Dillon 550B YES or NO? Help me quick please

Moe123

Moe123

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Hi,
I have never reloaded anything but I want to. I just found a guy selling his stuff (6 month old and barely used) Dillon RL550B, 9mm dies, a tumbler, a balance, a device to separate your brass from the media. The guy asks 500$ for the package. Should I jump on it, what do you think? Something I should know about this press? I wanted to buy a Hornady lnl, but should I start with that? Thanks for your help.

Moe123
 
Sounds like a pretty good price for the package. I am not, however, an advocate of the progressive press for the newbie reloader. I have been reloading for 18 years, and I wouldn't dream of a setting up a reloading bench that didn't have a single-stage press on it for odd jobs and load development/small batch work.

Maybe you should buy the package, and also buy a Lee Challenger press? Use the Challenger press for six months, then relegate it to odd jobs and blow the dust off the Dillon.
 
I started on a 550 and love it, and that's a decent deal. If you buy it, get a couple reloading books and read them twice before you even set the press up. Use it as a single stage press until you get the hang of it.

Coincidentally, I just made a video of myself reloading 9mm on a 550, if you wanna know what it looks like in operation:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n72j7ngHIOo
 
I see that that the shell holder doesn't rotate by itself when you swing the handle, I know the Hornady LNL does. Is it a big deal? BTW, the guy asks 500$ but I much did he pay for that? (the balance is not electronic)
 
It's not a GREAT deal, but still a not bad deal.

I started with a 550 and haven't regretted it one bit. Manual indexing of the shell plate is easy, and I actually prefer it.
 
This just in from Dillon Web site for 550B

RFP: (Recommended First Purchase)
$395.95 - Base Price
$58.95 - Dies - (Ordered separately)
$38.95 - Roller Handle, Aluminum
$41.95 - Strong Mount (fits 550 and 650)
$36.95 - Bullet Tray
$21.95 - Empty Case Bin and Bracket

(The four Machine Options above are in my Online Store as Brian's "As It Should BE" Upgrade, for $134.19.)
$589.09 – RFP Total (with "BE Upgrade")

Additional options available:
$33.95 - Roller Handle, Plastic
$40.95 – Low Powder Sensor

NCC: (Nice Caliber Conversion)
$40.95 - Caliber Conversion Kit
$89.95 - Deluxe Quick Change Kit (Includes Toolhead, Powder Measure, Powder Die, and Toolhead Stand.)
$189.85 - NC Total (includes Dies)


Tex sends
 
Moe123 said:
I see that that the shell holder doesn't rotate by itself when you swing the handle, I know the Hornady LNL does. Is it a big deal? BTW, the guy asks 500$ but I much did he pay for that? (the balance is not electronic)
Click to expand...

Don't buy a press that does'nt auto-index!:eek: You'll have to put your beer down for every round........

Just kidding. A 550 is a great press.
 
id say BUY IT AND BE QUICK ABOUT IT- your dillon can be used and well used for so many other calibers that the rest of the stuff is a BONUS- you've got maybe 150-200 bucks worth of bonus there and the 550 never wears out- as far as the auto-index goes, you can always get a cheap lee progressive( either the loadmaster or the 1000) and put the 9mm dies on that and save the dillon for rifles
 
I called the guy, drove to his house but he sold it in the meantime. I'm not very happy. So, now I am still at square 1. Should I buy a Dillon550 or a Hornady LNL. I don't why, but I kinda like the red machine.
Any comments from actual owners? From what I found, they are pretty much the same price, give or take a few$.

Moe123
 
Wendell said:
Only if you forget to rotate the shell holder... :eek:... :puke:
Click to expand...
the only station you have to worry about is 2 or the powder charging station, and then only if you're using a powder that can double charge /no charge the case- everything else won't matter if you do it twice
 
t-star said:
the only station you have to worry about is 2 or the powder charging station, and then only if you're using a powder that can double charge /no charge the case- everything else won't matter if you do it twice
Click to expand...

Technically, but you'll also re-resize, deprime and reprime your brass at station 1 needlessly. :D

Moe - once you get the dillon, you'll quickly find out a sequence that will make it VERY unlikely to forget to index the plate. I've loaded about 1500 rounds so far, and have never gotten into a situation where I 'forgot' if I rotated it.

It's not a big deal at ALL if you're careful.
 
There are some fantastic videos on youtube explaining how to set up and use a Dillon 550B.
 
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