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Campfire Outfitter
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OP
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550 or 650?
I've got more time than money, so cranking out a gagillion rounds an hour isn't a huge deal to me. But this is going to be a one time purchase, so I'd rather buy once and cry once.
Ease of use is a big deal to me. If the 650 is significantly more complicated to use or setup or switch between calibers, the increase in speed isn't worth it to me. I don't want to fiddle with it, I just want to load.
your flippant remarks which you so adeptly sling
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Joined: Jul 2012
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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The 550 is far more versatile. If you plan to load rifle and pistol, the 550 is the better tool. If you plan to load one or two pistol calibers the 650 is a smooth machine. I prefer the manual index of the 550
The factory of the future will have only two employees, a man and a dog. The man will be there to feed the dog. The dog will be there to keep the man from touching the equipment. � WARREN G. BENNIS
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Joined: May 2007
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Campfire Outfitter
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OP
Campfire Outfitter
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I'll load .223 and .40 almost exclusively. Probably around a 60/40 split.
your flippant remarks which you so adeptly sling
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 52,680
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 52,680 |
If I had to do it over again I would go with the 550. 20 years or so ago I bought a Square Deal thinking I would never need to load rifle rounds on a progressive.
Liberalism is a mental disorder that leads to social disease.
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 16,000
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Oct 2005
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The 550 is far more versatile. If you plan to load rifle and pistol, the 550 is the better tool. If you plan to load one or two pistol calibers the 650 is a smooth machine. I prefer the manual index of the 550 pretty much what he says, i feel the same way. Don't be sure you will only do two calibers. I still use a rockchucker for a lot of things. Where the dillon comes into play is like doing a couple thousand of something. I have a tendency to bulk load a bunch of .38special as an example, then won't reload it again until i hit the bottom of the pile. when i am screwing around with various combinations, i still prefer the rockchucker for a limited amount. I really don't like the 650, prefer to have the control of manual indexing.
Last edited by RoninPhx; 09/18/14.
THE BIRTH PLACE OF GERONIMO
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Joined: Sep 2004
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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550 - after tens of thousands of rounds loaded this is the right choice.
Terry
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Joined: Feb 2009
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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I have an older 550. Great tool. However, I learned to look into every case after powder charge station to make sure there were no double charges in pistol cases. (Don't ask.)
“Some ideas are so stupid that only intellectuals believe them.” ― G. Orwell
"Why can't men kill big game with the same cartridges women and kids use?" _Eileen Clarke
"Unjust authority confers no obligation of obedience." - Alexander Hamilton
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Joined: Jun 2012
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jun 2012
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I'll load .223 and .40 almost exclusively. Probably around a 60/40 split. You should justt get all your ammo from your depts unlimited budget
The government plans these shootings by targeting kids from kindergarten that the government thinks they can control with drugs until the appropriate time--DerbyDude
Whatever. Tell the oompa loompa's hey for me. [/quote]. LtPPowell
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Joined: Aug 2003
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Aug 2003
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Do you have an estimate on the number of rounds per batch?
Forgive me my nonsense, as I also forgive the nonsense of those that think they talk sense. Robert Frost
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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I have a 650, on at least 12-13 years now. Never busted a part, loaded good ammo with it. It's not for the mechanicially disinclined, but it's not a space shuttle. Pay attention to what it "says," keep it clean and lubed and it just runs. Pistols, I can see where the shell plates get ridiculously expensive if you are one of THOSE people. But I would recommend the 650. I LIKE the auto advance. Changeovers don't take very long, no more than five minutes for me -- but I never change the primer pusher. Small works for everything. The only thing I would ever scream about is the powder charging. It is not as precise as I would like for nitpicking loads, especially with stick powders, but I get around that with an interrupted cycle, pulling dies from the station. No matter which unit you get, I would recommend a powder checker if you are doing pistol.
Up hills slow, Down hills fast Tonnage first and Safety last.
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Joined: May 2007
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Campfire Outfitter
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OP
Campfire Outfitter
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Do you have an estimate on the number of rounds per batch? Ideally I'd like to be at a routine of doing 2K at a time.
your flippant remarks which you so adeptly sling
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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Just bought a 550.
First order of business; putting it together.
Second order of business; buy lots more brass.
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Joined: Nov 2005
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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Posts: 2,195 |
Dillon 550B.Very happy with it.
Bangflop! another skinning job due to .260 and proper shot placement.
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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You will need two 550s One for calibers with a small primer and one for large primers. That way, change-over takes half the time.
I could wish a lot of things on my worst enemy but neuropathy ain't one of them.
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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As soon as the family finances recover from my daughter's wedding, I plan on buying a 550B mainly for pistol ammo, but also for .223. I will probably still load small volume rifle ammo on a single stage press.
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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I have the 550B and reload 15 different calibers. Dillon talked me out of buying the 650 and I am very happy they did. I have done about 250 per hour but average between 150 to 200.
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Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 61 |
550=more control through manual indexing and moderate speed 650=much more speed at the cost of some control 550= ~400-500 rds/hr 650= ~600-700 rds/hr YMMV but both are great machines
Last edited by smike308; 09/18/14.
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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i have the Sq Deal B for 9mm. with some friends, i skipped the 550/650 question and went for the 1050b. i had reasons that i believe/hope will justify the cost.
as for me, i prefer the auto index of the 650. you won't need to change primer components with .40 and .223, so that is a non issue.
i am sure you have googled '550 or 650'. if not, do so.
often your choice depends on how many calibers you are going to load. if price is the factor, there isn't much difference between the 550 and the 650. if you are choosing the 550 only because it is cheaper, save up and get the 650.
good luck, i am sure you'll like either
Last edited by keith_dunlap; 09/18/14.
if a man speaks, and there isn't a woman around to hear him, is he still wrong?
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Joined: May 2007
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Campfire Outfitter
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OP
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Everything I've read at Enos says to get the 550, but just wanted to get a fresh set of eyes on it.
Thanks for all the feedback.
your flippant remarks which you so adeptly sling
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Joined: Aug 2003
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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Do you have an estimate on the number of rounds per batch? Ideally I'd like to be at a routine of doing 2K at a time. That's enough to justify the cost increase for the XL 650, which is what I did. Nowadays my batches are a smaller 300-500 and I probably wouldn't see much of a slowdown with a 550B. There's some truth to most guys recommending the 550B because that's what most guys bought. My brother has a 550B and we'd often set-up both presses in the same room and flat crank out rounds, smaller batches on the 550B and large batches on the XL 650. I really don't have a preference. If you fiddle with smaller batches (1-300), different bullets, powders and charges, primers, etc. then the 550B is the press for you. If you bolt yourself down and crank out 2,000 with no changes then XL 650 all the way. No matter which way, there will always be a place for a Rockchucker or similar press next to the big blue one.
Forgive me my nonsense, as I also forgive the nonsense of those that think they talk sense. Robert Frost
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