Dillon Reloading Question

C

cpjws40

New member
I'm thinking seriously about buying a Dillon progressive reloader. I just have a hard time getting time to reload! I love loading my own, but it just takes too long on my single stage RCBS... The Lee Turret press is better, but it doesn't load rifle ammo and the quality is questionable. My big question is... On a Dillon ...how much set-up time is involved in switching caliber, charge weight ect. before you can crank out 300-500 ronds per hour?


Thanks for all your info...
 
I've never timed it on by 550B. I only use mine for pistol rounds but I'd guess maybe 20 minutes tops depending on whether you have to completely change and adjust powder and primer feeds, and assuming your dies are still set from the time before. It's a piece of cake, however I'm slow and don't think I've ever cranked out more than 200 or 300 in an hour, but that's because I like to test/measure every few loads for the proper powder level, use a case gauge periodically on the load shells, and I'm always getting distractions. There's no reason to think rifle rounds would take any longer to set up.
 
Can't say on a Dillon.
But I have, and strongly recommend, a Hornady LNL Progressive. Caliber changes are about a minute. Changing the shell plate takes about 5 minutes if you need to do that too.
Calliber swap requirements: dies, lock n load busings for the dies, maybe a new shell plate, and a Case Activated Powder Drop Low Assembly part number 050066 (explained below).
The powder measure is one of the best out there, and you can buy lock n load powder adjustment stems so that once you get it set for your pet load in a caliber, you just pop it in. You purchase one for each of your favorite loads.
If you load multiple calibers, buy one of these for each caliber.
The powder measure sits on a Case Activated Powder Drop Low Assembly (think powder die). It needs to be adjusted for the length of the case to activate the powder measure. Buy and set one up for each caliber, and you can swap out the powder measure in less than a minute. This way you don't need to buy a new measure for each caliber like you do on a Dillon. I've got 4 of these laying on my reloading bench--.45, 38 Spcl, .223, .270 Win.
Hornady Case Activated Powder Drop Low Assembly
Or part number 050066.
Since mine is the original model from about '97, my powder measure has the micometer adjuster. I write down the setting for the powder charges, and I can reset it at a later time, validate it w/ a scale and fine tune if needed in short order. They sell the micrometer stems as an accessory now.
I can crank out about 550 pistol rounds a hour, or about 400 .223--I take my time on rifle.
And now you can get a case feed for the Hornady if you want, making it as good as a Dillon 650 for quite a bit less. I feed mine manually, and it is one less thing to change for a caliber swap. The Hornady also auto indexes, but the Dillon 550 does not. BTW, even though the Dillon 650 is purchased w/o the case feed, it is impractical using it w/out one.
Natches, Midsouth and Grafs normally have the Hordandy LNL Progressive on sale for about $300.
Take a serious look at it, call Hornady/look at their web site for more info, and buy one. Hornady also has a lifetime warrenty.
Lots of people are dedicated to their blue coolaid, but red is great too.
Drano
 
The time to change calibers depends on a couple of things, same primer size is pretty quick, probably around 10 minutes if you have a powder measure preset for the correct charge, 20 minutes if you have to change primer sizes.

How long to change a powder charge is dependent on pure luck, sometimes you can dial it right up, sometimes you have to go looking for it, that's why it pays to have more than 1 powder measure, you can have the other one preset for the charge you need.

With all the supplies where I can reach them, and primer tubes loaded, I can comfortably run somewhere between 400 to 500 rounds per hour, if I really pushed it I might be able to beat that, but the normal pace is fine for me. (RL550)

Bottleneck rifle calibers are a completely different animal, they require processing, so the reloading is done in two different sections, clean cases are lubed, sized, trimmed, and deburred, cleaned to remove lube, then stored ready to load. When I'm ready to load 223, I pull out the processed cases, and run them through the Dillon, I reprime the cases in station 1, load powder in station 2, seat bullet in station 3, and then a slight taper crimp at station 4.

Dillon owns the progressive reloader market, that wasn't given to them, they earned it.
 
