Question.. Dillon 550b or XL650?

[Antihero47]

OK, let me give you some background information. I started reloading back about a year and a half ago. Just reloading for my .308 bolt gun. I purchased the Lee 4 hole turret press (the old one...) to reload single stage on it for awhile. It worked fine using the double disk kits or lee perfect powder measure. I then purchased a AR15 platform and got all of the necessary tools to reload for the 223 in bulk. I set up the press to auto index and set up the double disk kit and rifle charging die. I've had a lot of problems with powder spillage with the rifle charging die and the perfect powder measure using BL-C(2). Its literally every round it can spill about half to a quarter of a grain with the 223's. I've done everything that I can to make this work and its not.

Just a few weeks ago after I purchased my first 9mm which I had all components ready to load for, I had an Idea. I'm going to try some of that blue kool-aid. I purchased a Dillon Square Deal from a great calgunner here in the market place. Being my first progressive press I got use to it and loaded it up and after a hour or two was able to crank out some great ammo really fast. Consistent.

I'm now getting rid of the Rem 700 .308 as I really do not need that much firepower when I can never really get out past 6-700 yards. This downs the calibers that I reload for to 9mm and .223 which is great. I can focus more on shooting and tactical stuff with my carbine and stretch out to 6-700 with my 20" custom AR rig.

So... taking the funds from the selling of the Rem 700 and the Square deal I can purchase one of the Dillon machines, dies, and tools brand new for a discounted price. Here is the question....


Dillon 550B
Dill 223 Carbide
Dill 9mm Carbide
Dill 550 toolhead
Dill 9mm Converson
Dill 550 Press
Dill 223 Conversion
= $577.89 + Shipping

Dillon 650
Dill 223 Carbide
Dill 9mm Carbide
Dill 650 toolhead
Dill 9mm Conversion
Dill 223 650
= 712.40 + Shipping

Difference of $134.51

Is there anything wrong with the 223 carbide dies? I could drop the prices down 55 bucks if I just get the regular Dillon 223 rifle dies. Looking at the description its saying that lube is still necessary... hmmm

Is $135 worth it for the auto index?

[freonr22]

yes

[Chief-7700]

XL-650 With casefeeder.

[freonr22]

or even a hornady lock n load w/ case feeder...

[Waldog]

Concur with Freonr22; The LNL has all the features of the Dillon 650 and is cheaper. The LNL case feeder is about $50 MORE than the Dillon though.

[EWILKE]

I have the 550 and now want the 650 I have loaded around 50,000 rounds and the 650 with the auto index would be so nice.get the 650 and you will be happy.

[CSACANNONEER]

I am going to be in the minority here but, since I own both a 550 and a 650, I might know a little bit about them. Anyway, I prefer the 550 over a 650 in MANY ways. It is cheaper to get caliber conversions for. The 550 is qiucker and easier to change calibers. There are many more caliber conversions offered for the 550. There are less adjustments and things to go wrong with the simpler 550 and so on. Now, if you are only going to do large runs between changing calibers or dedicate a 650 to one cartridge, the 650 is a nice machine too.

[Antihero47]

Great. Right now at my level its more of a 1k 223 and 1k 9mm. Shoot that and get more. Since I will be getting rid of the .308 I think I will be loading up to 2-3k each here in the next few months.

[Sheldon]

I would go with the 650 myself, but the casefeeder needs to be added. You gain a lot of speed from the casefeeder.

[freonr22]

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hmmm less dies. So its comparable to the 650 in cost i assume $65ea
for dies...

[joelogic]

I processed 1000 .308 LC cases on a rock chucker and then threw it on the floor and bought a loaded XL650. When only processing rifle brass it would be extremely annoying to spin it every handle pull.
Seems like the consensus is:
high volume + low # of calibers = 650.
low volume + high # of caliber = 550.
Obviously a simplification but I love my 650 and couldnt picture a 550.

Carbide dies seem to size easier (less force) but I have never compared side by side.

[M47_Dragon]

If possible, maybe keep the Square Deal for 9mm, and get the 650 for .223 only.

Don't know the price difference there, but I would like the idea of two machines all set up and ready to go for each caliber.

[CSACANNONEER]

I processed 1000 .308 LC cases on a rock chucker and then threw it on the floor and bought a loaded XL650. When only processing rifle brass it would be extremely annoying to spin it every handle pull.
Seems like the consensus is:
high volume + low # of calibers = 650.
low volume + high # of caliber = 550.
Obviously a simplification but I love my 650 and couldnt picture a 550.

Carbide dies seem to size easier (less force) but I have never compared side by side.

Wow, I prefer to do my brass prep on a single stage press (I don't have a 650 set up like Randall does). I'm curious just how you do all your brass prep on your 650? I'm assuming that you decap, size and use a Dillon trimmer, right? Personally, I like my Guirad, Lyman and CH4D trimmers so, I have no reason to invest in a Dillon trimmer right now. Anyway, how do you swage, clean and uniform your primer pockets? Do you worry about deburring your flash holes?

As far as manually indexing the 550 goes, I don't have any problems doing it. I tend to keep my batches to 5000 or less on it so, I'm not doing "high volume" with it. When I set up my 650, it will be dedicated to loading .45acp and I'll use the 550 for everything else. The case feeder on the 650 is nice but, it's a lot more $ and you can put a case feeder on a 550 too.

I do like your analysis:

Seems like the consensus is:
high volume + low # of calibers = 650.
low volume + high # of caliber = 550.

I have noticed that many new reloaders only want to do one or two calibers at first. Later they end up doing 10-50 though.

Finally, EVERY reloading bench should have some sort of single stage press. They really help for F-ups and to do small batches for testing.

[freonr22]

On the lnl w/ casefeeder, size deprime, possum hollow drill press triimer, decrimp w/ 2nd drill press (had 2 cheapy drill presses already) then thow back into casefeeder. I know its handling too many times, but that where I'm at financially

[Antihero47]

Does the Hornady presses let you use any die as long as you use their lock n load bushings? Does the press come with these bushings?

I assume the dillon will let you use any dies as well yes?

I reloaded for 30/06, .308win, .223, 9mm. I think with the amount of powder used and cost without having the range to reach out and use those big boys its better spent on 2 223 rounds.