New to reloading help with Dillon 550

[fsh4bass]

okay, so im brand new to reloading (other than shotgun shells) i sprung for a dillion 550, i want to reload 30-06 17 fireball and 45acp, What do i need as far as accessories other than what comes in the box, and other than components?

Any help is much appreciated

[Waldog]

1. Before anything else and before you attempt to load ANY ammo, buy a good Reloading manual. I recommend Lyman's 49th Reloading manual.
2. Powder scale. These days everyone likes electronic scales. I recommend buying a good balance beam scale. The Dillion Eliminator scale is excellent and reasonably priced. Electronic scales are nice but, with the kind of winter we have had this year, no electricity, no scale. Buy a manual scale.
3. Loading dies for each case you want to load, i.e., 30-06, 17 fireball and 45acp
4. Appropriate Dillon shell plate and locator pins for each case.
5. Dillon powder measure insert appropriate for pistol and rifle powder charges.
6. Case lube. For rifle I recommend Imperial Sizing wax. For pistol a spray lube is fine. For a rifle, if you want stuck cases, use a spray lube.
7. And, finally a good set of 6" dial calipers. I recommend DIAL and not digital. Digital is easier to read but again, no batteries, no calipers. Batteries ALWAYS die just as you need them most.

That's probably a minimum list to get started but, from there your gonna' need a case trimmer, primer pocket cleaner, neck brush, case chamfering tool, stuck-case-remover, tumbler for cleaning cases, primer pocket reamer or swage, bullet collimator. The list goes on and on

[Multra]

Read a manual, don't buy a progressive as your first press.

[drdarrin@sbcglobal.net]

Read a manual, don't buy a progressive as your first press.

Too late on the second recommendation.

[microstencil]

I don't know. I started with a Dillon 550 and had no problems. I did a have a good friend help me get started that had been loading for over 30 years. Since then I have loaded 10,000's of rounds.

[Germz]

Where are you located OP? you should jump into a reloading clinic.

[Leethe4th]

fsh4bass, you do not need a reloading manual (all load data is online at the powder manufacturer's website). what you need is powder (good luck), primers, cases and bullets to start. Because the 550 is a manual indexing press, a high volume low density pistol powder is recommended, such as W231, almost fills the case, impossible to double charge. Rifle powders fill the case. And you need to decide on a case cleaning method, dry tumble or wet SS pins. I use dry, walnut for cleaning, corn for polishing. A harbor freight tumber is fine, get your media from pet stores.

1) Dies for each caliber, recommend Dillon because they will match the tool head section thickness. and if you can afford it, a tool head for each caliber, so it's only 2 pins to switch, and if you can even more afford it, a powder drop for each.

2) Depending on which powder measure your press came with, you will need the other one (small for pistol, large for rifle) one will not work for the other

3) shell plate for each caliber

4) electronic scale (battery powered), there is no reason to buy a triple beam, the digitals are cheap and accurate, you will need one to read up to 70 grains for 30-06.

5) calipers, harbor freight ones are fine, dial's work just as good as digitals.

6) as mentioned, for rifle a cases trimmer, etc. and case gages for each caliber.


7) NOW most important of all! someone to help you set up the dies, that is where the knowledge base is. resize/deprime, powder drop, seat and crimp dies have to be just right. Post up your location and someone close to you will have a 550 that has been running for decades and be willing to show you the setup. After that, keep pulling the handle.

[MrElectric03]

Read a manual, don't buy a progressive as your first press.

There's nothing wrong with starting on a progressive as long as you have the self control not to rush. If you don't have said self control you shouldn't be reloading.

I started out by buying my xl650 and later added a rockchucker I use to de-buldge my .40 and load 30-30.

OP the list above by Waldog shows pretty much everything that came to mind. I bought a beam scale and later bough a small electronic scale for checking my 30-30 loads I load on a single stage. Always good to have backup.

A couple things I don't remember being on the list is a primer flip tray and bullet puller.

Look for caliber conversions on ebay. The 550 are fairly cheap on there, the 650 conversions often go for more than new

And yes you do need a manual. I use Lyman's 49th and go to it for data Everytime I load.

[MrElectric03]

2) Depending on which powder measure your press came with, you will need the other one (small for pistol, large for rifle) one will not work for the other

Actually the dillon measure includes large and small bars. The only ones that aren't included are the magnum rifle which I don't think you'll need and the extra small used for 25acp and smaller cartridges. You may need that for 17 fireball but I'm not sure how much powder they use.

