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Reloading with a progressive (dillon)
bambihunter
Member Posts: 10,742 ✭✭✭
I've been looking at Dillon reloading presses for some time. Let me ask a few dumb (uneducated) questions about them.
First, if using a progressive, does it eliminate the need for some of the other components such as a scale? The XL650 or the 1050 seem like you just drop in an empty and keep pulling the handle and it spits out loaded ammo. I assume you'll still need case prep tools right?
Second, I see the 650's advertised as rifle or pistol. Does that just mean which plate it comes with? It seems like they were interchangeable.
The reason I ask is because if a few of the deals I got going actually work out I'll have some extra and I want to get one of the better models. This will be for loading 10mm pistol ammo. I'll likely get a single-stage later for my hunting rifle loads (although some say the Dillon is about as good as you can get by using a single stage). I ordered their catalog and maybe that'll explain some of it...
First, if using a progressive, does it eliminate the need for some of the other components such as a scale? The XL650 or the 1050 seem like you just drop in an empty and keep pulling the handle and it spits out loaded ammo. I assume you'll still need case prep tools right?
Second, I see the 650's advertised as rifle or pistol. Does that just mean which plate it comes with? It seems like they were interchangeable.
The reason I ask is because if a few of the deals I got going actually work out I'll have some extra and I want to get one of the better models. This will be for loading 10mm pistol ammo. I'll likely get a single-stage later for my hunting rifle loads (although some say the Dillon is about as good as you can get by using a single stage). I ordered their catalog and maybe that'll explain some of it...
Fanatic collector of the 10mm auto.
Comments
You'll need to measure your powder to get the powder slide set and after that you can leave it and just keep pulling the handle. If you shoot competition, you'll still need to check every time, but for gen. purpose, it'll be + or - a tenth of a grain occassionally, but ususally dead on.
You still need case prep.
650 does both rifle and pistol. You just change the powder funnel and powder slide and the little dinkus in the brass feed tube.
And you change plates for most every caliber but some are interchangeable. Like I can use the same plate and brass feed tube dinkus for 7.62x39 and 30-06. The book has a table that tells all the caliber interchangable parts.
The powder funnel and slide need only be switched when changing from rifle to pistol and vice-versa. The slide is adjusted for each type of load.
They send you a step by step video that answers ALL the questions, and they send all the tools needed to do the changes.
Dillon are guaranteed for life, even if you sell it, the guy who buys it still gets the guarantee. Have you been to their website?
The 650 is truly a work of art.
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Former Member U.S. Navy Shooting Team
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I also, have a Dillon 550B and LOVE IT!! I am more finickey about the reloads and don't quite get 500 an hour, but they sure pour out of the press much faster than the RCBS Rock Chucker (single stage press). I shoot IDPA, Glock matches and lots of target in 9mm, 45ACP, 38/357 and 223. So the machine gets worked a lot. Probably reloaded 5000 rounds since fall.
Rifle cases require a lot more case prep, and I find I use the single stage press to decap and size. That allows you to trim the pre sized case and trim to length without a primer. Then put them thru the Dillon for the remaining steps.
One thing to be aware of, to change from caliber to caliber, while easy because of Dillons great engineering, is expensive. You need a dedicated tool head, powder die, caliber conversion kit (for the shell plate, retaining pins, powder drop tube) set of dies and , if your luckey, a dedicated powder measure to speed your conversion. Plan on $120 to $170 per caliber. Have more invested in dies, etc than the machine. HOWEVER, these things sell for 90% of new price on E-bay, so you don't seem to lose much $$$.
Still having trouble reloading .223 for a match chambered rifle and am not sure what is going on. Any hints from the pros woud be appreciated.
Feel free to e-mail any questions.
Happy loading
Good judgement comes from experience.
Experience comes from bad judgement. Gen. Omar Bradley
Jason
Proud NRA member
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Bambi, you didn't say in your post if you were going to reload pistol or rifle.
Yes I did... [;)]
quote:Originally posted by bambihunter
This will be for loading 10mm pistol ammo. I'll likely get a single-stage later for my hunting rifle loads
Thanks for the tips guys. I will start looking more seriously at them.
Scales are needed in a progressive press to check throw weights of the powder measure. You will also need to buy primer pickup tubes and various other not included parts, best to buy a progressive reloading book or video to get a better idea on what you are getting into.
Yes you still need to prep your cases to ensure accuracy and continuity of your loads .
The plates are interchangable, as for myself I have a few extras with my dies permanently mounted for most often used calibers.
"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878<P>
bigdaddy - Dillon has a special machine to load the tubes automatically, something on the order of $200 if I recall correctly. Me, I just have a lot of tubes and when I'm making a run, keep the flipper, primers and tubes by the TV. Great way to use the commercial time.
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Chris8161
Admit nothing, deny everything, demand proof!
Dillon stuff comes with EVERYTHING you need unlike LEE or RCBS progressives; but you'll still need a decent scale, case lube, trimmers, calipers, etc. for case prep.
The primer tube thing freaked me out at first, but now I just slide the primer box open to match the number of cases I have, plop them into the cover for my lee primer, shake 'em a little to get all the primers the same way, and pop, pop, pop they go into the soft plastic fingers of the primer tube.
I was worried that I couldn't trust some machine to throw powder as well as I could, but when I set the 550, I am confident that every charge is within the tolerance of my digital scale's readings, so I set it and forget it.
Rifle rounds that use very large amounts of powder used to be a drag till Dillon came out with their Magnum charge bar; now I can load the 7mm & 300's as accurately as I can by hand, but MUCH faster.
The USAMU uses Dillon presses; I can't think of a better recommendation.
Be sure to get the replacement parts kit, too; it'll save your butt when you step on that primer pickup tube.
For a match chamber .223; get the neck bushing dies from Redding.
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