which Dillon?

[desteve811]

Thinking about getting a dillon press but im having trouble picking the press for my needs. I reload for 38, 357, 40, 44, 45 pistol. I still want to do all my rifle reloading on a single stage press which i have. I like the auto indexing features on a press but if it saves me money not having one then its ok i can do without. what im looking for is easy caliber change. I shoot maybe 1,500-2,000 rounds (combined) a month. Any suggestions?

[warf73]

The 550B will fit your needs, easy change over and will spit out quality ammo fast.

[Sully]

As posted...a 550B will fit you perfectly.

[Doc Highwall]

The Square Deal B work's pretty good also. I helped a woman I know who has one and it worked great. I have a 650 and two 550's and several Rockchuckers and I would not mind having a Square Deal also.

[unclebill]

Thinking about getting a dillon press but im having trouble picking the press for my needs. I reload for 38, 357, 40, 44, 45 pistol. I still want to do all my rifle reloading on a single stage press which i have. I like the auto indexing features on a press but if it saves me money not having one then its ok i can do without. what im looking for is easy caliber change. I shoot maybe 1,500-2,000 rounds (combined) a month. Any suggestions?

i shoot everything you do but .454 as well.
i love my 550b so much i have one in my bedroom.:mrgreen:




http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l272/billhedges/27chevy-8.jpg

[bigfoot]

I have a sq. deal in all the calibers you want plus a few others, like it be cause it is auto index , all you have to do is set a bullet on and a empty case and pull the handle once you get it set up she runs perfectly, only thing i dont have is powder measure for each tool head but thats a minor adj. every time i change calib. i said the same thing when i got mine that all i was going to do was reload hand guns and i did for a while, then i bought one of those (bad) black rifles and it takes alot of time at the reloading bench to feed one of those babies 20 yrs. later i wish i would have bought a 550 w/manual index or 650 w/auto index . some also say that the dillons are just as good for reloading rifles as a single stage!!! but i really do like my sq. deal !! just my 2 cents
bigfoot

[klcarroll]

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you buy one of the older, less expensive RL450s!!!!

There are three main reasons I say this:

1) At the price of slightly lower production rates, they are just a little bit simpler from a mechanical standpoint; ….And consequently you don’t get to spend the “Enjoyable Quality Time” required to make an adjustment change or clean up after an “ooops!” or a mis-feed.

2) All you get in exchange for NO interchangeable die heads is a much more rigid and accurate top end.

3) If you buy an old RL450, ….that is just one more that I won’t be able to snap up!!!!

:kidding::kidding::kidding:


Kent

[unclebill]

oh yeah
i load .308 and .223 on the 550b as well.

[John J]

when you decide on what Dillon you want... go down to the vender section and look for parrott1969 and see what he can do for prices

I just got an XL650 at a realy good price form him.

John J

[mike in co]

a thing to remember is loading sequence.......
do all your small primer ammo, then do large primer....
when you come back do all the large primer and then the small primer stuff.

(ask me why i own 2 550b's)

while a square deal b will work, with this many calibers, the 550 is the way to go.
buy tool heads for each caliber........look for used powder measuresm so you can eventually leave the setup alone......


mikr in co

[Doc Highwall]

I do the same thing as mike I have one 550B set up for small primers and one set up for large primers and my 650 is set up for small primers.

[Bello]

in about a month or so i will have for sale a dillon square deal b in .38special/.357 magnum including the dies and caliber conversion

[Iowa Fox]

Hey klcarroll, Quit tipping the guys off about the 450s. I'm just west of you ready to snap up every good buy I can find on a 450. Old guys like nice simple things that work as nice as they do.

When the 450 first came out they were $389.00 factory direct as I still have some of their ads from back then. Then as sales and production picked up the price dropped to 199.00

[btroj]

I have a 550. It does a fine job for me. Changing primer size takes about 5 minutes but is not difficult. I just never saw the need for a 650 for the shooting I do. I rarely load more than 300 rounds at one time anyway.

[Lloyd Smale]

either a 550 or a square deal will serve you well for what you doing. the 550 is a bit more rugged and simpler but is slower. Personaly i dont feel swapping calibers on a square deal is much more work or time consuming then a 550. It may take an additional 5 minutes at most.

