Interactive Dillon Press caliber conversion chart

[grammaton76]

So, towards the middle of last week I resolved that I was finally going to get beyond sketching out database schemas, and I was actually going to WRITE this application.

It's an interactive caliber conversion lookup for the Dillon 650. Tell it which calibers you have, and the calibers you want, and it will compute which INDIVIDUAL parts you would need in order to get the calibers you want. So, if you're only a locator button and a station 1 locator away from a different caliber, this application will tell you. Or if you happen to have the parts you need already, it'll make sure you know about it.

BTW, make sure you click 'Spreadsheet View' and 'Compute Conversion' modes - you get more info in Compute mode (SKU, etc) but you get a better overview in Spreadsheet mode. I may one of these days set it up so that you can print a quick-reference PDF to hang by your reloading station... just the calibers you have.

http://thegunwiki.com/apps/calconversion/

YES, the system is multiple machine and multiple manufacturer aware. I will be expanding it later on once my fellow 650 owners are completely taken care of and I've got everything I want in the app. But, it's at least useful right now.

More calibers are coming... priority will be given to calibers requested in the thread. I don't check PM's much so try to just post here.

Edited June 22, 2009 by grammaton76

[UW Mitch]

That is soooo cool! Once you have it working, I think it would be a great link for Brian to add to his storefront to help customers figure out what they really need.

~Mitch

[grammaton76]

That is soooo cool! Once you have it working, I think it would be a great link for Brian to add to his storefront to help customers figure out what they really need.

~Mitch

Oh, it already works - make no mistake about it. The only thing presently not at 100% is that the data set is incomplete - not all the calibers are there and it presently only does the Dillon 650.

Other neat thing is that down the road, it'll be able to look at all the conversions you have for all your Dillons, and be able to tell you what you'd need in order to move a caliber over to your 1050 for instance...

[UW Mitch]

Cross machine compatibility will be awesome. I've got a SDB and a 650. I used your chart to confirm what I knew from just reading the instruction manual on the parts I need to convert my 650 to 45acp. One piece I knew I had not from my 650 but from my SDB was Locator button #1. It'll be really helpful for folks who load a bunch of calibers on various machines.

~Mitch

[Johnny_Utah]

That's a great little program. I like the color coding for us simple minded peeps.

I thought I might throw out this link.... http://www.nfatoys.com/dillon/ ....... I'm sure you've already seen this. I like it because it already has the part numbers from the dillon site. JMTC

Could be a great compilation of both programs.

[grammaton76]

That's a great little program. I like the color coding for us simple minded peeps.

I thought I might throw out this link.... http://www.nfatoys.com/dillon/ ....... I'm sure you've already seen this. I like it because it already has the part numbers from the dillon site. JMTC

Could be a great compilation of both programs.

Aha, that now explains why I haven't ever seen it. It's a Windows app, and I'm strictly Linux (at home) and Mac (at work).

As for the part numbers, mine actually does give the part numbers too, just not in the spreadsheet view. You have to use the 'compute conversion' link. I don't have the SKU numbers for everything yet, but it's there for most of the parts now.

[benos]

That's a great little program. I like the color coding for us simple minded peeps.

I thought I might throw out this link.... http://www.nfatoys.com/dillon/ ....... I'm sure you've already seen this. I like it because it already has the part numbers from the dillon site. JMTC

Could be a great compilation of both programs.

Aha, that now explains why I haven't ever seen it. It's a Windows app, and I'm strictly Linux (at home) and Mac (at work).

As for the part numbers, mine actually does give the part numbers too, just not in the spreadsheet view. You have to use the 'compute conversion' link. I don't have the SKU numbers for everything yet, but it's there for most of the parts now.

Yea, I remember seeing that nfatoys site some years ago, and wishing it would run on a Mac - I've got 4 in the office. But a couple of my newer machines will boot in Windows, so maybe I'll try it out sometime.

And your 650 web-app rocks, BTW. Let me know when the 550 one is working. I'd use it almost daily.

be

[h2osport]

SSSLLLLICCCCKKKK! I like it! I was just thinking about getting the parts for a 40 caliber conversion the other day. I have to go through all my parts and see what I have.

Randy

[dillon]

Awww, c'mon Brian, I figured you would have all the conversion stuff memorized by now!

[benos]

Awww, c'mon Brian, I figured you would have all the conversion stuff memorized by now!

