getting into reloading- ?

[bigtmiller]

Hello to everyone. this looks like a great forum. Just found it today. I want to get into reloading soon. I mainly shoot rifles, but within the next year will have several handguns. So currently I have a need to reload 7mm08, 243, 22-50, 338wm, 250 sav, 357, and more to come.

I definetly want to get a Dillon system. I have been reading alot of information the past couple of weeks. I like the Dillon 550, but I read several things saying they are not good for reloading rifles, not as accurate as a single stage, powder will not measure accurate enough, etc etc etc. But I have also read that there is no issues at all. Seems if you look hard enough you can find pros and cons on everything.

So the real question is will the 550 work for what I have need for now and down the road ( more hand guns, AR etc.)?

Thank for the help and any and all advice.

Tom

[Ray_Z]

My advice to you is to get started with a rcbs rockchucker master reloading kit. It will pretty much have everything except dies and shell holders for you to get started. Start with pistol calibers. For many reasons I like Hornady dies for single station press reloading. But one thing you will find is that everyone has a favorite. You will need more experence to load rifle cartridges. Give yourself some time. Find someone that has done it for a while and is willing to answer your questions. Just my 2 cents worth.

[whistlepig]

I will try to be short. I think press selection is a matter of amounts more than precision. I do think that single stage setups are more precise than a progressive, BUT NOT BY MUCH I use both. I use Dillon progressives (I don't want to admit how many, it is sad.....) But I also use 2 rockchuckers. Progressives do volume. When I want pistol ammo, I go to one of the 650's and chunk em out. Quick easy and good. when I want hoser ammo for a .308, I make it on a 650 with Dillon carbide dies. When I want AR stuff, it gets made on the 550 also with Dillon carbide dies. When I need precise, perfect rifle ammo, I get a bit silly. I sort cases by weight, I gauge every case, I do all case prep by hand and turn necks. I seat those primers by hand seater. I throw powder with a Harrell powder measure, use bushing dies and that doesnt even get into sorting bullets...

I did check my 550 for accuracy in .223 and a 650 in .308. I wondered if they could hang with a singel stage. I could not tell a performance difference in semi-auto guns, but I could with custom bolt guns. Realize that it was a small difference and also look at all the extra steps I put into single stage work.

In short, with that many rifle calibers, you will probably find yourself with a setup of both a single stage and a progressive. High volume pistol and average rifle rounds = progressive.... very precise = single stage.

You can use a progressive as a single stage if you wanted to make an amount of more precise ammo. You could size and deprime, hand seat primers, hand measure powder charges, seat and the crimp all as seperate steps. The issue with powder throws in the Dillon system depends somewhat on your powder choice. Some powders are hard to meter that way and some work very well.

Good luck!

[Chills1994]

it looks to me likew none of those are semi-auto cartridges, sooo....I don't really mean to rain on your parade...but do you need the production capability of a 550?

if you do get an AR or some semi-auto pistol like a 9, .40, or .45, and you're shooting enough to warrant a 550, by all means get the Dillon.

some guys are really quick or efficient at setting up their Dillon 550's. maybe I am just slow or too thorough in cleaning and setting one up from one caliber to the next....buttt...it's one of those things where if you're only going to make 50 or 100 rounds of one caliber it's not worth the trouble or time involved setting up a 550, in my opinion.

if I am going to crank out ammo on my Dillon I am going to do at least 300 rounds in one sitting.

sorry...I don't mean to rain on your parade...

but if I was in your shoes with those calibers I would go the single stage route.

with rifle brass, you are going to have to trim them to length. my suggestion is to use the RCBS X sizer die if they make it in those calibers. and then use the Possum Hollow cutter/trimmer and toolholder chucked in a drill or drill press. using the RCBS X die keeps the brass from growing and you from having to trim after every firing and subsequent resizing.

as far as the Dillon being any less accurate than a single stage press....well...that depends... there are factors involved beyond either press manufacturers control, mainly the guy operating the press's handles.

The Dillon powder measure is by volume. some powders are like grains of rice and don't meter too well. other powders are so fine they meter like water.

there is some super duper multi-time rifle National champion guy by the name of G. David Tubb who if I recall correctly loads his ammo on a Dillon 650. let's say at these matches he shoots all the way out to a thousand yards. he makes his 600 yard and under ammo on a Dillon.

