czambesi Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 I am in the market for a progressive press. Let me say this first, I have never reloaded before. I have been looking at a Dillon 650 with case feeder. I havea friend telling me about the Hornady lock n load with case and bullet feeder. I will be using it to reload 9mm, .40, .45, & .223. -Has anyone had exp. with both? -Is one easier to operate than the other for a first time reloader? -I will be trying to load 1,000 rds at a time Thanks, Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErichF Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 I am personally looking at the Lee Load Master Pro for my first reloading kit. They also have a new "micrometer" style powder measure that allows you to customize loads like all the other big name presses. Lee just seems to give you more for your money (dies, auto-indexing, case/primer feeds, etc) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonS Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 There's a good review here: http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=39332&st=0&p=1569293&hl=hornady&fromsearch=1entry1569293 I've never owned the Hornady, but I own a 650XL that I bought from Brian right off this site, and I can't say enough good things about the Dillion, or Brian's customer service! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHARLES D Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 Do yourself a big favor. Buy the 650 and never look back. B.E. as well as Dillon are great people to deal with. thats why I have 3 of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
czambesi Posted January 2, 2012 Author Share Posted January 2, 2012 Thank you for the information! Eevryone at the range has been telling me to get the Dillon. 1 other friend said Hornady so I wanted to make sure I go the right way. I am already looking to buy from BE. Thanks, Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dover0020 Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 If you have the money get the 650 it will be the best investment ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcalvert Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 After owning 2@ XL650's and currently running 3@ RL1050'S I can say that Dillion products set the standard for all progressive presses to be measured by! Their presses rock and they back up there stuff with out question. You should consider buying one from our host BE. Repeat after me. Dillon, Dillion, Dillion!! dcalvert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugster Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 I just put my 650 together about a week ago. I had Lee presses before and they certainly worked very well, but the Dillon is on a whole new level. If the 650 is in your budget, I'd say go that route. There are plenty of very knowledgeable people on this site to help with any questions that arise. I don't have any experience with the Hornady however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
czambesi Posted January 2, 2012 Author Share Posted January 2, 2012 Thanks guys- Dillon it is. I was going to call Mr. Enos about trying to get it all in one order. -650XL -Dies -40.S&W -9mm -45 ACP -.223 carbide (is it worth it compared to a basic die?) -"as it should be upgrade" -Casefeed assembly pistol small -Casefeed plate pistol lg and rifle small -CV-750 -Primer flip tray -4 pack tubes mixed -brianenos digital scan -Brianenos digital calipler -650 press DVD Couple optional questions -Do youhave both the 650 Caliber Conversion Kit & 650 Deluxe Quick-Change Kit for each caliber you have quick switches? -Is the Powder Check System recommended? or just the low powder system? -Is the 650 Priming Quick-Change assembly worth it? Thanks for any critque or advise? Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hi-Power Jack Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 Chris, how many of each caliber do you load per year? Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mizer67 Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 I have both the LNL and a 650. While the LNL is easier to learn on (IMO), is simpler, and has areas of brilliance in the design, if I had it to do over again, I'd have bought a 650 from the beginning from Brian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugster Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 I wouldn't go with carbides for .223...you will need to lube regardless. I recommend Imperial sizing wax, or Hornady Unique case lube. Neither of these are spray lubes, but both of these are miles ahead any spray. Also .223 will need to be trimmed because the brass will stretch when sized. Look into the Possum Hollow case trimmer, or if you have the $, a Gracey trimmer. As for what you'll need to switch calibers, BE will be able to get you all that info so you have too much overlap. .45 would be the only case you're loading that uses large pistol primers so depending upon how much/often you load that cartridge, you may or may not want the quick change. I don't have the powder check system, but I look into each case before seating the bullet for double charge/no charge. I also do not have the low powder sensor because I try to load with the powder hopper at least half full so it doesn't get low often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98sr20ve Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 (edited) I am in the market for a progressive press. Let me say this first, I have never reloaded before. I have been looking at a Dillon 650 with case feeder. I havea friend telling me about the Hornady lock n load with case and bullet feeder. I will be using it to reload 9mm, .40, .45, & .223. -Has anyone had exp. with both? -Is one easier to operate than the other for a first time reloader? -I will be trying to load 1,000 rds at a time Thanks, Chris Very few people have owned both. I have owned a Lee Classic Turret (LCT), Load Master, 550, LnL and 650 in that order. I have had a casefeeder on the 550, LnL and 650. I like the LCT enough to have bought two. Should never have sold the first one for the LM. 550 is a good press. I would not get it for it's casefeeder. It's a add on casefeeder (press not designed from ground up for the casefeeder). Same goes for the LnL. Casefeeder is a after thought. Neither are that great of a casefeeder. I eventually got the LnL casefeeder to be about 99%. Thats not really great in my book. 650 is everything a casefeed machine should be. It just works. It's not perfect if you do a lot of swapping around but it isn't bad either. Don't get me started with the LnL. It doesn't like sliding 9mm cases with out them tipping. It doesn't like to prime properly with some primers. The casefeeder is noisy, flips cases, lets cases fly out of the chute. Just a bunch of crap. I fixed all of those issues except it would randomly tip cases at the slider and the priming system was just not able to seat primers deep enough to allow my light sprung Glock fire them on the first strike 100% of the time. It would do 99% but that still is just not good enough. My 550 would seat the same primers perfectly, the 650 does the same and does it really easily as well. They rebuilt the press. They sent parts. 5 months of trying and trying. It was hopeless. In the end Hornady gave me my money back. Get the 650. Edited January 3, 2012 by 98sr20ve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
czambesi Posted January 3, 2012 Author Share Posted January 3, 2012 Hi-Power- I just got started with USPSA this past year and trying to shoot 2 matches a month plus pratice in between. More than 6k 9mm and 6k .40 (production & limited) .223 and .45 will be around 5k a year - 22k total a year estimate/ goal. Mizer and 98 - Thanks for the feedback. Rugster- Thanks for the info! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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