You are all enablers!
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You are all enablers!
Last edited by pull the trigger; 03-31-2020 at 09:00 PM.
NRA Life Member
Amvets life member
I was gifted 2 550Bs. One is strictly 45acp/45AR, the other will be 300 blkout whenever I get back to that project. I have 2 Lyman T2s that handle my 45lc, 450 webley, 45 schofeld, 38 spcl, 310martini and 7.65 Mannlicher. Rifle is done on a big single stage Kodiak Bair. You won’t regret a 550. Other than a few episodes of primer issues that a good cleaning corrected mine are great. I think I like my T2’s a little more though.
You did not say what you are loading for, or what you are using now. I have 5 or 6 presses, but the 550 is my most used. I load all my pistol rounds on the 550. My buddy has a 650 which I thought I would upgrade to, but after working with it, I prefer the 550. The only thing I wish it had would be a 5th station for a bullet feed. I do have a Forster CoAx press that I load my rifle cartridges on. I do not load 223 but if I did I would do that one on my 550 also. I do find it handy to have a single stage press to go with the 550. I deprime on the single stage before I clean my cases for example. I use mostly Lee dies on my 550, and I also have a few Lee powder measures Pro Auto Disc and Auto Drums that work just fine on my 550 with the Lee dies. I keep a dedicated powder measure on my most used loads.
If you lots and shoot enough volume to justify a progressive press, go for it.
Nope, never thought that. Got my first one new in 1991. Added a second in 2006 but needed more volume for all of the competitions I was shooting so I sold one and got a 650. Might sell the 650 if I quit shooting matches but will hang onto the 550 for as long as I am able to reload and shoot.Originally Posted by pull the trigger
Sometimes life taps you on the shoulder and reminds you it's a one way street. Jim Morris
I relate , I have looked at the 550 many times they are a really the best press around for the volumes I load , but with a case feeder and set up to load the same things I load on the progressive I have now (it works great for me) I can't bring myself to spend the money on it. I don't need one but would enjoy it if I had it
That was me two weeks ago. Except for a brief fling with a Lee Pro 1000 25 years ago, I've used nothing but a single stage for 40 years. Being retired now I have more free time for the range, but also more free time to reload. I thought and thought about a Dillon SDB or 550 and kept thinking "that's a lot of money when I have all this free time". I went so far as to do a build sheet for a 550 on Dillons site to tally the prices and pieces I would need.
My wife took the decision away from me. Without saying a word to me she went to Dillons site and using my sheet as a guide she ordered it. It arrived Saturday and I've been stockpiling ammo since then. Like many above have said, I wish I had done this sooner, like decades ago. I'll keep my old trustworthy Bonanza press but it's now semi-retired.
All that is neccessary for evil to triumph is that good men do nothing.
Edmund Burke
You need to keep your wonderful wife too. Unless....she has ulterior motives and wants some peace and quiet ....while you are off playing in your reloading room? Either way I’d keep her.
Another plus for the 550 they have a good resale value.
I've had four progressives over many years and I guess I shoot a considerable number of handgun cartridges a year, but certainly don't count them. I occasionally like to experiment with different loads. This can be done on a progressive, but it can be done much more conveniently on another type of press. Got rid of all the progressives and use a '60s model Texan turret press that I had before I ever bought a progressive. It's very adequate for all my handgun cartridge handloading, small or large batches. But, if you really need a progressive, better get one. They do serve their intended purpose well.
I have an RCBS single, 2 Dillon SDB's and a Dillon 550B. Most reloading is done on SDB's for pistol. I use the single stage to deprime if I have the shell holder. When I was shooting CAS with 3 kids I wished I had a 650 not a 550 but now just me the SDB's load all my CAS except the .45-70 Government. I load black on all 3. If limited to one press it would be the 550B on a strong mount from Dillon or Inline Fabrication.
I am a big fan of Inline Fabrication's stuff. I have one of their mounts along with their bin bracket and die holder. Also have the case ejecter. These add ons have made my Rock Chucker much more efficient. Just ordered the spent primer upgrade and the roller handle.
I have run tens of thousands of rounds through a 550 and in my opinion, there is no better machine available.
I've used the 650 & 1050 and still prefer the 550.
