Dillon owners, I have some questions.

[Horsemen]

My single stage press is a PIA for pistol calibers. Do to the fact that I shoot more pistol than rifle during a range session. I’m thinking about a new reloader for pistol calibers.

I have been looking around and like the Dillon SDB. I like price and the auto indexing (I’m less likely to through two charges, into the same case. Removing the Operator error factor.) the only thing I can’t seam to get a grasp on, is the caliber swap. Dillon’s web site is not to clear on what the kits come with or what’s really needed. Looks like I will need the Caliber Conversion Kit, and the Quick Change kit. The latter, if I don’t want to set up the powder measure between the different calibers and have separate tool heads. Wright????

At this time I will be loading 45 LC, and 45 ACP. Adding later 44mag, 38 S@W, and 357 mag.

The 550 looks much simpler to swap calibers, but is manuel indexing and the dies don’t seam to come with the Caliber Conversion Kit. The 650 seams to have primer feeding problems, and the 1050 is to much money. I would considder the 550 if the calber swap is easier. I would enjoy the views of all you Dillon owners.

Regards Mike.

[RKJ]

I have a 550 and a friend has a SD and I set them both up (not sure if that qualifies me or not but...) The 550 is set up for regular dies (the 7/8) where the SD has it's own (smaller diameter and as far as I know only work with the SD), both come setup from Dillon for one caliber (your choice). If you are loading for multiple calibers (rifle and pistol) I would go for the 550 as it is made for both. If your shooting is mainly pistol and after reading your post it seems to be the SD is pretty nice. It is easy to setup (I feel easier than the 550, but neither one is a real PIA) and the auto indexing is nice. One thing about Dillon , if you decide you want to upgrade you can usually get about (I estimate) 3/4 of your original price back when selling. The 550 even though it is manual indexing is not as bad as it seems once you get your rhythm going. You can get a double charge (happened to me once and it wasn't pretty, luckily shooter and gun escaped serious injury) :) right after I got mine but if you're careful and pay attention you'll have no problems.

[Recluse]

Only thing I'd use a Square Deal for would be one--and only one--caliber. In other words, I'd buy a Square Deal for, say .45ACP, set it up, and then forget about it. Use same powder, same primers, same boolits, etc etc. Set it up, forget about it.

In that respect, the Square Deal shines above most else.

If I were going to do more than one caliber and could only buy one press (or only wanted to buy one press), the Square Deal would move to the absolute bottom of my list. If you're convinced Dillon is the brand for you, order you a 550B and never look back.

BUT, if I were going to add and switch/swap calibers and maybe work up loads now AND down the road, however, I'd strongly, strongly consider a Lee Classic Turret. There is no easier or faster way to change calibers, it has auto-indexing, can be used as a single stage with the flip of a lever, and is built like a tank.

:coffee:

[mike in co]

ok lets get the first issue taken care first: DOUBLE CHARGES
there is a simple way to ever prevent a double charge. ALWAYS USE A CHARGE THAT FILLS THE CASE TO APROX 70-80 PRECENT! any double will over fill the case and you will know. no room for a bullet or boolit. this simple step is so simple there is no reason for double charges.

now on to press choices. for you i suggest the 550. the square deals are great and have thier place, but most users i know simple buy one in each caliber rather than change calibers. in the 550 one can set a tool head for each calber even with a powder measure, and the change out only takes minutes. right up till you add 38/357 and have to look at small primers.
a couple of options. prime the 38/357's by hand and skip on machine priming. simple , quick, low cost. two: change the priming to small. this is sorta easy, but can be a pia constantly going back and forth. three: buy another press. yep i have tow 550s, one in small primer one in large. ...you could get s sdb for the 38/357.

but get past the douple charge by using common sense.

mike in co

[Horsemen]

For the rifle calibers, I like to use my Redding T7 single stage press; I only load about 50 at a time. And swap tops for the different calibers that I load for. I just started reloading pistols, and using a single stage to make enough rounds, takes a day. I'm still no sure about the SDB because of the two part tool head. At this time multiple presses are not in the budget. It looks like the 550 will make more sense. Just have to take it a little at a time.

