Home Forums Reloading Handgun Reloading Let's start at the start

So, I have been reloading for shotguns since I was a kid, and for rifles since I was in my early twenties. But I have never reloaded for handguns.

Coincidentally, I have recently caught the 1911 bug, and have just about decided to jump in feet first for a lot of reasons, among them the fact that I live in Cali.

I'll take all the input I can. Almost bought a Dillon 550 in the Free Classifieds here last week, and may regret not having done so, but ...

OK, so what machine for the long haul?

I take it buying 1000 rounds of factory .45 ACP ammo and saving the brass is a plan with some merit.

What should a newbie know going into this?

XL650 or the new 750 extremely easy and fast, I can load 1000 9mm in 2 1/2- 3 hrs, I save a little loading 9mm even more loading 40!

The 550 is a great press for handgun bullets, especially 45 acp. I have been doing that on my 550 since 1995.

5 grains of Unique pushing a 230 grain bullet is a great plinking load.

Take your time adjusting the 550. Get it right the first time. Check often as you go to get a "feel" for the press, Soon enough you can tell when a primer hasn't been seated correctly.

The 550 is much more forgiving than the 650 for halting mid cycle and fixing anything that might have gone wrong. The 650 produces much more ammo but takes time to correct when something goes wrong, such as a flipped primer or a bad case in the bunch.

I have a 1" paintbrush and a toothbrush to brush away powder residue from the first station

Rick, 45ACP brass comes with either small or large primers. When scrounging used brass try not to mix them cause it will tie things up while reloading.

So...if a guy can tell when something's not right, and he's loading on a 650, could he just snag the screwed up cartridge at the end of its process and toss it, or is it just not always that simple? I've done ALL my loading single-stage and have no idea what it's like to run a progressive. Which also means I have a perfect record.

All ears here.

The 550 is a fantastic press. Easy to change calibers and will easily load 300 rounds an hour. How much do you shoot?

Have two Hornady progressives now, one old Projector and newer LnL. Mostly use them for shorter runs.
Mostly use a Dillon 1050 for .45acp. Lots of experienced loaders will tell you to remove all cases when you have a stoppage or think you have some issue. I don't do that, just make damn sure there are no undercharged or overcharged case and move on. I never had a 550 but I understand its manually indexed so it would seem to me it may have a shorter learning curve. Visually check the charges or use some kind of powder check die! Most all the violent troubles come from charging problems, squibs or overloads. And like I saw mentioned above keep it clean, especially the primer feed. Setting off 80 or 100 primers will get your attention, you probably already use PPE, its even more important with a progressive.

I do all my reloading with a RCBS Rockchucker press. It’s slower of course, but I get to look at each round several times. Being long retired, I don’t mind the extra time it takes,

I've had a XL650 for about 25 years, but it's been "mothballed" for about the last 12 years. Just set it up again, ran into problems while loading 38's and I've decided to 'hot rod' it with several "improvements" to the press, such as bearings instead of friction contacts. First run of 38's gave me a few bad loads but it's pretty easy to correct once you learn (or re-learn!) all the functions of the press and the 'fine' adjustments possible, and necessary. If I was looking for a progressive it would be the XL650. Their Lifetime Warranty is beyond good. Have some parts coming right now from just one quick phone call with a highly knowledgeable tech support agent.

Single stage guy here too. I don't load for volume, 50 in about 3 hours start to finish.
No help with a progressive from me.

You can remove any cartridge from the shell plate at any stage of the process. Problem is, that you many not know you have a flipped or high primer till the end of the loading process. You do have to pay attention to the process and check everything if you feel, or see, something unusual. I check all my rounds for high or flipped primers. Out of about 500 9X19's I had 5 or 6 high primers and one flipped. None so far on 38's so the 9's had to be 'operator error'.

I've never heard a person say I wish I hadn't bought a Dillon but have heard some regret not buying one.
I don't have a progressive but recommend getting a single stage if you don't have one.
Of the different brands of handgun brass I have loaded over the years I have found Remington's brass' mouths scallop so I usually avoid it. Their rifle brass is OK IME.

