Anyone start with a 550 and wish they got a 650?

[FlightMurse]

I started with a 650 and have no regrets with the decision. My buddy has a 550 and after playing with that and comparing the two I think the case feeder alone is worth it.

[racingjoe27]

I started with a 650 and have no regrets with the decision. My buddy has a 550 and after playing with that and comparing the two I think the case feeder alone is worth it.

The case feeder on the 650? Cause they have one for the 550. Its a little better value to put a case feeder on a 550 than it is on a 650 which sways me to the 550.

[Boxerglocker]

I started with a 650 and have no regrets with the decision. My buddy has a 550 and after playing with that and comparing the two I think the case feeder alone is worth it.

The case feeder on the 650? Cause they have one for the 550. Its a little better value to put a case feeder on a 550 than it is on a 650 which sways me to the 550.

Only better value if you stick with pistol only calibers... 650 you can do either or, and you get auto indexing, plus and extra station for a powder check or even bullet feeder later down the line.

[motosapiens]

probably depends if you are a gadget guy or a simpler-is-better guy. I got a 550, and I can't imagine why I would want anything else to load 15-20k yr of 9, 40 and 45, but I leave everything setup all the time, and just sit down and load 50-100 rounds at a time while sipping my coffee or beer and thinking about shooting.

I also drive a cheap economy car with a manual transmission and make my coffee with a stovetop espresso maker. I just like simple stuff and I really don't like screwing with complicated stuff to keep it working.

[Hi-Power Jack]

depends if you are a gadget guy or a simpler-is-better guy. I sit down and load 50-100 rounds at a time while sipping my coffee.

I like simple stuff and don't like screwing with complicated stuff.

+1. That's why I'd NEVER go with a 650, much less a 1050.

[Sarge]

When I got my 550 somebody on here stated I would be switching to a 650 within 6 months. Man was he right! It took me two years but I ditched the 550 and could not be happier. The 650 is easily twice the press. And it is not hard to use at all if you are even somewhat intelegunt.

[Pat Miles]

When I got my 550 somebody on here stated I would be switching to a 650 within 6 months. Man was he right! It took me two years but I ditched the 550 and could not be happier. The 650 is easily twice the press. And it is not hard to use at all if you are even somewhat intelegunt.

Well, looks who's back.

[nwhpfan]

I do a little over 10k pistol a year and I'm fine with the 550.

But I do enough .223 the off press work is a pain I do wish I had a 650.

But when I was just starting out I was a little overwhelmed.

[phecksel]

I sat at a banquet table with a bunch of experienced shooters. I said 550 or 650. It was a resounding 650. It was a great decision.

[Zzapp]

I have a 55o and like it very much. With a case feeder it will spit out ammo at a good rate. Plus I would never ditch all that I have invested in conversions and such. It just works and works for me!

[Sarge]

I have a 55o and like it very much. With a case feeder it will spit out ammo at a good rate. Plus I would never ditch all that I have invested in conversions and such. It just works and works for me!

Agreed! They all work well. Some leave more options for upgrades and such but all in all anything Dillon will do quite nicely.

[Walnut]

I hate to jump into the Chevy vs Ford, but here is my two cents for what I did for flexibly and loading speed. For the money and if you have the space, get two 550's. One press with a Casefeeder and one without. I have timed myself against a buddy who has 650 with case feeder and me with a 550 with a casefeeder loading 100 round lots. It was a draw, sometimes I was faster, sometimes he was faster but we were so close. It is pretty easy to set up a 550B to load quality .223. When I was playing the 3gun game, it would load 1/2MOA ammo easy, as long as I set it up right and hesitated for a sec or two while the powder was dropping (I use extruded powder). The cost of the caliber conversions and the simplicity of the 550B is its greatest strength.

However, if you just want to load one or two calibers, have the cash, have a bit of mechanical aptitude, I would be hard pressed to discourage you in buying a 650. But just know a 550B with a casefeeder will load just as fast for less money.

[z40acp]

I own a 450, a 550 and a 650. I prefer loading on the 650. It is just faster and smoother. Keep the 550 for the calibers you don't load a lot of. If you buy it in 9mm the small case feed plate works great for .40. I know a couple of shooters loading .223 on their 650s. You just need two tool heads,

[glynnm45]

I load .223 and 300 BlackOut on my 650; pretty much use the Lee Classic Cast Turret press for the rest.