The 550 is the right combination of progressive operation and manual operation. While a machine with automatic indexing, case feeders and bullet feeders might beat a 550 in terms of production rate, they do not beat the simplicity of the 550.
It is just a rock solid performer year after year.
With pre-filled primer tubes, rates around 400 cartridges/hour are possible. Yes, I know - you have to count the time to load the tubes but that can be done while you're doing other things, like waiting for a lead pot to get hot.
Switching from one caliber to another is straightforward. If you have to change primer size, that is a little slower but there are tricks to speed that up.
In a perfect world, I would have two 550 machines and set one up for larger primer and the other for small primer. In reality, I don't load as many large primer cartridges as small primer. When I need to load large primer casings, I switch the machine over and load large primer cartridges in batches.
Dillon's customer service is second to none. That alone is enough reason to buy a Dillon.
I have multiple of all the other Dillon presses and really only bought a 550 so I could have a working knowledge of the press and an informed opinion. I kept it because it does have its strong points. Its not as fast in production as the 1050, 650 or even SD but is much faster than a turret and less work.
Should you get one over something else? Only you could answer that question.
Me, I could live without it but I don't have to.
I had 3 - 550's at one time until about 5 yrs ago. One was set up to take to the range if I wanted to build a handgun load, the others, were large and small primer setup. I sold two to buy other unrelated equipment and probably a gun or two. After being down to one, plus some single stage presses, I recently decided to buy another 550. Now we are into the "C". As a Canadian, we are taking a beating on the dollar. With a 41% exchange on a credit card, plus our 15% tax (which would result in riots in the US, I'm sure,) shipping, the amount was staggering. No more selling these items. They can be disposed of after my passing. The 550 design is simple, the toolhead are reasonably priced. If I take my time, watch the process as the cartridges are put together, I'm able to get along without too many problems. For its price, caliber change, customer service and results - I think it should be tried by everyone who wants to reload. I think by comparison, it's hard to beat! I don't shoot that much but I like convenience and nice gear. I make sacrifices to have it.
At one time I had a SDB, a 550 and a 650 on the bench. I could never get the production rate I expected from the Square Deal B. I was slower on it than on the 550. I had already owned a 550 for over 15 years when I got the SDB so that could have been a factor. I'm pretty much on autopilot on the 550.
Sometimes life taps you on the shoulder and reminds you it's a one way street. Jim Morris
That was exactly how I thought. Then a deal came along for a 550B and accessories to load for almost everything I owned at the time. Now I’m glad I bought it. I use it for production runs of known loads. It’s a lot less handle pulls. Won’t say I should have bought it earlier. But I’m very happy w/ the purchase.
A couple years ago a member passed on to me a good deal on a Dillon 550 that seams almost new condition . I set it up to load 223s simply because all my other metallic reloading needs were filled with a loadmaster or single stage . It's a wonderful press ( simplicity is a beautiful thing to see in motion ) if I had it first it would have done everything I needed loaded , and done a good job of it .
Strangely enough I prime on press with the loadmaster , but prime off press for the Dillon , it's not the press that doesn't prime properly it's me I keep forgetting to push the handle forward .....
I suppose there is something wrong with me. I bought a 450 around 1980. I loaded a lot of ammo on it nearly all .45 acp. I sold it to my brother to get him involved in shooting and I got a Star to do my .45 acp. I liked the 450.
I later bought a 550 B and thought it was a step backwards from the 450. This past week I loaded some 9mm and as I was finishing up I noticed the primer system was sticking and needed cleaned. No problem I was finished with the 9mm. I switched over to .223 and I spent at least 2 hours in getting the orimer system cleaned and properly functioning.
I think many have answered the weakness in the 550 " I own 2 or 3 and one for small primers and one for large primers and one for just ________." The truth is the 550 is not real friendly when loading multiple calibers. If they are such a great machine why do you need 2 or 3.
Attachment 260422
I’m like everyone else, I have a 550 and a SDB in 9mm. I love dillons customer service the presses run smooth, I don’t really care for the auto index feature which is why I bought the 550.
I got the SDB out of an abandoned house the owner said I could have anything in it I wanted before they tore it down. I found a lot of good stuff in there reloading wise
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