I splurged…bought a Dillon SL900

[Russel Nash]

:bigsmyl2

And it is light years above my Mec 9000GN.

The hull feeder plus the tilt out wad guide makes it so your right hand can stay on the roller handle the whole time.

That’s genius!

[Winger Ed.]

When I got something really cool like that my Dad would look at it, shake his head, and say,
"That's too nice for you. Send it back".

[dverna]

I hope it works out for you. I had one and could never get to run well. I sent it back to Dillon to try and get a good crimp and they could not get it "right". I should have been more persistent but gave up. Ended up selling it.

If I had kept it, I would have had to enlarge the case hopper as it only holds about 100 hulls IIRC. I had a 500 case hopper on the PW and it spoiled me...LOL.

In my experience, operate it smoothly and to not try for speed records.

[John Wayne]

I have had 2 900's for at least 10 years. Fine presses! Steady pace is best. #6 shot or larger won't work.
JW

[Russel Nash]

I hope it works out for you. I had one and could never get to run well. I sent it back to Dillon to try and get a good crimp and they could not get it "right". I should have been more persistent but gave up. Ended up selling it.

If I had kept it, I would have had to enlarge the case hopper as it only holds about 100 hulls IIRC. I had a 500 case hopper on the PW and it spoiled me...LOL.

In my experience, operate it smoothly and to not try for speed records.

The instruction manual for the Dillon says to only dump about 80 shells into the feeder.

Which does have me scratching my head….

Why not just an even 100?

I mean you gotta add more primers after the first 100 primers get used up, right?

[Gtrubicon]

That’s great! I have the opportunity to get one in 12g for $900. I just don’t shoot enough shot shell, I have 4 mec sizemasters now. If I was gonna get a progressive shot shell press, the 900 is what I’d want.

[dverna]

The instruction manual for the Dillon says to only dump about 80 shells into the feeder.

Which does have me scratching my head….

Why not just an even 100?

I mean you gotta add more primers after the first 100 primers get used up, right?

Like I said. If I had kept mine I would have increased the size of the case feed bin.

BTW, I used to shoot trap competively and no one I knew used a Dillon. There are better machines out there IMO, but what matters is what works for you. Go slow to work out the kinks. Dillon has good CS and parts are free.

I was reloading 15-20k rounds a year and I was not talented enough to get good performance with the Dillon.

I am a Dillon fan boy. Have owned 2 SD’s, 2 550’s, a 650, and two 1050’s. I would not recommend the SL 900. But I may have got a lemon. I bought mine used and in nearly new condition. Previous owner may have had issues too.

[Russel Nash]

That’s great! I have the opportunity to get one in 12g for $900. I just don’t shoot enough shot shell, I have 4 mec sizemasters now. If I was gonna get a progressive shot shell press, the 900 is what I’d want.

$900 ?!?!

You better jump on it!

Mine, brand new, plus the hull feeder plus the 12 gauge hull feed plate was $1,890 out the door.

I would snatch a second machine up that cheaply and convert it over to 20 gauge.

I don’t have any 28 gauge shotguns, at least not yet.

[Russel Nash]

Like I said. If I had kept mine I would have increased the size of the case feed bin.

BTW, I used to shoot trap competively and no one I knew used a Dillon. There are better machines out there IMO, but what matters is what works for you. Go slow to work out the kinks. Dillon has good CS and parts are free.

I was reloading 15-20k rounds a year and I was not talented enough to get good performance with the Dillon.

I am a Dillon fan boy. Have owned 2 SD’s, 2 550’s, a 650, and two 1050’s. I would not recommend the SL 900. But I may have got a lemon. I bought mine used and in nearly new condition. Previous owner may have had issues too.

I will see how it goes.

I bought my Mec 9000GN in 12 gauge about 12 years ago. It was used.

It had been sitting on my reloading shop floor up until 3 years ago.

Then I ran into an old hunting buddy st Bass Pro. And we started shooting trap about once a month.

