Ready to go Blue

[tadeus]

Two months ago I bought a used Dillon 550 B, it look dirty and abandoned, with a lot of rust in some parts. After cleaning it and lube it; it works like a dream!!!!!! For my point of view its an outstanding press. Yesterday I change from 380 to 38 spl, and while I have to set up the new tool head for the 38 spl, it didn´t take so much time.
I think that part of the fun about reloading is the maintenance that you gave to your machines, much in the same way you keep your guns clean and lube.

Just love my Dillon. I have it side by side with a Lee pro 1000 (By the way I bought it new and works very well), an old Lyman 45 lube and size machine and my old lee single stage.

[CuZ]

After two weeks of reading everything I could about presses; I decided upon the Dillon XL-650. Can't wait tell it gets here!

[LUBEDUDE]

After two weeks of reading everything I could about presses; I decided upon the Dillon XL-650. Can't wait tell it gets here!

And the crowd goes wild!

[MbPb]

Well Folks, I finally received my Dillon XL650 and I have reloaded almost 2000 rounds of several calibers. Let just say that this is the best press I have ever used!!

[DRNurse1]

Changing the primer assembly on the 650 is a little more involved, but still takes less than 10 minutes.

I do not disagree with the theme of Dillon quality, but I recommend NOT competing for speed in caliber / primer system changes. It seems the 'hurrieder I go, the behinder I get' is the rule with my Dillon's. Every issue I have had traces back to missing a step or trying to shortcut the process of changing out parts on this machine.

Go Blue. Red and Green work well too and I have a Brown (anyone know what that one is???)

[blikseme300]

Too many people get the idea that a Dillon 550 with one tool head and one powder measure should do it all and go from .380 ACP to .45-70 in 5 minutes. Well, it is not going to do it nor will any other press given those constraints. It is designed to have a tool head set up for each caliber and ideally, a dedicated powder measure for each. Adjusting any press for a caliber change is time consuming and for the ham fisted, very frustrating. Having two Dillon 550s for about 30 years and having loaded many thousands of rounds on them with efficiency and satisfaction, I can heartily recommend them for their intended purpose.

Dan,

Your post resonates with me. No matter the equipment, if you are not mechanically competent the you will have problems.

I have loaded 10's of thousands of pistol rounds in cheap/economical Lee presses as well as other red, green and blue units. Each have their quirks and advantages and disadvantages.

The most irritation part of the blue supporters is the chanting that the customer support is the best. I have a questioning challenge: If the product is so great why do you need such superlative support?

I have had exceptional service and support from all the major equipment manufacturers as well as piss-poor results from them all. The person you contact with a support issue is going to treat you as they feel fit. Does this make me choose a specific manufacturer over another? No, I use whatever I find convenient and don't sweat the small things. Life is way too short to get stuck on trivial things.

My 2c

[Alvarez Kelly]

Well Folks, I finally received my Dillon XL650 and I have reloaded almost 2000 rounds of several calibers. Let just say that this is the best press I have ever used!!

Congratulations! Using a high quality tool is a joy unto itself.

As others may have already said, don't get in a rush. Develop a routine that works for you. You will know when something doesn't sound, feel, or even "smell" right.

Enjoy!

[gunoil]

Red LLM is a great loader! A handful of mods from youtube and plenty of ammo. Spent two weeks setting it up.

[r1kk1]

Red LLM is a great loader! A handful of mods from youtube and plenty of ammo. Spent two weeks setting it up.

lol

Be nice!

Take care

r1kk1

[jcwit]

Well I've used Blue since the 1960's, code named Bair!

No customer support any longer, never needed any anyway, still working just as it did when I got it.

[jmorris]

If the product is so great why do you need such superlative support?

If your doctor is go great why do you have to go to him more than once? Nothing in life is problem free, just ask my wife.

[r1kk1]

I have a questioning challenge: If the product is so great why do you need such superlative support?