[missionary5155]

Greetings and WELCOME Horsemen!
I have had a Dillion 550 since 1988. Have loaded thousands of rounds and NO double charges. You just need to PAY attention to what you are doing. You get into a rythem and before you know it you have 500 rounds loaded and ready to feed whatever you are shooting.
I do my load developement on my old RCBS and then it all gets loaded on the Dillon. This includes my varmit rounds (243) which are no more inaccurate off the Dillion. My Dan WEsson .375 shoots the same loads the same whether off my Green or Blue press. I think it is the DIES that make more accuracy difference. Pull the handle the same everytime and the machine responds with repeticious rounds.
If I was going to buy a Dillion it would be the 550. Regulare dies install easily. That SBD would be OK to get in one caliber and leave it... the caliber change kits would get expensive . The 550 IS strong, reliable, and will load almost anything... 50 BMG just does not fit.
Mike in Peru God Bless you

[colbyjack]

i had a square deal i loved it for 1 caiber only. i desided to go with a 650 cause of the auto indexing over the 550. my buddy has both 550 and 650 and 85% of his loading is done on the 550. but to each his own. -chris

[FN in MT]

I agree wiith the others.......go 550B and be done with it!

I'm a fan of Dillon dies though for handgun rds. Initially I bought die blocks and simply transferred over my piastol dies, mostly RCBS. Started running into decapper pins breaking, decapper stems bending, pinching my sausage sized digits when starting a bullet....etc.

The Dillon dies are radiused so no more pinched fingers, I may have had to replace a decapping pin on one of the two pressses possibly........once a year?? I truly think the Dillon dies are THE way to go.

I don't always use a powder charge that would overfill with a double charge.....I load a lot of 2.7 gr Bullseye and a 148 WC in .38's. One could probably QUADRUPLE charge before you would notice it. So I have acquired the habit of visually checking that the powder level looks proper. I have a small hi intensity light that shines on the seat station...and I simply look into the case to assure the level looks OK.

I've loaded probably 100K+ rds over the past 20 years on two 550B's. They are great presses.....especially for the reasonable initial investment.

FN in MT

[shooterg]

What everyone else said ! If you shoot large quantities of a single pistol load, the SD is fantastic. If you load multiple calibers, rifle and pistol, in quantity, the 550B is great and uses most makes of regular dies. If you're loading only 50-100 at a time, anybody's single stage will serve you just fine.

[Randall]

The good thing about the Dillon 550 and manual indexing is you can use it as a single stage press for rifle,size and remove to clean the sizing lube off, then reload as you normally would on a progressive. I find that for rifle batch sizing works better for me. Once I have them sized and de-lubed I run them through progresssivly.

[ciPeterF]

Buy the 550, you'll never regret it.. I use Redding Competition dies with no problem at all. The manual index isn't a problem either.. takes about 5 minutes to get use to. "left hand - advance", right hand - case, left hand - bullet, right hand - pull".. (I load about 750- 1,000 rounds a month in various handgun, and the odd rifle)

[Shiloh]

550B will be all that you need.

Use the single stage press to size rifle cartridges if you decide to load them on the Dillon.
It is A LOT easier.

One can easily double or triple charge with the Dillon. Here is where common sense comes in.
My procedure is to charge and then IMMEDIATELY put the bullet in place before rotating to the next station. Then you know. If there is ever the slightest doubt, STOP and re-weigh the charge. Charge, cap with bullet, repeat. Do it the same way always. Common sense and knowing what you are doing is key.

We often here about double charging with progressive presses. Don't think that this can't happen with a hand operated single stage powder measure.

Safety is paramount. This is a hobby that requires focus and responsibility.

Shiloh

[Springfield]

I have 2 550's. Had the first 550 for about 15 years when I got a good deal on a SD. Sold it, didn't like it. A couple years later got another good deal on an SD. Ended up selling that one too. Finally bought the 2nd 550 which is what I shoulda done in the first place. SD's are more expensive and more difficult to change calibers, and honestly, I hated the auto index. And the 550 is larger so it is easier to see what you are doing, and more room for your hands in there.

[colbyjack]

also the 650 has a powder check if your worried about under or over filled cases.