The thing that bugged me about the Mec 9000GN was the primer drop and then the “hook” or “pawl” that rotates the shell plate. That pawl is kind of just hanging there, not directly mounted with any sort of pivot pin or through bolt. And it is under spring tension. If a primer gets sideways, upside down, what-have-you, as it is in the shell plate, that pawl encounters too much resistance trying to rotate the shell plate, so it would go “SPROING!” And disconnect itself.

Then if you weren’t really careful and paying attention to get things back in sequence, powder and/or shot were going to dump everywhere.

Which further gummed up the works.

I bought another Mec 9000GN off a guy about two years ago. This is in 20 gauge. The guy I bought it from was a carpenter for some high end home builder. I met him in his garage. You could eat off the garage floor. And then looking around the rest of his garage it was basically “a place for everything, and everything in its place.” So I knew Ii had come to the right spot.

That Mec runs a lot better than my 12 gauge one. It could be just wear. Or this carpenter guy was just real anal retentive about maintaining his stuff.

I hear you about the crimps on the Dillon SL900.

I had two that got butchered up like this:



Over at the trapshooters forum, I did a search for SL900. The inconsistent crimps was THEE major issue people seemed to have with them.

I am also a Dillon fanboy. I had a 550. Then bought a 650 with a casefeeder used off of one of my fellow USPSA competitors. Then a few years ago when they announced the 750, I hurriedly ordered another 650 with a casefeeder. Normally, I just keep one set up for large primers and the other set up for small primers.

[dverna]

This is what I have, and I added an AutoDrive

https://www.reloaders.com/products/8...nt=26540409217

It produces crimps as good as factory shells. With the case feeder running right I did 700 shells an hour on occasion, but the case feeder can be finicky, so I sold it. There is no need for it with the Auto Drive. One hand places the case, the other the wad, and foot operated switch for the drive. It holds 300 primers so not constantly needing to refill. A bit more $$$ but head and shoulders better IMO.

If you have trouble with the Dillon, the PW 800+ is what I would recommend. BTW had a number of MECs as well and a Spolar. The Spolar now is over $4000 and it "the Cadilac", but the 800+ still makes better shells. I have two buddies with Spolars, and they reluctantly agree...LOL. The one thing that the Spolar excels at is changing gauges. Best in class for that. I had the 20 and 28 ga conversions. Easy changeovers.

When I stopped shooting trap competitively and downsized, I kept the 800+. No regrets.

[elmacgyver0]

$900 ?!?!

You better jump on it!

Mine, brand new, plus the hull feeder plus the 12 gauge hull feed plate was $1,890 out the door.

I would snatch a second machine up that cheaply and convert it over to 20 gauge.

I don’t have any 28 gauge shotguns, at least not yet.

Are they made out of gold?

[Duckiller]

Russel get a 28ga. As I got older the light 28 ga became fun to hunt with. First got a cheap Pointer that worked pretty good then got an Itialian gun that LLBean used to sell. Had to get extra choke tubes from Briely because it only came with 2. Got it used. I am old and don't shoot much so I can afford to buy 28 ga shell.

[Russel Nash]

Are they made out of gold?

I know!

Crazy isn’t it?

[Russel Nash]

This is what I have, and I added an AutoDrive

https://www.reloaders.com/products/8...nt=26540409217

It produces crimps as good as factory shells. With the case feeder running right I did 700 shells an hour on occasion, but the case feeder can be finicky, so I sold it. There is no need for it with the Auto Drive. One hand places the case, the other the wad, and foot operated switch for the drive. It holds 300 primers so not constantly needing to refill. A bit more $$$ but head and shoulders better IMO.

If you have trouble with the Dillon, the PW 800+ is what I would recommend. BTW had a number of MECs as well and a Spolar. The Spolar now is over $4000 and it "the Cadilac", but the 800+ still makes better shells. I have two buddies with Spolars, and they reluctantly agree...LOL. The one thing that the Spolar excels at is changing gauges. Best in class for that. I had the 20 and 28 ga conversions. Easy changeovers.

When I stopped shooting trap competitively and downsized, I kept the 800+. No regrets.

That P/W 800 is a nice machine!

I had no clue they made a hull feeder for it.

I am local go where the ATA holds the Grand, so I always used go make it a point to stop in at the Spolar booth.

