Dillion 550B or 650

[okietom]

I have a used lee pro 1000 for my 45acp and it is accurate in dispensing powder..at least the Bullseye powder that is all i use
in my 45acp...1 round every 4-5 seconds ..i do have to manually install the bullet.

That is cheap and this thing has loaded over many thousand rounds before i got it..and has done a few thousand for me just this year..


I looked at the 550.. no way i would get that...Progressive is so much quicker...


I have a single stage press for my rifles.
I do not see how a progressive for rifles would work ...
What do you guys do with the lube inside the case necks ...

I check neck ID on my rifle rounds after sizing and clean off all lube..
I could not do that on a progressive any quicker than a single stage..

But pistol ammo ain't that picky..I do not shoot 45acp at the ranges of my 30-06 or 308.

Get a carbide sizing button for inside the neck and don't lube inside the neck. Dillon dies come that way.

Some resize and decap then tumble clean.

Then run through the progressive and start with priming only in the first spot.

 

[penman53]

I had a 650 and sold it and went back to a 550. I like the fact that I am in more control while loading and I don't think that speed is everything. I always had problems with primer feeding and if a case went in upside down on the case feeder, you were down for awhile to get it fixed. The 650 to me is too finicky.

 

[jrguns]

There was only a 550 when I got mine if that tells you how long I have been using a 550. Either way load carefully and start one at a time at each station till you finally understand what all is going on. Then load a few at a time and check the end result.

 

[okietom]

I bought my 550 when it was a 550 and not the 550B. I have since upgraded to the B. It was 1986.

There were only a few parts to the upgrade.

 

[okietom]

If you do get either one you should get the strong mount and the bullet tray. On the 550 get the empty case bracket and bin too.

 

[tul9033]

When I started looking at presses I was constantly seeing comments discouraging going progressive for your first press. After getting a Hornady LNL I would of been extremely disappointed with a 550. Rotating the shell plate is another thing to distract you while loading IMO. I'm focused on 2 things when loading on a progressive, looking in the case verifying powder and setting the bullet. I look in every single case for powder. This is where a light in the work area really helps. I am constantly verifying powder weight and OAL and still crank out ~400 rds of pistol ammo an hour. I made a homemade vibra prime using an old Lee hand primer tool. I haven't had to load primer tubes in years and can have 300 primers ready to load in the press in less than 2 minutes.
I say go 650 or LNL, especially if you want any kind of efficient production.

 

[fatcpa]

I'm a little older, slower and some of my gray matter may have leaked out over the years, but I don't find manually rotating the 550b shellplate to be a big problem. I feel more in control of the operation. I load 38 spl/357 mag with a Square Deal B and seem to get out of synch more with it than with the 550B. Having the extra hole for the powder check die would be nice though.