I prefer the Dillon 550 but all of them are good. And with a cast iron warranty. I have called to tell them I wrecked a part out of negligence and got a part fast in the mail, NO CHARGE! I had intended on paying as it was my fault. Be Well, Rustyzipper.

Morning Ric. I started loading for pistol calibers with a Dunbar press, then up graded to a RCBS, then a Bonanza Cp-Ax, Then a Dillon 300, then a Dillon Square Deal, then a Dillon 650, then I bought a second hand Dillon 450. I use a Square Deal for 45 acp, another Square Deal for 357, the 650 is for 45 Colt, the 450 I've not benched it yet and not sure what caliber it will be set up for. I can't shoot enough 45 acps in a week that I can't reload in a couple of hours, 300 to 500 rounds. I cast all of my own bullets using two Saeco four cavity molds. One week end will produce a years worth of 200 grain 45 acp bullets. Get a Star sizer luber and you'll be a happy man. My advice is get Square Deals for each pistol caliber you'll load for.
I use Winchester large rifle primers, buy them by the 50,000, I use Bullseye powder, 8 pounds, the powder charge for 200 grain cast bullets is 4.5 to 4.7 grains. You can use Unique, 6.5 grains for the same bullet. You are using two more grains of power to achieve the same result. Factory bullets Berries 200 grain copper plated bullets are excellent and Acme powder coated 200 grain are almost cheaper the what you can cast and lube your own. If you find an old S&W model 25 45 Auto Rim and / acp you'll have even more fun.
I set my machines up for one load and leave it there. My 357 Square Deal has not been changed in 20 years.
I've found 45acp brass at the range, gun shows, and bought some when I found a good buy. My minimum volume of 45 acp brass is some where around four 5 gallon buckets.

Good stuff. I use both. Best advice I can give is don’t try to learn on a progressive. The best way to find out what works and what doesn’t is to use a single stage for small batches. It allowed me to find what the best amount of sizing, belling, seating and taper/roll crimp to use in all my handguns.
After that setting up in a progressive and getting it to run properly is much easier. Start slow to get used to it and find a rhythm. Use of a powder check die is a must. Also have found that when using flake powders such as Unique I get a more consistent powder drop when a baffle is used in the powder measure especially a uni-flow.

I just bought a 650 and set it up from scratch for 45. No issues and pretty easy if you are at all mechanical. If you get the 650 (now the 750) you 100% want to get the case feed. With no case feed, you might as well get a 550. Something to think about....45 brass now comes in both large and small primer. If you order ammo for the brass, make sure you get the primer size of your choosing. Also, it is a pain to change primer sizes on the 660. If you plan on loading other small primers cartridges (.38/.357, 9, 5.56) on the Dillon, it may be easier to just use small primer .45 brass. I have tons of LP stuff, but I have considered selling it and buying SP brass. The good thing is, SP brass is cheaper. I may just buy another machine for SP cartridges. Bottom line, you can’t go wrong with any Dillon. One last thing, if all you care about is .45, a SDB is supposed to be a nice and inexpensive ‘set and forget’ press for a one caliber loader.

All of the Dillon machines are great. A word of caution, they all have a lot of leverage, which means you are putting a large amount of force into the process without realizing it. Pay attention! If something feels wrong STOP and look closely at each station before proceeding. You aren't likely to break something, but you can make a mess.

I have loaded thousands of .38Super, .40S&W and .45ACP on my 550. (USPSA shooter)

I've used and owned Diilon 550s and the Hornady AP. Both are great machines, however I like the Hornady best. It has five stations, works better with rifle rounds, primer set up is easier to work with and I like the Hornady powder measure set-up. Hornady has been the equal of Dillon on warranty. I reload about 20,000 rounds annually.

I've been reloading shotgun since 1966, rifle since 1968 and handgun since 1970 and was a commercial reloader for 15 years...

To me the best bang for the buck is the Dillon 550. Unless you are a 20K plus a year competition shooter a 550 will make all the ammo you need in a couple of hours. And yes, I had both the 1000B and a 650 for many years...they are now both gone but the 550 is still here.

The 550 is still a hands-on machine...with a 650 or 1000 you basically become part of the machine....the motor. Much prefer the manual indexing and manual bullet and case placing into the machine. There is just a lot more control.

Bob