Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles Progressive Press - Help!!!

Help, I need some adult supervision!! While I've only been handloading a little over forty(40) years, I've never used/owned a progressive press.That said, I'll primarily load handgun cartridges and .223's.
Please offer some suggestions of brands and models, also pros and cons!
Thanks in advance!!!! memtb

Memtb, I own a Dillon 550b and love it. Its easy to to change calibers and it spits out great ammo. Dillon has the best warranty in the business..lifetime no bs. Visit www.Brianenos.com for answers to just about anything Dillon related. I'd call Dillon the Gold Standard in progressives. Cowman

cowman has given you good advice. I would say get the 550B. I have loaded a few hundred thousand on mine with out a problem. On another forum, a poster reached his one millon mark on the 550B he owns.Rick.

Dillon is pretty hard to beat but isn't cheap either.

Now if you shoot LOTS - 1000's of rounds a year I'd say get a Dillon xl650 and you'll save a good deal of time, but it'll cost you around a grand when all is said and done.

If you have more time (but want to move faster than you can with a single stage) get a 550 Dillon

The difference - 550 you rotate with your hand, 650 indexes by itself.

Spot

Please note that the following information is based on my personal experience(s) and has previously been posted elsewhere.

First, let me say that the current crop of progressive presses being offered by Dillon, Hornady and Lee are all very good tools with excellent warranties and support. That said, following some five years of hard use, I consider the RCBS Pro 2000 to be an exceptional press and have been extremely happy with it.

I previously used both the Dillon 550 and 650 and they each worked extremely well, albeit demonstrating a need for little "piecey" parts from time-to-time. Not an issue with the 2000. My reason for the switch involved the move from loading high volume(s) of a single cartridge, (Bullseye and IDPA competition), to moderate quantities of several different cartridges with fairly frequent changeovers. For me, the 2000 is the quickest and easiest to convert of all of the current offerings, including Dillon and Hornady.

The RCBS is arguably the strongest and simplest progressive available. Sans cae feeder, it is larger and heavier than a Dillon 1050. I prefer iron to aluminum, especially in the critical toggle-link assembly. Yes, I have seen six broken toggle assemblies on Dillons, one of which occurred on my 650. The precision and ease of use of both the priming and powder metering systems, respectively, on the RCBS is simply excellent. I did purchase the optional tube priming system but haven't used it as I've enjoyed the strip system far more than I thought I would. My preference is for manual indexing over auto index. Interestingly, my rate of production did not change between the 650 and 2000; however, to be honest, I did not use (or want) a case feeder on the former.

If I were starting over again, I would choose the RCBS, even for high volume match shooting, especially if I didn�t have to lug the beast to matches. It's obvious why it was/is the press of choice of the NRA technical staff and shooters/writers such as John Taffin.

Great piece of gear. I've loaded for 52 years and it is the best that I've used. The large operating window and and judicious use of iron and steel make loading rifle catridges a snap. Don't let the price of the press mislead you, once you are set and dedicated for 4 or more cartridges you will have far less money invested in green than in blue. Between the green and red it will be a horse race on $.

I've a 650 and it's been stone reliable, although I am careful to keep it clean and lubed. I don't think the 2000 was available when I got the 650, in 1998 or somewhere. It hurt like heck to buy but has been worth it ever since.
I really like the auto-advance and also the fifth station on the 650 versus the 550.

I bought a used Dillon XL650 some years ago that came with a couple of die sets and caliber conversions. It turned out that the previous owner broke a few things, which Dillon phone support cheerfully helped me figure out. Over my objections, they sent me a bunch of new parts to fix it at no charge. Great folks.

It produces 45ACP at a frightening rate. I'm getting it set up to spit out 223 now that surplus ammo sells at upper-class prices.

Like cowman says, Dillon is the gold standard of progressive presses.

KS