MarkCO Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 Thank you! You are most welcome, but I think that is the ONLY time I am going to load straight for 1 hour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBoyle Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 (edited) I only have a casefed 650 and a Square Deal. I do about 800 an hour on the 650 just taking my time. I never tried to see what I could do with it in an hour. I use to average 400 an hour on the SDB and I did hit 500 in an hour with the tubes all loaded. Edited December 16, 2010 by BBoyle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slavic09 Posted December 28, 2010 Share Posted December 28, 2010 I got a 550 and a bunch of caliber conversions from Brian Enos and have been pretty happy. Added bonus: if you order from Brian, you can use your American Express card! Dillon doesn't take it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Tompkins Posted December 29, 2010 Share Posted December 29, 2010 I've used a Lee Pro 1000 for 45 ACP. The primer system sucks IMHO. Also, you have to really watch the powder charge reset chain, a little slip and you can get a lot of messed up rounds, including squib loads. It may work well but it did not for me and I didn't want to spend my time making it work. By time you add in time to correct problems and keep thing adjusted, I'm not sure you wouldn’t be nearly as productive with a single stage press. I moved up to a L-N-L (current version with the Ezject), it had some features I liked that the 650 did not have. One aspect of the L-N-L I really liked was the ease and lower cost of caliber changes as similar levels of difficulty. But in the end I find I load in large batches anyway so the switching ease was not such a big deal but changes are still cheaper. I do like the larger plate area of the L-N-L, it’s a bit easier to work with to clear problems caused crimped brass or incorrectly seated primers. Also I like the case retaining spring idea as I like to pull cases out to check the power charge from time to time. I've not used a 650 so I can't really comment on a head to head comparison but those I've read have lead ME to think they are both very good and most shooters would be happy with either one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twodownzero Posted December 29, 2010 Share Posted December 29, 2010 Wow, that kicked my tail. I don't think I will be able to lift my arm tomorrow. In exactly 1 hour, I loaded 1123 rounds. Dillon 650XL with case feeder. I started with about 40 primers in the tube, what was already there. There was a tray of primers on top of the RF100 when I went inot the gunroom, so at exaclty zero time, I turned it over pulled the sleeve back and hit the button. First time I went for primers from the cabinet, I grabbed 1500 primers and the keg of powder. Had to get a new box of bullets and when I did, I grabbed a bag of brass. Drank 2 quarts of ice water and jammed out to Carrie Underwood. I'm hungry, I'm going to go eat dinner! Man, I really need to get a 650! It'd take me about 3 hours on my 550 to load that much ammo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaster113 Posted December 29, 2010 Share Posted December 29, 2010 Wow, that kicked my tail. I don't think I will be able to lift my arm tomorrow. In exactly 1 hour, I loaded 1123 rounds. Dillon 650XL with case feeder. I started with about 40 primers in the tube, what was already there. There was a tray of primers on top of the RF100 when I went inot the gunroom, so at exaclty zero time, I turned it over pulled the sleeve back and hit the button. First time I went for primers from the cabinet, I grabbed 1500 primers and the keg of powder. Had to get a new box of bullets and when I did, I grabbed a bag of brass. Drank 2 quarts of ice water and jammed out to Carrie Underwood. I'm hungry, I'm going to go eat dinner! Man, I really need to get a 650! It'd take me about 3 hours on my 550 to load that much ammo. Whoah; I think the most I ever got out of my 550 was in the 400+ range in an hr. I gots to get me a 650 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkCO Posted December 29, 2010 Share Posted December 29, 2010 Man, I really need to get a 650! It'd take me about 3 hours on my 550 to load that much ammo. Whoah; I think the most I ever got out of my 550 was in the 400+ range in an hr. I gots to get me a 650 To be fair, realize that I have a well tuned RF100, so there was maybe 3 or 4 minutes of primer handling total. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHARLES D Posted December 29, 2010 Share Posted December 29, 2010 If you are in the Phoenix area, take a tour of Dillion. The folks and product will make your decision easy. I now have 3 650's on my loading bench. A little over board but I don't have to purchase another press. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drover Dan Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 (edited) Which reloading press is right for you? The rounds per hour for the SDB and 550 are off. I know, they've used those figures for years, but they're wrong. I can load 100rds in 9:30 on an SDB without rushing. The 550 means manual indexing, which takes a tiny bit more time...not much when you get the technique down, but it's still a touch slower. I think they just don't want to publish that the more expensive (but obviously more versatile) press is actually slower. I haven't timed myself on the 1050 yet, but it's way faster than the SDB You are the second person that has said Dillon under estimates the square deal output. I have timed myself for a solid hour and was just a little over 400 rounds with my 550. The problem is everyone wants to load a hundred and do the math (which gives an unrealistically high number). I wish I could get some people to load for a solid hour and give me accurate numbers. I have, more than once, loaded 600 rounds of .38 Spl., in just under 1 hour on my 550 w/o case feeder. I only had 4 primer tubes at the time, so I started with a 100 in the machine and 4 full tubes. Than had to refill one tube manually, to get the 600 per hour. I don't normally do this because of one interruption or another. But I did do it more than once. Drover Edited January 10, 2011 by Drover Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-ManBart Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 