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Thread: Progressive press for Pistol fodder?

  1. #41
    Boolit Grand Master

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    You need to come up with a couple things How much ammo ( preferably the same load) do you intend to load? How much time do you want to invest in this? Loading multiple calibers in large batches is easy on the 650. Extra tool heads can be set up for other calibers. The case feeder means your only handling bullets and pumping the handle. Spare primer tubes make that run longer before taking a break to fill them again. If you decide time is less important than ammo count then a smaller slower press may be the answer.
    I started with a Coax for rifle and pistol. Up graded to a lee 1000 for a short time for pistol ( got really good at changing those nylon bushings) and went to a 650 for pistol with measure and case feeder. I then added a second 650 set up with a harrels measure for rifles. I have 15 primer tubes in a home made stand for both large and small primers. I modified the spent primer cups to a tygon tube ran to a gallon jug. and instead of the akro bin for loaded rounds I made a chute for loaded rounds to slide down dropping into a ammo can or box. The cup for the spent primers holds just over 100 primers the modified one for the tube saves emptying the primer cup every time you fill the primer tube. It actually saves emptying the primer cup altogether sldie the hose out of the jug when full and slide in a new jug every so often. ( I don't fill them as a gallon jug of spent primers is pretty heavy) The extra primer tubes are nice in that when they are empty you can sit down and take a break filling the tubes. Or better still have wife children or buddy fill tubes while your loading. This really picks up production. The slide saves the constant emptying of the loaded round bin and allows for ammo to go into the actual box its stored in. You may want the riser strong mount for this to have the slide high enough. Ive loaded .380 acp, 38 spl, 357 mag, 40 S&W, 10mm, 44 special, 44 mag, 45 acp and 45 colt. The .380 required some tinkering with the drop on the case feeder to keep the short cases from plugging the top falling sideways. Now with the spacers made it all trouble free. On the rifle press I loaded 223. 243. 308. 22-250. WHat I shot for high power. Once I mounted the Harrels measure I loaded my ammo for 200-600 yds on this 650. 1000 yds I loaded on the coax still. I loaded the season high power ammo in febuary and march. Not for a match but for the coming season. I never felt handicapped or an ammo issue loading with the 650s
    Decide what your requirements are and quanities needed are. Then go from there. Dillons catalog has a good section on picking the right press for your needs also. This is THe Blue Press.

  2. #42
    Boolit Master
    Mytmousemalibu's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by HeavyMetal View Post
    the Pro 1000 can be a pain, no doubt about it!

    I have Three and Two of them just hold the door open the other one is used a a depriming tool, set it up for a specific shell plate add a Universal decaping die and have at it!

    I can de prime 1000 case's in very little time using the case feeder and collator, then they go into a wet tumbler with SS pins then an old food dehydrator to dry.

    Once dry I run the all though an RCBS bench priming tool, this allows me to handle case's at least three times to check for debri, cracks and, in the case of the 45 ACP, to separate small pistol primed case's from large primed case's.

    Once sorted and primed they get dumped into a Dillon 550 case feeder and run through my CH Auto Champion Mark VI.

    This is the only thing I will do with a Pro 1000 ad it does it well and very fast!

    HM
    I have a Pro 1000 also that I use for the exact same reason and usage! I bought it brand new with that intent. I did modify it to run better as solely a depriming machine and to keep the process speed up i made a Dillon style case feeder and a similar feeding mechanism. It works quite well!
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  3. #43
    Boolit Master dikman's Avatar
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    I do the same with the Pro 1000. I ran two for a while, but had ongoing issues with the primer feed. I finally sold one and bought the LM. Using the case feeder the Pro 1000 is great for quick de-priming prior to cleaning, but if you're new to this I wouldn't recommend buying one.

  4. #44
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    theres a pro 1000 laying on the bottom of my pond if anyone wants to go swimming! You can about figure my opinion of them. The loadmaster I had went to a friend for free. Amazingly he still calls me a friend. By the way he has a 550 now too and the loadmaster is long gone.

  5. #45
    Boolit Master
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    Hi...
    I have a Lee Pro1000 in a box somewhere in the bottom of a cabinet in my reloading room.
    Wouldn't give it away... don't hate anybody bad enough to do that to them.
    Have a Hornady LNL AmmoPlant now...had some issues with it. Due to some extremely serious health issues, it has been sitting unused for nearly two years.
    I just tore it down and cleaned it up and will be trying to get it running next week. If it continues to be troublesome, I suppose I will try a Dillon next. My LNL is going to be tinkered with until I can get it to run .45ACP without problems.
    I am seriously considering a Dillon Square Deal for .357Mag as a dedicated machine. My son and I shoot a lot of .45ACP and .357Magnum.
    If I can get a the Hornady running well, it may end up dedicated to .45ACP.