[David2011]

Desteve,

The 550 is probably the best overall press for your first Dillon is the 550B. The Square Deal B uses proprietary dies whereas the other Dillons use standard 7/8x14 dies and is expensive to convert to another caliber. Autoindexing is, IMO, overrated. It is not a huge timesaver although it does make double charging less likely. If you always leave the handle of a progressive press in the down position when you step away from it you will always know the state of the cartridges. I think that significantly reduces the chances of mistakes. I was at a friend's house and say that he had left his 650 with the handle down instead of up. It immediately made sense. I didn't have to ask why and adopted the practice myself any time I stop and there are primers and cartridges in the press.

I have a SDB, a 550 and a 650 so am not just pulling opinions out of thin air. The 550 caliber conversions are far less expensive than those for the 650. I would love to sell my 550 and get another 650 but the cost of all of the caliber conversions, even after selling all of my 550 stuff would be substantial. If you load even one caliber in very high volumes (say 1000+ rounds/month) it's probably worth it to start with a 650 since it will load 800-1200/hr. I find that an easy rate for the 550 to be 400-500 pistol cases/hr. If you only load 100-300 at a time of any one caliber you will be happy with the 550 for a long time. Primer size changes on the 550 are faster and easier than on the 650, too. I shoot a lot of .40 for IPSC so the 650 stays set up for that most of the time. The SDB won't load any rifle calibers. I can load several rifle calibers on the 550 but seldom do because there is so much prep work for bottlenecked cases that needs a single stage press. I do load .223 on the 550 once the cases are ready for primers. I seldom load any other rifle case in sufficient volume to justify messing with a progressive. I love the 650 and think it has a superior primer handling system to the 550 but it is more expensive to outfit.

Not every may agree; just my thoughts. My 550 has been with me since 1990.

David

[perotter]

I won't buy any Dilion smaller than the 650.

[DCM]

5 different calibers & alot of ammo = 650 with case feed.

The 1050 is faster and more foolproof, BUT changing calibers is MUCH more time consuming and WAY more expensive.

I have both and the 1050 is pretty much a dedicated cal. machine for that reason.

The 650 will give you high load rates with high reliability.

[jmorris]

It really depends on how the 1500-2000 rounds a month you shoot are broken down. If its 20 rifle, 50 .44, 100 .40, 700 .38/357 and 700 .45, for example you might be looking at a progressive and a turret press.

Don't get me wrong I love progressive presses but I have 8 of them so I don't have to always swap them around. I still do from time to time but not every month. For calibers I load small lots, I am done loading on one of my turret presses before I could have started with a progressive, without the cost of any caliber comversion.

I know we all envision shooting nonstop when we start to reload but try and be realistic. A fellow a few weeks ago wanted to know what press was right to load thousands a month of his set of diverse rifle and pistol calibers. After doing some simple math, I pointed out, even if he used "cheap" components he was looking at $30,000+ a year before equipment, so he could buy decent machines setup in every caliber if he wanted to. After putting numbers to paper his expectations came down quite a bit, as did the equipment needed.

[Throckmorton]

I have a 550b and a square deal b,and MUCH prefer the hand room and visiblity of the larger 550.That ,and changeing dies is easier,and it uses standard dies so if I want to use one brand of sizer and another brand/type of crimp die I can do so.
flipping the flipper becomes second nature real fast,auto advance is not important to me at all.
I don't try to set speed records,but a couple hundred rounds an hour is very easy to do.
buy a LOT of the brass ur going to be loading so fewer change overs between calibers.

[unclebill]

I have a 550b and a square deal b,and MUCH prefer the hand room and visiblity of the larger 550.That ,and changeing dies is easier,and it uses standard dies so if I want to use one brand of sizer and another brand/type of crimp die I can do so.
flipping the flipper becomes second nature real fast,auto advance is not important to me at all.
I don't try to set speed records,but a couple hundred rounds an hour is very easy to do.
buy a LOT of the brass ur going to be loading so fewer change overs between calibers.

i forget i am hitting the flipper.
and once setup i usually load that caliber until i am out of boolits.
(i only shoot lead)

[*Paladin*]

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you buy one of the older, less expensive RL450s!!!!
There are three main reasons I say this:

1) At the price of slightly lower production rates, they are just a little bit simpler from a mechanical standpoint; ….And consequently you don’t get to spend the “Enjoyable Quality Time” required to make an adjustment change or clean up after an “ooops!” or a mis-feed.

2) All you get in exchange for NO interchangeable die heads is a much more rigid and accurate top end.

3) If you buy an old RL450, ….that is just one more that I won’t be able to snap up!!!!

