Need a recommendation on a progressive press.

[Lead Waster]

I would suggest looking at presses and comparing only features, rather than cost at first. After you figure out what you want, look at the costs. Once you have it, in a year, any feature that you miss will drive you crazy, but the extra $100, $200, $300 you saved is forgotten. At this range of press, the money you spent is NOT wasted, you will have an excellent machine, but you might pine for a case feeder or auto-index, but you won't know that until you buy it and use it!

I have the 550b, do I wish I had the 650? Sometimes, but I really have no complaints about the 550b, I don't miss auto-index or case feed because I'm used to not having that.

But you know, get what you want and you will enjoy it I'm sure. I won't convince you otherwise (Why would I? I have nothing to gain or lose if you don't buy the exact same press that I have!)

ie; just pick the features you want and get it, don't bother second guessing the purchase because at this level of press, you can easily sell it to someone else for like 80%+ of it's purchase price, and they will all work fine and have good warranties.

[PhilSF]

I like my Ammo Plant, midwayusa has it for couple hundred cheaper and also comes with 500 free bullets GO RED! lol Dillon is good to but i like RED.

[CEDaytonaRydr]

I don't know why dillon even offers the 650 WITHOUT a casefeeder.
It would be a serious pain to load on a 650 with no casefeeder.

A few reasons:

Case feeder is expensive.

Case feeder doesn't always fit under cabinets, ceilings, etc.

No necessary for accuracy loads on rifles.


I don't have the case feeder....

[SoCal1911]

RCBS Pro 2000 is a great press, love mine. Picked up an extra demo model little while back. Never had any problems and can put out 300 rds an hour. Geat Customer Service. No pot metall or plastic parts to break. My buddy got one first, when I tried his I was sold.

[Triple R Munitions]

The 650 is the way to go. There is only one great progressive loader: Dillion.

R

[Colt562]

IMO I believe the 550 is the way to go if you plan on reloading multiple calibers

[ragenmoan]

I started reloading with a RCBS single press, bought their Piggy Back progressive retrofit kit for it and really happy with the setup. RCBS now have a bullet feed for 9mm and .45 bullets. Really makes reloading real fast now. They also sell the top plate for mounting the dies separately. I have a setup now for 6 different calibers. Saved a ton of money with this setup. Bought it all on EBay....

[nyc71]

What was the nature of your issues? Is it one of the older models?

I've been using LnL for over 20k rounds now.

The only issue I've had is I had to adjust the pawls to index correctly and by design you have replace retainer springs every few thousand rounds.

Hornady CS is awesome. They will replace parts for free.

My friend got a used LnL with a large primer slide missing. Hornady shipped him a new one for free.

Dillon charges you for parts if you get a used press, even though they have a no BS warranty if you are the original owner.

Really, depends on which koolaid you drink.

Let me start off by saying that Hornady fine tuned the issues I was having with paw, seating large primers, & the pivot.
The machine works as advertise but if I could do it all over again
I would have bought the 650.
Btw the Hornady it's one of the newer models.

[Sunday]

I Have owned a Dillon 550 since 1991 or 1992 and I have been totally happy with it . About two years ago a part in the primer feed setup wore a bit and was causing trouble. I called Dillon and the rep asked me more questions that I thought was needed. Well not only did the rep send a new primer assembly and related parts , and a new updated manual. Talking about a No B.S. warranty. The 650 is pretty cool and a step above the 550 ,it is worth thinking about though the 550 does great. Let me add, there is a learning period and the press is easy to master but take baby steps and take you time learning the adjustments.After a while the adjustments will be almost instant and fun.

[Ad0nis]

Wow

I think its sad to see that every time this comes up the "Blue" people rush in to convince someone to over pay for an antiquated, obsolete, press.

Do your self a favor. Ignore the Dillon fanboys and look up the LnL on youtube. Its a superior machine that will not ask you to take out a mortgage on caliber changes for little plastic and brass bobbles, toolheads, or powder measures (or bars). The thing is you'll be nickle and dimed to death in order to get any one of the blue presses to get even close to the convenience of the LnL system.

That's right Dillonite sheep, I said the LnL is SUPERIOR to the xl650 (and without a doubt the Jurassic 550).

If you buy the Dillon, do your self a favor and don't look back - cause if you do you will see what a sucker you really were.

[Ad0nis]

BTW.

If you are keeping your rock chucker, google "LnL calibration". The video demonstrates how to calibrate any single stage press w/ LnL conversion bushing with a LnL progressive. This way you can work-up loads/die settings on your single stage, then swap the dies (without changing settings) into your LnL AP and go into full production. I did it, and OMG is it nice!

[Cowboy T]

Wow

I think its sad to see that every time this comes up the "Blue" people rush in to convince someone to over pay for an antiquated, obsolete, press.

Do your self a favor. Ignore the Dillon fanboys and look up the LnL on youtube. Its a superior machine that will not ask you to take out a mortgage on caliber changes for little plastic and brass bobbles, toolheads, or powder measures (or bars). The thing is you'll be nickle and dimed to death in order to get any one of the blue presses to get even close to the convenience of the LnL system.

That's right Dillonite sheep, I said the LnL is SUPERIOR to the xl650 (and without a doubt the Jurassic 550).

If you buy the Dillon, do your self a favor and don't look back - cause if you do you will see what a sucker you really were.

Oh, this is gonna be goooood! And I got front-row seats!!



I foresee something akin to the following happening....

[Colt562]

I have to disagree that the 650 is superior to the 550. They both have their own applications.

[bandook]

Wow

I think its sad to see that every time this comes up the "Blue" people rush in to convince someone to over pay for an antiquated, obsolete, press.

Do your self a favor. Ignore the Dillon fanboys and look up the LnL on youtube. Its a superior machine that will not ask you to take out a mortgage on caliber changes for little plastic and brass bobbles, toolheads, or powder measures (or bars). The thing is you'll be nickle and dimed to death in order to get any one of the blue presses to get even close to the convenience of the LnL system.

That's right Dillonite sheep, I said the LnL is SUPERIOR to the xl650 (and without a doubt the Jurassic 550).

If you buy the Dillon, do your self a favor and don't look back - cause if you do you will see what a sucker you really were.

Disclaimer: I have the LNL AP and am very happy with it...

I think its the best value for money in progressives. Palmetto recently had the LNL AP recently for about $360 shipped. Subtract about $100 for the 500 free bullets you get with it and so, for about $260, a better Auto-indexing progressive cannot be had...

While I can understand people choosing a 650 over a Hornady LNL (they are the same class of machine at approximately the same price for a single caliber) , I'm really puzzled with people choosing a 550 over the Hornady LNL. The Dillon 550 is a lesser machine and is more expensive.

[Colt562]

double post