Home Forums Reloading Handgun Reloading progressive press?

Its just simpler for me. I can have one setup in 30 minutes ready to load. my eye is just suited more to the LNL.
When I use a Dillon, the starting point is just different, and not to my liking. Dillon starts on the right, and LNL starts on the left. I prefer the left start
I have them side by side on top of my safe, and I reach for the Hornady 99%.
In fact I have 2 LNL. 1 small,primer, one large.
I have used the 750 once in 1 1/2yrs...There is zero wrong with the Dillon. I am just a LNL guy.
I also had a 550..Gave it away..

As a Dillon guy…this sentence of your’s I quoted might tell you all you need to know. There’s a really good reason it might be hard to find a used Dillon press. We’re still using them! 😎

Doc_Holidude

My choice was Hornady AP with a case feeder. I'll use the case feeder for batch processing such as decapping and sizing only before tumbling or other batch processing. I tend to use powder through dies when available and working well - some cartridges and I don't have working powder through dies so that's not an option. I wanted the additional station over the 550 so I could seat and crimp in different stations for handguns. I like loading the .357 Sig with a double carbide ring Redding .40 S&W die and a 9x19 die - actually carbide Dillon with no lube as only the neck is sized - combined to avoid lube. I felt ease of conversion and prices made the Hornady more versatile than a 650 especially changing primer sizes. I think the 650 really needed a case feeder for full satisfaction but a good friend with a 650 did just fine involving his children for long runs. Just maybe the Dillon is better for team operation with the operator not loading the case and the Hornady is handier for the operator to load the case by hand. Really whatever you get used to first I suppose. If I intended to load rifle hunting and practice loads in smaller runs using a 2 die rifle set I would have gone with a 550 - not settled for but best for the application - but that's not what I wanted. I have a CoAx for shorter rifle runs, a Hollywood Universal Turret for long and fat rifle cartridges and if I ever see a domed primer again, a Harrell's 4 station turret for short cases and loading at the range and a T7 mostly for Redfield Instant Indicators and such so I can leave them set up while I load in other presses.

Today I would very likely go with a Dillon 750 with its new primer setup and I still think Dillon needs a case feeder more than the Hornady.

Square Deal B has worked well for me for a couple of decades.

Get a Dillon 550. (or two!) You won't be sorry. I have two set up side-by-side. One is for small primers and the other is for large primers. Set up a tool head with powder measure for each cartridge you load and conversion will only take a minute or two. For handguns I tumble the cases and then feed them into the press. For rifle cartridges I full length size and tumble them before feeding them into the Dillon.

Take the plunge Brother, the Dillon 550 is the only way to go for serious handgun loading. I only go back and forth between 45acp & 44mag these days. The press has it's weak points, have encountered problems a couple of times, but there customer service is A1, but certainly not as good as when Mike was alive.

D750 or LNL would be my choice in your situation.

In my experience the Hornady may require some tinkering to get running.

I still have a D 1050 usually set up for .45acp. I love that thing.

New to the forum but agree with the Dillon products. I process a ton of brass for a commercial Reloaded. I use the Dillon 1050 with a Forcht auto drive to process 9mm and 40S&W. I have 2 other Dillon 1050 manual presses that I use for other calibers. However, I use a Dillon 650 to reload all my personal loads. The auto indexing and case feeder make it simple.
I used to have a 550 but realized after a couple of years that the case feeder and auto indexing were worth the money.

I have 3 Square Deal B's and they are a great press. Mine are set up for target/plinking loads and I seldom have to make an adjustment.

If I need specialized individual loads for hunting I load them on the 550B.

I bought a Hornady progressive press a few years back in order to save a few $$ over a Dillon. BIG MISTAKE. Had several problems and broken parts with the Hornady press. Hornady was good about sending replacement parts under warrantee but I wasn't impressed with the LnL press at all.

Buy Dillon!

Dillon 650 and don’t look back. I have 4 quick change stations. 10mm, 9mm, 357 sig, 223. I need to get one for a 45 acp and 40 S&W

Would be wrong to think of getting dillion square b for pistols and dillion 550c for rifle? And I'd still keep my single stage RCBS rock chucker.

That is the exact setup I have, but will admit, I do load some pistols on the 550

I had a nib Dillon 650 that a friend talked me out of before I used it. I've been using a Hornady lock and load but I've tinkered with the press more than I've loaded with it. I've about got it all updated and working pretty well now but it's been a journey.

I used an rcbs pro 2000 for years and really liked it but went to the Hornady for auto indexing. The aps priming on the rcbs was awesome but I think auto indexing is safer.

The Dillon stuff still interests me but the change over kits seem pretty expensive and I don't know how well they work with other brands of dies. I like Hornady lnl bushings but some of mine are starting to get a bit loose and work loose while loading. I'm about to make the jump to another progressive. I wasted too much time in the Hornady.

Bb

Dillon 650/750 and don’t look back.. I use lee dies with mine… the quick change stations are well worth the money. Plug and play, change shell plate couple other things and you are reloading 9mm,

I very much enjoy my 550 and used it for many years exclusively for pistol rounds. I have since moved to South Dakota and mostly shoot 223 at prairie dogs. I'm glad it handles that round. Swapping cartridges isn't as simple as I would prefer but it also isn't all that bad. I've had trouble with my priming operation and have changed to resizing and priming off of the Dillion. This all but eliminated my problems.

I've used mine for decades and will state Dillion's customer service is excellent.