Dillon SL900 Shot Shell Loader.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Wondering what the general opinion of this machine is?




I have and have had a Spolar, a PW 800, a Pacific DL366 Pacific DL266, C&H, Lee Load All, Lee Whack a Mole, and 2 Dillon SL900's.

Of the whole bunch the Dillon is by far the easiest to use and most productive.

It automatically feeds Hulls, Primers, and won't dump Powder or Shot unless a hull is present. That is a big deal because all the rest will dump and everyone does it! The powder and shot measures are the same as all Dillon's and are the easiest to adjust out there. No bushings for shot or powder.

All you do is insert a wad into the Wad Guide and pull the handle and a loaded round poops out the chute. Easily 600 rounds an hour if you can stand in front of it and pull the handle. Also there are Electric Drives available from PW for these machines so you don't even have to pull the handle.

If you are shooting high volumes of clays like 2-400 weekly, there is no way you can shoot that much unless you reload. I guess you might be rich, but even then you had better have stocked up, as now Factory Ammo is scarce. Walmart hasn't had much available in the last few months.

So tell me what you think about these machines?

And then look here. http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s....php?t=1639264

Randy

[racinjason233]

$1300 delivered!

I’ll take it! Not really but I would if I was closer.

It is basically a 550 set up for 12 gauge. Fast and easy with lifetime warranty. I took the blue pill a long time ago and have never looked back.

BUY IT QUICKLY.

[W.R.Buchanan]

I am in Ojai,,, if you are in Huntington Beach I can make that work.

Let me know.

Randy

[bubbapug1]

I’m Not sure What stresses me out more, using my MEC or trying to talk finances with my daughters. My dillons work like my Japanese cars. Perfectly.

It’s a tempting proposition.

[damon1272]

It is a Dillon. One of the best companies around with a great product. Not sure why people buy other presses.

[Jet Setter]

All presses have their quirks. Some have better/differing features than others. For shotshell, Dillon would not make my top three.

IMO, there are better options for high volume shooters.

[beetle]

I have a lot of dillon presses, so when I decided to get into reloading shotshell, I naturally thought to go with a Dillon first. So I bought the SL900.

My opinion is that it is a good machine IF you only load one recipe, and that recipe is not based on remington hulls.

Why do I say that? the machine is incredibly cramped. They tried to jam a shotshell reloader into the frame of a 650. As a result, it is very difficult to adjust things like pre-crimp, crimp, wad pressure, etc. So if you want to load a bunch of different recipes (straight wall, tapered wall, 3/4 oz, 7/8 oz, 1 oz, 1 1/8 oz, etc etc) -- forget it! you'll find yourself cursing at the Dillon because it's nearly impossible to get a wrench into the adjustment areas.

In addition, the tilt out wad mechanism has troubles with remington hulls. In many cases the hulls are too tall. There is a simple hack you can do to the wad arm to compensate.

Finally while the "no shot or powder drop" unless hull is present is a nice feature, the same does not apply to the primer drop. So the feature is somewhat incomplete.

In the end I returned the unit to Dillon (great warranty / customer service) and bought a Spolar, which I'm really pleased with.

[Thefeeder]

><

Thanks Beetle ....was wondering just how adjustable it is. I've been a MEC guy for decades. Yes the 9000's are finicky at times, but at least I can diagnose just about any problem and go right to the fix.

Also no Dillon in 410.

Dillon makes a great metal cartridges reloader ...but its a pass on shotgun for me.

[W.R.Buchanan]

OK: to address some of the comments.

"It's fine if you only load one recipe?" That's what Progressive Loaders are all about!!! They are designed to load ammo fast. You don't buy a Spolar to change from load to load as it is just as complicated as any other machine to do.

Anyone who has loaded any number of Shotshells knows that getting the crimp set up correctly is the key to success. Once it is set up you don't mess with it or just decide to change your Recipe which changes everything and you get to start all over with the set up.

