Dillon xl650 kinda sucks...

[anothernewb]

If you like to spend time fiddling with your press to make consistent loads.
It also sucks if you like to spend time cleaning primer jams.
it also sucks if you like to mess with shell plate holders and case feeders.
Pretty much also sucks if you want low round count per hour production rate.

It's pretty much the most boring repetitive press on the planet. pull the lever, add a bullet, make a round... over and over and over, with the occasional stop to refill primers and powders. Yep. kinda takes all that fun monkeying around out of the equation. This thing just puts out loaded ammo and pretty much ignores the rest of the world. It doesn't care if you get bored, it doesn't care how much you spent on an entire tool box full of wrenches and pliers for when things go off kilter. it doesn't get happy, it doesn't get sad. it just makes ammo.

So, unless you're one of those weird a set-it-and-forget-it, reliable workhorse, fully functional tools kinda person. Stay away from this press.

In short, if you need something to take up massive amounts of time being unproductive and getting frustrated in order to get away, or need to hide from the family, or if you'd like to avoid other important things in life like relaxing after a hard day, a good beer, a great steak, fishing, camping, watching your kids learn and grow up, maybe a little "adult time" with your spouse or soul mate. This isn't the press for you. I'd recommend taking up amateur auto repair or something to fill your time.

[sparky45]

That's the same problem I have.

[dverna]

The 1050 is even worse. If you get a crimped primer pocket, it does absolutely nothing but make ammo.

And if you really want to get ticked off, just add the stupid powder check die. Unless you invest a lot of time riding the short bus, it is nearly impossible to get a squib load or a double charge! Then you realize that you don’t need that expensive Trailboss so that you can tell you have a double charge when powder is spilling out if the case. Pisses me off!

[Drew P]

I like fiddling. And I’m not rich. So, that’s not the press for me. Glad you like it. Save me the click bait though.

[LUBEDUDE]

I like fiddling. And I’m not rich. So, that’s not the press for me. Glad you like it. Save me the click bait though.

The Dillon owners know/knew it is/was click bait. :)

[anothernewb]

I was just trying to come up with a unique and non sequitur method of saying I'm happy with the press. The possibility it would be interpreted as click bait actually didn't occur to me.

[jeepyj]

I think it was a great post. I love my boring several hundred per hour XL650!

[willowbend]

My 650xl has caused me to have a lot of knee pain. Never enough brass picking it up every chance I get.

[skeettx]

My two 1050s sure do get me irritated, pull the handle, and ammo pops out THEN
I HAVE to go shoot it up to have room to load more!!
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/MVC-020S15.JPG

[Guesser]

Boring, boring, boring!!!

[glockfan]

214075

i started in the reloading world with a XL 650 right off the bat...so i can't feel the pain of using trouble-o-matic reloading equipement .

[Littleton Shot Maker]

we 'had' one- not for long though

[Dirtjumper895]

add "money pit" to the list. Due to its great performance, i now have 8 different toolheads and a rt1500 trimmer, along with a Mr. Bullet Feeder to keep it fed.

[PaulG67]

Yes mine is pretty much trouble free, crank handle, make ammo.

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

I didn't know you had to be rich to own a Dillon....

[sawinredneck]

I didn't know you had to be rich to own a Dillon....
It sure helps! Once you buy the press, then use it, you’ll want to run everything on it, then you’ll want a tool head and a powder measure, and a place to store it and............
I’ve just got a 550, but all the “other things” sure add up quickly!

[6bg6ga]

I will have to point out there are some that are incapable of running even a single stage press without help and constant supervision. These people should avoid ever getting near a 650 press. I can recall there are several geniuses here on this forum that are totally incapable of running a 550 or 650 press. These people should simply purchase their ammunition.

[Lloyd Smale]

shsssss your going to wake up the lee guys!!:popcorn:

[6bg6ga]

Lloyd the Lee guys are like the people at church that can't hear the sound system yet won't admit they have a hearing problem and refuse to use the hard of hearing devices. Its always the main sound system that gets the blame. Using Dillon is like being able to hear everything completely. Using Lee is like trying to listen to a sermon when someone it playing with the mixers master control turning it on and off.

[lightman]

I don't have a 650 but I've been very happy with my 550. The 650 that I used was a nice tight precise machine.

