Now to speed up my reloading.

[dennishoddy]

I'm not saying one bad thing about the Dillon. I have never loaded on one so it wouldn't be right to comment on it other than the cost of changing calibers. I counted 14 sets of dies the other day in the reloading room from straight wall to bottle neck cartridges.
It costs me $25 to change calibers on the LNL, and some fiddling with the powder dispenser to get it set.
I'm thinking changeover on a Dillon is over $100 per caliber? Somebody can confirm this I'm sure.

 

[Mad Professor]

I'm not saying one bad thing about the Dillon. I have never loaded on one so it wouldn't be right to comment on it other than the cost of changing calibers. I counted 14 sets of dies the other day in the reloading room from straight wall to bottle neck cartridges.
It costs me $25 to change calibers on the LNL, and some fiddling with the powder dispenser to get it set.
I'm thinking changeover on a Dillon is over $100 per caliber? Somebody can confirm this I'm sure.

Dennis,
All not including dies,
Basic Caliber change is about $45 for 550, $75 for a 650, and $125 for a 1050, which may be the equivelant of what you are talking about to change yours. On the 650 and 1050 it will have additional parts to deal with the case feeder.

If you add a spare tool head and powder drop die it allows you to leave everything setup for a quick change and just move the powder measure. $12 for a powder die + a tool head $25 for 550, $35 for a 650, and $200 for a 1050.

Deluxe quick change kits add have a stand to set an idle caliber change on and a powder measure.
they are $110 for 550, $115 for a 650, and $275 for a 1050 (no stand. Stand adds $50)

So
Cheapest - Fastest, most complete
550 $45- $155
650 $75-$190
1050 $125-$450
(I'm starting to get sick thinking about adding calibers to my 1050)

Edited to add. A plate may also be needed for the conversion. There are 4 sizes. Small and Large Pistol, Small and Large Rifle. $39 each.
A 550 and 650 comes with parts to change back and forth between small and large primers. It's about another $100 to add the spares to a 1050.

Individual parts are available to lower those cost. For instance there is no need to buy a shell plate to swap between 45 and 308. The 550 uses the same shell plate with 9mm and .40. Lots of other pieces interchange.

Other manufactures dies work. With 9mm I'm currently running the Dillon sizing die, a Redding Competition Seating die, and a Lee Factory Crimp die.

Sometime when you are up for a match and have time, we can go grab some lunch, then go by my house and give you some hands on with them.

 

[dennishoddy]

Dennis,
All not including dies,
Basic Caliber change is about $45 for 550, $75 for a 650, and $125 for a 1050, which may be the equivelant of what you are talking about to change yours. On the 650 and 1050 it will have additional parts to deal with the case feeder.

If you add a spare tool head and powder drop die it allows you to leave everything setup for a quick change and just move the powder measure. $12 for a powder die + a tool head $25 for 550, $35 for a 650, and $200 for a 1050.

Deluxe quick change kits add have a stand to set an idle caliber change on and a powder measure.
they are $110 for 550, $115 for a 650, and $275 for a 1050 (no stand. Stand adds $50)

So
Cheapest - Fastest, most complete
550 $45- $155
650 $75-$190
1050 $125-$450
(I'm starting to get sick thinking about adding calibers to my 1050)

Edited to add. A plate may also be needed for the conversion. There are 4 sizes. Small and Large Pistol, Small and Large Rifle. $39 each.
A 550 and 650 comes with parts to change back and forth between small and large primers. It's about another $100 to add the spares to a 1050.

Individual parts are available to lower those cost. For instance there is no need to buy a shell plate to swap between 45 and 308. The 550 uses the same shell plate with 9mm and .40. Lots of other pieces interchange.

Other manufactures dies work. With 9mm I'm currently running the Dillon sizing die, a Redding Competition Seating die, and a Lee Factory Crimp die.

Sometime when you are up for a match and have time, we can go grab some lunch, then go by my house and give you some hands on with them.

Cool, Love to do that. Eating is my most favorite thing to do after shooting.
Love how this discussion is going. I've been on other forums when the argument between the systems gets to virtual fist fighting. lol.

 

[Mad Professor]

I'm not saying one bad thing about the Dillon. I have never loaded on one so it wouldn't be right to comment on it other than the cost of changing calibers. I counted 14 sets of dies the other day in the reloading room from straight wall to bottle neck cartridges.
It costs me $25 to change calibers on the LNL, and some fiddling with the powder dispenser to get it set.
I'm thinking changeover on a Dillon is over $100 per caliber? Somebody can confirm this I'm sure.

Just to be fair, it looks to me like it is currently about $42 for the Shell Plates for the LnL. You might also need the correct powder through expander die to compare with the Dillon. Not sure. I bought my LnL used setup for 9, 223, and 300 so I really don't know what all was needed.

Added. It looks like the most common ones are $34 on Midway and some of the less common ones are $42.

 

[dennishoddy]

Just to be fair, it looks to me like it is currently about $42 for the Shell Plates for the LnL. You might also need the correct powder through expander die to compare with the Dillon. Not sure. I bought my LnL used setup for 9, 223, and 300 so I really don't know what all was needed.

Man, its been three or so years since buying a shell plate. I was guesstimating incorrectly I guess. I bought 50 of the quick change collets at a close out sale probably 4 years ago or so, for penny's on the dollar, and really didn't include the current price either.

 

[Mad Professor]

Man, its been three or so years since buying a shell plate. I was guesstimating incorrectly I guess. I bought 50 of the quick change collets at a close out sale probably 4 years ago or so, for penny's on the dollar, and really didn't include the current price either.

Those quick change collets are great. I need to by an adapter for my RCBS single stage press to use them.

 

[Mad Professor]

Cool, Love to do that. Eating is my most favorite thing to do after shooting.
Love how this discussion is going. I've been on other forums when the argument between the systems gets to virtual fist fighting. lol.

We just have to do it!


I've seen some bloody fights over it! I'm not as brand loyal as it would appear at first glance.

Here is a picture when I had 3 brands of presses on the bench. I'd just bought the first 650 so it wasn't in its final spot. There was a Lyman T-Mag and RCBS behind the big door as well.

So, I had Redding, Dillon, Hornady, RCBS, and Lyman all covered at one time.

 

[dennishoddy]

LOL, I've got RCBS, Lyman, Hornady, Lee, and a hodge podge of reloading manufacturers equipment in the shop. I'm not brand loyal either.

 

[Shadowrider]

I do not disagree, but you are talking about $1200 and the OP is talking about $85 on a 20 plus year old press.. I am not sure you are really responding to the OP's question.

Yes he is. He's stating that it's futile to keep dumping money into an inferior setup expecting to match the productivity of Dillon. I went down the same road and wish I hadn't. I'd have been several hundred dollars better off had I went blue from the start. Instead I had to try to get a 650 for 550 money. I'd suggest that the OP sell all of his LNL stuff as a package and invest in a 650. OP wants to improve his production, I doubled mine by going from a 5 station LNL with a case feeder, to a 5 station 650 with a case feeder.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[beastep]

Just to make it clear, the OP is not selling his LNL and buying a Dillon. I cant afford that. Even if I was to be stuck at 200 rounds per hour, I still wouldnt go down that road. I just want to fine tune and make the most of what I have.
I appreciate every bit of everybody's input. There is good info here for sure.

I had an adapter to change a press over to a LNL bushing style here somewhere. Someone on here said they wanted to get one. But to be honest you can get that adapter and 3 bushings from Midway for $10 right now. Just 3 bushings is worth $15.