How To Choose The Right Dillon Press

[GRUMPA]

I've had my ole RCBS 4x4 for years and after the little indexing bushing went out (again) I figured it's time to look for a current upgrade. The machine itself has served me well for many years but along the way I have stripped out the primer attachment that gets screwed to the arm and it seems the whole primer system goes thru a certain amount of stress when I used to use it, and I would like to get a bit more speed out of my reloading time which seems to decrease as time goes by.

I can do anywhere from 100 to 1000 depending on the cartridge and the old one at best could do 200pcs an hour, I'm sure I could go faster but at that speed I felt comfortable and didn't have anything happen. So my needs I guess can go from 1 extreme to the other depending on what cartridge I'm doing.

Now I've looked at the Blue machines and unless they're right in front of me for comparisons sake it gets hard for me to try and comprehend the differences. 1 thing I found out is caliber conversions can get up there depending on how many you get, but it seems the 500 is cheaper in that regard to the 650 machine, why I don't know but it is.

Right now I load up: 380,9mm,40cal,38spl,357mag,45acp,44spl,44mag,223,3 0-06.

So from the looks of it I would need a few goodies to go along with the machine and I'm sure converting from one to the other isn't what one would call easy (I guess). But between the 2 which one would most choose as the one that would do all those plus some and still not have to take out a loan?

As far as watching videos on the subject my connection speed is rather slow and I get disconnected a lot so that's out.

So which of the 2 (550 or 650) would most go for?

I'll still hold onto my 2 RC presses, it's just the 4x4 I want to retire.

[soli]

I have a 550-b as new for sale.Let me know if you decide on one

[MBuechle]

Go to Brian Enos' web site and read his recommendations. For what you want to do, the 550 is probably the better choice. It's quicker to change cartridges on. You'll have some overlap in parts too; the '06 & .45 ACP will use the same shell plate as will the .40 & 9mm. The 9mm will use the .223s pins. The 650 is best suited for long production runs of the same cartridge. I have a 550 BTW and love it!

[Lizard333]

Here's my two cents Matt, I would go with the 550. I have both the 550 and the 650, but I find I use the 550 10 to 1. The conversions are less and indexing the shell holder my self makes more sense. If you screw something up on the 650 your committed, possibly ruining a piece if brass in the process. With the 550 you can back out without ruining the final product. Just make sure you didn't complete enough of the stroke to possibly double charge a shell.

How soon are you looking to purchase a press? If your not in a hurry, I might be able to get you a deal. I was able to get a used 550 for around 200$, with at least one conversion.

BTW, I haven't forgot the blanks. I'm hoping to find out here in a couple of days.....

[angus6]

From a guy who dosen't care for either , I'd guess the RL550 . Heres a link to help save cost on conversions,http://brianenos.com/pages/dillon/cal.conv.chart.html
Theres a couple of guys that you can pick up most parts from

[wcp4570]

My recommendation is to call Brian Enos and talk to him and tell him what you load and what you want from your new press, he will make you a recommendation.

I load on a decked out 650 and if I were buying another it would be another 650. I don't try to load super fast just steady. Caliber conversions are not a problem for me but the ease of loading once your conversion is installed and ready to load a new caliber. You develop a feel for what's going on with the press. The priming station is where I made the most mistakes when I first started using the 650, now I seldom goof up this station. I personally like having to only worry about placing a bullet on at the case after its primed and charged. Keep cases in the case feeder, powder in the measure, primers in the primer feed, bullets in the bullet tray then pull the handle and you will be supprised how fast you will roll out 100 loaded rounds. Hands down Dillon 650 for me.

A plus for ordering from Brian Enos is shipping is cheaper, unit and part prices are the same as Dillon's web page.

wcp

[quasi]

you need to ask yourself what you want, 5 stages or 4, manual or auto index, case feeder for all calibers, or a case feeder for just pistol calibers or no case feeder, inital cost, caliber change cost, ...

[Oreo]

The answer is simple. You want a LNL-AP. ;)

Sorry. Had to do it. Love mine though.

[Wal']

Somebody just had to say it.

Just to keep the rest of us quite. :-|


:cbpour:

[357shooter]

I've had a few auto-indexing presses and now really appreciate the manual indexing of the 550. I haven't used a 650, but like the total control the 550 offers.

