Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Upgrading to a Dillon

What all is going to be needed to upgrade to a Dillon. Obviously the Press, Only 1 Powder Dispenser and powder die, and a Caliber conversion kit for each caliber.

Looking at the 550, I'm not looking to load enough for competition. Just looking to spend less time at the bench.

Main calibers will be, 9mm, 38/357, 44spl/mag, 223, and maybe 6-06. The rest will stay on the other presses.

Anything I'm missing?

Congrats, you will be very happy with a Dillon. You will also need primer pick up tubes for large and small primers and the Dillon primer flipper. Also make sure you get both large and small primer assemblies for the press. Further, get both large and small cavities for the powder measure. It's also nice to have their spare parts out in case you lose or break a small item. Also the strong mount for the press is nice, and getting the bullet tray and the bin that catches the.loaded rounds will make life a lot easier. Upgrading to a Dillon from my old RCBS junior press was like going from a bicycle to driving a car. You get there a lot quicker and it's more fun, especially loading handgun ammo. Art

I have 2 Dillon 550s... you'll want the strong mount and the bullet tray... as well as the brass bin... and I got the tool kits and covers for mine... extra primer tubes... Dillons customer service is lifetime and no one beats it...

I love my 550B I have loaded many thousands on in in the last several years.

You are going to love it
If your 223 is a bolt gun get a Lee collet die.

In addition to the suggestions others have already listed, I would recommend getting a separate tool head and powder die for each cartridge you plan to load. I use the same powder measure for each, but having the dies and adjustments all set up and ready to go sure saves time during changeover.

I also installed one of the UniqueTek micrometers to my large powder bar. It's really handy for dialing in powder charges more quickly, and the fine threads make it much easier to get the powder charge exact.
http://uniquetek.com/product/T1231

The Bondus balldriver screwdrivers are the best tools I've found for getting at all of the allen-head cap screws on Dillon presses.
https://www.amazon.com/Bondhus-1063...s&qid=1549816704&s=hi&sr=1-1

Other than that, start off slowly. I've let a lot of friends use my Dillon, over the years. They all had previous reloading experience, but they were very careful and deliberate with each action, when they first started using the machine. There's a lot going on with a progressive press, with each pull of the handle, and it can seem a little overwhelming for a new user to try and keep track of it all. My friends quickly got the feel and rhythm of running the 550, and after a few hundred rounds, they wondered how they ever loaded ammo any other way.

Strongly consider the XL 650. You won't regret the few extra $$$.

I agree......

For a few years I had both a 550 and a 650, so I can compare.

The 650 was great for cranking out lots and lots of the same thing. I primarily used it for .45ACP ammo with 200gr LSWCs. I could crank out a few thousand rounds of pistol ammo on a Saturday morning, but then the machine sat largely idle.....sometimes for months. I had 9mm and .223 conversions for my 650, as well, but I didn't like doing the conversions.

The 550 really shines with quicker/simpler change-overs, and doing smaller runs of lots of different stuff. Even though I had the 650 caliber conversions for 9mm and .223, I loaded most of these on my 550, so I didn't have to convert the 650.

The 650 is a great machine, and I really enjoyed loading on it, but I just didn't think I shot enough to justify keeping it. I eventually sold the 650, and now I have a pair of 550s. I leave one set up for small primers and the other for large primers, and this seems to suit me better.

Listen to Dan

This is why I elected to stop at the 550. From everything I had read it was simpler to work on, simpler to change over, And I like to shoot a variety of stuff. Been looking around on Ebay. Looks like I should have bought one last time I was in the market. Used prices are up there high enough, I may just buy new.

The 650 is easy to change over. My wife got me one as a gift. So if you can spend a little more and get the 650

650-550 what is the difference ?

I have both as well and the 650 is twice as fast. The changeover isn’t as slow as those that say it is. If it takes more than 5 minutes, you are doing something wrong.

When you start reloading with the 650, you need to put a bullet in the powdered case, pull the handle and a loaded round comes out with every pull of the handle. The 550 has to be manually advanced, a shell put into the shellplate, and a bullet put into the powdered case, every time you pull the handle.

How anyone can suggest that a 550 is even close in the amount of rounds per hour is ridiculous. That said, if you really aren’t worried about how much you can do and still want to beat a single stage press, a 550 will work well...

Also like to add buy quick change stations for the 650. Makes changing over to different caliber easy peasy..

I don't know the seller, but here is a used 550B for sale:
https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...l/fs-zeiss-victory-fl-10x42-dillon-rl550

I don't think that $385, shipped, was a bad deal. The seller also posted that he was open to reasonable offers.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

honest question. What are you upgrading from- and why is the Dillon an upgrade?

I prefer the 550 and it's control.

Hint.............

Lets be clear. I started into reloading because I was waiting on the WSM calibers to come out. When they did I bought a 270wsm to start. Didn't know at the time ammo was going to be 65-70.00 a box around here for a while. Not hard to pay for a single stage press. Then i got into Wildcats and got more involved in making quality ammo.

Learned on a Lee (dont know the model, friend still has it)

My first press was a Rockchucker. I FELT it was smoother, more rigid and had better leverage. Still use it for a decapping die. Occasional use on lube die for 223.

Moved on to a Lyman T-Mag 2... Debatable if that is an upgrade. It has a noticable amount of flex in the head (people that say progressives have to much flex, havent ran a T-mag). About the only perk is once you are set up you can move between dies as needed. If the locking collars work on your dies. Thats not really a benefit either. You can buy extra heads for it. They are like 60.00 a pop. Seems like a waste.

Should have did more homework and just kept the rock chucker until i was ready for a progressive.

The progressive comes in because i shoot a lot more pistol and 223 than i used to. i would also like a progressive that could load ammo up to 7mmRM. Thats the longest round I shoot. Loaded with 197gr to fit AICS mags. That eliminated Square B presses. I dont shoot enough to justify the automated case feeders and bullets feeders. So that pretty much leaves 550/650 Dillon or Hornady's Ammo Plant?. I generally try to buy good used equipment. Not a lot of 650s or ammo plants in a used market. That leaves your 550B. Especially after dillon moved to the 550C.

Good value, extra capability, with the press and customer service having excellent reputations.

Posted from a phone so hopefully that was coherent and answered your question.

P.S. I sent the money off for the one in the classified so the search is over.

The only thing I don't like about my RL550 is changing back and forth between primer sizes. I really wish I had two presses, one for each primer size. And the slider bar on the priming system sometimes gets sticky. I've been cleaning and polishing it but no lube whatsoever besides some moly powder. Nothing ruins the joy like a primer feed system that malfunctions.

I also have a few rifles that refuse to shoot well with ball powders. No matter how much I try, I can't convince my .22-250 that W760 would be a better choice than IMR4064. Stupid rifle. So I have a manual powder measure mounted to the side of the Dillon for when I load stick powders, and I use an old Lee spoon powder measure to transfer charges from the manual powder measure to the funnel on the Dillon. Not as fast as using the Dillon powder measure but still better than using the Rock Chucker.

They say to run the primer bar dry on the 550 but I have run mine oiled for 20 years now, it is much smoother and works every time.
Benchmark works well in the Dillon hopper and great in the 22/250