To all

[arbullet]

After reading for a few weeks and never reloading before. I want to say thanks. If it wasn't for everyones posts, I don't think I would have had the guts to try it.

So I'm going with a Dillon 550.

Here is going to be it's new home.

[Paul Burtchell]

Awesome

I bought a 550 from Brian a little over a year ago and love it. It has been 100% reliable.

[MI_Packer]

Better clean up that workspace first.

You will be very pleased with crafting your own ammo.

[TM262]

It will pay for itself in no time and you will be cleaning your gun less.

[kevin c]

Welcome to the forums!

Read and enjoy.

May you learn and contribute much while you are here!

[Paul Burtchell]

Awesome

I bought a 550 from Brian a little over a year ago and love it. It has been 100% reliable.

Edited: I forgot to welcome you to the Forums

[Dave Gundry]

Excellent first post! Welcome

You may want to get some beefy L brackets and bolt that bench to the wall. Looks like it might be a bit wobbly as it sits, but should work nicely.

[AlamoShooter]

just figure out what to do with all thous empty 8bl bottles the powder came in .

They are going to stack up

[FranDoc]

Enjoy your 550. Mine (purchased through Brian, thank you) went into operation ~6 months ago, and it's run flawlessly. Hint: if something doesn't look/feel/sound right while in operation, STOP and look. It's probably something simple, with a quick fix. If in doubt, ask around the Forum.

After 10,500 rounds, I can tell you that what 'they say' is true -- reloading may not SAVE you money, but you can certainly shoot a whole lot more for the same money AND you get a load that handles well for YOU. There's more data here than you can imagine; feel free to make use of it.

Welcome aboard, glad to have you here.

If you figure out something useful to do with all those little plastic primer trays, PLEASE share that with the rest of us. That's how I know how many rounds I've loaded. The trays are all stacked neatly ... waiting for some other useful purpose to make itself known ....

[MichiganShootist]

I bet you won't save money.... You'll just shoot more like the rest of us!!

Welcome and don't forget the mandatory calendar on the wall

Edited October 16, 2008 by MichiganShootist

[MLE-ShootingSports]

550's are great presses. I've had friends that swear by the 650's, but I really don't shoot that fast, so loading slower by manually reindexing doesn't bother me. I went from not knowing a damned thing, right into the 550. I watched the Dillon video, and took my time. I went to close friends that had a good recipe, and went with that. Recipes that worked. Nothing too drastic. I take my time, stop and check every few rounds, and keep on loading.

I found that the key was to get a strong bench. I went to Home Depot and bought one of those metal bracket do it yourself kits. It comes with a list of materials, so you just walk around and buy the wood that you need. Having only a mini-van to cart the stuff home, I took the easy way out. I had the plywood precut to the sizes they recommend, so all I had to do was put it in place. I bought some masonite to cover the top. I just tacked it in place, so if it gets ruined, I can just replace it. It is cheaper than replacing the whole plywood piece. The kit makes a 4-foot or an 8-footer. I went for the 8-footer. You just have to buy an extra bracket or two, and a bit more wood. I precut everything, numbered it all, and assembed it the next day. Between the weight of the 8-foot bench and the 2x4 construction, mounting the 550 was a breeze.

Good luck!