With the 550 it's easy to do 500-600 in an hour, and 600-700 per hour isn't all the hard to achieve either.

I'd say get the 550.

[seanhagerty]

If you get the 550, make sure to get the tricked out model. The 550B will just make you mad. The RL550 is what you want.

Also, look at the auto case feeder. I havent used one, but can sure see the merits. The only thing the case feeder wont handle on your list is the 223 and 3006.

Sean

[cajun shooter]

This all goes back to the 31 flavors at Baskin Robbins. Which one do you like? Oh well I don't care for that flavor but I love this one.
What floats one boat will sink another. As far as checking with Brian Enos who is a nice person but the presses are made by Dillon and not him. The best thing to do in this not so perfect world would be to find some one with both or two with each and watch them work and try out your hand.
The type of reloading you do has a huge part in what is best.
Dillon puts out the Blue Press book and it is free, get on the mailing list.
If you shoot SASS matches once a month, then the 550 is the hands down choice. If you shoot PPC matches where you fire 150 rounds each time then you may want a progressive.
I have a 550 with every extra except the auto case feeder. It is my choice because before you advance the machine to the next stage and see a bad case you may replace it before going on. The 650 automatically advances one stage each time the handle is pulled and if something is wrong you will have a train wreck.
The 550 also allows you to seat and crimp in two different stages. The 650 allows you to have a powder check die.
I load full cases of Black Powder and it's easy to see if a case has no powder. I also have a mirror and a light by the seating stage so that I may look into the case and see the powder before bullet seating. This allows me to skip the extra station of the 650.
Do some studying, read and try both and don't buy one just because another person said it was good. It has to be your decision and no one else can be correct for you and how you feel.

[Kevin Rohrer]

Since you live in Arizona, why not goto the Mecca of reloading and compare each of the presses in the flesh?

I had a 550, moved to a 650, and went back to the 550 for its increased safety, ease of caliber change, and lower cost of caliber change.

[GRUMPA]

Some of you guys bring up some good suggestions that I would have never thought of but it looks like I'll go with the 550. Although I need to do more reading on the net about it I have a hard time taking reviews as Gospel and in all honesty wish there was someone close by that had both and could actually play with to satisfy my own curiosity.

Good thing some of you mentioned that with the 650 if there's a hick-up somewhere it's different than with a 550. I know in a perfect world nothing bad happens but most of us here have been doing this type of thing for years and there's always that OOPS factor when it comes to reloading a lot at a time, I don't care who you are I know I've had my fair share.

I realize going from the green machine to the blue one is going to take some re-training on my end, for years I've had auto-indexing and with the blue one I wont but I don't think it's going to bother me after I've run a few thousand thru it. Most of my problems come from the sizing station when the primer gets knocked out and sticks to the pin when you lower the ram and it gets stuck in the case half-way and prevents the shell holder from moving and messes with the bushing, do that a few times and now it's time to replace the part, kinda a PITA if you ask me but I guess that's part of life.

As far as going to there showroom? I've been there many years ago when they were at there old place and bought some brass there and was asked for my name and address, I told them I don't want to be on a mailing list and I was put on one anyway and it got me so mad that they didn't respect my privacy I'll never ever go there again. Not saying it's Dillons fault but if they employ people that have no respect for a customers wishes I have no use for people like that. And even though I live in AZ it's a 4 1/2hr drive 1 way to get there and the tight *** that I am just wont do that.

[dauntlessdave]

Since you live in Arizona, why not goto the Mecca of reloading and compare each of the presses in the flesh?

I had a 550, moved to a 650, and went back to the 550 for its increased safety, ease of caliber change, and lower cost of caliber change.


First of all, +1 for Brian Enos. He's a great guy and he won't lead you in the wrong direction. Secondly, and it's just my slow and deliberate style I guess that caused me to ditch my two L-N-L's and instead add another RL550 to the one that has served me so well over the years. I just got used to manually indexing and figure as Kevin Rohrer does that saftety-wise, the 550 lets me putt along at a safe speed, being able to retrace steps that I might otherwise think I screwed up on.

I've priced the 650's and figure that the expense, even with selling one or two of my 550's would be prohibitive considering the very moderate retirement I live on. Plus, the 550 in my mind is just plain an old and reliable time tested machine that is probably the most popular machine that Dillon has produced. Can't go wrong with it. Just my .02

[soli]

NOTE: The BL550 is the basic press The RL550B ISthe one to buy

[Love Life]

Go with the RL550 B. I load many calibers, but swap out dies between 3 tool heads. It does take long to get a tool head set up with a new set of dies. Maybe 20 minutes to make sure everything is right.