There would be a blonde lady sitting there at a desk or a table. There was some sort of foot pedal on the floor. And I would just watch her move her feet and do whatever with her hands….insert wads? .. insert hulls?

And like magic, you could hear a freshly re-made shell drop through the table top and down into a drawer below.

It was kind of mesmerizing.

Unfortunately, Spolar hasn’t been manning their booth now for at least a year or two.

When the Grand first moved to Sparta, IL, RCBS also used to stock and staff their vendor “booth”. It was great!

But they probably haven’t been there for 10 years.

In fact, now that I think about it, Mec didn’t have anybody at their booth last year.

Hmmnn….

[Russel Nash]

Russel get a 28ga. As I got older the light 28 ga became fun to hunt with. First got a cheap Pointer that worked pretty good then got an Itialian gun that LLBean used to sell. Had to get extra choke tubes from Briely because it only came with 2. Got it used. I am old and don't shoot much so I can afford to buy 28 ga shell.

Ha!

Ha!

I have two flats of AA 28 gauge hulls sitting in a closet. New. Never been opened.

One of these days, I’ll spring for a 28 gauge.

Or maybe a gun with a 2 barrel set. 28 and .410

Which reminds me….Dillon doesn’t make the SL900 in .410 .

[dverna]

Russel, the Spolar lady was the owners daughter. I heard the owner passed away a few years ago.

[oldsman]

I have access to two presses , my buddy bought a little while back it is about 1200 at the time and I bought a fixer up one on ebay for 600 at the time when you can find a good deal once in a while , and dillon supplied all the parts to fix it up for free . Last winter I made about 2000 rds on his press with sts hulls , expect a defect once in a while , maybe a bad crimp or shallow shot drop I also had a couple that the brass pulled off , maybe about 2-3 boxes out that 2000 but they are still shootable
Work one station at a time to get everything dialed in and keep an eye on primer drop and shot drop . I have a light setup so I can see the shot level at the next station and dont go to fast and hold the at the bottom of the stroke for a second of two and retract slowly to let the shot flow out and learn the feel of the press , most of the time you can feel a problem when you get the feel for the press

[dverna]

I have access to two presses , my buddy bought a little while back it is about 1200 at the time and I bought a fixer up one on ebay for 600 at the time when you can find a good deal once in a while , and dillon supplied all the parts to fix it up for free . Last winter I made about 2000 rds on his press with sts hulls , expect a defect once in a while , maybe a bad crimp or shallow shot drop I also had a couple that the brass pulled off , maybe about 2-3 boxes out that 2000 but they are still shootable
Work one station at a time to get everything dialed in and keep an eye on primer drop and shot drop . I have a light setup so I can see the shot level at the next station and dont go to fast and hold the at the bottom of the stroke for a second of two and retract slowly to let the shot flow out and learn the feel of the press , most of the time you can feel a problem when you get the feel for the press

Good post!! Will "pile on" and state again...go a bit slower than using a 650/750. Trying for speed on the SL900 will not give a harmonious result.

Will add one more suggestion. Sort your hulls and do not run mixed hulls. Even though STS's, Gun Clubs and AA's all use the same recipe, the hulls vary in length a wee bit, and that will affect crimp.

[Russel Nash]

Sort my hulls?

Heck, I have been gradually chipping away at since I went dumpster diving in the summer of 2022:

[John Wayne]

That beautiful blonde who assembled and demonstated the Spolar sadly, passed away a few years back.
The reason for NOT loading the hull hopper full is the nicely designed slipped clutch. A full hopper is quite a tangle of hulls. I adjust my slip clutch loosely to protect the motor and reach in the provided Akro bin and toss a handful in when needed.
Your crimp may be caused by several items. Old hulls and more than once fired hulls have harder plastic. You may be dropping too much shot. Or slightly more wad pressure is needed. Very slight adjustment is the key. Once dialed in it will produce an unbelievable amount of shells for years. If you don't bang up the paint and take care of it you can sell it for more $ than you paid for it.
JW Ps. today's hull quality is terrible compared to 10 years ago.
Ps.2 What DVerna and Oldsman say is right on the money!