[Sarge]

I hate to jump into the Chevy vs Ford, but here is my two cents for what I did for flexibly and loading speed. For the money and if you have the space, get two 550's. One press with a Casefeeder and one without. I have timed myself against a buddy who has 650 with case feeder and me with a 550 with a casefeeder loading 100 round lots. It was a draw, sometimes I was faster, sometimes he was faster but we were so close. It is pretty easy to set up a 550B to load quality .223. When I was playing the 3gun game, it would load 1/2MOA ammo easy, as long as I set it up right and hesitated for a sec or two while the powder was dropping (I use extruded powder). The cost of the caliber conversions and the simplicity of the 550B is its greatest strength.

However, if you just want to load one or two calibers, have the cash, have a bit of mechanical aptitude, I would be hard pressed to discourage you in buying a 650. But just know a 550B with a casefeeder will load just as fast for less money.

I said earlier both are good presses but the 650 has more holes. More holes means more options. I stuck a bullet feeder on mine and it's a true ammo plant if I want it to be. a thousand an hour is just cruising speed.

[racingjoe27]

I'm starting to lean toward the 550. Seems like I can't go wrong and if I feel like I need more I can buy a 650 later.

Now to watch the classifieds to see if one pops up

[BeerBaron]

When I got my 550 somebody on here stated I would be switching to a 650 within 6 months. Man was he right! It took me two years but I ditched the 550 and could not be happier. The 650 is easily twice the press. And it is not hard to use at all if you are even somewhat intelegunt.

agreed. if you can afford it go straight for the 650. it's a better press. especially if you only loading 2 calibres.

5 stations vs 4 (this is important to me and it's one thing you cannot upgrade on a 550. it will ALWAYS be a 4 station press).

auto indexing. faster AND safer

ability to add bullet feeder

ability to seat and crimp in separate stations with a bullet feeder or a powder check

did I mention it's faster?

For me auto indexing and 5 stations vs 4 mean 650 is worth the extra.

plus when you look at the cost a 650 is not much more $ to start with than a 550.

in the grand scheme of reloading spending a grand on a press with case feeder etc is actually not that big a deal. If you shoot even a moderate amount (say 200 a week) you'll be spending way more than that on components etc.

Plus you can buy a 650 for say $1000 fully kitted out. In 5 years time you could sell it used for probably $850. Cost of ownership is very low. They hold their value so well. I see more people selling 550's that are upgrading to a 650 or 1050 than I do see people selling 650's...

[racingjoe27]

When I got my 550 somebody on here stated I would be switching to a 650 within 6 months. Man was he right! It took me two years but I ditched the 550 and could not be happier. The 650 is easily twice the press. And it is not hard to use at all if you are even somewhat intelegunt.

agreed. if you can afford it go straight for the 650. it's a better press. especially if you only loading 2 calibres.

5 stations vs 4 (this is important to me and it's one thing you cannot upgrade on a 550. it will ALWAYS be a 4 station press).

auto indexing. faster AND safer

ability to add bullet feeder

ability to seat and crimp in separate stations with a bullet feeder or a powder check

did I mention it's faster?

For me auto indexing and 5 stations vs 4 mean 650 is worth the extra.

plus when you look at the cost a 650 is not much more $ to start with than a 550.

in the grand scheme of reloading spending a grand on a press with case feeder etc is actually not that big a deal. If you shoot even a moderate amount (say 200 a week) you'll be spending way more than that on components etc.

Plus you can buy a 650 for say $1000 fully kitted out. In 5 years time you could sell it used for probably $850. Cost of ownership is very low. They hold their value so well. I see more people selling 550's that are upgrading to a 650 or 1050 than I do see people selling 650's...

I spec'd out a 650 in Brians store and I think the lowest price I could get and still have the press operable was like $1500? I could be off, that was a couple weeks ago so I dont quite remember. I wanna say that a fully setup one was going to run me close to $1900?

[TDA]

Not sure what you consider "operable".

I have one here I run regularly for .45ACP and I just priced it out at $1023.00 from Brian including shipping.

Press, case feeder, strong mount, bullet tray, powder check, roller handle, dies, etc.

[Cowboy1629]

I have both a 550 and a 650. The 550 I purchased about 20+ years ago and it has served me well. Today 90% of my loading takes place on the 650.

[Sarge]

When I got my 550 somebody on here stated I would be switching to a 650 within 6 months. Man was he right! It took me two years but I ditched the 550 and could not be happier. The 650 is easily twice the press. And it is not hard to use at all if you are even somewhat intelegunt.

agreed. if you can afford it go straight for the 650. it's a better press. especially if you only loading 2 calibres.

5 stations vs 4 (this is important to me and it's one thing you cannot upgrade on a 550. it will ALWAYS be a 4 station press).

auto indexing. faster AND safer

ability to add bullet feeder

ability to seat and crimp in separate stations with a bullet feeder or a powder check

did I mention it's faster?