[dverna]

I don't have a 650 but I've been very happy with my 550. The 650 that I used was a nice tight precise machine.

Lightman,
The 550 is no slouch and one of the best. I used to have two 1050’s and still kept the 550. It is perfect for smaller runs and for someone who wishes to use a progressive to load a lot of different calibers as the conversion kits are less expensive.

I sold one of the 1050’s as well as a 650 and a Star when I downsized and picked up another 550.

There are two downsides to the 550. One is that in order to add a powder check it is necessary to seat and crimp in one die...that is how the old Star operated. The second is that it does not autoindex. I believe autoindexing adds to the safety of operation as it makes double charging less likely when running something like .38, .357, 44 Mag .45 LC etc. The Star had a safety cam to prevent double charging. Having said all that, I still replaced three “better/faster” presses with a 550 when my needs changed.

If you ever upgrade, keep the 550. You will not regret it.

[Hossfly]

I’m in my 3rd year with this Dillon 650, the no BS warranty hasn’t worked yet, cause I can’t get this thing to break. Haven’t mistreated it at all, kept it lubed, clean,just keeps running. That really sucks cause i like to fix things, have tons of tools left over from working for 40+years and don’t get to use on this thing. Ran .223 for first year, then 9MM for rest of time, haven’t had to go to large primer system yet think that is where I can have a little more fun. Keep an old RCBS single stage for testing,as for the Dillon just feed powder, primers, and boolits and crank out ammo.

[Baja_Traveler]

Well, to be honest my 650 did suck when the whole danged primer tube detonated and blew up sending the low primer follower impaled into the ceiling with shrapnel of charred primers. Thankfully the outer containment tube did its job, so no other damage to the press - and Dillon replaced everything back to new. Never did figure out what actually caused it. Ended up selling that press to my Boss when the big ammo shortage hit as I don't really do high production runs and my 550B does just fine (and I needed the cash for a Shilo Sharps rifle I really wanted). He's been using it for years now with no issues.
Took a hammer and a punch to extract the primer tube, but here is the end result:
214178

[Big Tom]

I like the one that is already painted in red to alert you that something bad may happen and also wakes you up once in a while when a primer goes bang. Plus the added safety feature of having primers installed sideways or completely missing makes these presses machines that finally produce SAFE AMMO. They are a great seller in California!

[dogdoc]

I like fiddling. And I’m not rich. So, that’s not the press for me. Glad you like it. Save me the click bait though.

I have learned the hard way : buy once cry once. The Dillons just plain work. No bs

[JRPVT]

My kids, all in their 30's, have enjoyed both loading on my 650 and shooting up the ammo it has produced. They also gift me tool heads with stands and powder measures or caliber change over kits for birthdays or Christmas. When I commented on them being pricey, the response was," They're an investment." Shrewd or what? Someday this will be theirs. Dave

[dverna]

My kids, all in their 30's, have enjoyed both loading on my 650 and shooting up the ammo it has produced. They also gift me tool heads with stands and powder measures or caliber change over kits for birthdays or Christmas. When I commented on them being pricey, the response was," They're an investment." Shrewd or what? Someday this will be theirs. Dave

You raised smart ones!

[anothernewb]

My kids, all in their 30's, have enjoyed both loading on my 650 and shooting up the ammo it has produced. They also gift me tool heads with stands and powder measures or caliber change over kits for birthdays or Christmas. When I commented on them being pricey, the response was," They're an investment." Shrewd or what? Someday this will be theirs. Dave

well played.

[6bg6ga]

I like the one that is already painted in red to alert you that something bad may happen and also wakes you up once in a while when a primer goes bang. Plus the added safety feature of having primers installed sideways or completely missing makes these presses machines that finally produce SAFE AMMO. They are a great seller in California!

Never produced anything good from something that was painted red. Also, 45+ years of reloading and never had a primer go bang when reloading.

[1bluehorse]

You guys should all get in a big circle...

[Drew P]

You guys should all get in a big circle...

And then what? Oh ya, brag about the blue hue that our reload rooms give off?
You know what else comes in blue? KOOLADE

[lead chucker]

I like my 650. I have replaced a few springs in it. Keep it cleaned and lubed and works great. Just got a 45 acp conversion kit for it. Been loading a lot of 9mm to feed my hungry Keltec sub 2000. Its sits proudly next to my Rock chucker.

