Dillon 750 or Hornady LL AP EZ extract
- Thread starter 45C
- Start date
I doubt many people will have both, so I wouldn't expect too many replies from that standpoint.
With that said, I have Dillons and some experience with the Hornady press (a few small reloading sessions/helping with a new setup etc). I could try and detail all the little differences but to sum it up: There's nothing wrong with the Hornady but if you want a reloading experience with the least (notice I didn't say any) amount of fiddling buy a Dillon. I wouldn't even bother with a 750 if I could get a 650 for a good price.
With that said, I have Dillons and some experience with the Hornady press (a few small reloading sessions/helping with a new setup etc). I could try and detail all the little differences but to sum it up: There's nothing wrong with the Hornady but if you want a reloading experience with the least (notice I didn't say any) amount of fiddling buy a Dillon. I wouldn't even bother with a 750 if I could get a 650 for a good price.
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hatman1793
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Buy theDillon 750.
From my search, they're pretty much the same cost.
The Hornady looks much smaller? Which I like.
I'm not to concerned which one pumps out the most ammo per hr or which one has the fastest die set up.
Just the one that's more user friendly and takes up the least amount of space.
The Hornady looks much smaller? Which I like.
I'm not to concerned which one pumps out the most ammo per hr or which one has the fastest die set up.
Just the one that's more user friendly and takes up the least amount of space.
I have used a few presses over the years but never the Hornady. When I upgraded from a Lee 1000 I went with the Dillon 650. For me, I load a number of calibres. I currently have 7 tool heads setup for quick and easy swaps (and a power trimmer). Which isnt actually all of the calibres I load for, sooner or later I will get a second Dillon but a 550 for smaller batch stuff. If you are not concerned with speed, the 550 might be right for you. I assume its slightly smaller than the 650 or the Hornady but has less stations than them and you have to manually index it.
With the Hornady, you need bushings on each die and a calibre swap is probably not as easy as on the Dillon. A friend has the Hornady and doesn't have any complaints but he mostly loads 9mm and 38spl in large batches and does anything else on a single stage press. But at the same time, there is a little movement in the tool head with the Dillon which the Hornady lock and load system likely doesn't have. But again for me, i change calibres rather often so having the conversion kits and loaded tool heads is my preference. Albeit likely a slightly more expensive way to do things but I guess that's the price i have chosen to pay for my laziness.
I'd say both are user friendly to a certain extent. But if you are brand new to reloading a full progressive might not be the best way to start but like anything, the more you work with it the easier it is to use. Currently I do all my small batch stuff on a Lee Turret press. It is just fine as well. Most presses have little quirks, but nothing that you cant get past.
In my opinion, if you are going to get a Dillon, if you can get the 650 instead of the 750 it might be preferable. Not sure if you will ever be looking at getting a bullet feeder but if you do, the 650 is better. the 750 currently needs a special powder bar to do it. I also think the priming system on the 650 is better functionally (but slightly more work to clear out or change from small to large primers).
I suspect that if you wait long enough you will have people say each is better than the other for various reasons. But in reality they are actually very similar. Maybe you prefer Blue instead of Red (or the other way around).
In the end, both presses are good presses, pretty much all of them are very similar in size, and no matter what you choose, there will be things you like and things that you dont like.
Good luck! Also keep in mind, if you get one and hate it, that's what Gun Nutz is for, selling it to someone else!
With the Hornady, you need bushings on each die and a calibre swap is probably not as easy as on the Dillon. A friend has the Hornady and doesn't have any complaints but he mostly loads 9mm and 38spl in large batches and does anything else on a single stage press. But at the same time, there is a little movement in the tool head with the Dillon which the Hornady lock and load system likely doesn't have. But again for me, i change calibres rather often so having the conversion kits and loaded tool heads is my preference. Albeit likely a slightly more expensive way to do things but I guess that's the price i have chosen to pay for my laziness.
I'd say both are user friendly to a certain extent. But if you are brand new to reloading a full progressive might not be the best way to start but like anything, the more you work with it the easier it is to use. Currently I do all my small batch stuff on a Lee Turret press. It is just fine as well. Most presses have little quirks, but nothing that you cant get past.
In my opinion, if you are going to get a Dillon, if you can get the 650 instead of the 750 it might be preferable. Not sure if you will ever be looking at getting a bullet feeder but if you do, the 650 is better. the 750 currently needs a special powder bar to do it. I also think the priming system on the 650 is better functionally (but slightly more work to clear out or change from small to large primers).
I suspect that if you wait long enough you will have people say each is better than the other for various reasons. But in reality they are actually very similar. Maybe you prefer Blue instead of Red (or the other way around).
In the end, both presses are good presses, pretty much all of them are very similar in size, and no matter what you choose, there will be things you like and things that you dont like.
Good luck! Also keep in mind, if you get one and hate it, that's what Gun Nutz is for, selling it to someone else!
I have both Dillon XL750 and Hornady LNL AP.
There is nothing really "wrong" with the Hornady and some things are really good. But it's a press for someone who doesn't mind fiddling with things all the time. The case feeder assembly sometimes needs a smack. The primer system has a few flaws. The bullet feeder system works but isn't nearly as good as the Mr Bullet Feeder. The Hornady bullet feeder doesn't work well with cast or plated bullets at all, due to inconsistency of the bullet diameter. That's maybe not Hornadys fault but the Mr Bulletfeeder die works fine with these. When the Hornady is working well it's a pleasure to use and very smooth. When your primer rod pops out of the hokey plastic holder or the primers aren't seating flush or the case feeder is only feeding every third stroke and 20 bullets slip out of the bullet feeder at once is when you want to pull your hair out.
