Help Me Decide 650 0r 550? Why Not Buy Case Feeder Later?

[R/T Performance]

Ok I been loading on my SDB for a year and have a great opportunity to sell it for about what I have in it.

And after seeing the video on the 550 with the case feeder holy cow that's allot more room

Been watching Ebay but I only need 40 and 45 acp and have those dies already.

So now I can buy the loader without allot of out of pocket

Now the numbers 550 $470 with what I must have to get rolling but not recommend if I want a case feeder later which would be $229

650 $695 but only 613 without the powder check and conversion

Then a case feeder $190

So 230 for extra station powder check and auto indexing

Why is it not recommend to add the case feeder later?

[reneet]

I started with the SDB, moved up to the 550 and then the 650 when it came out. I don't ever want to go back. I keep my 550 around just in case my 650 takes a dump right before a major but knock on wood I don't ever need it. The 650 w/ casefeeder is the bomb.

[AzShooter]

Go with the 650 and you may as well get the case feeder with it. I have a 550 that I use for my .45s and my black powder cartridges but I use the 650 for all my .38s. It's so nice to go in the garage, like I just did, and pump out 400 rounds without breaking a sweat.

[1911user]

If you reload rifle (or plan to) consider the 550 casefeeder is for pistol cases only. Dillon announced recently they could not get it to work with 223 cases, but 7.62x39 might be possible.

[Kevin J]

I just started reloading back in October, so I know the agony your going through!!! It's a hard choice. I ended up buying a 550 and I'm very happy with it. But now that I've grown a little more accoustmed to the whole progressive process, I find myself really wanting that case feeder and fifth hole in the press. The only major thing that is holding me back is how easy it is to change calibers on the 550. I'm constantly switching between my own .45 ACP and my wife's .38. It really is a breeze once you have caliber dedicated powder measures.

My opinion, go all the way and get the 650 with the case feeder. If you don't want to drop the money for the case feeder, alright. But get the 650. You've been using a SDB and you've out grown it which means you'll grow the 550 fairly fast.

--Kevin J

[AZ38super]

I would say get the loaded 650, spend the money now and get what you want without having to respend money down the road.

I read post after post on what options to use with the 650 and I would not give up my powder check, even on loads where the case is almost completely full. Plus it is nice to not have to look inside the case for under 5 grains of powder in a 38 special case.

[spook]

I would say get the loaded 650, spend the money now and get what you want without having to respend money down the road.

I read post after post on what options to use with the 650 and I would not give up my powder check, even on loads where the case is almost completely full. Plus it is nice to not have to look inside the case for under 5 grains of powder in a 38 special case.

+1

The powdercheck is the reason to get a 650/1050 over the others.

[R/T Performance]

Hiding an extra 500 for the 650 with the powder check and case feeder might be tough.

But looks like I may just get the base 650 tool heads and roller handle.

$250 is do able after I sell my B.

Any body know why they recommend to buy the case feeder right away?

Edited May 1, 2006 by R/T Performance

[AZ38super]

Any body know why they recommend to buy the case feeder right away?

SPEED...., the 650 is the daddy to the B while the 1050 is the granddaddy but has it's drawbacks as well.

I can punch out 100 rounds in 6-7 minutes and that's taking my time at a steady medium speed. Crank the handle, place bullet, crank handle...repeat...

600 to 700 quality rounds in an hour at that speed suits me just fine even though I could go faster.

I have 9 primer tubes so it's fill brass & powder hoppers, fill primer tubes with my FA primer filler, fill bullet tray to max and load away. oh' I have multiple bins to catch loaded rounds as well all within arms reach.

[Nik Habicht]

If you're not going to buy the 1050, and there are a few reasons not to, then go straight to the 650 with casefeeder.

My relaoding path went like this: SDB in 9mm, add .38 SPCL. dies and conversion, buy second SDB in .45ACP, buy used 650 and set-up in 9mm, .38, and .45 while selling 9mm SDB; buy used 1050 and set it up in 9mm while selling SDB in 45ACP.

Save the intermediate steps: Buy the 650 if you foresee the need for rifle or for many calibers. Buy the 1050 if you only see the need for a few pistol calibers.....

[Vlad]

I'll be the minority man, and say there is nothing wrong with the 550. I only load about 300 per hour, 400 if I push it, but that is without a case feeder. I suspect I could get around 600 or more with a casefeeder.

The one advantage of the 550 is that it can be bought in small parts. You can start with a 500AT and add parts till you have a complete machine. It will cost you more in the long run but if you are on a budget and don't want to wait for 6 months to get the money together, it may be a solution.

[PistolPete]

I went through this same debate several years ago and here is what I did.

I bought the 650 without the casefeeder. I started loading and the first thing I noticed was that I NEEDED the casefeeder. What happens is the cases can't easily be placed on the shell plate by hand so what you do is fill the tube with about 14 cases depending on which caliber. Then you start going and you notice your tube is already empty. Now you have to stop and refill the tube with another 14 cases and repeat... At this speed the 550 would prob. be faster. I loaded on the press once and ordered up my casefeeder.

The 650 is awesome and has a bunch of great features. Take a step back for a second and take price out of the equation. The few hundred dollars more that you spend now will go a long way. At the rate that I'm currently shooting and the new open gun I'm getting I'm thinking of buying a 1050 as well. I'll keep the 650 for .40 and the 1050 for .38 super.