[6bg6ga]

Some people don't seem to understand that if you buy quality you seem to buy only once and that product lasts. Sure, you can buy something painted red and if used properly and gingerly it might last a few years before its potmetal frame cracks and breaks. I learned a quick lesson when I was growing up watching my father purchase something. He would purchase the cheapest and then be unsatisfied and after a few years it would break and maybe he would purchase the item he actually wanted in the first place. The result was of course more money spent.

My suggestion is you purchase a product that is blue in color has a no BS warranty and will last thru your lifetime and the person you will it to after your death. Dillon presses are **** because they work and they have a decent warranty.

[Lloyd Smale]

Lee does make decent jeans:bigsmyl2:

[6bg6ga]

I learned the hard way by purchasing a hand primer setup years ago that broke and broke and broke. Then it was the dies I tried that were poorly made and then the press tht I tried that belonged to a friend. This was enough to point me in another direction and away from Lee.

I'll pass on the Jeans too.

[Lloyd Smale]

hands down the best upgrade from a single stage press that was ever designed. If I had to get rid of every press in the loading room and could only keep one my choice would hands down be a 550.
I don't have a 650 but I've been very happy with my 550. The 650 that I used was a nice tight precise machine.

[jessdigs]

I like the one that is already painted in red to alert you that something bad may happen and also wakes you up once in a while when a primer goes bang. Plus the added safety feature of having primers installed sideways or completely missing makes these presses machines that finally produce SAFE AMMO. They are a great seller in California!
Everyone I know here in poor California that reloads use either 550/650 Dillon's, or rcbs which is made locally.
I had never loaded anything before getting my 550 (gift from father in law.) I learned how to reload from the DVD that came with the press and was able to do it just fine. Love the machine. I have Bought a lot of accessories to go along with it, and a lot of Caliber conversion kits. One of my favorite is the custom toolhead holder from Kinetic arc metalworks. They make them for 650 also
https://www.etsy.com/listing/501548630/dillon-xl650-original-model-toolhead?ref=shop_home_feat_1https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180219/c85ca8529ffc5264d3c52477cf1325cf.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180219/09959b92a175d1b08db5d0f84ead7d57.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180219/f5557816fd63d8ef135c37f0d7a7c483.jpg

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[jessdigs]

Not to mention that Dillon makes one of the coolest guns ever. The Dillon aero (M134D)
https://youtu.be/v4gT0oE18ls

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[engineer401]

Some people don't seem to understand that if you buy quality you seem to buy only once and that product lasts. Sure, you can buy something painted red and if used properly and gingerly it might last a few years before its potmetal frame cracks and breaks. I learned a quick lesson when I was growing up watching my father purchase something. He would purchase the cheapest and then be unsatisfied and after a few years it would break and maybe he would purchase the item he actually wanted in the first place. The result was of course more money spent.

My suggestion is you purchase a product that is blue in color has a no BS warranty and will last thru your lifetime and the person you will it to after your death. Dillon presses are **** because they work and they have a decent warranty.

My red press is a Forster Co-Ax. I had a Lee Classic Cast once but it didn't capture the primers well. Neither did the Rock Chucker press or any other press I owned. Yep. I learned the hard way. I have a 550 with a case feeder on it. It will not let me size two cases at once so it reduces the double charge issues. The only draw back is the feeder won't feed some case like 380 or rifle cases. I load rifle on the Co-Ax and I am getting rid of my 380 stuff in an effort to simplify. I've had other Lee products and don't like them much. I really liked the old hand primer with the round trays. The newer ones not so much. Lee tripped at the finish line. I'm not fond of the finish or the "O" rings on the dies. I tend to stick with CH with some RCBS dies and don't look back.

[1bluehorse]

And then what? Oh ya, brag about the blue hue that our reload rooms give off?
You know what else comes in blue? KOOLADE


Had one, sold it. Nothing at all wrong with it. It was a good press I just didn't like using one hand for cases and one for bullets. My bench is pretty much Green with the exception of one red press. A forster Co Ax. It's also a good press.