I have used another Dillon 900 extensively. I took the one I have now in trade for a Spolar that I also used extensively. Operating the Dillon is far easier, especially with the hull feeder. I own and ran a Production Machine Shop and Reloading Ammo is Exactly the same as making parts on a Manual Turret Lathe. "You figure out how to make the part during the setup up of the machine, and then you do that same procedure as many times as the number of parts needed."

Once the machine is set up, the only variable is the person pulling on the handles. However the brand of machine you are running makes all the difference in the world. Some machines just run better than others, and the variable is not how you feel about it, it is the amount of parts/rounds per hour you can produce,,, or more properly how many pulls on the handle you can stand to do in one session. Running some machines just gets old faster than others.

Another minor point: A Spolar is nothing more than a PW 800 made from nicely machined parts. I would never say Spolars aren't nicely made machines, because I am a Machinist and know what I'm looking at. That's why I bought my first one. They are made from nicely made CNC Machined and Gold Anodized parts and are made to last. (Kind of like my BPM Hand Press, go to Website below.) They are good machines but are not really well suited to change over to different recipes, anymore than a PW is. They are a set and forget type of machine.

I have never changed a Recipe on any of my progressives and they all ran the same load. Even my 12 ga. DL266 is setup the same way to load AA's with 18 gr of Green Dot, a Claybuster WAA Clone wad, and 1 1/8 oz of #8 shot. I can load 100 rounds an hour with that machine easily.

You don't need 15 different shot shell loads. It is pointless. I find one that works for you, (Maybe ask an Experienced loader?) and do that.

For that matter you can go down to Walmart and buy Federal or Winchester #8's for $21.74/100 and they will work just fine for any Clays Game or Shooting Doves or Quail and generally they are on sale right now before Dove Season Opens next month. Except for the damn China Virus !!!! It is hard to Reload Shot Shells for less than .22 a round at any time, but now availability makes it a viable deal. Your time is worth way less right now.

I load many different types of Shotshell Ammo. I currently have a Pacific DL366, 3 Pacific DL266 Single Stage Loaders.(12 ga, 12 ga. 3" mag, and .410. I don't shoot Trap any more so I don't need high volume loading, and if I did the DL366 will pump out 400+ rounds per hour easily and is much easier to run than the PW or Spolar. I paid $150 for it!

Another tidbit: If you aren't sizing and depriming off the machine and then washing your hulls, you are NOT turning out good quality Ammo. It is just part of the process. Dirty ammo wears fine guns quickly. My old style Win AA's have been reloaded as many as 12 times before they split! That's because they are cleaned before they are Reloaded. That's what you need one of these for. Lachmiller Sizer/Deprimer. Great time saver.



For different loads Buckshot and slugs I use my DL266 which IMHO is the Cadillac of Single Stage Loaders. I can do all the operations, Sizing/Decap, Prime on the machine, then drop a standard charge or throw a measured charge or dip it with dippers, then seating the Wad, then install the shot or Slug and either close the fold crimp or Roll Crimp the hull closed. Since there are seldom more than 25 of these to do, it makes no sense to have a dedicated machine set up for doing this. I just make the minor changes off the Machine and use the individual stations as needed.




Randy

[beetle]

OK: to address some of the comments.

"It's fine if you only load one recipe?" That's what Progressive Loaders are all about!!! They are designed to load ammo fast. You don't buy a Spolar to change from load to load as it is just as complicated as any other machine to do.

Anyone who has loaded any number of Shotshells knows that getting the crimp set up correctly is the key to success. Once it is set up you don't mess with it or just decide to change your Recipe which changes everything and you get to start all over with the set up.

Randy

I guess we will have a friendly agree to disagree. I load all kinds of recipes, but I also load them FAST. I shoot all kinds of games, that's why I have all kinds of recipes. 7/8 for sporting clays, 1 1/8 for handicap trap, etc, etc. Why limit yourself to one load when you can load them all?

