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Thread: Thoughts on Progressive Reloading Machines

  1. #61
    Boolit Grand Master jmorris's Avatar
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    I’ve found theirs to be inconsistent. Sometimes they charged me for parts and sometimes they didn’t. The irony of that is that one of them was a rebuild of a LAM1 where I was expecting to pay and the parts for free.
    I’ll admit to having said, “OK, thank you.” When told a price before and calling back later to get another employee that shipped the parts to be for free.

    Truth is all of them, even the cheapest, Lee are better businesses to deal with as far as customer service than most others areas in life. Dillon has really set the bar pretty high. A 35 year old press still has the same warranty as it did the day it arrived. I could sell my oldest Dillon’s for more than twice what I paid for them new, after loading hundreds of thousands of rounds on them.

    I wish they made cars or pretty much anything else that drops in value just by taking possession of it...
    Last edited by jmorris; 10-02-2020 at 08:48 AM.

  2. #62
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    Thoughts on Progressive Reloading Machines

    Quote Originally Posted by jmorris View Post
    Truth is all of them, even the cheapest, Lee are better businesses to deal with as far as customer service than most others areas in life.
    Absolutely, and it’s because the companies are run for the long term and not quarterly profits. Maybe not RCBS since they’re part of a conglomerate but their warranty is still well beyond most.

    I personally like Lee’s warranty procedure. Take some pictures and submit the claim online. They respond quickly and You end w/ the parts you need. You don’t pay for warranty up front like you do w/ Dillon so it may cost you. But they don’t claim a lifetime warranty either.

  3. #63
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    dillon has always been a stand up company, they are into more than just reloading machines, don't they make mini guns and custom mounts for govt contracts too?
    reading all this thread makes me want to sell a gun or 2 and get a new shiny 750

  4. #64
    Boolit Buddy slam45's Avatar
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    i have a rockchucker from the 70's and a 550 from the 80's... i worked in a commercial casting shop in the 90's where we sold Dillon stuff and had all their presses working... the case collator noise drives me nuts so i never enjoyed using the 650 or 1050 and found the 550 to suit me fine... Dillon has replaced any part i managed to break quickly with no fuss... I've collected perhaps a dozen tool heads and cal conversions... the only falling out i have had with Dillon is their inability to stop sending me the blue press catalog every month... to stop it i had to make them delete me from their customer data base, and at that, i know it will start again when i buy something from them again... small problem, but i totally hate junk mail, shop online, and don't want or need printed catalogs... i can load 50 perfect rifle rounds in less than an hour on the RC after spending time with it for close to 50 years...

  5. #65
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    Quote Originally Posted by slam45 View Post
    i have a rockchucker from the 70's and a 550 from the 80's... i worked in a commercial casting shop in the 90's where we sold Dillon stuff and had all their presses working... the case collator noise drives me nuts so i never enjoyed using the 650 or 1050 and found the 550 to suit me fine... Dillon has replaced any part i managed to break quickly with no fuss... I've collected perhaps a dozen tool heads and cal conversions... the only falling out i have had with Dillon is their inability to stop sending me the blue press catalog every month... to stop it i had to make them delete me from their customer data base, and at that, i know it will start again when i buy something from them again... small problem, but i totally hate junk mail, shop online, and don't want or need printed catalogs... i can load 50 perfect rifle rounds in less than an hour on the RC after spending time with it for close to 50 years...
    There are some good articles in the Blue Press.
    NRA Benefactor.

  6. #66
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    Quote Originally Posted by farmbif View Post
    dillon has always been a stand up company, they are into more than just reloading machines, don't they make mini guns and custom mounts for govt contracts too?
    reading all this thread makes me want to sell a gun or 2 and get a new shiny 750
    They make Mini-guns, mounts, and I believe that they install the mounts into vehicles for .gov (and possibly other) contracts. Have you seen the video of the Chevy Suburbans that have hidden Mini-guns in them? The top of the cargo compartment opens up, and the gun raises up from the vehicle! I have seen a video of a similar setup for the GAU-19B .50 3-barrel Mini-gun. That one is quite impressive!
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  7. #67
    Boolit Grand Master jmorris's Avatar
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    The M134D is their improved version of the GE minigun, they have been making them for the last 18 years or so. Before that they modified older GE units.