If you buy the 550 then in a year from now you'll think about buying the 650 and wish you did right from the start.

Spend the extra money and you'll be glad that you did.

[ctgun]

I will add my $0.02 also. I was in the same position as you a few years ago. I had a Square Deal and had out grown it. I bought a 650 and now wish that I had bought it to begin with and not even looked at the Square Deal. If you want versitility, speed and saftey (powder check) buy right the first time if you get a 550 instead of a 650 you will regret it down the road.

[anyracoon]

I had the same problem so to speak. ! was one of the Green faction(RCBS). I bought the 650 with all of the extras. I liked it so much that I picked up a 550 for load developement. As they say "I have come over to the Blue Side" Get the 650 with the works, you will not regret it!

AnyRacoon/Dennis from Soledad, CA

[R/T Performance]

I guess looking what is a couple hundred extra bucks.

I can't justify keeping the b for load development and wish I had bought a 550 (BE Tried really hard to sell me)But my budget was tighter than and I never loaded before.

Now in a year I have made almost 5000 rounds and realize with 45 acp what he meant buy overall leverage shot three matches after I started loading and plan to shoot around 12 this summer.

So Looks Like BE will be getting a call soon as I get cash in hand for my B.

Thanks for all the input and Just need to decide if I can hold off for the powder check awhile or just belly up and bite it all off NOW.

[PistolPete]

I've been loading on my 650 without the powder check system and never really thought about getting it. However, after reading this post I can see how it would speed things up. I look into each case before putting a bullet on and, knock on wood, have never had a squib. Having a backup check (I will always look into the case) is always a good thing.

So, to answer your question, Yes, you can do it without the powder check but just be careful.

Pete

[Berzerker]

I started reloading on a rcbs rock chucker. I still use it, and will never get rid of it, but only for the (rifle) calibers i occasionaly shoot.

But for my main pistol a .45, i progressed to a square deal.

Still love-use it, but progressed to a fully tricked out 650 for .40, nowadays my main pistol. the .45 only get's out on occasion.

The only reason why i can understand buying a 650 without the casefeeder is that you won't/can't (I'm on a budget to) spend all that money at once and plan for getting the casefeeder later.

I've only loaded about 5000 rounds on the 650, but I wished I bought one from the start.

That I use "only" and "5000 rounds" in the same phrase should give you a hint why i like it so much. : it's fast.

heck, maybe an a year or two I'll be rewriting this post on why i love my 1050 so much

but for now i still find there is to much of a price difference between the 650 and the 1050

Edited May 2, 2006 by Berzerker

[Josh Biondi]

650 with all optionals......NO DUBT ON IT!!!!!

[Gregg K]

One more for get the 650 if for no other reason to get the powder check. I have seen enough people ruin guns because they loaded on a 550 and missed checking the powder. It may save your gun or your hand and you can't put a price on that. The 650 is way faster too.

[reneet]

650 without casefeeder is no better than 550 IMO

[boo radley]

Had an SDB for about 9-10? months. Great little press.

Ordered a 650XL from Brian around Christmas this past year, and it's a tremendous upgrade with some caveats, IMO.

First, as everyone says (and BE, himself) the 650 is pointless w/out the casefeeder and it shouldn't be an option. I can't imagine having to fill that tube each time.

Second, I'm wouldn't want to be the one to suggest not having a power-check, but...why? I clip a small reading light to the rim of the casefeeder, and it shines right into the case in positions, uh, 3 and 4, I think. So I'm looking right at the powder, before and as I'm seating the bullet.

Third, it's very fast, but when things do go wrong, it's a minor PITA to clear the jam/misfeed/etc, and that hurts your time. With the SDB, no problem.

[JFD]

What's the deal with a case not getting powder?

I've been reloading for 35 years on everything from single stage presses, turret presses (Lee and Lyman), and now I'm loading with 3 SDBs. Never have I had a case not get charged with powder. Never had a double charge either, but it's pretty obvious how that could happen with a 550.

I'm trying to decide what press I'm going to buy next, as I'm tired of running my once-fired .40s through a seperate press ("U" die), then running the loaded ammo through a separate press again (FCD).

No offense intended, but does the 650 have a problem with not dropping powder or what?

[Newguy]

I went from a 650 with all the bells and whistles to a 550B with the casefeeder. The simple reason was that, at least for me, the 650 was more complicated and finicky than the 550B. The priming system and the indexing were more prone to jamming than the 550B.

Problems on the 550B are quick and easy to fix. The 650 has more moving parts -- especially the indexing -- which makes getting things "exactly right" more difficult. When I calculated the time I spent fiddling with the 650 it took me MUCH longer to load than with the 550B. Now with the casefeeder the 550B has both simplicity AND speed. Not having auto-indexing isn't a big deal since when I add the bullet I just flick my wrist. I also never put much stock in the powder measure safety. It was sorta useful but not one of things I couldn't live without. Even if my reloading speed is 10-15% slower the simplicty of the 550 more than makes up for it.

[Front Man]

+1 NewGuy.

Get a 650 for every caliber you load, but a house without a 550 will never be a home!

FM

[Flexmoney]

What's the deal with a case not getting powder?

No offense intended, but does the 650 have a problem with not dropping powder or what?

Mine has never had a problem. Not once.