For me auto indexing and 5 stations vs 4 mean 650 is worth the extra.

plus when you look at the cost a 650 is not much more $ to start with than a 550.

in the grand scheme of reloading spending a grand on a press with case feeder etc is actually not that big a deal. If you shoot even a moderate amount (say 200 a week) you'll be spending way more than that on components etc.

Plus you can buy a 650 for say $1000 fully kitted out. In 5 years time you could sell it used for probably $850. Cost of ownership is very low. They hold their value so well. I see more people selling 550's that are upgrading to a 650 or 1050 than I do see people selling 650's...

I spec'd out a 650 in Brians store and I think the lowest price I could get and still have the press operable was like $1500? I could be off, that was a couple weeks ago so I dont quite remember. I wanna say that a fully setup one was going to run me close to $1900?

Those numbers sound high unless you are throwing in all kinds of accessories for the loading bench. Don't get me wrong, I did that same thing when I bought mine. But a 650 with CF and a few add ons is not $1500. And for what it's worth you can save some money by getting LEE dies. I swapped out my Dillon dies long ago.

[racingjoe27]

Those numbers sound high unless you are throwing in all kinds of accessories for the loading bench. Don't get me wrong, I did that same thing when I bought mine. But a 650 with CF and a few add ons is not $1500. And for what it's worth you can save some money by getting LEE dies. I swapped out my Dillon dies long ago.

Or my memory is way off. I thought I only added what I needed in order to make the press operable.

ETA: Did those numbers sound approximately $500 too high? Cause I went back and looked and I had an extra 550 still in my cart...

Edited June 15, 2015 by racingjoe27

[ktm300]

Started with a 550, liked it loaded on it for about a year.

Got a deal on a 650 with a case feeder, sold the 550 and bought a bullet feeder for the 650. I liked the 650 and loaded a lot of really good ammo on it.

Bought a SDB to load a little large primer .45.

Found a deal on a used 1050 bought it, really liked it, bought another used 1050, sold the 650.

They all worked, they all load good ammo. Of the group the 550 was the slowest followed by the SDB. The 650 and 1050 are about the same speed, I just like the feel of the 1050 better and I don't get held up with screwed up primer pockets anymore.

Now having 2 1050's with bullet feeders, one set up in 9mm, the other in .40, and one SDB set up for .45. This is a nice solution for my reloading problem. I also know if I ever want to sell any of them I will get my money out of them.

Having it to do all over again I would follow the same path. I learned a lot from each machine.

[Sarge]

Started with a 550, liked it loaded on it for about a year.

Got a deal on a 650 with a case feeder, sold the 550 and bought a bullet feeder for the 650. I liked the 650 and loaded a lot of really good ammo on it.

Bought a SDB to load a little large primer .45.

Found a deal on a used 1050 bought it, really liked it, bought another used 1050, sold the 650.

They all worked, they all load good ammo. Of the group the 550 was the slowest followed by the SDB. The 650 and 1050 are about the same speed, I just like the feel of the 1050 better and I don't get held up with screwed up primer pockets anymore.

Now having 2 1050's with bullet feeders, one set up in 9mm, the other in .40, and one SDB set up for .45. This is a nice solution for my reloading problem. I also know if I ever want to sell any of them I will get my money out of them.

Having it to do all over again I would follow the same path. I learned a lot from each machine.

That sounds like a typical progression from what I see, especially for shooters who shoot a whole lot. I only shoot about 10k a year and some years much less. I load ammo so fast that I sometimes don't go in my loading room for months. I could load what I shoot on much less of a press but opted for output in case something happens like another shortage of components. When I'm not loading I am stocking up!

[Vincerama]

Not sure what you consider "operable".

I have one here I run regularly for .45ACP and I just priced it out at $1023.00 from Brian including shipping.

Press, case feeder, strong mount, bullet tray, powder check, roller handle, dies, etc.

You can go simpler. Forget the strong mount and bullet tray. Maybe forget roller handle (it's nice, but it comes with the ball handle already so you can save $45 if you want to). The bullet tray is only useful if you have the strong mount, for the price of it, you can just use a tupperware lid or a paper plate or whatever. Strong mount ... it depends if you're the type of guy who will build a purpose built workbench for your reloader. If you are then just build the working surface higher for the mount or make your own.

These are just suggestions to pull the price down by about $150 bucks or so.

But you must buy the casefeeder with the 650. If you don't then you should get the 550. The extra station is great but you can live without it and it's real value is to put a powder check in there (just look inside the case) or the bullet feeder ... and you really wouldn't get a bullet feeder without having the case feeder first as the casefeeder is a huge boost but a bullet feeder is not so much (because you pull the handle with your right hand)