dillon 650 vs 1050

[coltn46920]

For a complete noob on reloading which would you recommend? Will be using to reload .308
I want it to be as simple as possible to make my own ammunition with little room for operator error.

[NRAhighpowershooter]

for a complete noob on reloading.. and you absolutely need a progressive.. go with the Dillon 550...........

[bruceflinch]

The 1050 is a commercial machine & does not have the great warranty, that all the other Dillon stuff has.

[jandmtv]

Get the XL650 and dont look back. For a complete noob, the auto indexing feature on the 650 is a big plus over the 550.

[ghideon]

650. Bought mine around APR. Have loaded over 10,000 rnds (mostly 9mm) with it so far.

[dreyna14]

I'm not sure how much .308 you actually shoot, but that's hardly a round that warrants the need for a progressive, especially for a reloading noob. I highly recommend a good turret press (Lee Classic is awesome), which is much cheaper, outputs a decent number of rounds, and lacks significant complexity. You can usually disable the auto indexing to allow the press to be used as a single stage.

[becxltoo984]

for a complete noob on reloading.. and you absolutely need a progressive.. go with the Dillon 550...........

Agree ! This noob has been using a RL 550 for about 14 years most have been trouble free . Just replaced the primer bar return spring the other day . Dillon is great sent them an email with in 2 days the new spring showed up . No charge .

[Sunwolf]

I suggest a cheaper single stage in order to gain experience first then graduate to a progressive.

[Teletiger7]

What type of rifle are you shooting?

[Blacktail 8541]

Get a 650, the 1050 is way over kill unless you are shooting 10,000 rounds a year or money is no issue. The only thing the 650 does not have V the 1050 is a swaging feature. The 650 can be ordered with the case feed assesory.

[bruceflinch]

Single stage for rifle it's a lot more accurate.work in large batches and you'll do OK in the speed department.Not as fast as a progressive,but safer for the larger amounts of powder needed for rifle, and I think you'll build more accurate loads

That's why I added a Rockchucker to the bench.

[Army GI]

I'll throw in another vote for the 650. Mainly because it has the lifetime warranty and the 1050 does not.

[eaglemike]

The 1050 has adjustable primer seating depth. This can be a very good thing if you get into competition shooting. It also has the primer pcket swaging as noted above, required for miltary brass the first time (if you are using once fired). The 1050 is stouter than the 650.

The 650 is faster, easier, and cheaper to change calibers.

The warranty difference isn't really a big deal.

For a first time reloader, I would suggest a 550. Easier to learn, cheaper to buy, cheaper for caliber changes. Shooting .308/7.62 this will be plenty usable.

At some point, you will perhaps want a single stage too, just for sizing, and then using a trimmer. Then run the cases through the 550.

I sold Dillon stuff at gun shows for several years.

all the best,
Mike

[rayra]

For a complete noob on reloading which would you recommend? Will be using to reload .308
I want it to be as simple as possible to make my own ammunition with little room for operator error.

Massively overbuying. A 550B will readily serve your needs. Particularly if you ahve no prior experience in reloading or surety that you'll remain interested in doing it.

And you cannot buy your way out of 'operator error' in reloading. In fact I'd call that a a dangerously ignorant / complacent way of looking at something which contains very real hazards.

[grammaton76]

I will say that I started with a 650 as my first press, and I'm going to recommend to you what I did:

Do not view the powder check system as optional. As you've said, you're a noob and if you're going to start on a 650, you're going to need as many useful sanity checks as you can get.

Don't mess with the low powder warning for your powder hopper; that's easy enough to notice.

DO NOT GET the automatic casefeeder right away!!! The point here is to ensure that you're going slow enough to be careful. You can have it eventually, but not until after you've loaded a thousand or so rounds.