The spolar is super easy to adjust with plenty of space to adjust the precrimp and crimp. in fact I can get the spolar set up for a brand new load in 2-3 minutes. That's why I like it so much, I feel like I can load anything, and easily get it set up, and not fear changing the load.

I made this video a little while back to show how simple it is to switch from loading 1 1/8 AA 8pt tapered hulls to 1 oz Fiocchi 6 pt straight wall.



Note the spolar is a good machine but there are a few things that irk me as well. in the video you'll see/hear the primer buzzer (bzzzt! bzzzt!) as well as the rear discharge. I prefer the side discharge of the dillon.

[tanks]

...
I made this video a little while back to show how simple it is to switch from loading 1 1/8 AA 8pt tapered hulls to 1 oz Fiocchi 6 pt straight wall.
...

I did not see you turn off powder and shot discharge in the video when doing a single or at the start of the run.

Does Spolar detect lack of a shell at a station now and not discharge?

[beetle]

I did not see you turn off powder and shot discharge in the video when doing a single or at the start of the run.

Does Spolar detect lack of a shell at a station now and not discharge?

no you still have to manually turn "off" a station. i did turn it off but I guess it was out of the frame.

[whutsup40]

OK: to address some of the comments.

"It's fine if you only load one recipe?" That's what Progressive Loaders are all about!!! They are designed to load ammo fast. You don't buy a Spolar to change from load to load as it is just as complicated as any other machine to do.

Anyone who has loaded any number of Shotshells knows that getting the crimp set up correctly is the key to success. Once it is set up you don't mess with it or just decide to change your Recipe which changes everything and you get to start all over with the set up.

I have used another Dillon 900 extensively. I took the one I have now in trade for a Spolar that I also used extensively. Operating the Dillon is far easier, especially with the hull feeder. I own and ran a Production Machine Shop and Reloading Ammo is Exactly the same as making parts on a Manual Turret Lathe. "You figure out how to make the part during the setup up of the machine, and then you do that same procedure as many times as the number of parts needed."

Once the machine is set up, the only variable is the person pulling on the handles. However the brand of machine you are running makes all the difference in the world. Some machines just run better than others, and the variable is not how you feel about it, it is the amount of parts/rounds per hour you can produce,,, or more properly how many pulls on the handle you can stand to do in one session. Running some machines just gets old faster than others.

Another minor point: A Spolar is nothing more than a PW 800 made from nicely machined parts. I would never say Spolars aren't nicely made machines, because I am a Machinist and know what I'm looking at. That's why I bought my first one. They are made from nicely made CNC Machined and Gold Anodized parts and are made to last. (Kind of like my BPM Hand Press, go to Website below.) They are good machines but are not really well suited to change over to different recipes, anymore than a PW is. They are a set and forget type of machine.

I have never changed a Recipe on any of my progressives and they all ran the same load. Even my 12 ga. DL266 is setup the same way to load AA's with 18 gr of Green Dot, a Claybuster WAA Clone wad, and 1 1/8 oz of #8 shot. I can load 100 rounds an hour with that machine easily.

You don't need 15 different shot shell loads. It is pointless. I find one that works for you, (Maybe ask an Experienced loader?) and do that.

For that matter you can go down to Walmart and buy Federal or Winchester #8's for $21.74/100 and they will work just fine for any Clays Game or Shooting Doves or Quail and generally they are on sale right now before Dove Season Opens next month. Except for the damn China Virus !!!! It is hard to Reload Shot Shells for less than .22 a round at any time, but now availability makes it a viable deal. Your time is worth way less right now.

I load many different types of Shotshell Ammo. I currently have a Pacific DL366, 3 Pacific DL266 Single Stage Loaders.(12 ga, 12 ga. 3" mag, and .410. I don't shoot Trap any more so I don't need high volume loading, and if I did the DL366 will pump out 400+ rounds per hour easily and is much easier to run than the PW or Spolar. I paid $150 for it!