  8. #68
    Boolit Master derek45's Avatar
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    I have Dillons, 550b and XL650

    they are like old reliable friends

    I really enjoy them both.

    I've heard a lot of USPSA/IPSC and IDPA shooters say something like-

    " I replaced my brandX with a Dillon and couldn't be happier"

    I have never heard anyone say-

    ""I replaced my Dillon with brandx and couldn't be happier"

    Here's a survey from the USPSA/IPSC Nationals a few years ago.

    DILLON dominates

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  9. #69
    Boolit Buddy gnappi's Avatar
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    I'll go back to the OP's question... "Thoughts on progressive loading machines"

    To me there's several paths a loader can take and much relies on available time, accuracy / quality / quantity needs, and available bucks.

    For me, if I'm loading my .308 for accuracy, I load on my RCBS Big max. I weigh and prep every case, and throw and weigh every charge. I am really fussy with the .308's feeding habits.

    I have two 550's and a 450 as well, and never used any of them with my accuracy needs in mind. For .40, .38, .357 .223, .222 etc, I pretty much accept what I get with the variability of mixed cases, a minor variation in charge weight and appreciate the speed. Funny I ran my Lee turret presses for a LONG time before I upgraded to a Lee 1000 and finally to Dillons (by chance finding a 450 and 550 in a garage sale) and when back then I needed 1k pistol loads per week the progressives were just the ticket.

    With trap, skeet and International skeet, I started on the conservative side, but quickly moved on to a hydraulic MEC.

    Nowadays I could be satisfied with all turret presses, but the Dillon presses are not eating anything so they, the Big Max and MEC get to stay.
    Regards,

    Gary

  10. #70
    Boolit Master Lead pot's Avatar
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    With regards to the lee pro 1000.
    There are more fixes on the U-tube with this press and to get it to work, mostly with the prime feed and other tinker fixes. I have one and it's not worth the price of gas to take it to the scrapyard for recycled aluminum change you would get for it.

  11. #71
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lead pot View Post
    With regards to the lee pro 1000.
    There are more fixes on the U-tube with this press and to get it to work, mostly with the prime feed and other tinker fixes. I have one and it's not worth the price of gas to take it to the scrapyard for recycled aluminum change you would get for it.
    If ya think it’s that bad, send it to me I’ll pay the shipping lol
    Long, Wide, Deep, and Without Hesitation!

  12. #72
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    I just did a YouTube search for “Dillon press repair.” Nothing found.
    Sometimes life taps you on the shoulder and reminds you it's a one way street. Jim Morris

  13. #73
    Boolit Master derek45's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by david2011 View Post
    i just did a youtube search for “dillon press repair.” nothing found.
    lol

    right on !


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  14. #74
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    Quote Originally Posted by David2011 View Post
    I just did a YouTube search for “Dillon press repair.” Nothing found.
    https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...lon+press+mods

    https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...ss+accessories
    Size/Prime a few cases when starting off with a progressive and put them aside. You can plug them back into the process when a bad/odd case screws up in the priming station and continue loading.

  15. #75
    Boolit Buddy gnappi's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by David2011 View Post
    I just did a YouTube search for “Dillon press repair.” Nothing found.
    Hang on, I had a problem with one of mine, years ago now what was it??? Oh I remember now, my powder measures were getting stuck in the "dump" position and they redesigned the powder measure by adding a bushing on the "L" shaped arm on the measure and added a linkage to pull the powder slider back, they sent me new measures and parts all free of charge. Since then all of my problems have been operator error, I could fill up youtube with fixing those
    Regards,

    Gary

  16. #76
    Boolit Buddy
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    I have two projector presses from Hornady. I literally wore one out, between sizing and trimming with the Dillon case mounted trimmer, and general reloading over 30 years, that press has been operated at LEAST one million times. That is no exaggeration. In a 3 year timespan in the early '90's I trimmed and loaded 100,000 .223's alone (I load for 62 different calibers).
    When the press finally would not hold tolerances to consistently turn progressively, I called Hornady. They had me ship the press to them to "see what we can do". They completely refurbished it with new internal parts, free, and even covered the return postage!
    I still have the press today, and I'm still using it to size, trim and reload. I recently ran an accuracy comparison with my favorite 6.5 Creedmore loads (same rifle, ones loaded in Projector vs. ones loaded on my Rockchucker). I could not see any significant difference in accuracy between the two.
    Nothing against RCBS, Dillon, or Lee, but Hornady gets my vote as the best progressive press, hands down.