[7of7]

I have a 550 B that I purchased for 325.00 on E-Bay. I started using it for my .357, and .45 ACP. I now use it for my 30 carbine, my 30-30, and 30.06. The bottleneck cases, I size on my single stage, I trim and then throw them in for a second round of tumbling, in some older media to clean them up a bit more... and get them looking new again.
There are deals that can be had on E-Bay, or, if you live close to me, you can come visit, and load up some stuff... on mine.
All I do is swap out a load bar for another friend of mine, who doesn't use the same powder, and make sure it is throwing the right amount of powder, and away he goes...

[imashooter2]

I have a 550 and an SDB. Both presses change caliber virtually identically. Swap out the tool head with dies, swap out the shell plate, swap out the primer punch if/as required. The SDB tool head is held on by 4 Allen head bolts, the 550 by 2 pins. The difference in caliber change time is in and out on 4 bolts vs. 2 pins. SDB dies are proprietary. Only Dillon sells them and they cost more than standard die sets. The 550 uses any brand of dies. The SDB is only good for standard pistol calibers. The 550 will load almost anything you can get dies for short of .50 Browning.

I load .223, .30/30 and .44 Mag on the 550 and I load .38 Special, .357 Magnum and .45 ACP on the SDB. I have a separate tool head for each. If I could keep only one of the presses, it would definitely be the SDB.

Regards the advantage or not of auto indexing... I'll simply point out that the majority of blown up gun stories I read on the net start with ammo loaded on a 550. I use the same process as mike in co when loading on mine.

[technetium-99m]

SDB's are not fun to be constantly changing calibers on.

If you are not dead set on a blue press take a look at the Hornady LNL. It has 5 stations and auto indexing. It is a fantastic press and I would compare it every day of the week to a Dillon 650.

Hornady's customer service has also been every bit as good as RCBS's in all my dealings with them.

I love my Hornady pistol dies as well.

Plus when I bought the press it came with a rebate for 1000 bullets of my choice. I got 1000 230gr XTP's for no more than 27 bucks shipping.

If I purchase another progressive it will be a Hornady as well.

GT

[revolver junkie]

ill say that i agree with recluse a lee is definatly the way to go if you need to change calibers i have 2 pro 1000's set up in 45 and another for 38/357 but was roiganally a 9mm other than a case feeder change and the shell plate that was all i needed to switch calibers took maybe 10min.
the worst problem ive had with mine is a minor timing issue from the bottm plate not contacting the the timing screw 2 screws and a drift punch fixed that problem for good.

and ive never had an unintentional double charge unless i was emptying the powder baffle when i was done for the day.
of course i like to use loads that will atleast fill the case 3/4 of the way with a double charge so i see it when i'm seating the bullet.
ps the bullet feeder for them works ok but i only used the one for 9mm

[Tom Herman]

The 550 is the way to go!
I bought mine in the late 80's as well... Over 125,000 rounds through it. I have it set up for about a dozen calibers, and each one has its own tool head so I don't have to mess with any adjustments unless I change bullet styles, then it's quick work with just the seating die.
caliber conversion kits are just a fact of life. They are a neccessary investment just like the tool head and dies are.
Buy them ONCE, and you're done!
Changing calibers is a breeze with the 550, even if you have to change primer sizes.
Don't sweat manual indexing. It's simple, and a spring loaded ball bearing that snaps into position lets you know you're at the proper point for the next operation. Piece of cake.

Happy Shootin'! -Tom

[FromTheWoods]

Some of our powders--Titegroup, especially--will double charge in a 550B if you are unsafe.

I have a light that shines into the case at the powder filling stage and at the bullet seating stage. The person loading can see the powder level in the cases.

I also set up a mirror to get another angle on the view into the cases, so I have four sighting zones to see the powder.

If you have your wits about you, as you should while loading, I don't see why you would be double-charging in a 550B.

[UncleClark]

I have a Square Deal and also a 550. I have the 550 set up to load 223 and I load most 'production' volume pistol on the Square Deal. When I work up loads I use a single stage RCBS Rockchucker.