My Snap-On, MAC, Dillon, RCBS, Redding, CH4D are great products. I don't need superlative support, I demand it! Stand behind what you sell or get the hell out of business. Put CUSTOMER back into Customer Service. I just ordered three tool head stands, three powder dies, conversion kit, three tool heads. It was uneventful. The way it should be and asked how the new crimp die is working out when they replaced it a year ago. I do business with companies that are proud to do business with me. It's not the initial sale, it's the return sales and the word of mouth advertising.

I reload ammo. I tinker with ammo. I don't tinker with reloading equipment. I don't tinker with any hand tools just to be able to use them! If I had to they would be down the road. For the life of me I could never understand why anyone would spend ANY amount of money to how to polish this, modify this, just to put brass, primer, powder and bullet together. For what purpose? To justify saving some cash? You do that by reloading ammo alone compared to Factory prices let alone specialty ammo that isn't made.

Whether its .14 caliber to 50 caliber the four above companies do alright.

It's my money. It's my time. I have NO problems reordering from any company I mentioned. They KNOW my money is good. I know their products are good. If you don't any of the companies mentioned, an added bonus is you can SELL the stuff very quickly. Why? There are far MORE people interested in those tools than the FEWER who want to sell them. Now I wish I could find a used Spolar, if not than a new one.

r1kk1

[jcwit]

You seem obsessed with the word I and me.

Sad state indeed.

[Alvarez Kelly]

You seem obsessed with the word I and me.

Sad state indeed.

I didn't read it that way. He was stating HIS opinion. I believe he did a pretty good job of it.

...and I wish I could find a nice, used Spolar too!

I just missed one earlier this year... Ask W.R.Buchanan about it!

[jcwit]

I didn't read it that way. He was stating HIS opinion. I believe he did a pretty good job of it.

...and I wish I could find a nice, used Spolar too!

I just missed one earlier this year... Ask W.R.Buchanan about it!

The only thing can add is you just read it differently than I did. Those 2 words were used 20 times in one short post, more than any other word.

But you are entitled to your opinion also.

[Alvarez Kelly]

Those 2 words were used 20 times in one short post, more than any other word.

That's what happens when you talk about how "I" think or feel. Of course, that's just my opinion.

[Awsar]

well ive had my 550b dillon since 1995 shot ipsc and idpa competition for 7 years so heavy reloading then now just moderate but i have never had 1 problem easy to use and it just works so i cant complain.

[quasi]

I think I need a used Spolar more than You guys because I am more deserving!

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

I had a 550, brand new. Never could get the priming system to work. Dillon sent me a ton of small parts, still didn't work. Sold it to a buddy of mine, who couldn't get it to work, so he sent it back to Dillon. They replaced it completely with a totally new press, leading me to believe the press itself was defective out of the box. Their customer service was okay, but the arrogance of their customer service believing they were the "best" was beyond obnoxious and my later experiences with other presses by other companies put that falsehood to bed forever for me.

I've also owned Hornady LnL and now own RCBS Pro 2000 Auto Advance. Never owned a Lee Loadmaster, but did own a Lee Classic Turret, fantastic press.

My Hornady worked well out of the box, but developed problems over time after a move. Hornady's customer service got worse and support got less responsive over the years and their version of the "no bs" warranty proved to be when it came down to it.

The RCBS I bought from a warehousing distributor and was unlucky enough to get an earlier model with a defective machined subplate. RCBS customer service went beyond the pale to get me straightened out, sending me enough replacement parts to not only have a complete replacement set, but spare future repair parts as well. Since the defective machined subplate was replaced and everything adjusted, it's been absolutely trouble free and by far the smoothest running press I've ever operated, including my buddy's 550 and 650. The strip feed primer system is ridiculously smooth running and I've never had a primer misfeed. NOT one. I think this speaks for itself.

Of the three - Dillon, Hornady and RCBS, my experience has been RCBS is truly the one with the best customer service and the machine is the best running of the three high end presses. The only Dillon I would consider would be a 1050 in a single caliber if I shot that much of one caliber.