Dillon XL650 vs Dillon 550b

[Fordprefect]

So I have been looking at getting the 550b for myself for christmas, but yesterday on craigslist I came across a XL 650 set up in the caliber I'm looking for $500 add states it has barely been used. I am new to shooting and reloading and not to familiar with prices of used equipment. was wondering if this is a good price?

[dragonrider]

Yes that is a good price. Go get it.

[NWFLYJ]

If you get it I will swap you my new 550b.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Ditto: you can learn on one of those machines just as easily as you can learn any other.

I would suggest getting a single stage Press like a RCBS Rockchucker as well, and that way not only can you learn the basics of reloading and case processing on a simpler tool that you need anyway, but you can also have a way to do production loading of ammo as well.

If you find later that you don't need the 650 then you can sell it for what you paid any day of the week.

Randy

[VHoward]

If that also includes a case collator, then it is a steal.

[Smoke4320]

run to it don't walk

[fatboy]

depends on what comes with it but the price sounds fair. and with dillons no BS warranty you don't even have to be the original owner to get parts.

[engineer401]

Get the 650. I have a lot more wrapped up in my 550 than $500. A single stage press is also helpful for things like depriming and experimenting. Randy is also offering good advice.

[wcp4570]

If you are not a high volume shooter and or if you shoot a lot of different calibers I could see where the 650 could be a real pain for you. It is not the best machine for loading a couple hundred rounds for 5 or 6 different calibers. If you are a high volume shooter on at least one or two calibers then go for the 650, you will not be sorry. I load on a decked out 650 and it is a sweet loading machine. The 650 produces a loaded round with every cycle of the machine handle and all I have to do is set a projectile on the primed and charge case.

wcp

[VHoward]

It takes me all of 10 minutes to change calibers on my 650 and I don't rush anything.

[David2011]

I agree with WCP. I have a 650 for my high volume .40 and a 550 for almost everything else. Precision stuff is done on a single stage but the Dillon powder measures do an excellent job on stick powders; way better than my RCBS Uniflow. If money were no object I would have 2 650s; one for small primers and one for large, but I have so many conversion kits for the 550 that it would cost a wad to upgrade even after selling the 550 conversion kits. At one time I had 2 550s and kept one set upi for small and one for large and loved it but sold one and got the 650 because I was shooting ~2500 rounds/month of .40.

David