The time and complexity of changing calibers is about the same with the Square Deal and the 550. Personally I really like the Square Deal. Its main drawback is that is uses special dies but they work just fine. Getting the dies adjusted is about the same work on either press.

[cajun shooter]

550 if you watch what you are doing and use a light to see powder charge. If you need a powder die then go with the 650. Very simple choice. Later David

[WildmanJack]

Fromthe Woods,
Would it be possible for you to post a few pictures of your setup? I'm sure it would be interesting for a lot of us.
Jack

[Rick459]

Horsemen,
three questions to answer, 1 what is your budget, 2 do you shoot more than 500 rounds of pistol a week, and 3 do you also want to load rifle rounds on it. that being said i own three dillon machines, one 650 and two 550's and they are fantastic machines. but if you are on a budget, and who isn't today with the economy in the toilet and you shoot less than 500 pistol rounds a week then you should consider and i am not a big Lee fan the classic cast turret press. you can easily load 200-250 pistol rounds in a hr. every 4 pulls of the handle produces a loaded round. not as fast as a true progressive but also not as expensive. the only reason i am recomending the classic is i have used my friends and have to say that it is probably the best product that Lee makes. here is the best place to buy one and i suggest that you get the $22.00 upgrade. HTH

Rick

https://kempfgunshop.com//index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=630&category_id=190&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=41

[Rodfac]

I loaded for both rifle and pistol for over 40 years before I got a progressive.

The first was a gift, a Lee Master something or other and was a constant headache. Plastic parts in the priming mechanism burred, broke or flipped out. A royal PITA believe me. If you live in the Louisville KY area, I'll give the dam...d thing to you.

I replaced it with my first 550B. Getting it properly adjusted took an afternoon but that was the last time I had to mess with it. Later on I added a 2nd 550B so I didn't have to do the primer switch deal when changing calibers. It's the cat's meow if you've got the bread to do it.

I've tried the Redding and RCBS ones at friend's setups and much prefer the Dillion...and a phone call to Dillion is easy and they really want you to succeed. That's why their #1 in progressives.

A word of caution with the 550B...you can and probably will double charge a case. If you look closely at the case as it slides into position below the seating die, you can see the charge. I've caught several over the years, and missed one too. A double of Win 231 will really test the heat treat on a Smith's cylinder. Get a system, stay with it, and don't let anyone distract you while loading...I will not answer to my wife or anything short of an earthquake with a round somewhere in the cycle.

Lastly, if you're really flush, get a Harrell turret for real precision work. Expensive, built like a Swiss watch and worth every penny. I love mine, but none of the above mentioned will beat my original Herter's #3 bought in 1962 for $13. Runout in .30-06 Sierra tipped match loads is .004 or below with that old beauty.

Progressives are great for large quantities of rifle or pistol, but you gotta remember, primer pockets still need cleaning, triming is a necessity not an option, and your final product is the test. Otherwise you've just spent mucho dinar on a pile of expensive crap that has the accuracy of a slingshot. Regards, Rodfac

[FromTheWoods]

I haven't learned how to post photos yet. A description should do the trick.

My system is much more primitive than others I've read about. Maybe someone should start a thread asking computer literate reloaders about their lighting/mirror systems--then we'd see some good set-ups!

Mine is made of two desk lamps. One is clamped above the bench as an adjustable light. The other does not have a light attached. I've removed the lamp portion of the second adjustable, clamp on, table lamp; and added a (maybe) 2"x4" mirror. The mirror is held in place by a small C-clamp. Since the lamp is on the flexible end of the lamp-arm, it swivels a bit for adjustment for differing case heights. The lower arm of the set-up is bolted onto the left side of the Dillon Strong Mount.--But it could be secured elsewhere.

It is fairly simple to get a light to shine down into the cases and position a small mirror to relfect the amount of powder. If the mirror is a bit off to the side, I've found it to be better than if it looks directly into the case. When direct, it is difficult to determine how much powder is in the case--much better when you can see a crescent of powder instead of a full circle.

These lamps cost fewer than $11.00 new. Thrift stores likely sell them for much less.

I'm surprised Dillon has not manufactured a light/mirror system for its presses.