I might be wrong about all that...someone might be along soon to correct me..but anywhoo just google his name "G. David Tubb" or his rifle the "Tubb2000".

[bigtmiller]

Thanks for the advice. I was looking at the Dillon site and I see they have the Dillon BL 550 which is basically a single stage press that can be upgraded to a full 550B. Does anyone have any experience with this machine? would it work as well as a single stage Lee or RCB?

It was mentioned that the 550 B can be operated as a single stage press? is this hard to do? Not saying that money is not an object, but I want to get all the "right" stuff now and the best stuff. The fact that I may not use the machine as a full progressive at first, atleast I will know that I have it when I am ready.

Thanks again for your help.

Tom

[Hi-Power Jack]

So currently I have a need to reload 7mm08, 243, 22-50, 338wm, 250 sav, 357, and more to come.

Tom

Tom, how many of each caliber will you reload a month or year?

Jack

[bigtmiller]

Well, probably around 100 to 200 of each caliber per month with the exception of the 338, less of that.

I really want to know if the 550B will work, not if it is overkill. I may grow into it or may not, but as long as it will do the job and produce very accurate ( just as accurate as a sigle stage) ammo than I will be happy. If a 550B will not do this even operated as a single stage press, then I need to look at something else. Most likely the 550 basic model, BL 550 single stage/turret press. Then I could upgrade if I need to, or not.

I just kind of have my mind set on Dillon as the manufacture I want to go with unless everyone is telling me the 550 progressive will not do what I want?

Thank you,

Tom

[Hi-Power Jack]

Well, probably around 100 to 200 of each caliber per month with the exception of the 338, less of that.

as long as it will produce very accurate ( just as accurate as a sigle stage) ammo than I will be happy. Thank you,

Tom

I don't shoot rifle, but if I were interested in reloading Very Accurate

I'd be at least throwing the powder charge with a trickler, and weighing

each load rather than using a volumetric approach.

You might also need? a more accurate way of seating the bullet to ensure

it was concentrically accurate?

The 550 will make some darn good ammo - depends on how accurate you need,

I would think.

Your volumes are small enough that you could load them "the old fashioned

way" - if accuracy is really important.

Good luck,

Jack

[bigtmiller]

Jack thanks for your advice. I think you are right, and I will go with the Basic model BL 550 press. If I want to upgrade it or simply buy another one later I can. It looks like the BL 550 is easily changed over to different calibers and will give me the sigle stage accuracy I am looking for. It would be cool to have the progressive, but may cause more of an issue than it would help.

Thanks for you help in pointing me in the right direction.

Tom

[Postal Bob]

I've used a single stage press for over 30 years. I've always reloaded mainly rifle and some pistol for use in hunting. When I got into action pistol shooting, then the need for a progressive press became apparent. I was given an older 550b press that I use to reload hundreds of 45acp on. But I'll still use the single stage to reload a few hundred 9mm also. I just spread out the different operations over several days.

So if you are mainly loading rifle right now, a single stage would be better and easier to learn about reloading. If the time comes for high volume pistol reloading, then you can eventually get a progressive. But I still prefer a single stage for reloading rifle.

[rfwobbly]

Tom -

I find that reloading machines are a lot like vehicles in that they are optimized for a particular market segment. If you were a well-to-do builder you might be able to afford a Mercedes, but you'd look pretty silly loading 50 concrete block into one. It's not because you can't do it, and it's not because Mercedes doesn't make a fine vehicle. It's because it's not really designed for that type service. And so it is with the Dillon machines. They are simply optimized for higher levels of production than you have.

Now if the pistols you plan to purchase got you into pistol competition, and you started burning up 500-2000 rounds per month, THEN the 550 would start to shine. And you could load your rifle cartridges just fine during the "off-hours".

But at 100-200 per month, frankly you'd be better served with a single stage like the RCBS Rock Chucker or a traditional turret like the intriguing Redding T7.

Hope this helps!

Edited May 4, 2011 by rfwobbly