Then again the toolheads are not that much. I have played with both the 650 and 550. I like the 550 much better with the manual indexing. I feel it gives me more control, plus how much time do you really save on a 650 without the case feeder?

[r1kk1]

RL 550b. I have very limited experience with the 650. I just do cartridges on mine that a 650 doesn't. But, I REALLY use mine for 5k runs, minimum. It's been with me since the late 80s. Haven't needed hardly anything for it. I have friends who come over to crank out a thousand this thousand that. Pistol and rifle. I broke the counter moving to a new house and they don't make it anymore. My press is easily in the 6 figure range for ammo produced.

It just plain works!

r1kk1

[GRUMPA]

OK guys no fair :coffeecom

Do I want to stay away from this one.....[smilie=2:.......550


Or do I want to stay away from this one....[smilie=2:......550B

I want to be able to add goodies to it at 1 point I'm sure.



:popcorn:

[Lance Boyle]

They're all the same frame and are upgradeable to the better version but it costs you more to upgrade later than to buy it as it should be. buy the RL550B not the 550Basic. The RL550B comes with the primer feed system and the powder bar safety device etc.

In a perfect world I'd have 2 RL550B's, one left set up with a large primer setup and the other with the small. Not that it's a big deal to swap them, I'm pretty fast. I can change from .45 ACP with the large primer system to .223 Rem with the small primers, and swap shellplates and location pins in less than 10 minutes. Probably more like 6 or 7. My dies live on their own head and never move. Once in awhile I have to move a powder measure but that's no big deal either.

I've been using mine since '88 or '89. The only upgrades I did to mine was the bullet tray, the stamped steel elevated frame thingy. I did try the cartridge counter and the roller handle and took them off. I sent the roller handle back, damn squeek was killing my ears.

[Alvarez Kelly]

OK guys no fair :coffeecom

Do I want to stay away from this one.....[smilie=2:.......550

Or do I want to stay away from this one....[smilie=2:......550B

I want to be able to add goodies to it at 1 point I'm sure.


The BL550 is their "basic Loader. These have only been marketed by Dillon for a few years. It's really just a glorified turret style reloader. It has a one at a time, manual primer system, and NO real powder system. It is fully upgradable, but it will cost more in the long run. As many have mentioned, you will probably want to avoid it unless you can pick one up dirt cheap.

The one you WANT is the RL550B. There was an early version... the RL550... it's the same as the RL550 B EXCEPT without a low primer warning alarm, and without a powder measure failsafe arm. Some folks actually prefer the older style powder measures without the failsafe apartatus.

So... you probaly don't want a BL550. If you are buying new, the only 550 option left is the RL550B. If you are buying used, the RL550 and RL550B really are the same press, but the B adds the "upgraded" powder system and adds the low primer alarm.

For the record... I have 2 550s side by side on my bench. I also regularly reload on a Square Deal. I have loaded on a 650 and sold my 1050. I miss my 1050, but I LOVE my 550s.

Buy the 550 (RL550B) and never look back. :-)

[Daddyfixit]

I have 2 RL550's. That's what I would go with. Cheeper caliber changes. Go with the
RL550B if you can afford it as upgrading later would cost more then the price difference. Extra tool heads work out very nice for quick caliber changes.

[labdwakin]

Matt,

I load my progressive stuff on two 650s but have owned an rl450 and liked it for a dedicated caliber press and also owned and loaded on a 550B and liked it as well. I think that the guys here are steering you right with the 550B and if I were you, I would buy just the press or go to Dillon's website and download the manual for the press so you can check out how to mix/match conversion kits and save yourself some money. For example, if you have the 223 conversion and the 9mm conversion you can just use the shellplate and locator button from the 223 conversion and the powder funnel from the 9mm conversion to load 380. How many extras you want to buy is going to be determined by how much setup time you're willing to spend. Personally, I don't think you can go wrong with an RL550B for a progressive press without a casefeeder. Besides, if Dillon ever gets off their lazy butts and makes a trimmer die for 300 BLK, you could set up a toolhead just for processing brass!!! :)

[jmorris]

There is no "right one" for every job. I have at least one of all the Dillons and use them all still. I wouldn't want to try and load my bulk ammo on a 550 but wouldn't want to swap around a 1050 to load 100 of this and a 100 of that, same thing goes for the 650. If I swap either one of them around I load at least a thousand of what it's being swapped for.