:kidding::kidding::kidding:


Kent

I bought a 450 that has the 550 conversion frame, but no powder measure or die, no primer system, etc. I kick myself in the *** for buying it, because it's sitting colecting dust. For me to finish the conversion to a 550 it's gonna cost another $200!!! I wish I had just saved a little longer and gotten the 550, instead of that dang half-***'d 450/550 conversion!

[klcarroll]

I bought a 450 that has the 550 conversion frame, but no powder measure or die, no primer system, etc. I kick myself in the *** for buying it, because it's sitting colecting dust. For me to finish the conversion to a 550 it's gonna cost another $200!!! I wish I had just saved a little longer and gotten the 550, instead of that dang half-***'d 450/550 conversion!


.......Are you considering selling it??? :smile::smile::smile:

Kent

[GARCIA]

What is sweet about the 550 is if you load for the 45acp you then already have the shellplate for anything based on a .473 (think 30-06 and the like family) at your disposal. Get you a couple of additional powder funnels and locator pins and your good to go.

Have both a Rock Chucker and a 550.

Tom

[mike in co]

What is sweet about the 550 is if you load for the 45acp you then already have the shellplate for anything based on a .473 (think 30-06 and the like family) at your disposal. Get you a couple of additional powder funnels and locator pins and your good to go.

Have both a Rock Chucker and a 550.

Tom

yep....
read the conversion data section..order what you need, not what you have.......

mike in co

[giddyupgo55]

I bought a Dillon 650 and used it for about a year then bought a 550 for a second press. After using both for a while I sold the 550. Nothing wrong with the press, it is I like the features on the 650 better. Both are great presses.

[jeff423]

I load all your calibers plus .32, 9mm and .41. I had an SDB and upgraded to a 650 with bullet feeder. I'm happy with the 650 because I can use a powder check die and still seat and crimp in two steps. I load 30-06 on a single stage.

Jeff

[Mike Kerr]

I think a 550B will serve you well. A 450 with automatic primer and powder system would also work well. Just takes an extra 10 minutes for a caliber change once you get your system worked out and load multiple large primer calibers and small pistol calibers in sequence - Frame is more rigid. Caliber conversions are lower in cost- just need a powder die for each.

regards,

:smile::smile::smile:

[sergeant69]

jmorris................do you REALLY have 8 progressive loaders?? what small country are you supplying the military their ammo? what loaders do you have? i'm jealous as hell!

[*Paladin*]

.......Are you considering selling it??? :smile::smile::smile:

Kent

I've considered it, but not seriously yet. I keep thinking I'm going to find the parts I need to finish the conversion for cheaper one of these days on fleabay. But the parts haven't showed up yet, unfortunately... What I really want is a 650 or a LnL AP...

[klcarroll]

I've considered it, but not seriously yet. I keep thinking I'm going to find the parts I need to finish the conversion for cheaper one of these days on fleabay. But the parts haven't showed up yet, unfortunately......

Well, .......then I'll stop acting like a circling buzzard, and offer a few words of encouragement!:bigsmyl2:

The priming assemblies do show up on Ebay: ...That's where I found the parts to restore one of my 450s to "stock". I do have a feed block/shield tube assembly that I don't need. (No slide or LG/SM inner tubes) If it will help you out, I'll send it to you. The primer slide and inner tubes are regularly on Ebay.

http://i949.photobucket.com/albums/ad334/sockmeister/S7300756.jpg

For "Powder Duty", I have standardized on the Lee Disk Measure. It's inexpensive, "case-actuated" operated, idiot proof, accurate, and inexpensive! ...Did I already say that? (I paid $18 for the last one I bought on Ebay.)

http://i949.photobucket.com/albums/ad334/sockmeister/S7300755.jpg

Best of Luck!

Kent

[jmorris]

jmorris................do you REALLY have 8 progressive loaders?? what small country are you supplying the military their ammo? what loaders do you have? i'm jealous as hell!



I guess I have 9 but here are 7 of them out in the shop waiting for me to build them a new bench.

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o213/jmorrismetal/reloading/DSC02298.jpg

The high dollar machines are bullet and case fed 6&10-50's with an auto drive on one of them. A pair of SD's, MEC and Hornady 366's for 12,20,28&.410 and a new LNL to see if I like it any better than the last one I had. Lots of years aquiring and horse trading to get there. Shooting competitively drove me to the high production machines, it takes up enough time to do what it takes to stay on top, don't need to waist too much time reloading.