  6. #46
    Boolit Grand Master jmorris's Avatar
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    You need to come up with a couple things How much ammo ( preferably the same load) do you intend to load? How much time do you want to invest in this?
    I look at it more like how much money do you want to invest (I don't own a Dillon I couldn't sell for more than it cost me new, most of the other presses don't go up in value). Once we know how much you have to spend, a lot of times, that makes the choice for you.

    The next question would be how much effort or rather how little do you want to have in the job of reloading?

    If its something you like to do to get away from the world, stick with a single stage. If money isn't a concern and you want an efficent loading process, there wouldn't be anything wrong with a 1050 for even a few hundred rounds a month, would be a better investment than an RV, boat or Rolex...

  7. #47
    Boolit Master Randy C's Avatar
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    I don't have a Dillon but if you had TWO of the same you could use one for large primers and one for small, You could use conversion kits and save some money. You wont have to re-invent the wheel you already know how to use Dillon and if you call in for service they will appreciate that you that you have invested in there products,
    It looks like you need to get back to Reloading

  8. #48
    Boolit Bub Rick45Colt's Avatar
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    I just sold my Dillon 650XL because I needed a new furnace more! I have thought about the 1050 for 223/5.56 and getting the stuff required to also do 45ACP. I have been told that switching calibers on the 1050 is a pain so now I am not so sure. I was able to load 38/357, 9mm, 40S&W, 45ACP, 45 Colt, 223, 308 and 30-06 on my 650XL. Worst cast I would buy 2 650XL's and only load 223 and 45ACP.

  9. #49
    Boolit Master kmw1954's Avatar
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    I must be an idiot because I don't seem to have any of those problems with the Pro1000 I have. I've got to be doing something wrong.
    Keep it clean and don't bang it around like a madman on a Nickel slot machine and it works just fine.

  10. #50
    Boolit Buddy
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    I've owned every press Dillon sells. Each has its advantages over the others.

    When I ran a 650, I didn't want to change out the primer system so I used a Square Deal for 45 ACP. It is a great press for pistol rounds and if I was on a budget and only loaded pistol it would be my first choice.

  11. #51
    Boolit Master kmw1954's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by warpspeed View Post
    , I didn't want to change out the primer system so I used a Square Deal for 45 ACP. It is a great press for pistol rounds and if I was on a budget and only loaded pistol it would be my first choice.
    If I was only loading one pistol caliber I would agree. But as I load a number of them I'll stick with the lowly hated Lee Pro1000. It is just faster, easier and cheaper to change out than the SDB with those proprietary dies. And yes I do prime on this press.

  12. #52
    Boolit Master JMax's Avatar
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    I started with two Dillon RL300s, adopted them out and replaced them with two RL550s. I prep all of my rifle brass in a Redding T7 with 3 tool heads. One Dillon is for large and the other is for small primers.
    In 1982 I was loading 70k 45ACP on RL300s and won the Canadian IPSC national championship with that ammo and using my cast bullets. I just paced myself and polished brass while loading other brass so I still had time for my kids and wife.
    My suggestion is two RL550s.

  13. #53
    Boolit Master kmw1954's Avatar
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    Once again a fine example of the beauty in this hobby. We are all free to use what suites us as individuals. I really don't expect that what works for me is going to work for anyone else. As long as we don't blow ourselves up who really cares what we use or how much we have invested.

    If I wasn't happy with what I'm using I would look for something else. Unlike some folks I did a lot of research on the subject before I purchased my stuff. Yes I did know exactly what I was buying. The good and the bad so there were no surprises or unjust expectations.

  14. #54
    Boolit Master


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    Just another opinion, based on having owned a SDB, 550 and 650. If I'm loading less than 100 cartridges I do it on a single stage press unless I have a toolhead ready to go for the caliber including the bullet and powder charge.

    If you're only loading one pistol caliber the Square Deal B is a great press. I don't know why you wouldn't want to use the 550 for pistol. It's IMO Dillon's most versatile, best bang for the buck press. If you want minimum time at the press a 550 or 650 with case feeder is a better bet. There is no difference in ammo quality among them.

