I have one in 45acp a friend gave me.
Never loaded with it.
I was wondering if anyone tried to modify it to take regular size dies????
Is it even possible????
I have one in 45acp a friend gave me.
Never loaded with it.
I was wondering if anyone tried to modify it to take regular size dies????
Is it even possible????
The dies won't fit given the small shellplate.
Just look at that mini-tool head or the size of the shell plate. They couldn't make it any smaller.
AS one that owned the small Dillon I also looked at changing the dies unfortunately it cannot be done because the press required its OWN dies to work. I would suggest this press for women and men with small hands and without arthritis.
I parted with mine due to the fact that my arthritis interferes with my ability to work in a confined space.
Last edited by 6bg6ga; 07-19-2017 at 07:17 AM.
If all you are doing is pistol, it's a great press. For free...it's outstanding.Yes the dies are proprietary...that is the knock on this model. I've also heard others say it feels small/cramped if used to something bigger. Probably true, but it's all I've known so good for me.
If its older, or has been sitting around unused consider sending it back to Dillon and for a small fee they will clean/tune/replace all parts. It will come back as essentially brand new.
Good luck.
The shorter stroke and auto advance are also pluses. For my arthritis, the short operating stroke and the position it allows my body in relation to the press is much more comfortable than the larger 550.
”We know they are lying, they know they are lying, they know we know they are lying, we know they know we know they are lying, yet they are still lying.” –Aleksandr Isayevich Solzhenitsyn
My Straight Shooters thread:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...raight-shooter
The Pewter Pictures and Hallmarks thread:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...-and-hallmarks
I don't own a sd right now. Had 5 of them that burned in a fire years ago. I really like a sd. With its short stroke its almost as fast as a 650 with a case feeder. much faster then a 550. I probably loaded a million rounds on them and got to really know every little trick to them. Really there not a lot slower to change dies on then any other progressive. Might take you 10 minutes instead of 5. That said I had 5 set up in different calibers and it was kind of nice to go out in the loading room and load most of my ammo for different handguns without doing anything but dumping powder and primers in the press I wanted to use. If all my progressive loading was just for handguns I could live just fine with a sd.
I have 2, 1 for small primer, 1 for large. I use an Inline light to see the powder in station 3. Proprietary dies are a drawback. My 2 see a lot of use.
NRA Benefactor Member
I have had two of them for more than 30 years now. You have to use their proprietary dies but you can still get them and if yours are damaged they are still under the lifetime no BS warranty and will be replaced for free.
Here is the link to other available calipers. I wanted to share it with you.
http://www.dillonprecision.com/dillo...8_2_25238.html
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https://inlinefabrication.com/collec...cts/dillon-550
this is a decent option for dillons other presses. put one on my 1050 and works better with my bad wrists.
A roller handle is even worse for me, as it forces me farther off the centerline of the press. Plus the upstroke is a pull instead of a lift.
I do have an Inline roller on the SDB.
”We know they are lying, they know they are lying, they know we know they are lying, we know they know we know they are lying, yet they are still lying.” –Aleksandr Isayevich Solzhenitsyn
My Straight Shooters thread:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...raight-shooter
The Pewter Pictures and Hallmarks thread:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...-and-hallmarks
I like my 4 SDBs and don't see the die issue a problem as I shoot cowboy (pistol caliber) and my 45-70 I do on a single stage press.
I've got big hands and that's also not a problem. Guess it is a personal thing
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SASS Life 48747
RVN/Cambodia War Games, 2nd Place
I've got a single SDB and I switch between four calibers. I've got separate toolheads for each and separate priming systems (large/small) which make it fairly easy to switch when needed.
Question for you guys with multiple SDB's (dedicated to caliber, dedicated to primer size). What made you go that route ?
I have 2 SDB's. One is set up for large primer, one for small. Got tired of changing primer systems.
NRA Benefactor Member
Faster to convert if you don't have to change primer size and no matter what spare part you might need you have one of everything until the new free part comes in the mail.
For small cases like the 45 Colt and down the SD is a great little press. I would say looking at the design that converting to 7/8 x 14 dies would be very impractical or next to impossible. Its a snap changing dies when you have them set up in a shell plate. Lots of used dies at reasonable prices.
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |