Opinions - Dillon 550 vs. 650

Glockenspiel

Glockenspiel

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I have a Dillon 550 that I have been using for years and am looking at a second unit for large primer use (i.e., 44 mag, 45 ACP; too lazy to switch primer tubes :p :p constantly).

anyone have an opinion (based on actual use) of what a 650 can do when compared to a 550? I'm not into high production rate but overal performance, reliability, ease of use are more important to me.

Thanks, :dancingbanana:

Glockenspiel
 
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Been there done that. I purchased a 650 from a board member (Dec 2004)and after 6 months and a cowboy song on why he couldn't ship it he sent me my $$ back. I finally picked up a second 550 and feel that was probably the correct choice at the end as all the gear is interchangable and volume while important it did not outway familuarity. Might I add you will still be in the same problem ofprimer change up of you go to 650
 
I'm getting a 650 in the new year. One extra station, auto indexing with a powder check = less change of dangerous screw ups.
 
I like the 550. You really can't screw up with a double charge on a 550 because you must manually index it - if you don't, there are many other things to bugger up your stroke. I have a casefeeder on mine, so it's a simple index motion as you set the bullet in place.
 
if your budget allows you for the 650 then go ahead, as mention earlier its an auto indexing and a 5 station press, and its much faster, in fact if my budget allows me I would certainly get the 650, hope somebody will trade my 550B to their 650.
 
There is nothing that a 650 will do that can't be done on a 550. The 650 will just do it a tad faster. I personally like the auto-index feature of the 650, and the casefeeder is great (altough it's nowavailable for the 550, but it wasn't when I bought my 650).
 
I have a 550 and I am considering a 2nd (lg primer/sm primer). A shooting buddy opted for the 650 and now he wishes he had a 550, he claims the switch between large and small priming systems and the case feed switch over is a real pain compaired to the 550.
 
Hopefully the mods don't mind me posting a potential plug for another website, but this might be the information you need to answer your question. Brian Enos goes into a long comparrison of the Dillon Machines. I won't post it as a link, just do the cut and paste.

brianenos.com/pages/dillon.html
 
KevinB said:
I have a 650 -- I'm happy with it

I like auto indexing since I'm occassionally a moron...
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5000 Posts!
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I love the auto indexing on the 650 and the casefeeder.

Reloading times cut down by at least 50% just by not having to worry about indexing and feeding in the next case. (Obviously, you could buy the casefeeder now for 550)

I read Brain Enos review of both before buying my 650. Never missed my 550B
 
I had a 550 for about 10 years. I recently picked up a 650 and sold the 550. I'm glad I did. Not only does it auto-index, the primer feed system is miles ahead. The 550 system uses springs and plastic bits while the 650 is all metal with a completely different feeding system. Yes it is a bit more work to switch primer sizes but as far as I'm concerned it's worth the extra time since other feeding problems I experienced on the 550 are gone. No more primer jams or spring tensioned primer feed bar launching primers across the room.

The case feed system also takes a bit of time to switch over when chainging calibers but you more than make up for it when you are actually reloading. I found that on my 550 I could load 400 rds a hour when everything was going well. The 650 lets me almost double that. So I spend 5 or 10 minutes more doing the caliber switchover, I make that time back and more once I'm reloading.
 
I have a 550 for about a year and love it I like the manual indexing Im in control of every move the primer system does screw up somtimes i find you just have to keep it very clean and it will work through

Id buy another 550 in a sec if i needed another press be nice to have 100% parts interchangable
 
The only advantage a 650 has over a 550 is the amount of ammo you can make in a given amount of time.
The additional features a 650 has is only there to facilitate making ammo faster.
 
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