[songdog53]

550 loads everything i shoot from pistol to rifle and keep dies on tool bars so easy quick change over. Just my perefernce and it all depends on what you want. Find it fits my needs so what works for me might not for some else. After all mere humans and everyone likes something different.

[unclebill]

I guess I have 9 but here are 7 of them out in the shop waiting for me to build them a new bench.

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o213/jmorrismetal/reloading/DSC02298.jpg

The high dollar machines are bullet and case fed 6&10-50's with an auto drive on one of them. A pair of SD's, MEC and Hornady 366's for 12,20,28&.410 and a new LNL to see if I like it any better than the last one I had. Lots of years aquiring and horse trading to get there. Shooting competitively drove me to the high production machines, it takes up enough time to do what it takes to stay on top, don't need to waist too much time reloading.

you must be retired.
i dont know any competitive shooters that arent wealthy or retired.
ordinary folks dont have time for that stuff.

[cajun shooter]

If you are going to load only one pistol caliber then a SQD is a good buy but they only use the dies made for them and I have trouble with the small area to work in. To me the 550B is the best all around as you can do a stage and remove that case for inspection and put it back. With the 650 it will advance the case to the next stage and you are stuck. The 550 may be backed up or moved to any position and with the 4 dies you may seat and crimp in different stages. Primer change is about a 10 min job once you know the process. You may use a small light in the center hole to check for powder before seating your bullet. You may change calibers fast and load rifle also. It is faster to have two powder measures as it makes going from pistol to rifle much easier. If you load Black Powder then Dillon sells the tools for the 550 to mount the BP approved ones. If you load with Federal primers the 650 is more prone to setting off the tube than the manual 550.

[jmorris]

you must be retired.

i dont know any competitive shooters that arent wealthy or retired.

ordinary folks dont have time for that stuff.


Not yet, the wife won't let me. She thinks you have to be at least 40 to qualify...

I'm also not "wealthy" in a money way but I do run my own business so I get to set my calender. As above, lots of years collecting. One of the SD's I have my brother and I split the $130 it cost 50/50, 25 years ago. A number of my nonprogresive presses are older than that.

[sergeant69]

you must be retired.
i dont know any competitive shooters that arent wealthy or retired.
ordinary folks dont have time for that stuff.

jmorris.... i retire in approx. 1 1/2 years. if you'll adopt me i'll load (except on the lnl) while you shoot. i'll pull the handles, you pull the triggers. i'll need room, board, dos equis and 40 creek. i honestly doubted you till i saw the pics. they say envy is a sin, so i guess i'm a living in SIN CITY!

[unclebill]

the only reason i own that dillon is
i bought it and everything in my photo( press and 13 calibers of dies and stands)
for 500 bucks a few years ago from a guy i met online.
i since added a tumbler and a few more sets of dies and a single stage lee i use for sizing boolits.

[curiousgeorge]

Go with the 550 / uses regular dies and caliber conversions are fast and easy.

jmorris - very, very nice set up - beats my 3-550's, 1-progressive turret, 1-piggyback, 1-old Star universal, 2-non progressive turrets (1 12 hole Hollywood / 1 Lyman T-mag), 1- 4 station CH, 2 Rockchuckers, 1-Hornady 366, and 1-Hornady 155

Are we related???
Steve

[jmorris]

i honestly doubted you till i saw the pics

You guys and your skepticism, would you believe me if I told you one of them loads 100 rounds of 223 in under 3 minutes?

[sergeant69]

You guys and your skepticism, would you believe me if I told you one of them loads 100 rounds of 223 in under 3 minutes?

well...you gotta admit it, thats LOTTA LOADERS under one roof!

[Baldy]

Get a 650xl and load anything you want plus it's a 5 station press and the powder cop is a gun saver.

[hiram1]

only two ways to go here
a dillon or the other dillon

i have 550b and sq deal and love them

[desteve811]

When I was leaving for work today the fedex guy handed me this
http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd410/desteve1981/c2aa41f5.jpg

Too bad I have to wait til I get off work (11pm) to play with it!

[pls1911]

RL550B
too much clap trap on the 650....the 450 is good, but not as easily flexible.

[Alvarez Kelly]

desteve811

Congrats! You'll love it!

[desteve811]

3 hours to go!! Come on 11pm!! Lol

[bigfoot]

gonna be a late night when you get home!!!!