  17. #77
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    I agonized over what to get several years ago. A friend has a Square B, a 550 and a 650. None were without some issues at times. I went with the LNL for several reasons. I like the fact I could use the dies I already had. I too can keep my right hand on the handle and use my left for brass and bullets. I could never get comfortable with the B and 550. I did have some issues at first with the priming on the LNL but a quick polishing and it runs like a champ, just keep the powder and other things out of it. I did go with a universal powder die and that works very well for me. I only load 8 calibers.

    A couple years ago the same friend picked up a used Square B and gave it to me, it was set up for 45 which I load but not a lot of. It costs $100 just for new dies, no tool head. I can change my LNL from 38 to 9mm in just a few minutes.

    The 550 is a good way to go if you want to get a bunch of tool heads set up and you don't mind turning it. I just find the LNL does all I need it to do and more.

    As far as his 650, it took a long time and some additional parts to get running well. Once set up, he leaves it set up for 223, too much of a hassle to change.

    Bottom line is they all work to one degree or another. I have and have used the ones I listed but I am perfectly happy that I don't have a permanent place on my bench for the Square B at this time. It sets in a cabinet and we pull it out when we both want to load some 45's.

  18. #78
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    The only Dillon past or present that doesn’t use standard dies is the Square Deal B. The 450, 550, 650, 750 and 1050 all use 7/8x14 dies. Advancing the stage on a 550 is a non-event after using it for a few minutes. I’ve been using one since 1991 and it’s as automatic as using a brake pedal in an automobile.
    Sometimes life taps you on the shoulder and reminds you it's a one way street. Jim Morris

  19. #79
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lead pot View Post
    With regards to the lee pro 1000.
    There are more fixes on the U-tube with this press and to get it to work, mostly with the prime feed and other tinker fixes. I have one and it's not worth the price of gas to take it to the scrapyard for recycled aluminum change you would get for it.
    theres one at the bottom of my pond out back if someone wants to go swimming

  20. #80
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    Quote Originally Posted by David2011 View Post
    Livin_cincy, there is one bit of confusion in your original post. You do not have to return parts to Dillon. You just give them a call with your problem.
    I love my Dillon 550 and lust after an automated 1050 but I have to disagree on all the free parts.

    Small parts they are still good for, but not everything any more.
    I finally called for some parts for my 20+ year old 550 last year and they wouldn’t provide powder bars. But they would sell them to me at $30 each.
    All the other parts I requested were sent free of charge.
    Dillon has been burned by people getting warranted parts and selling them on evilbay, so I can’t blame them.
    And the parts are worn due to my lack of maintenance, missing plastic bushing caused excessive wear in the actuation slot of the bars, plus accelerated wear from lack of cleaning.
    Piece of junk only lasted 20 years

    I might have gotten better service from another rep, other people have posted about warranty issues that were resolved by calling back and getting another rep, but it didn’t bother me that much and I didn’t reload much in the last year, just really getting back into it in the last few weeks

    I just ordered another complete powder measure (can never have too many toys) and when the current madness ends I will send in my 2 old measures for repair/replacement. Or maybe pay the ~$90 and send the whole press in for some TLC.
    I figure the measure only cost me $30, $90 - 2x$30 (price of bars).
    I still might buy one more small bar, that way I can just switch bars instead of taking a few minutes to readjust powder throws for my most loaded calibers.
    The older I get, the lazier I become, plus I have a tool addiction.

    Still can’t beat the performance for the price.

    I still love Dillon, but things aren’t quite like the stories of the good old days due to people’s ethical greed, stealing basically.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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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