The XL750 isn't without flaws either. You need to get a Double Alpha short powder bar if you want to use a bullet feeder. The primer wheel tends to slide over and jam. Both of these are easy fixes though.
The Hornady may be a better value as some kits may come with bullet feeder and case collators already, so what you get with each press should be looked at.
I'm not sure one is really much smaller than the other.
I now have a Dillon RL1100 for 9mm and a 750 for 45 ACP. I'm getting the parts to run .223 on the 1100 as well. So the Hornady will mostly be used for .223 case prep. I never managed to get more than a few hundred rounds loaded on the Hornady without having to stop and fiddle with something, so I would recommend the 750, assuming you want to load some volume.
There is nothing really "wrong" with the Hornady and some things are really good. But it's a press for someone who doesn't mind fiddling with things all the time. The case feeder assembly sometimes needs a smack. The primer system has a few flaws. The bullet feeder system works but isn't nearly as good as the Mr Bullet Feeder. The Hornady bullet feeder doesn't work well with cast or plated bullets at all, due to inconsistency of the bullet diameter. That's maybe not Hornadys fault but the Mr Bulletfeeder die works fine with these. When the Hornady is working well it's a pleasure to use and very smooth. When your primer rod pops out of the hokey plastic holder or the primers aren't seating flush or the case feeder is only feeding every third stroke and 20 bullets slip out of the bullet feeder at once is when you want to pull your hair out.
The XL750 isn't without flaws either. You need to get a Double Alpha short powder bar if you want to use a bullet feeder. The primer wheel tends to slide over and jam. Both of these are easy fixes though.
The Hornady may be a better value as some kits may come with bullet feeder and case collators already, so what you get with each press should be looked at.
I'm not sure one is really much smaller than the other.
I now have a Dillon RL1100 for 9mm and a 750 for 45 ACP. I'm getting the parts to run .223 on the 1100 as well. So the Hornady will mostly be used for .223 case prep. I never managed to get more than a few hundred rounds loaded on the Hornady without having to stop and fiddle with something, so I would recommend the 750, assuming you want to load some volume.
- Location
- West Quebec
Great advice..
The Hornady is slightly less expensive than the Dillon XL750, but the Dillon comes with a case feeder tube and mecanism, a shell plate (unless you buy the XL750 "No Caliber" version, which is usually about $120 cheaper), a powder funnel/expander that flares the cases before you set a new bullet and a low primer alarm. A shellplate for the Hornady will cost you approximately $50, the bullet expander insert is about $15 and you still don't have a case feeder tube/mecanism and low primer warning system. The Hornady comes with Lock-N-Load bushings which make it easier to switch calibers or empty your powder measure. Some say the Hornady throws more accurate powder charges (?). Both have lifetime warranties, but Dillon is known for being very accomodating. That's all that comes to mind right now...
Munkey1973
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Regina, SK
My first press was a Hornady Lock n' Load Auto Progressive.
After a year of use, it started getting a bit qweerky... The timing was getting a bit off in that I had to sometimes manually nudge the shell plate to the next position as it would not index all the way.
Pull the lever, and the plate would stop just a bit short sometimes... it just did not work the way it was supposed to work.
Wish I tried the Dillon route.
After a year of use, it started getting a bit qweerky... The timing was getting a bit off in that I had to sometimes manually nudge the shell plate to the next position as it would not index all the way.
Pull the lever, and the plate would stop just a bit short sometimes... it just did not work the way it was supposed to work.
Wish I tried the Dillon route.
Sounds like that could easily have been adjusted with the right pawl adjustment in 10 minutes.
Too bad that Hornady does not have a good instruction video to do this, would have saved them a lot of bad reviews and lost sales.
Once properly adjusted you can reload thousands of rounds without issues.
I have two Hornady progressives that I picked up cheap and both needed a simple tune up and have been running flawless since.
Munkey1973
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Regina, SK
I did not know this ^^.... ah well, that ship has sailed. I was not 100% happy with the press, but by the time I sold it, it had already paid for itself more than once. And sold it 50% of new retail price years ago... it could be you ended up with it now LOL
haha, no it was not me
I have two of the lnl precursor, the pro-jector.
The ram and indexing is the same as the lnl but has regular thread for dies so no quick bushings required.
Don't need the quick changeover so it saves a bit of money there and screwing out dies does not take that much longer anyway.
I have no experience with the Dillons, the price is too much of a hurdle for me I guess. I think if you buy brand new the Dillons hold their value a bit better than Hornady by the look of prices I've seen in the ee and elsewhere.
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Munkey1973
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Regina, SK
Well crap on a stick.
Too bad I did not have this knowledge 12 years ago -could have that press working like did when it was brand new. In my situation, I had to nudge the plate in the bottom of the stroke only -it was fine at the top -so just one prawl I guess.
Ah well... its long since sold anyways. Unless my boy wants to shoot high volumes of pistol when he gets older, then chances are I will continue to only have my Forster on my bench ... but if ever do, this is definitely good to know!
That is correct, one pawl for upstroke adjustment and one for downstroke.