    The 550 caliber conversions are far more economical than 650 conversions. Not a big deal if you're looking at 1 to 3 calibers; can get to be a real big deal if you want to load 5 or 10 different calibers. The 550 is also much faster to swap calibers than the 650. On the 550 you need only change the primer punch and magazine tube to go between large and small. Loosen a setscrew, change primer punches and snug up the setscrew. It's not necessary to remove the slide and priming system.

    I find the capacity of the 550 to be 400-500/hr. and can load 300 .40 S&W on the 650 in 20 minutes after the primer tubes are loaded.

    In the OP's shoes I would make the decision based on how many different cartridges I intended to load. Changing calibers on the SDB isn't too bad as long as the primer size is the same but it wouldn't be my first or second choice to use for several calibers. The dies for the SDB are proprietary and not inexpensive.

    I wouldn't recommend using any Dillon if the user is unwilling to buy a separate toolhead for each frequently used cartridge. They aren't that expensive in the grand scheme and save lots of setup time. For those cartridges that you might load once or twice a year I would be more willing to set up each time but I also tend to load infrequently loaded cartridges on a single stage press. For frequently loaded cartridges like .40, .38 Special and .45 ACP I have complete setups including powder measures. For others I move a powder measure to various toolheads and adjust as needed.
    Sometimes life taps you on the shoulder and reminds you it's a one way street. Jim Morris

  15. #55
    Boolit Grand Master OS OK's Avatar
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    I wouldn't complain about having several tool-heads to accommodate the various calibers, the restriction I foresaw was trying to make adjustments on those close-fitting, closely spaced dies.
    Say, you want to change profiles of projectiles, same caliber...either adjust the seating die in or out...too many times I've backed off the locknut and spun the whole die, I wanted to just loosen it so I could adjust by 1/2 turn or so and then loose the rough adjustment from minutes before. Now instead of having a good grasp on the die before loosening the locknut you need another tool for holding it in place, one tool in each hand and Large paws don't operate well in confined spaces.

    It's not so much the swapping of calibers but the adjustments that accompany changing profiles...now add feeders and more linkages and things get pretty crowded pretty quickly!
    If your machine makes long runs on same-O, same-O that's fine, but...for an everyday working press that's doing work-up's and loading for the whole stable, well...that's another situation one doesn't think about until it's mounted on the bench and you are having to try to live with it.

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  16. #56
    Boolit Master
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    I have ben using Star's for many years. Star's i found to be superior to any other machines On the market. They never break . parts never ware out and very accurate. I have Them set Up for 38 spl, 9mm, 45 acp, 38 S&W
    I had Dillons and lee progressive but Dumped them.
    All mine are at least 40 years Old.
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  17. #57
    Boolit Buddy Big Wes's Avatar
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  18. #58
    Boolit Master
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    While I have no doubt as to the reputation of Dillon being well deserved, I've been loading on my Loadmaster for a couple years and like it just fine. Pretty much 90% of the problems I've had have been user error, once I ironed things out its been fine. I've loaded well over 15000 rounds on it and see no reason to get rid of it. I think you'll find most of the people who have had serious issues with a Loadmaster probably tried them years ago before Lee refined the priming system, but on the newer ones it's not been a problem with mine.

  19. #59
    Boolit Master
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    I like the auto indexing on the loadmaster as well as the primer system , but I have no experience with the older problematic loadmasters mine is a couple years old . The disk powder measure is easy to swap around on different setups when changing calibers also . It is sitting on my loading bench right beside a 550 set up for the 223 witch I enjoy loading on also . I seriously looked at a 650 but I decided to try a loadmaster first so if I wasn't satisfied I would only be out a couple hundred dollars .I don't shoot enough to in my mind justify putting that much into a loader , but you never know ....... lee left a bad taste in my mouth after selling me a load fast progressive shot shell reloader that never worked years ago - that turned me against progressive reloading until I tried a Mec .

  20. #60
    Boolit Grand Master jmorris's Avatar
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    While I have no doubt as to the reputation of Dillon being well deserved, I've been loading on my Loadmaster for a couple years and like it just fine.
    I think that folks that have never used a loadmaster or failed to get them figured out are the ones that bad mouth them. Once you can get them running, you know what to do to keep them running.

    That said the OP already has a 550 and no loadmaster is going to be as reliable, over the years. If he wants something different, the loadmaster could be a choice but if he wants to move up, the list of choices gets a lot shorter.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

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