I think I could change everything out in under 10 minutes. I shoot handgun silhouette and don't know how I did it all with my Rockchucker before I got the Dillion.
I reload mainly rifle calibers they just happen to be used in handguns. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Definately less than 10 min once you get us to it on a 650.
550 will take less time.

It will take alittle longer to set up the powder drop from one calober to anther. Spend the extra money and buy a addtional powder drop for each caliber. If you cant afford the extra money $85. Do what I did. Buy an extra powder bar and just set it up for one caliber.
 
Most certainly under 10 minutes on the 550 once you learn the machine, probably less than 5 minutes once you are comfortable with doing it.
 
One thing to remember about Dillon 650's is (unless its been changed in the past couple of years) the priming system works best with Remington or Winchester primers. Its an exercise in frustration if you try to use CCI or Federal primers. They won't feed correctly and the priming disk will jam up about every third round due to the way the anvil portion of the primer is made. Not a real problem, but one that you need to know about if you buy a Dillon machine.
 
I received the Hornady Lock and Load for Christmas. At the end of reloading I will take everything down until I get ready the next time. To set it up takes 15 seconds to put the dies in, 15 seconds to put in the shell plate, a minute to load the primers and a minute to get the powder dispensing where I want it. Overall about 3 minutes give or take. Great machine. Right now I shoot more in pistol ammo in one day than I do in a month with my rifles. I only use it for pistol right now. I may eventually use it for rifle.
 
NMRancher - I use CCI's all the time in my Dillon and never had that problem. I do have an occasional primer jam, but I usually find it's due to a piece of dirt or powder getting under the primer or the primer mechanism not being quite correctly adjusted after I've changed shell plates.

Mike B
 

I load 40,000 plus rounds of pistol amo yearly on a 650. It does require some maintenance with that many rounds and the primer feed can be a frustration on occasion. It is fast.
I also have a Hornady auto with the lock-n-load die system for loading smaller quantities of amo I don't use as much of. It is much cheaper and in most cases quicker to change calibers on than the Dillon. It is a big open press and fairly easy to work on when things need adjusting or go wrong.
It would not be an easy choice choosing one over the other. Dillon really does have a no BS warranty and I have used it several times and no charge.
 
+1

On my RL550 if I don't have to change primer feed and have the dies and powder measure all set up in another tool head, it goes pretty fast. If you don't do all the above it can be a bit frustrating.
 
I guess I must enjoy the process too much, or maybe I ought to set a timer more often. I enjoy my reloading and for me it's a rainy day afternoon type activity. Which isn't too hard to find near the west coast lately.
 
.Just changed my out and timed it.Alittle less than 5 min with extra die body.I use federal match primers and don't experience any special feeding problem but did adjust the primer feed tube long ago to alleviate an occasional hangup.
 
Taking my time, I'd guess it takes me maybe 10 mins or so for a total changeover, more or less.
It takes very little time once you get the hang of the Dillon's operating makeup, or if you have the toolheads setup before hand.
I've had Dillon's since the early 80's and now I have three.
The choice back then was based on reviews, word of mouth and as much research as could be had at that time. It was sound, and I've never had any regrets with their equipment. Their warranty, although rarely used, is second to none, and Dillon's staff is phenomenal.

I started with a RL450, and later upgraded that to a 550B. In between that time, I received a Square Deal B and another 550B. I can switch components between the two 550's, and keep the Square Deal for loading my most used pistol rounds.
I also have a single stage press, as well as a turret, both Lyman's. I've found that I use the single stage press more for loading my rifle rounds "singly", and the turret gets used for those few special pistol rounds that I need now & then.

Good choice.......

Take care,
Bob
 
Quote:
NMRancher - I use CCI's all the time in my Dillon and never had that problem. I do have an occasional primer jam, but I usually find it's due to a piece of dirt or powder getting under the primer or the primer mechanism not being quite correctly adjusted after I've changed shell plates.

Mike B



Could very well be that I've got an adjustment problem but this is the informaton that I got from the good folks at Dillon when I called them about my problem one afternoon. I'll re-check everything next time I'm doing some reloading and hopefully that will fix my problem.
 


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