[John Browning]

fsh4bass, you do not need a reloading manual (all load data is online at the powder manufacturer's website). what you need is powder (good luck), primers, cases and bullets to start. Because the 550 is a manual indexing press, a high volume low density pistol powder is recommended, such as W231, almost fills the case, impossible to double charge. Rifle powders fill the case. And you need to decide on a case cleaning method, dry tumble or wet SS pins. I use dry, walnut for cleaning, corn for polishing. A harbor freight tumber is fine, get your media from pet stores.

1) Dies for each caliber, recommend Dillon because they will match the tool head section thickness. and if you can afford it, a tool head for each caliber, so it's only 2 pins to switch, and if you can even more afford it, a powder drop for each.

2) Depending on which powder measure your press came with, you will need the other one (small for pistol, large for rifle) one will not work for the other

3) shell plate for each caliber

4) electronic scale (battery powered), there is no reason to buy a triple beam, the digitals are cheap and accurate, you will need one to read up to 70 grains for 30-06.

5) calipers, harbor freight ones are fine, dial's work just as good as digitals.

6) as mentioned, for rifle a cases trimmer, etc. and case gages for each caliber.


7) NOW most important of all! someone to help you set up the dies, that is where the knowledge base is. resize/deprime, powder drop, seat and crimp dies have to be just right. Post up your location and someone close to you will have a 550 that has been running for decades and be willing to show you the setup. After that, keep pulling the handle.

You do need a reloading manual. They have more than just loading data. If you're new, and you like your fingers, eyes, guns, etc. BUY A RELOADING MANUAL. They have lots of very good information in there on the basics of reloading. Only someone who doesn't own a manual would think there is some major challenge to setting up dies.

Buy a manual.

[Colt562]

You do need a reloading manual. They have more than just loading data. If you're new, and you like your fingers, eyes, guns, etc. BUY A RELOADING MANUAL. They have lots of very good information in there on the basics of reloading. Only someone who doesn't own a manual would think there is some major challenge to setting up dies.

Buy a manual.

Im going to have to disagree. With all the information out right now on the internet, one can get by without a manual.

Although its suggested you don't NEED a manual to start reloading.

[CSACANNONEER]

Colt is correct in that you don't "need" a manual. I think everyone needs at least three or four manuals in order to cross reference and check for misprints. I do not think that any new reloader should just blindly believe what someone has posted on the internet.

That said, with a 550 (my favorite press for bulk loading), you'll need conversion kits and dies for each cartridge that you want to load on it. You'll need a trimmer, bullet puller, scale (don't get an electronic one until you know everything that can affect them (florescent lights, cel phones, speakers, fluctuations in household current, etc.), sizing lube and a variety of hand tools. You will want to decap and size your bottlenecked cartridges in one step, remove them from the press, trim, debur, swage (if need be), uniform primer pocket depths, debur flash holes, turn necks, etc. (note, some of these steps are not mandatory but, trimming to length is!) Then, with your processed brass, you can go back to your press to prime, charge, seat bullet and crimp.

I strongly suggest finding a mentor and/or taking a reloading clinic if you can. The California Reloading Club has been offering low cost, hands on clinics in the Bay Area, Greater Sacramento area, EI, LA County, Long Beach, Orange County and San Diego.

If you are in the LA/Ventura area, I can help you get started either at a clinic or one on one.

[John Browning]

You have you remember a few things:

1. A manual is a professionally written and verified source. the internet is...well...the internet.

2. New reloaders don't have the ability to sort out BS on the internet.

3. Eyes, ears, fingers, etc. are worth a $30 investment.

[Colt562]

You have you remember a few things:

1. A manual is a professionally written and verified source. the internet is...well...the internet.

So there are not any professionals that post on the internet? A lot of stuff on the internet is wrong but I would a majority is correct. With the internet now a days you have so many people reading stuff and can expel any incorrections.

2. New reloaders don't have the ability to sort out BS on the internet.

Some parts of reloading is a strong sense of common sense.

3. Eyes, ears, fingers, etc. are worth a $30 investment.

...

[Divernhunter]

Get the Lyman manual and read it. That will answer 90% of your questions about the reloading process and what is needed. It has good data also.
Get a brass cleaner and separator. I use the vibrator type and a Midway separator.

Waldog---Try RCBS spray lube and you will change your statement about spray lubes. I tried Hornady and just got stuck cases. Just toss the brass into a metal baking pan, spray, shake a bit, spray again and size. I do 204Ruger and up to 50bmg and do not get stuck cases. This include brass fired out of a full-auto weapon which are the hardest to size.