Another tidbit: If you aren't sizing and depriming off the machine and then washing your hulls, you are NOT turning out good quality Ammo. It is just part of the process. Dirty ammo wears fine guns quickly. My old style Win AA's have been reloaded as many as 12 times before they split! That's because they are cleaned before they are Reloaded. That's what you need one of these for. Lachmiller Sizer/Deprimer. Great time saver.



For different loads Buckshot and slugs I use my DL266 which IMHO is the Cadillac of Single Stage Loaders. I can do all the operations, Sizing/Decap, Prime on the machine, then drop a standard charge or throw a measured charge or dip it with dippers, then seating the Wad, then install the shot or Slug and either close the fold crimp or Roll Crimp the hull closed. Since there are seldom more than 25 of these to do, it makes no sense to have a dedicated machine set up for doing this. I just make the minor changes off the Machine and use the individual stations as needed.




Randy

I have been reloading shotgun shells for many years, 12,20,16,and 28 gauge and have never washed a hull! What is the purpose of that? And i do turn out quality loads and have the scores to prove it.

[Boarhuntor]

I guess we will have a friendly agree to disagree. I load all kinds of recipes, but I also load them FAST. I shoot all kinds of games, that's why I have all kinds of recipes. 7/8 for sporting clays, 1 1/8 for handicap trap, etc, etc. Why limit yourself to one load when you can load them all?

The spolar is super easy to adjust with plenty of space to adjust the precrimp and crimp. in fact I can get the spolar set up for a brand new load in 2-3 minutes. That's why I like it so much, I feel like I can load anything, and easily get it set up, and not fear changing the load.

I made this video a little while back to show how simple it is to switch from loading 1 1/8 AA 8pt tapered hulls to 1 oz Fiocchi 6 pt straight wall.

Note the spolar is a good machine but there are a few things that irk me as well. in the video you'll see/hear the primer buzzer (bzzzt! bzzzt!) as well as the rear discharge. I prefer the side discharge of the dillon.

Good vid

[Jet Setter]

OK: to address some of the comments.

"It's fine if you only load one recipe?" That's what Progressive Loaders are all about!!! They are designed to load ammo fast. You don't buy a Spolar to change from load to load as it is just as complicated as any other machine to do.

Anyone who has loaded any number of Shotshells knows that getting the crimp set up correctly is the key to success. Once it is set up you don't mess with it or just decide to change your Recipe which changes everything and you get to start all over with the set up.

I have used another Dillon 900 extensively. I took the one I have now in trade for a Spolar that I also used extensively. Operating the Dillon is far easier, especially with the hull feeder. I own and ran a Production Machine Shop and Reloading Ammo is Exactly the same as making parts on a Manual Turret Lathe. "You figure out how to make the part during the setup up of the machine, and then you do that same procedure as many times as the number of parts needed."

Once the machine is set up, the only variable is the person pulling on the handles. However the brand of machine you are running makes all the difference in the world. Some machines just run better than others, and the variable is not how you feel about it, it is the amount of parts/rounds per hour you can produce,,, or more properly how many pulls on the handle you can stand to do in one session. Running some machines just gets old faster than others.

Another minor point: A Spolar is nothing more than a PW 800 made from nicely machined parts. I would never say Spolars aren't nicely made machines, because I am a Machinist and know what I'm looking at. That's why I bought my first one. They are made from nicely made CNC Machined and Gold Anodized parts and are made to last. (Kind of like my BPM Hand Press, go to Website below.) They are good machines but are not really well suited to change over to different recipes, anymore than a PW is. They are a set and forget type of machine.
Randy

As with Beetle, I would agree to disagree.

In particular reference to your Spolar comments, these are easy machines to change recipes or adjust on the fly. It is even easy to do a complete gauge change and be cranking shells in minutes.

Spolars are definitely not a "set and forget" type system. They are made to easily adjust so that you can make quality shells with minimal down time. It takes minimal time and effort to change from 1.125 oz recipes to 1 oz recipes.