[desteve811]

Got her setup and loaded 120 rounds of 45acp. Ran out of brass :( going to range tomorrow and the 45 is gonna eat good. Now I just need a bunch of toolheads and conversion kits.
http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd410/desteve1981/b9a7f63d.jpg
http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd410/desteve1981/7e4f1420.jpg

[Down South]

Congrats on the 550B. I have two of them and I was going to recommend one for the needs you described in your first post.
Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!

[warf73]

Grats on the new 550B, they are sweet machines.

[*Paladin*]

Well, .......then I'll stop acting like a circling buzzard, and offer a few words of encouragement!:bigsmyl2:

The priming assemblies do show up on Ebay: ...That's where I found the parts to restore one of my 450s to "stock". I do have a feed block/shield tube assembly that I don't need. (No slide or LG/SM inner tubes) If it will help you out, I'll send it to you. The primer slide and inner tubes are regularly on Ebay.

http://i949.photobucket.com/albums/ad334/sockmeister/S7300756.jpg

For "Powder Duty", I have standardized on the Lee Disk Measure. It's inexpensive, "case-actuated" operated, idiot proof, accurate, and inexpensive! ...Did I already say that? (I paid $18 for the last one I bought on Ebay.)

http://i949.photobucket.com/albums/ad334/sockmeister/S7300755.jpg

Best of Luck!

Kent


Thanks for the offer and advice Kent! I decided I'm going to break down and spend the money on the rest of the parts to get this press up and PRODUCING! Just waiting on the tax return now...

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

If you go progressive, be it SDB or 550, they are fool proof if you cycle them dry every time out.

IE: stop putting empties in and keep stroking the handle.

I ended up with six SDB's and one 550. I plan to get another 550, the primer switch drives me nuts.

Rich

[Shiloh]

Dillon 550B.

Shiloh

[desteve811]

Liked the first one so much that I ordered another one and also ordered a "lift kit" and bullet tray for the first one. One large primer and the other small primer
http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd410/desteve1981/f75322ce.jpg

[Crash_Corrigan]

On my bench are a Dillon 550 B, a SQuare Deal in 9MM/45 ACP, a Lee Classic Turret Press, a Midway SS 80 Single Stage Press, a Lee Challenger and a Lee Hand Press.

With a casefeeder accesory the 550 B really cranks out .38's, 40's, 41 Mags, 44 Specials, 45 Colts and 45 ACP's like mad. The primer function was always a problem and slowed down my production until recently when I attended the SHOT show here in VEGAS and learned from a factory rep how to adjust and maintain the silly thing.

I use the Square Deal Press pretty much only for 9 MM as I shoot a lot of that. It came with the dies for a .45 ACP also but I have not used it yet. Once it is set up and running right it is pretty much foolproof and can crank out rounds pretty well.

I use the 550B also for .223 rounds that I have already cleaned, sized and primed. It is much faster than the Lee Classic Turret Press.

The Lee Turret press is ideal for smaller runs of ammo as it is easily converted to pretty much all my calibers with the cheap toolheads. I leave the dies in the toolheads and I seldom have to touch them after that. The Lee is also pretty much my rifle press unless I am working with .223's.

The single stage Midway press is set up on a wooden TV Table and I have it in front of my easy chair so I can deprime or prime cases while watching TV. It is a mindless task that keeps me from losing my mind when watching the idiot box. I also use it when I am experimenting with various loadings of only a few rounds.

The challenger press is the one pretty much dedicated to depriming my blackpowder rounds prior to cleaning in a Thumblers Tumbler. I also use it alongside the Midway single stage so I can perform two operations one after the other on each case and save having to remove and install another die.

For ease of use the Lee Classic Turret Press is the bomb. The toolheads are cheap and I have over 15 of them. Unless I am going to make hundreds of rounds at a time this the press I use the most. For putting together a few boxes of pistol ammo in a caliber which is not already set up for in the 550 or SDP I use the Lee. If I am just starting out to make rounds for a new gun, like my .41 Mag, I will use the Lee to make up a variety of loadings in 10 round batches to see what works best.

Recently I bought a Smith Model 57 with a 4 inch tube in .41 Mag. The gun was only the initial costly item. Then I bought 500 cases from Starline, loading dies from Dillon, case gauge, Lee Factory Crimp Die, mold by Saeco from Midway, another one from this board through a group buy, a two cavity Lee cheapo mold from Midway, shellplate and casefeeder parts from Dillon and so on. We are not going to talk about holsters or speedloaders today.

