Press

[Dark Mod]

Dillon is awesome, it's not overpriced, it's just that the LNL is ridiculously underpriced. You get so much value for that $375 it's hard to find a reason to get a dillon. Well maybe not that hard, I have to admit if money wasn't an issue I would have gone blue, but I can do just as much with my LNL at half the cost.

I pay exactly $35 per caliber change, and the change takes only a xouple minutes

[Divernhunter]

I was thinking of getting a Hornady or the Square deal. Then I talked to my brother who had a 450 then had it upgraded to a 550 and a friend who had a square deal and sent it back for a XL650. I also have a buddy with 2 RCBS units who said do not buy them. My brother spent the money to get a XL650 and have it sent to me with all the extras and set up for 9mmLuger and 45ACP so we both could use it. I am very happy with it and changes are not any trouble. I have loaded 1200 rounds of 9mmLuger on it and started on 2500 rounds of 45ACP. It is worth every cent paid for it. I had seperate tool heads and they have Dillon dies/powder check and powder measures on each.

I own 2 RCBS and one Hornady single stage presses also. "I" am not a big lee fan. Others are.

If you get a Dillon XL650 you will not be unhappy.

It is your money so get what YOU like.

[chim-chim7]

If your buying the Dillon your the type of person who doesn't ask "how much is that"? You already know its going to be expensive.

[chim-chim7]

This should put a end to it. Go Blue. Dillons 1050 in action at Wilson!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm_yib3-umg

Here is Dawson Precision.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oMnQsJZr58&feature=related

[grant22]

Not to sound like a puss, but the Dawson one made me cringe a little.....no eyes or ears is a little risky. Oh well, their ears and eyes, not mine.

[XDRoX]

This should put a end to it. Go Blue. Dillons 1050 in action at Wilson!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm_yib3-umg

Here is Dawson Precision.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oMnQ...eature=related

First, learn to embed a video Chim, it's a ***** on my ipad

Second, quit posting about the 1050. It only reminds me of how bad I want and can't afford it. I have had enough for a 650 a few time but purposely don't buy it because I want to wait for 1050.

IMO the perfect reloading room is a 550 for all the random calibers and a 1050 for each main caliber.

[freonr22]

Bongos, what do you mean by getting their case feeder working correctly? Mine always worked fine. I only have about 1500 cases through though. There is a clutch adjustment...maybe I am missing something?

[Antihero47]

THe Dillon SDB is not a good bases for comparision, you should try at least the 550B, XL650 is more of the same type, mano a mano. Though the XL650 cost about $200 more than the LNL and extra toolheads does cost more.. It's surpasses the LNL by a Large margin.. In the long run, when you buy all of the plates and accessories for both presses, it's still going to cost over $1000.. the XL650 will only slightly cost more.. but I think you really get what you pay for.. Also, not sure if Hornady ever got their casefeeder working correctly for the LNL...

As an owner of both a Dillon XL650 with Casefeed and LnL AP I would like to know why you believe a Dillon 650 "..surpasses the LNL by a Large margin...". Please list out a few of the reasons why the margin is so large, I'd really love to know. Have you owned or used both presses extensively?

To the O.P...

If you find yourself between the LnL and the Dillon XL650... Having been an owner of both presses my personal opinion is save some money for the same amount of output with almost identical customer service and get the Hornady Lock n Load.

Pro's of LnL
Simple Design & Ergonomics
Ease & quicker changes of calibers
Less expensive & cheaper to add calibers
Press has all metal construction

They are both good machines, both pump out the same amount of rounds. The Dillon is just more expensive and I can't tell any reason why it should be as its got a lot more plastic parts than the Lock N Load press. I've broke the shell plate indexing ring on the Dillon a few times a little too easily.

My $.02, but I'm curious to see Bongos response.

[Waldog]

THe Dillon SDB is not a good bases for comparision, you should try at least the 550B, XL650 is more of the same type, mano a mano. Though the XL650 cost about $200 more than the LNL and extra toolheads does cost more.. It's surpasses the LNL by a Large margin.. In the long run, when you buy all of the plates and accessories for both presses, it's still going to cost over $1000.. the XL650 will only slightly cost more.. but I think you really get what you pay for.. Also, not sure if Hornady ever got their casefeeder working correctly for the LNL...

You are correct. The SDB is a poor comparison. I was trying to show that I have experience with both companies. Many bash one company in favor of another when in reality they have ZERO experience with the bashed company. In fact I have loaded on Dillon , SDB, 550, 650 and, 1050. I should have mentioned that.

Based on my experience with both companies, I still prefer the LNL. I have the case feeder and it works as advertised. I do believe the Dillon Case feeder is made a little nicer but, both case feeders work on exactly the same principle. Nice thing though, the Dillon case feeder is about $50 cheaper than the Hornady purchased at a discount price.