[labdwakin]

what jmorris said ^^^^

[dnmccoy]

+1 for the 550. Great for pistol or rifle.

[cajun shooter]

Every 550 should come with the extras that are shown in all of the advertisements as every one makes the press work smoother.
As far as the roller handle being squeaky you may have a mouse under your loading bench. The one with the aluminum handle is the best of the two offered.
The bullet tray speeds up the loading process and if you learn to keep your left hand and thumb close to the manual rotor it is almost like a progressive.
The strong mount and tool holder are also great items.
As far as my suggestion on receiving the Blue press, that is your business but I don't think that Dillon sells it's mailing list. As far as your former experience with what you described as employees, that was more than likley hired for a few days people who received a commision for each person who signed up.
Every person I have dealt with at Dillon has been a very nice and ready to help you type of person.
They will send you any part that has broken or will no longer function for FREE!!
The Blue Press has a nice front cover and good info inside.
Mike Dillon has Government contracts worth millons of dollars and he would never have to sell another press but continues to offer a lifetime warranty.
To those who have a hang up about calling the press a 550B instead of just 550. It is in fact a RL 550B with only a powder measure and auto priming system. So what do you call it when it has the Strong Stand, tool holder, bullet tray and so on? You may call them all 550 and be correct. The name was derived from the total round count able to be loaded in one hour. That is not possible with out the added extras.
If a buyer takes time to look at the site or a Blue press he will be able to see the difference.

[soli]

In 1978 Mike was demonstrating his new machine cost about $2000.00.The price has gone way way down now have better machines with more goodys at a lower price.AND very good Quality.

[soli]

Also add there is other Dillon [older] presses,RL450 AND AT500.

[legend]

i own a lot of presses, the rl550b is the go to press when i want to produce lots of ammo with no problems. you will not be sorry.

[ArrowJ]

RL 550b. I have very limited experience with the 650. I just do cartridges on mine that a 650 doesn't. But, I REALLY use mine for 5k runs...


So if you do not use the auto-indexing 650 in favor of the manual indexing 550 how much faster would you say the 550 is as compared to say a Redding T-7 with a powder dispenser used as a quasi progressive?




http://highcaliberguns.com
http://thesitterdowners.com

[milprileb]

Here's my two cents Matt, I would go with the 550. I have both the 550 and the 650, but I find I use the 550 10 to 1. The conversions are less and indexing the shell holder my self makes more sense. If you screw something up on the 650 your committed, possibly ruining a piece if brass in the process. With the 550 you can back out without ruining the final product. Just make sure you didn't complete enough of the stroke to possibly double charge a shell.


[B]Don't I wish I read this before I bought my 650 two yrs ago and let my son have the 550 Dillon. If you need a 650... really need it ( I did not ), then you probably are into such volume that you need a 1050. Skip the 650, unless you got to have more production than a 550 gives you and you understand the added costs of conversion units and hassel clearing issues on a 650:violin:B]

[LUBEDUDE]

[B] If you need a 650... really need it ( I did not ), then you probably are into such volume that you need a 1050. ]

I agree.

I have a 550 and 2- 1050's; I just don't see where the 650 fits into the scheme of things.

I think the kicker is the lifetime warranty. The 1050 is only 1 year.

[jmorris]

So if you do not use the auto-indexing 650 in favor of the manual indexing 550 how much faster would you say the 550 is as compared to say a Redding T-7 with a powder dispenser used as a quasi progressive?

Along with the 550 and other Dillons, I also load on turret presses. The difference is one completed round per pull of the handle and priming is part of the process. If your rounds have the same case head and primer pocket like 45 acp, 308, 458 socom and many others all you do is remove two pins and swap the tool head.

How much faster depends on how many rounds you load, dies you use in the turret and how you prime. Could be minutes, could be hours.

[LUBEDUDE]

So if you do not use the auto-indexing 650 in favor of the manual indexing 550 how much faster would you say the 550 is as compared to say a Redding T-7 with a powder dispenser used as a quasi progressive?




http://highcaliberguns.com
http://thesitterdowners.com


I'll answer your question a little differently.

