Probably exhausted question but.... upgrade from 550 to 650?

[alscott]

What would make this change worth it? I have 550 with set ups for .308, .45 auto, .44 mag, .357 sig and 30-06. I see myself adding .270 WSM and mostly loading 9mm for IDPA and other local range matches. I have saved all my .223/5.56 brass too, have a lot. I love to have the best/latest greatest in all my equipment and have toyed with this change for 2 years now. I would probably load 2-4K rounds a year and often find myself in a bind reloading the week before a weekend match. Loading would be pistol year round then a little rifle leading into hunting season. I want to jump to 650 then I look at all the 550 toolheads, etc that I have and it seems like it would be a huge hassle. Plus I would need to sale all of that stuff. I would like to have the powder check that you can use with 650, take out some of the wondering if it's enough or too much. Set up from caliber to caliber on 650 would have to be much more involved than 550 which is a con.

[Alan550]

Why not both? Use the 650 for your high production stuff, and keep the 550 for the rifle rounds. Dies interchange between the 2 presses, so you're already set up for that part of it.

Alan~^~

[gng4life]

With only loading 2-4k a year, probably not worth it to upgrade. I know the powder check is nice but you can watch each case to verify the powder. Tooling up for all those calibers would be expensive also.

[Sarge]

All you would change would be toolheads

[Alan550]

All you would change would be toolheads

And conversion kits or just order shellplates for each caliber + 1 more locator button per caliber.

[Sarge]

Yeah I always forget the bottom end of it. Still not cost prohibitive to change over in my opinion though. Considering the upgrade to more productivity i mean

[gigs]

Caliber change on the 650 isn't really more involved than the 550.

Consider just buying case feeders for your 550s if you don't already have them.

You really won't gain that much speed going from a 550 with case feeder to a 650 with one, and you'll have a raft of new problems to deal with. The 650 has what I consider the highest learning curve of any Dillon press.

[RealtorMA]

I've been using a 550. My 650 arrived one week ago. My original plan was to use the 650 for my main caliber and use the 550 for the 3 others that I load occasionally. However, I think that plan has changed. The 650 is so much better IMHO. Faster, better primer feed system, safer etc. So for now I'm on to an new Plan A; I am going to sell my 550 and get conversion setups for the other calibers. I think that would easily leave money in my pocket. Plan b = another 650.

ETA My short answer to your question. Yes! Upgrade.

Edited March 5, 2015 by RealtorMA

[alscott]

Caliber change on the 650 isn't really more involved than the 550.

Consider just buying case feeders for your 550s if you don't already have them.

You really won't gain that much speed going from a 550 with case feeder to a 650 with one, and you'll have a raft of new problems to deal with. The 650 has what I consider the highest learning curve of any Dillon press.

I was thinking of adding case feeder but I think I read posts on here that they weren't worth it on the 550. The "raft of new problems" is what has stopped me at this point. Plus I am pretty comfortable, as much as anyone should be, with the 550. Worked through the normal issues at this point and I would be starting over with 650. I don't have the strong mount and I think if I add that with the case and bullet trays that alone would speed things up a bit.

[KustomHolsters]

I personally just enjoy loading, so buying a new loader was almost as much fun as a new gun. Do your 9mm on the 650 and everything else on the 550.

[BeerBaron]

Get the 650. 5 stations and auto indexing are two big advantages. Adding a case feeder and perhaps a bullet feeder and you'll wonder why you waited.

[b1gcountry]

I also don't see the point if you are only loading 2k a year. If 90% of that is 9mm for matches, then adding a 9mm sdb might be a better option, but I still think you would be better off just sticking with what you have.

At 2k/year, it will take you years to really get to know the machine.

[peterthefish]

I also don't see the point if you are only loading 2k a year. If 90% of that is 9mm for matches, then adding a 9mm sdb might be a better option, but I still think you would be better off just sticking with what you have.

At 2k/year, it will take you years to really get to know the machine.

This. It sounds like your bigger issue is getting to loading, not the time it takes. I'd figure out what the bottleneck is and address that. If you don't have components to put together what you're going to shoot over the next 3-6 months, invest in stocking up on those. If you have the components, just set aside a day on the weekend and load up what you're going to shoot over the next few months over a few hours.

I shoot about 1,000 9mm / month. I process brass and load twice a month after the kids go to bed, and keep about 1,000 loaded at any given time. I also set aside ammo for my next upcoming match and don't dip into it for practice if time seems like it might be tight.

Now, if you want to upgrade just to upgrade, go for it.

[Hi-Power Jack]

I don't see the point if you are loading 2k a year. If 90% of that is 9mm for matches, then adding a 9mm sdb might be a better option,

This. your issue is getting to loading, not the time it takes.

I shoot 1,000 9mm / month. I process brass and load twice a month after the kids go to bed,

Now, if you want to upgrade just to upgrade, go for it.

+1. I have to agree with b1 and Peter.

Loading 5,000 rounds/year (you load half that amount) can't take

more than 20 hours per year (1.6 hours per month or 25 minutes

per week).

I don't see the need for more "SPEED". And, not sure how a

strong mount or plastic bins will speed you up???

Heck, I'd suggest you look into a single stage reloader for rifle,

and keep the 550 dedicated to what you actually reload.

And, you don't "reload for hunting season" - at least not on a

550 - you only need 30 - 50 rounds per year, and most of

those will be left over for next year. Unless you have a

herd of bison near your house.

I think you really need a single stage reloader ....

[alscott]

Thanks guys. Sounds like great advice from folks with more experience. I do have trouble just setting aside time. I always want to do several hundred rounds in one whack but I could easily do 100 or so a few nights and get the same result in the end. Time management. I will keep what I have. I don't have any issue switching it out to do rifle. I guess I am just accustomed to doing so it doesn't seem like a big deal plus I really don't have room for a sdb. I was thinking adding the mount with the trays would just make my current set up more efficient which equals less time in most endeavors.

[dauntedfuture]

I loaded on a 550 for years and years. I bought a 650 after an ill fated LNL adventure 3 years ago...what was I thinking. I load all 9, .40, .38 and .223 on my 650 as that's what I load most of. I keep the 550 set up with the LP system and load .308 case head rifle and .45 ACP on that. I use my 550 a little more like a semi-progressive when I load rifle as I leave the case in the up position and pour in weighed powder charges for any LR stuff I load. It is faster then a single stage press.

I really like the powder check station that the 650 allows.

Now i'm thinking about a 1050.......

[The Happy Gila]

Now that you have both presses............ DON'T sell the one you think you can now live without.

Trust me, you'll only end up kicking yourself in the a** at a later date for selling the press!!