All in all I spent almost more on the necessary stuff to reload this calibre than the gun. However I know over time the initial costs will be amortized by the savings on the cost of buying new factory ammo. Yeah, I also bought a box of 20 factory Hollow Pointed Critical Defense rounds by Hornady from Midway just in case I get to carry this big boy CCW.

If I had my druthers I would pretty much buy a Square Deal Press for every pistol calibre I own. It is the easiest to use and is pretty much foolproof and makes the same quality ammo as any other press. Let me hit the Megabucks and I will get a new house with an armored reloading room. It will have no windows, concrete walls with rebar, be completely alarmed and have a bank vault door.

In it will reside all my 22 weapons displayed on the walls for my admiration at all times and it will be equipped with a utility sink and a seperate stand from my Thumbler Tumbler. In addition there will probably be at least two walls devoted to reloading benches where I will place an additional 550 B for large primers and leave the old one set up for small primers, the one Square Deal Press will have many brothers in 41 Mag, 44 Special, 45 ACP, 45 Colt and .38 Special/357 Mag.

I might even get into a Star luber as this chore is a PITA mostly.

So to boil it down...a Lee Classic Turret Press will handle all your rifle calibres and a Square Deal Press from Dillon will take care of your pistol needs if you can afford one for each calibre as changing calibres is slow.

A single stage press or two are always handy and will be utilized and I would not spring for a 550 B unless I could buy two at a time to have one in each primer size. Changing calibres on the 550 is a fast and easy chore if you do not have to change primer sizes.

If only I could win the Megabucks...............dream on Dan.

[*Paladin*]

Sounds like we share the same dream! I would have small windows that double as firing ports, tho! :drinks:

[sergeant69]

what? no 1050?? in every caliber? if ur gonna dream..............!!

[*Paladin*]

what? no 1050?? in every caliber? if ur gonna dream..............!!

Haa! Unfortunately, even in my dreams I can't afford a bank of 1050's...:(

[hunter64]

There was a picture floating around with a guys garage that was absolutely full of Dillon machines for each of his calibers he shoots, opens up a door and a shooting range right outside.

Love my Dillon 550, Hornady LNL and my LoadMaster.


We should start a pool as to how long before the next guy asks the exact same question "which Dillon to buy" thread. Only been 8 since the start of the year so I guess we average one a week.


I will start it off with 7 days before the repeat question begins so that makes it Feb 25 at the latest.

[pls1911]

keep parts interchangeable, and maximize flexibility....
RL550B x 6 maybe???
I wish!!!
But I'll always have Rockchucker handy for things you use single stage preses for...

[pls1911]

Many, Many valid perspectives have been expressed, and I'd be silly to refute any of them.
Each of us have specific needs and limitations of ability, time, space, finances, etc....

I still feel strongly that for the common loader less than 500 rounds a month (geez... remember that's 6,000 rounds annually), the 550b remains the most economical and reliable loader available for "volume" loading. The comments from folks promoting 650s redily support this position when the differences in need are considered.
If your finances are a consideration and/or your realistic shooting volume is less than 6,000 a year, then the 550b's simplicity and economy of changing calibers and multiple tool heads make it infinitley a better choice than the MUCH more expensive 650 considering initial and recurring cost (consider at least 6 different set ups...) and space requirements (storage for spare set ups too).
The manual advance is a non issue, as it become an autonomic function with practice eliminating the auto rotation mechanics and potential related issues.
As David2011 stated, if you must leave your machine in mid operation, the practice of leaving the handle DOWN is a great practice.... when you return it's lift the handle, then shell, bullet, pull it, rotate period...
I keep up with family and ranch demands between myself and my brother in .38, 45 ACP, .45 Colt, 30-30, and 45 -70.... thats' casting, sizing, lubing, bullets AND brass processing and reloading.
And we shoot! I'll set and actually load maybe six nights a year.... at 1000rounds for each caliber, that's still only 5,00 rounds, MAXIMUM! That's reality, folks...

The Dillon RL550b .. simply the best value in reloading for the avid, active, average reloader....

[GLShooter]

I'll go for the 550 though I have 3 300's , a 550 and and a 650. Simplicity for caliber changes is a plus. Get an extra primer assembly so you don't have to deal with that issue and you will be cranking them out in no time.

Greg