I load on a 550 and also Hollywood Turrets. I don't have an Auto prime feeder or a primer discard cup on my Universal. I do have a semi -auto primer feed on my Senior Turret which I rarely use. It's more of a collector's item. The Senior also has a primer catcher. But to be fair, I will use the Universal for comparison.

I will compare loading 45 Long Colt on each. (strokes are reversed for HW)

With HW, Size/Deprime, Prime - One up and down srtoke - assuming 550 shell plate is loaded all the way at all stations, one round is now kicked out.

HW - Expand mouth- still on shell #1. 550 kicks one out
HW- Move to powder station - 550 kicks one out - now 3-1
Hw - seat bullet- Dillon kicks one out
Hw - crimp bullet, final round complete- 550 kicks out one more for a 5 to 1 ratio per pull of the handle.

Yes, with the dillon, you are really doing two strokes each time, but the priming is quick, and also you are letting go of the handle to pick up new brass.
However, it's a wash. With the Turret, you are stopping to align the turret head and with the HW it is manual primer feed and I catch the old primers in my left hand,

I would still say it is a 5 to 1 ratio with the HW. The Redding may be 4 to 1 or bit less?

[Moondawg]

Get the 550B. It is cheaper, simpler, and has fewer parts to break, ;get out of adjustment or wear out. Yes, Dillions no BS warranty is second to none, but why use it if you don't have two. The 550B will do all you want it to, and for the difference in price you can buy extra caliber conversions. My 550B has served me well for almost 20 years and is still going strong. I have used a 650 belonging to a friend, and know that he has to do more fiddeling and fussing to keep it running smoothly. I am a big believer in the KISS principle

[M-Tecs]

It really is dependent on the volume and type of your reloading that you do. Also your mechanical abilities come into play. I am a toolmaker by trade. I was happy with my first 450 and I was even happier when I upgraded to a 550 but I still dreamed of a case feeder and auto index. This was before the 650 where available. When the 650 out came I got one. After using the 650 I got rid of my 550 and I purchased a second 650. Set one set up for large primer and one for small primers.

I love the auto index and case feed most for bottle necked or tapered case that you have to lube. I inspect the cases, lube them, throw them into the case feed, size and deprime. From there they go into the tumbler. When I am ready to load, it’s back into the case feeder for priming, powder dropping and bullet seating. I use a 450 funnel die when I am hand weighing charges.

If I was doing pistol cases with carbide dies only I would be very happy with the 550 but since I do a large volume of bottle neck case I truly hate swiping lube I really like the 650. Later I picked up a third 650 that I have dedicated to 45/70.

The only real short coming that I had with the 650 is that it doesn’t swage crimped primer pockets. I also purchased two 1050’s that I truly love. I use the 1050 the most but the 650’s are great machines if you have some mechanical aptitude. My 650’s really sing but that took some fine tuning.

Looking back, my 550 worked fine. I couldn’t go fast enough with it to require tuning other than reaming and polished the powder drop tubes.

What’s better the 550 or the 650 is dependant on your abilities and what your want from your machine.

[m-bear]

If you are going to load 1500 rounds (1/2 hour a day six days a week) or less a week than the 550 is the better choice. If you are going to load more than go for the 650. For 90% of the reloaders out there the 550 makes more since.

I sold my 550 and upgraded to a 650. But I did it because I wanted to not because I needed to. One of the nice things about the 550 is if you decide in the future you want to upgrade it is easy to sell your 550 for 80-90% of new. I sold my 550 for $50. less than I payed for it three years later.

[jmorris]

If you are going to load 1500 rounds (1/2 hour a day six days a week) or less a week than the 550 is the better choice. Assuming you want to reload everyday and spend 3 hours every week doing it.

I prefer to fill up the primer tube filler, case feeder and bullet feeder, hit the button and knock out a couple hundred rounds for the match this weekend in less than 10 minutes. Just can't be done on a 550.

No to mention, if your loading 78,000 rounds a year you will be spending $2000 on primers alone not to mention bullets (last order of 20k 147g 9mm I placed was $1675) 78k is over $6500 for "cheap" bullets, powder and other odds and ends. So saving a few hundred bucks or even a thousand on a press at that point doesn't really effect the bottom line.

Unlike all the rest of the money you put into shooting your press will last a lifetime.