You'd think so - right?!

Yesterday, I got stumped, momentarily, by a 550, "triple-crossover." It was for 9/super, 380, and 40 Caliber Conversion Kits (and Toolhead & Powder Dies, not Deluxe Quick-Change Kits). I looked at for a second, knowing of course there's a crossover with Shellplates in the 9 and 40 conversions - but it did take me a minute to realize that the entire 9mm conversion was redundant.

be

[dhenry132]

Anything like this for the 1050?

[grammaton76]

Anything like this for the 1050?

Patience, grasshopper. You may have noticed that I'm now 2/3rds of the way through the documented 650 Conversions.

Once I'm done with all of those, and any undocumented but official ones that Brian or Dillon may wish to contribute, I'll get started on other presses.

...I should mention that I would very much like to see a conversion for 7.62x25mm Tokarev. Hint, hint.

I will probably start with the 550 though. But, I am definitely going to expand it to all of the Dillon line.

Edited June 24, 2009 by grammaton76

[grammaton76]

Ok, finally done with the data entry.

Fed the magnum rifle conversion parts, XL powder dies, etc into the 'misc' column. Man, that took some time!

Question: Mag Rifle Conversion is listed, in the 650 owner's manual, as having:

1050 Mag CF Tube, Red

650 Mag CF Tube, Green

CF Magnum Body Assembly

CF Funnel Assembly, Lg

Does this mean the magnum rifle conversion comes with the parts for the 1050 or 650, regardless of which press you order it for? If so, that'll simplify things and I can cut the output of the misc column down from three or four SKUs to one for this conversion...

[benos]

The Mag Rifle Kit is for 650's only (I'm pretty sure). But maybe Gary will comment if that's not true.

And as time goes by, it's becoming more outdated, because the "kit" is only needed for "pre-March 2005" Casefeeders.

From my notes:

20535 650 (Only) Casefeed Tube - Large Required instead of 11069 Magnum Rifle Kit for post-March '05 Casefeeders that have the "oval-shaped" opening. Older Casefeeders have a rectangular-shaped opening w/Adapter Funnel.

22225 650 Casefeed Body - Magnum Required instead of 11069 Magnum Rifle Kit for post-March '05 Casefeeders that have the "oval-shaped" opening. Older Casefeeders have a rectangular-shaped opening w/Adapter Funnel.

22173 650/1050 Casefeed Funnel Assem. New Style, Std and Mag Inc. in 11069 Mag Rifle Kit, but no longer required for post-March '05 Casefeeders with the "oval-shaped" Funnel opening.

11069 650 Magnum Rifle Kit "One-time buy" for some Rifle Mag/Belted Mag and 50 caliber pistol cartridges loaded with pre-March '05 Casefeeders. Inc: Mag Lower Casefeed Body, Large Casefeed Tube, and newer style Casefeed Funnel (20534 1050 Mag Casefeed Tube also inc. Post-March '05 Casefeeders no longer require the Casefeed Funnel or 1050 Tube.) If the cartridge requires it and you don't buy it - you must insert the cases manually into the Shellplate.

[grammaton76]

Good to know, Brian - I'll have to try and hash out a way to have the application disclose all the info there.

In the meantime, folks will now be pleased to note that the app now has data for the 550. And, if you are crazy enough to select both the 650 and 550, it is aware of common parts between the two systems. So if you have all the parts but the powder funnel or buttons on the 650 for one conversion, and you do have those on the 550 - then yes, it will realize you have those parts even though they're on a different machine. It goes by SKU numbers of the conversion kit components though, so don't get worried thinking it'll tell you to put a 550 shellplate on a 650. Two-machine caliber analysis will really produce a lot of output, but the option is there if you really want to go there.

Brian: If you want to provide links for specific machines, you're going to want to use the 'ml=' variable. So index.asp?ml= and the machine ID involved. I'm pretty sure the 650 is 1, the 1050 is 2, and the 550 is 3.

Now if you can just prod Dillon into contributing some additional caliber data (or toss it in from the Brian Note Pile ), it can reach a truly ridiculous level of completion.

So, I guess the question is now... what's next? Should I add the 1050, or should I start digging around at the Square Deal?\

[grammaton76]

Indecision is over; the Square Deal B has been added.

The last Dillon press left to go is the 1050.

...I figure I'm going to end up OCD'ing enough over it that the 1050 will be completely entered this weekend.

