for nothing...While 500 free bullets is something, is it really a good enough reason in itself to warrant buying the L-N-L?

I know people who swear by them, and people who swear by Dillons'. I have a Dillon, and I have never loaded on a L-N-L, so I can't make any comparison, but the 550 (to me, you 650 lovers!) is one of the simplest to set up, simplest to operate, has quick caliber changes, uses standard dies, fairly quick at producing very good ammo, and is built like a tank. While auto index may be nice, once you start loading on a 550 without the auto index, it's really not necessary (at least to me). As far as safety is concerned, any press can make a squib or a double charge if the operator is not paying attention.

[38SuperDub]

Oh the 500 bullets is just langinappe :-)

All in all I have watched a BUNCH of youtube videos and the L-N-L looks pretty solid and the price point is very nice.

[BillR1]

I just went through this decision yesterday!

I have a Lee Classic turret press and wanted a bit more production for my time. I load for both .40 and 10mm (I use seperate dies for both), so I ordered the 550b from Brian's site yesterday afternoon after a few hours of reading the pros/cons. My Lee is already sold to a shooting buddy who's upgrading from a single stage.

I'll have to get used to manually indexing, but I don't think that'll be a big deal at all.

[Voodoo]

I have a SDB for 9mm. I love it. That being said I want to buy another get up for .38sp Find one used. My SQB was $225 delivered. Best of Luck. Have fun.