Very tempted to get a 550b.
Have lots of 556 and 9mm in stock, but have been tempted to reload in some of the more $$$ calibers.
Currently shoot:
- 30-06
- 308
- 303 British
What do I need to do the above? Kind of confused by the 3 dies vs. conversion kits etc
Any "must have" accessories I should try?
Thanks!
In addition to a die set, you need the conversion parts, a toolhead to screw your dies into, and a powder die.
The conversion kit for a 550 consists of the shellplate (analogous to the shell holder on a single stage press) with locator buttons and powder funnel, which goes into the die body where the powder measure is mounted. .308 and .30-06 use the same conversion parts. .303 uses the same funnel as the .30 calibres, but a different shellplate, so you can save slightly by just getting the .303 shellplate instead of the whole kit. The link below provides part number cross-references for conversion pats:
http://www.dillonhelp.com/rl550benglish/cal_conv_chart.htm
Other tools you will need include a powder scale, calipers, and a bullet puller, as well as a case trimmer for bottleneck cases. With my 550, I size rifle cases separately from the rest of the process so that they can be trimmed prior to being assembled into loaded ammunition.
Other "nice to have" press accessories include:
-Strong mount, depending on how you plan on mounting the press
-Bullet tray and empty case bin
-Toolholder for hex wrenches and Bench Wrench
-Roller handle