This is why we buy 1050s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drover Dan Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 This is why we buy 1050s 1050s are cool. I have one. But if I could start over, for the money, I'd buy two 650s instead. That's just me, Monday morning quarter backing. Drover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShooterSteve Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 I had a red one, then bought a 650. The red one got packed up and put in a box where it has lived for 7 years. It was such a PIA that I don't even want to sell it to someone and pass my problems along to them. I will add that it is an older model progressive before the LNL came out. It did break, and I did have to PAY for the parts to fix it which I felt was total BS. Now they will replace parts for free, and if you ask me why, I feel it's because they had to try to catch up and match Dillon to even stay in the game. The bad part was, when I called them for help and to get new parts, they were total assholes to me. I now have a 650 and a tool head for every caliber that I shoot, and I will never ever buy anything from Hornady again if I can buy it from Dillon or someone else. I know that there are people out there with other experiences, but customer service goes a long way, and Hornady dropped the ball. Dillon runs with the ball and scores touchdowns! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HS101 Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 If I wasn't so OCD, I could hit around 500 an hour with my 550 (I have done this several times), but I find that taking breaks, taking time to load primers, etc... helps keep my mind focused. I check the powder drop every 150-200 rounds, check the OAL at the same time, etc... I also chamber check every round after I am done loading ... I know... I have 4 primer tubes, so if I start with the 550 loaded and all 4 tubes ready to go, I can hum right along. But, that also opens up the possibility for mistakes. I love my 550 One day I would like to get a second one, or maybe a SDB.. But that is because I am lazy and would like to never have to switch between small and large primers..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M-Bear Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 This is why we buy 1050s Wish that I could justify buying one. To be totally honest my 550 does everything I need a press to do. Note that didn't keep me from buying a 650. I justify it to myself by saying how much I dislike handling each piece of brass and having to take my right hand off the handle on each cartridge. Not to mention the time I save loading I can spend on more important things. I just couldn't quite swallow the price difference between a 650 and a 1050. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik S. Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Wow, Mark! That's impressive! I agree with Bart that the round counts are off. What slows me down is reloading that stupid primer tube. I need one 10ft long then I'll be ok Even still, and including time to load primer tube, I average about 550rnds per hour going at a comfortable but non-stop pace (except to load primers). I think I'm going to get a few extra primer tubes so I can fill them all in one step. I know it wouldn't save time, but it would improve the continuity of loading. My vote goes for the 550B all the way for the average reloader who shoots a match per weekend. I can EASILY crank out enough rounds for 5 matches all in one NIGHT, just a few hours! I have no idea why you would need 1000+ rounds per week unless you were attending a class, but even that is not a regular occurance for most of us. Bigger matches with 10+ stages do require alot more ammo, but the local matches are usually 5 stages or so. (150rnds max) Get the best you can afford, though! I'm sure you won't regret it if you stay blue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShooterSteve Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 I did a little test myself this afternoon. I got 500 pieces of primed 223 brass for Christmas. I know, I know, its cheating like that, but, it's rifle so I did it just for comparison purposes. I loaded 500 rounds in under 40 mins. I wasn't trying to set a land speed record or anything, just load at a good pace. I did have to refill the powder hopper 3 times, and empty the cartridge hopper 3 times, and I weighed a powder charge about every 40 rds or so. For me the hardest part was trying to pick up the little 55gr MG bullets with my pudgy fingers, and I actually got cramps in my finger and thumb. I guess I'm just a big sissy. I usually leave my press set up and just slide in there and load a hundred and go do something else. It keeps me from taking time away from the family to reload. Just hit it for 10-15 mins at a time. Need to find a P90X finger workout video or something. I'm happy with my 650, and I haven't been sorry for a minute that I paid a little more for it than some other presses on the market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik S. Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 You know, Shooter Steve, I think you may have pointed out one of the most important reasons for getting a press that will load more rounds than the shooter actually NEEDS. FAMILY!! It may sound like a cliche, but even though my wife is ALSO into shooting, I do all the reloading and she still doesn't want me to be out in the garage for hours. She's always coming out there to see when I'll be done so we can hang out. That said, if you can reload 100 or more rounds in 15 min, that's a benefit and one perhaps worth the extra money for a machine that loads WAY faster than you may need it to. For those of you who are single, I guess you can load for as long as you want I had never looked at it that way....good insight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBets Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 Since you went with the 550 I would like to add...the strong mount and bullet tray are well worth their price...The strong mount really does stable the platform out and bullet tray makes some of the shortest and smoothest motion to station 3 Bets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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