Help with Dillon press

[INGunGuy]

OK, I am going to take the plunge from a OLD OLD OLD Herters single stage press to a new Dillon.

Herein lies my problem. I have been reading about the 550 650 and 1050 presses. Now of course if I had my druthers I would have the 1050 with all the different tool heads, the auto-robot attachment, have it go to town, and all I have to do is keep the consumables stocked... BUT since that is a dream, I would like to know if a 550 will do case feeding, bullet feeding, auto powder measure with check? I want to pull the handle and spit out rounds. My local shop sells Dillon, but well they dont know much at all unfortunately... So I am asking, what do I need to buy and what level to I need to go to so that I can spit out rounds, oh I want to do both pistol and rifle rounds.

INGunGuy

 

[IndyGunworks]

For your requiredments a 650 is what you want..... the 550 has four die stations all of which are used so you dont have the option of a powder check station.... its manually indexing so YOU have to rotate the shell plate each time, and while they do make a case feeder for it you still have an extra action of rotating the shell plate so its not worth your time for your requirements.... the 650 can have a case feeder and is auto indexing... it has a 5th station for a powder check die as well.... the dillon ad claims 800-1000 rounds an hour and its starting cost is 529 dollars... this is probably the press that best meets your requirements...

as far as bullet feeders go i have only seen one attachment for a lee loadmaster and everything i read says it was crap.... even the dillon 1050 doesnt have a bullet feeder so you will have to feed the bullets in and crank the handle regardless....

hope that helps.

 

[shooter@5(4)life]

I own the Dillon 550B and I love it. It isn't as fast as the 650 but if you have the quick change tool head, it can be switched from caliber to caliber much more quickly. You can set up a 550B with a case feeder to speed it up a bit. If you are one of those guys who must crank them out, go with the 650 like IndyGunworks told you. I wouldn't go with the 1050 unless you are pretty much in business? From what I have heard switching calibers on the 1050 takes a lot longer to do. On the 1050 everything is much more automated (hands free). Like Indy told you, you still have to feed the bullets manually on it too! So the choice should be between the 550B and the 650!

 

[shooter@5(4)life]

BTW I'm starting a thread on what Dillon press you have? Let her rip!

 

[ZbornacSVT]

The KISS bullet feeders appear to be popular for the 650/1050 crowd.

 

[slow1911s]

The BEST dissertation on Dillon presses ever written. And, written by the guy using Dillon equipment when Mike Dillon was making them in his garage and still flying for TWA.

Dillon Precision Reloading Press Reviews

 

[jwhill]

650 is the best press I've ever owned ( I've had four different types)
I load 16 diff. calibers, don't buy a powder measure for each toolhead, I use 1 with a small bar and 1 with a large bar. I also use the auto primer tube filling station, it takes a little getting used to but works fine.