Dillon 550

B17-P51

I think this has been discussed before, but I cannot find it. Here goes. Does any one have a 550 Dillon, and how do you like it. Please rate ,ease of use, construction, factory support and would you recommend it. i have reloaded for 30 years and had a much less expensive progressive about 15 years ago and ripped it off the bench and ran over it with a 1990 F -150 and threw it in the trash.It was painted red. Nuff said? I am ready to jump in again but am a little shy about gambling even more money on a bad experience. I would load 45 ACP, 357 possibly 9mm and can I load 223 on this press? Thanks!

brier-49

dillon has a no BS warranty and great customer service,the only thing they won't do for you is send the young ladies from the catalog to set it up for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Outlaws

quote:Originally posted by B17-P51
I think this has been discussed before, but I cannot find it. Here goes. Does any one have a 550 Dillon, and how do you like it. Please rate ,ease of use, construction, factory support and would you recommend it. i have reloaded for 30 years and had a much less expensive progressive about 15 years ago and ripped it off the bench and ran over it with a 1990 F -150 and threw it in the trash.It was painted red. Nuff said? I am ready to jump in again but am a little shy about gambling even more money on a bad experience. I would load 45 ACP, 357 possibly 9mm and can I load 223 on this press? Thanks!


I got my 550 about 4 years ago and just set it up for use this week.

here is my thoughts on the subject so far (so take it with a grain of salt)

Its great for mass production.

Its bad for test loads....like 5 rounds of this powder...5 rounds of that powder rounds....5 rounds with this primer and powder no.1......5 rounds with that primer and powder no.2.

I fully intend to keep this thing bause I like to plink with my 45, and the same with my .30 Carbine Blackhawk. I have no intention of getting sub MOA loads with them....not yet at least.


I am seriously considering getting a Redding T-7 turret press to put next to the Dillon for my rifle rounds. That way I can still have all my dies set and get more turrets just like the Dillon can get more die blocks. Almost like the dedication to each individual cartridge of a single stage press, but with some of the modern ease of the progressive (not adjusting dies all the time).

Just my noob opinion. YMMV

chuck

I have the Dillon Square Deal, Loads Pistol cart. only, I love it I have change over kits for 357, 44, 45apc, 41 mag. Got it about 15 years ago, No Problems.

BHAVIN

I have had my 550B for 8 years. It works great. It is easy to use. Dillon replaces worn out parts no questions asked and mails them to you no charge. I load a ton of different calibers. The powder measures are more accurate than either of my RCBS measures. I load many thousands of pistol rounds and a few thousand .223 rounds a year and with the Dillon measure it throws dead on. I weigh charges to verify this and have been pleased. For larger caliber rifles I still use my Dillon but I replace the powder measure with a fitted funnel and use my RCBS auto powder dispenser and scale set up. This eliminates the need for more than one press on my bench. I make alot of test loads and it is time consuming but no more so than using my RCBS JR press. Very hard to beat. [:D]

PSFD DONKEY

I bought my 550 about 3 weeks ago, I had a red progressive press before, I wish I would have bought the Dillon years ago, I wouldn't trade it for anything. I load 9mm, 45ACP, 454 Casull and 223 on mine, my hunting loads I still load on a single stage press because I'm pretty fussy about my hunting loads.

Throckmorton

I've had my 550b for nearly 10 years,and it's a keeper.Not as fast as some more expensive machines,but I have lots of time to reload and prefer not 'racing the clock' while reloading.
IMHO, the roller handle is not a 'necessity' , neither are the strong mounts if you mount the press on a tall bench.
The caliber changeover kits are kinda pricey,but you only buy them once so not a biggee.The primer assembly needs to be changed when switching primer sizes,about a five minute job.Sincd in your case you'll be installing the large powder bar as well when doing rifle ammo,allow ten minutes maybe.
All in all a very nice press backed by a VERY nice bunch of folks at Dillon.

macabest

I'll echo what everyone else said. One thing I'd llike to add. I bought the setup video fron Dillon. It was $5.00. After I watched the video and read the instructions I got set up and running in no time. I had no previous experience reloading. I load 38s for cowboy and 357 for bowling pins.
Marc

Oregunner

Buy it, you'll like it.

Pinhead

I've said it before on here. The 550 is the best progressive press I have ever seen or used. Mine was a Christmas gift from my wife and daughter back about 12 or 14 years ago. I load .45 acp, and .45AR on mine and it works great. I have reloaded about 8 thousand plus rounds on it(a conservative estimate) and its still going strong. I just loaded a thousand rounds on it this winter for my son-in-law and 2 grandsons. If you buy one I don't think you'll regret it.

B17-P51

Thanks for all the great feedback and personal comments. I think it speaks well for a company when no one has anything specifically bad to say about their product.I am ready to make the leap into the Twenty First century.