Dillon 550 or 750?

[TheOfficeT-Rex]

I followed this PDF on accurizing my 550.

Not seeing the pdf, but that's a good write up. I may try to clean up my small primer setup a touch when I finish cleaning out the reloading room. I've still got a lot of stuff to sort through.

...I do have a CPS. I got one when PR did a snipers hide special, and I use it for all my large rifle precision stuff, leaving the small rifle on the dillon. It's better than the dillon, but even in stock form the dillon primer only rarely gave me any issues. Unless you're super anal, you're not leaving too much on the table with the blue.

 

[Dai Bando]

I got to thinking I needed to try one of the better priming tools awhile back and quit priming on the Dillon.

Ran 10 off the Dillon over the Magneto. ES/SD of 9/3

I’ve got two 550’s set up for .223 and 6 Dasher. Watch the video I posted earlier to switch primer size. Works bitchin.

 

[Gustav7]

Not seeing the pdf, but that's a good write up. I may try to clean up my small primer setup a touch when I finish cleaning out the reloading room. I've still got a lot of stuff to sort through.

...I do have a CPS. I got one when PR did a snipers hide special, and I use it for all my large rifle precision stuff, leaving the small rifle on the dillon. It's better than the dillon, but even in stock form the dillon primer only rarely gave me any issues. Unless you're super anal, you're not leaving too much on the table with the blue.

Oh ya I would never expect a priming system on the Dillon to be as good as the CPS, but to hear from people that the Dillon can still produce top results, and isn't "too far" behind the CPS is encouraging.

Sorry... maybe it didn't attach right. I'll try again...should be attached below.

 

[Herb Stoner]

Thanks to all for the input. I picked up a 750 at the LGS this morning. I also picked up a set of Dillon dies. I use some redding dies on my single stage and like them and I've heard good thing about the Redding carbide dies for the Dillon. Is this an upgrade I should consider? I can still return the Dillon dies.

 

[Gustav7]

Thanks to all for the input. I picked up a 750 at the LGS this morning. I also picked up a set of Dillon dies. I use some redding dies on my single stage and like them and I've heard good thing about the Redding carbide dies for the Dillon. Is this an upgrade I should consider? I can still return the Dillon dies.

Glad we could help. Let us know how it runs, I'm drooling to get one soon. I also need to say, thats a pretty badass local gun store that has dillon presses in stock lol.

For 9mm, the Dillon dies are going to work well for you. They have the cotter pin tops so you can clean them easily, and they specifically designed for progressive use. Unless you're going to load precision rounds on the 750, I would just stick with name brand and you'll most likely be fine. Carbide dies for any pistol rounds so you don't have to lube.

 

[CaptArab]

Often times the mouth on the Dillon dies is flared wider than the Redding to accommodate the slight jostling of the cases that happens as the shellplate progresses. I'd stick with the Dillon dies for this use case. That's just my opinion though.

 

[CaptArab]

BTW, great choice. You're gonna love it

 

[lewmed]

I started reloading pistol and revolver ammo on a friends old Star progressive press in the early 70's then I bought a new a C&H Auto champ. In 1975 I got my 06 FFL and mostly loaded ammo for a couple local PD's until the late 1980's when I had a run in with EPA and gave up my license. In the early 90's I started reloading again and couldn't see buying a progressive that didn't auto index so I bought a 650 with a case feeder setup for 45 auto and 9mm later on I bought a 550 for rifle cartridges and then last year I bought a xl750 with case and bullet feeder. The xl750 is the best of the bunch it's primer system is better than the 550 or 650 and it's auto index is also much smoother. Today my 650 loads 45 acp my xl750 is set up for 9mm with a extra tool head and shell plate for 38/357. The 550 is a good solid press for loading rifle cartridges but after learning to load on a fully progressive I never liked having to hand index the 550 then insert a case and a bullet so it isn't used much to me it's like loading on a turret press.

 

[Pwoens]

Fwiw - I’ve never owned a 550 but love my 650! My buddy has the 750 and it’s GTG!

 

[DubfromGA]

Finally getting my presses set up...took long enough.

Going to be using a temporary bench until there is an actual man-cave at some future point.


550C & XL750.

Rear shelves need to be finished so I can mount the two light bars and get the presses mounted and setup.


.30'06, .45/70 & .308Win on the 550C.

The XL750 will be running 9mm, .38scp, .38Super, 10mm, .44mag, .45acp and .223.















Looking forward to getting up and running soon....gotta get a long weekend off work.

 

[Herb Stoner]

You say that you won't load rifle on a 550, but I bet once you realize how easy it is to prime, charge, and seat, you'll start doing it. I've started full length sizing with a bushing that's a bit too tight, then using an expanding mandrel in station 1 on my 550, charging in station 2, and seating in station 3. If the bottoms of your brass are in good shape you can expect .002" runout upon seating which I have thought to be quite respectable.

It's not that I won't - just starting with pistol, etc. on the new 750 as I'm good for now with the single stage that I've already set up for rifle. I don't do a lot of volume anyhow and enjoy the process so efficiency isn't the driver for rifle rounds like the Dillon is for pistol, etc. in much higher volume.
I've been reading more about the 750 for precision rifle and will likely give it a go once I get it up and running for the other calibers. I bought a floating toolhead from Armanov that is a step in that direction.

 

[Herb Stoner]

You'll be good to go. I got the hornady funnel die set and use that to dump charges from a trickle charger. Easy money.

Thanks for the recommendation!

 

[padom]

Finally getting my presses set up...took long enough.

Going to be using a temporary bench until there is an actual man-cave at some future point.


550C & XL750.

Rear shelves need to be finished so I can mount the two light bars and get the presses mounted and setup.


.30'06, .45/70 & .308Win on the 550C.

The XL750 will be running 9mm, .38scp, .38Super, 10mm, .44mag, .45acp and .223.















Looking forward to getting up and running soon....gotta get a long weekend off work.

Wanting to run all those calibers on that 750....youll be doing what I did soon enough and buying multiple.....hahaha... Once you get that thing dialed in for your 9mm load youll hate tearing it down to redial in a AR15 load and vice versa back and forth.... At least I did. 20+ dedicated toolheads and 2 XL650's and a 550c is the way to go.

 

[Huskydriver]

Wanting to run all those calibers on that 750....youll be doing what I did soon enough and buying multiple.....hahaha... Once you get that thing dialed in for your 9mm load youll hate tearing it down to redial in a AR15 load and vice versa back and forth.... At least I did. 20+ dedicated toolheads and 2 XL650's and a 550c is the way to go.

Yeap one dedicated for small primers one dedicated for large... First world problems... Hate swapping parts so just get 2

 

[padom]

Yeap one dedicated for small primers one dedicated for large... First world problems... Hate swapping parts so just get 2

Exactly. I forget to mention swapping between small primer and large primers loads! Who the hell wants to do that?

 

[Threadcutter308]

Wanting to run all those calibers on that 750....youll be doing what I did soon enough and buying multiple.....hahaha... Once you get that thing dialed in for your 9mm load youll hate tearing it down to redial in a AR15 load and vice versa back and forth.... At least I did. 20+ dedicated toolheads and 2 XL650's and a 550c is the way to go.

Absolutely !

Dillon (correctly so) advertises that you can change calibers, fairly quickly. But, it's more than just a parts swap. There are adjustments/readjustments to be made every time a swap is made. They aren't difficult, just tedious. The more swaps you do, the more tedious they become. After a while, you just say "screw it, I'm going to leave my first one (750) set up for 9mm and buy a second one (750) and set it up/leave it set up for .45ACP".

Oh and Mr. Bulletfeeder ? Yum.