switching from rl550b to rl1050

[pdice]

I just purchased a used rl1050 that does not include any dies, but includes shellplates, priming systems, and the casefeed system. I'm trying to figure out what I need to purchase in addition to what I have from my 550 in order to be up and running. Assuming the shellplate is of the correct size, do I only need to purchase the 1050 powder measures? Are the powder funnels the same between the 550 and 1050?

Edited September 7, 2009 by pdice

[Merlin Orr]

Bolt it on and start cranking....

[JimmyZip]

More components!

[Dale Rader]

Buy a bunch of primers!!

[wide45]

You really need to check the manuals, and compare the part numbers for the conversion parts.

I believe the powder funnels for the 1050, and 550, will be different. Dillon made the 1050 bell the brass at the swage station. You would need to have the correct tool for your caliber at that spot on the toolhead. The powder die does not bell on the 1050.

If you don't intend to swage primer pockets on the 1050, you could probably get away with leaving out the swage backup/bell tool from the toolhead, and use a 550 type belling tool in the powder die.

[boz1911]

If you didn't get an owners manual you can refer to Dillon's website. The plate in the casefeeder is different for different calibers also. Refer to the manual for the calibers you will be loading.

[Jim M.]

Ouch, pdice!

You may have more problems than you expected.

First, congratulations on your purchase of the RL1050. I’m sure you will love the system once you get it going. But getting it going is the hard part. Well, not hard, but expensive.

Besides the dies, the RL1050 has a lot of caliber-specific parts. The best way to get that list is to go to the Dillon website and download the Super 1050 Manual. I know you said you have an RL 1050, but the manuals are very similar. I couldn’t find an RL 1050 Manual on the Dillon website in my quick search, but I have an RL 1050 manual in pdf format, if you need that. However, I suggest you start with the Super 1050 manual and look at the caliber conversion parts lists in the back. You will find the parts lists starting on page 24.

http://www.dillonhelp.com/manuals/english/...al-May-2007.pdf

I hope you are not on a dial-up connection, because the manual is 27 MB!

All (or most) of those individual parts are listed on the Dillon website:

http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/RL1050_Su...Parts-8-51.html

That gives a price list of parts, by description. Take a list of the parts in each caliber (from the Manual), and then price those that you are missing. You may find that the missing parts, except the shellplate, cost more than the entire caliber conversion including the shellplate! I ran into that when a friend asked if I could load some ammo for his .380 Auto on my 1050. I don’t shoot a .380, but the shellplate for the .380 is the same as for the .223 Remington, and I already have that. So, I priced out the individual parts I would have to add to load the .380 Auto, and they cost more than the entire .380 caliber conversion! Needless to say, I am loading the .380 on my Hornady Lock-N-Load, instead of the 1050.

The loading volumes have to be pretty high to justify the added parts. I already have eight caliber conversions for the 1050, and I probably won’t be adding any more. I love loading on the 1050, but all of the rest of my loading is in small enough volumes that the 1050 caliber conversions are not cost-effective.

As mentioned, you may need case feeder plates for some calibers that you are going to load.

I don’t have a 550, but it was my impression that the 550 powder measure would work on the 1050. Maybe some others with more experience in that area can answer that question. Even if you have to purchase a new powder measure for the 1050 (which I doubt), only one measure will be needed. You can adjust the powder measure for each caliber and load with very little trouble, and additional powder bars are available if you want to avoid making the adjustments.

The RL 1050 neck-expands in the second station for pistol cartridges. The swage back-up rod performs that function. However, it does not bell the case mouth. That is done at the powder drop station. The pistol caliber conversions use a “pistol powder activator” in the powder measure, in place of the powder funnel you have on the 550. If you want to save a little bit of money on caliber conversions, one pistol powder activator can be used for most of the caliber conversions, IF YOU ARE USING THE SWAGE BACK-UP RODS. Check the parts lists to see which ones use the pistol powder activator, rather than powder funnels.

I use the same pistol powder funnels as used on the 550 and 650. That gives me case mouth expansion and case mouth belling at the powder drop station, and makes use of the primer pocket swage system (and the swage back-up rod) entirely optional.

If that sounds too complicated, just ignore it. The point is that you CAN use the same powder funnels you are now using on your 550 for pistol cartridges.

Besides the listed parts, you should get a separate powder die for each caliber, so that you can keep the same case belling adjustment when you change calibers. I either put double Dillon lock rings (to use as a jam nut) or RCBS or Hornady lock rings with set screws on the powder dies to maintain that adjustment.

Let us know what calibers you will be loading on the 1050, and maybe we can alert you to any short-cuts or pitfalls. And, good luck!

Jim.

[AWLAZS]

I bought a used rl1050 that was set up for .38 super. I took the dies and powder measure of my 550 bolted them on the 1050 and reloaded faster then ever. I did not have to buy a thing.

[benos]

On the Powder Measure, your 550's Powder Measure will work perfectly on the 1050.

(The only difference between the 2 Powder Measures is the 1050's Powder Die is black, not silver. Not sure why.)

be

[pdice]

On the Powder Measure, your 550's Powder Measure will work perfectly on the 1050.

(The only difference between the 2 Powder Measures is the 1050's Powder Die is black, not silver. Not sure why.)

be

Thanks. That's what got me concerned from looking at their website.

[pdice]

That gives a price list of parts, by description. Take a list of the parts in each caliber (from the Manual), and then price those that you are missing. You may find that the missing parts, except the shellplate, cost more than the entire caliber conversion including the shellplate! I ran into that when a friend asked if I could load some ammo for his .380 Auto on my 1050. I don’t shoot a .380, but the shellplate for the .380 is the same as for the .223 Remington, and I already have that. So, I priced out the individual parts I would have to add to load the .380 Auto, and they cost more than the entire .380 caliber conversion! Needless to say, I am loading the .380 on my Hornady Lock-N-Load, instead of the 1050.

I got lucky. It's coming with a lot of the conversions already. The only thing I was missing was the powder funnels and it sounds like I'll be okay there.