[zoid52]

550 is the cat's meow!!!

[Bongos]

Well to address my particulars on the LNL casefeeder(defined as any reason to stop your production to tweek the maching to start moving again, not due to adding more primers or brass in the casefeeder). The motor on the LNL is too fast and the funnel slot is too small, what you end up doing is everso often a case would get stuck between the case plate and the slot (tell me this has never happen to you) which means you have to stop what you are doing and clear it (this does not happen to every caliber but it does happens). For some reason, the Dillon do not have this issue.

Other observations:
the spring coil which holds the cases in place while rotating tends to kink if you take the case out and in too often (Eventually will need to be replace).
No sound powder check (only visual is available)
The Powder measure tends to cut extruded powders (which can lead to inaccurate count)

If you can live with these.. excellent! Personally, when you have thousands of dollars vested in a system and in the end, it comes down to a few hundred dollars difference.. I prefer the Dillon. Sorry for the late reply, I got burned out on Shooting and have transition into archery... so haven't been coming back to this site as of late. When I think of other LNL issues, I will address, the above were just some of the ones that I remember from helping a Buddy load with his LNL...

[Antihero47]

Well to address my particulars on the LNL casefeeder(defined as any reason to stop your production to tweek the maching to start moving again, not due to adding more primers or brass in the casefeeder). The motor on the LNL is too fast and the funnel slot is too small, what you end up doing is everso often a case would get stuck between the case plate and the slot (tell me this has never happen to you) which means you have to stop what you are doing and clear it (this does not happen to every caliber but it does happens). For some reason, the Dillon do not have this issue.

Other observations:
the spring coil which holds the cases in place while rotating tends to kink if you take the case out and in too often (Eventually will need to be replace).
No sound powder check (only visual is available)
The Powder measure tends to cut extruded powders (which can lead to inaccurate count)

If you can live with these.. excellent! Personally, when you have thousands of dollars vested in a system and in the end, it comes down to a few hundred dollars difference.. I prefer the Dillon. Sorry for the late reply, I got burned out on Shooting and have transition into archery... so haven't been coming back to this site as of late. When I think of other LNL issues, I will address, the above were just some of the ones that I remember from helping a Buddy load with his LNL...

While I don't have the experience with the Hornady casefeed to compare I can say that my Dillon casefeed did exactly what your saying when reloading 9mm. I would get occasional pile ups with brass that got tilted and lodged sideways along with the occasional upside down casing.

As far as the retention spring I have had about 10 caliber changes so far and no kinking. Still on my same one. I've also got to say I much prefer the retention plate to the individual locator pins.

While its true that Hornady doesn't manufacture an audible powder check system its still something that you'll need to purchase secondary to the actual XL650. The best part about that is it can also be purchased and placed on a Hornady LnL system.

[Bongos]

While its true that Hornady doesn't manufacture an audible powder check system its still something that you'll need to purchase secondary to the actual XL650. The best part about that is it can also be purchased and placed on a Hornady LnL system.

Actually, that is not true, you cannot use the Dillon powder check on the LNL as the Dillon is a proprietary design, unless you want to drill a hole in your LNL press. I've seen people with an LNL trying to make a conversion to use the Dillon, but they seldem wotk, plus they look funky

But still, it all depend on you pocket book, initially the Dillon cost $200 more than the LNL and as you increase the numbers of calibers you choose to load, the cost slightly increases with each addition...but for me, when you reach 10 or more calibers, the difference is at most $300 or so, it still worth it.

[emy]

Happy new year , New years resolution , reload and shoot more. If you plan on shooting a couple of hundred a week the 550 is good deal , if more go with the 650. I have both , 9mm and 45 on the 550, rifle on the 650 . I shoot my 308 alot 1k a month the 650 is easy to use for me.

[Antihero47]

Actually, that is not true, you cannot use the Dillon powder check on the LNL as the Dillon is a proprietary design, unless you want to drill a hole in your LNL press. I've seen people with an LNL trying to make a conversion to use the Dillon, but they seldem wotk, plus they look funky

But still, it all depend on you pocket book, initially the Dillon cost $200 more than the LNL and as you increase the numbers of calibers you choose to load, the cost slightly increases with each addition...but for me, when you reach 10 or more calibers, the difference is at most $300 or so, it still worth it.

Your correct it doesnt seem to be just a plug n play thing. You do need to play with it. A user on Youtube here has seemed to got it to work without modifying his press but the actual Rod itself. Pretty smart.

http://youtu.be/F0z-isyIPG8

I personally would just run a Powder Cop die as I'm used to looking at the powder in the case anyways but I would steal Dillon's low primer alarm. I've just rigged the LnL weighted rod with a flag for now.