[gm iprod]

I sell a bucket load of 550 and 650 machines and this is brilliant. I need something like this on th ecomputer at work. It is unfortunately not on the net, so is there a way to get the program onto a PC running XP via a mem stick or disc?

[grammaton76]

I sell a bucket load of 550 and 650 machines and this is brilliant. I need something like this on th ecomputer at work. It is unfortunately not on the net, so is there a way to get the program onto a PC running XP via a mem stick or disc?

Unfortunately, my program is strictly internet based. The other guy's application (from nfatoys) has a Windows installation, but I'm not sure if it handles all four mainline Dillon's.

Wait, did I say all four?

...yes, I just finished entering all the 1050 conversions too. I don't think I have anything left for Dillon conversions unless I perhaps got into the SL-900, or they put out a manual for their new 50 BMG reloader and I get to start punching in conversion info for 416 Barrett, 50 Spotter, etc...

Ok, back to the NZ topic at hand. If you're really really desperate, I guess that I might be able to set up something so that you could run the application from a stand alone machine. However, I wouldn't be too interested in doing it for free since I'm a Linux user and don't really enjoy trying to develop for Windows. Just guessing here, but it would probably be easier for me to build a Blackberry or iPhone app than a Windoze app.

In your case though, it would probably make more sense (cost-effectiveness wise) to just get the computer at work online, since you can then use that for a lot of different things.

One thing I COULD do for you is add a .csv export feature. Then you could load it into Excel or something - it wouldn't be as useful as the interactive application and it certainly wouldn't be color coded, but you could at least sort things that way. It'd still be handier than the pages out of the Dillon manual, at least.

Edited July 11, 2009 by grammaton76

[grammaton76]

Hey, would anyone with mod access mind editing the title and first post so that it doesn't claim to be just a 650 app anymore? I don't want 550, 1050, or SDB users ignoring this thread for saying "650" in the title, now that the converter can handle their presses too...

[h2osport]

This is just awesome. Now I gotta order some parts.

Thanks for all your time working on this and sharing it with all of benoverse!

Randy

[Singlestack]

Hey, would anyone with mod access mind editing the title and first post so that it doesn't claim to be just a 650 app anymore? I don't want 550, 1050, or SDB users ignoring this thread for saying "650" in the title, now that the converter can handle their presses too...

Got it.

[grammaton76]

I've got a request to add caliber conversions for .300 Wby Mag and .260 Remington.

Can't find those in the conversion chart in the manuals for the 650, and I believe I didn't see them for the 550 either. Are they there and I'm just not noticing them (i.e. abbreviated some way I didn't catch), or are they undocumented?

[gm iprod]

300 Weatherby Magnum is same as 300H&H and 300Win Long Mag (#20188). 260Rem is same shellplate as 308 etc and uses the Powder funnel Y (#12870), it is the same as 6.5x55 / 6.5-06 (#20207).

Edited July 14, 2009 by gm iprod

[benos]

Sean,

I was playing around with newer presses/calibers, and noted that the results for the 38 Special conversion for the 550 have the incorect Locator Buttons and Powder Funnel:

Machine Caliber 550 Shellplate Locator Buttons Powder funnel

Dillon 550 38 Special / 357 Magnum 2 4 W

(Should be "2" for the Locator Buttons, and "D" for the Powder Funnel.

Also for (550) 9mm, it should be the "F" Powder Funnel (not "9").

Thanks for the awesome app!

be

[grammaton76]

I was playing around with newer presses/calibers, and noted that the results for the 38 Special conversion for the 550 have the incorect Locator Buttons and Powder Funnel:

Machine Caliber 550 Shellplate Locator Buttons Powder funnel

Dillon 550 38 Special / 357 Magnum 2 4 W

(Should be "2" for the Locator Buttons, and "D" for the Powder Funnel.

Also for (550) 9mm, it should be the "F" Powder Funnel (not "9").

Thanks for the awesome app!

be

Thanks for the correction - I've adjusted it accordingly. I am pretty sure that the "9" must have appeared because my eyes were on the 9x18mm Makarov right above 9mm in the 550 manual.

BTW, I just noticed that the 550 casefeeder manual has ANOTHER set of conversions in it. I'm contemplating now whether or not to go typing all that in. Do those parts come with the 550 casefeeder, or do you buy them separately?