about reloading has got me in the mood to start reloading again. I just want to see what advice you guys have. I used to reload with a Dillon 550. I plan on reloading 9mm,10mm,.45acp,5.56, and of course 6.8. I was really considering another progressive loader, more than likely another Dillon. What other presses should I look at? What is everyone using? I will probably be loading 200-400 rounds a week(if I can find supplies, still have primers, but thats about it.)
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I use the 550 to reload for the 556 and 68. I just have separate shell plates for each caliber so it easy to switch calibers.
It would be nice to have 1 press for rifle and the other one for handgun.
It would be nice to have 1 press for rifle and the other one for handgun.
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I use the Dillon 550 for multiple pistol calibers and for the powder drop and seating for 5.56. So far, I have single stage loaded the 6.8, but I will likely do the same procedure for volume loading as I do for the 5.56 (case prep off line and on the single stage).about reloading has got me in the mood to start reloading again. I just want to see what advice you guys have. I used to reload with a Dillon 550. I plan on reloading 9mm,10mm,.45acp,5.56, and of course 6.8. I was really considering another progressive loader, more than likely another Dillon. What other presses should I look at? What is everyone using? I will probably be loading 200-400 rounds a week(if I can find supplies, still have primers, but thats about it.)
For me, the 550 seems sufficient, but if I had some cash laying around, I would first buy extra powder measures and tool head stands in order to have quicker change overs. Some day I might pick up a 650 for 9mm and 40 S&W (small primer) and use the 550 for anything large primer. I don't see that day happening anytime soon.
Bullseye_10x
If you are looking for another press and already have a dillon I woudl say it makes sense to get another dillon so the parts all work on both. With that said I think the Hrdy press is a better step up than the dillon.
The issue is the dillon has not done any major updating period and others have FINALLY caught up and passed them up in a number of areas. But one thing for sure y9ou can not get better warranty support ANYWHERE.
The issue is the dillon has not done any major updating period and others have FINALLY caught up and passed them up in a number of areas. But one thing for sure y9ou can not get better warranty support ANYWHERE.
I don't have my Dillon anymore, I am starting from scratch. I have been looking at the Hornady, just don't know to much about it.
I got to demo it at the SHot side to side with the dillons. nI have also done a ton of research on it for the last 3-4 months.
It is a solid one peice O shaped press.
It has no tool plate like a dillon so no flex or movement there.
It has quck chamber bushing instead that work very much like a AR bolt and barrel extension. a small 1/16th turn and the lugs unlock and y9ou can swap out the die. You can do a swap out of all dies in less than 10 seconds.
It has 5 die ports
It is auto indexing like a Dillon 650 with one huge difference. It does not move the full placment in one move whihc casues powder to be slung out adn cases to tip. It moves a half step on each hal of the arm cycle. Half at the bottm half at the top. THis makes it much smoother allowing you to go faster easier and allow you to use heavliey load cases like the 6.8 is reguarly.
It use a real rotory powder measure not a bar type. IT uses any of the hrdy regaurl powder measures and comes with theri standard one whihc is the equal to the RCBS uniflow.
THe powder measure has QC bottom dies that allow you to change those with cartirdge change so not setup or tunign is needed. It comes with one you need to purchase extras
THe powder measuser also uses either quick chamge inbserts so you can leave each on set for the load so not tuning or a mirometere is aviable whihc allows you to reconrd and dil back any charge without tuning.
The powder measure is case activated so it will not dump powder if a case is not there.
Primer setup is very good and works well hold 100 primers with pickup tubes etc form large and small etc..
Its case retention allow you to easiey remove a case from any point or station you choose.
A case feeder is avalaible and uses plates for large small in rifle and pistol. Has the most powerful motor and a huge hopper.
Bullet feeder are aviable form other vendors that will work with the hrdy as well. Mr bullet feeder which may dillon sue rather than the dillon feeder and RCBS new one works also.
The only things you need to purchase extra for using the press:
Shell plate for your cartidge
Extra quick change bushings. It comes with 5.
Dies if you do not alreaady have them.
Shell plates are around $25-$30
QC bushings are $35 for a 10 packwhihc owrks out to about $17 per cartridge.
After that everything elsebelow are extras that will just make things even quicker for changes:
If you want I suggest getting the micro meter insert for the powder measure whihc is $25-$30 as you can dial right to your powder charge once you have it.
The Qucik change for the powder die are alos very nice as you do not have to addjut the die for differnt case hieghts when you swtich cartidges. They run $17
You can also get powder thru case neck expanders for you handgun laods whihc will save you having to use a expander die and they are under $10.
then you can add a power case feeder and bullet feeer if you want to really step it up.
Witht he few extras minus the case and bullet feeder it will allow you to make changes with virtually no tuning or setup.
There is also no real tweaking that needs to be done. THe unit works as is. No tinkering with the powder meassure or poslioshing this or that.
Its cost is $387 at Natchez.
$25-$30 for a shell plate
and dies adn you are techingally ready to go with one caliber
SO for under $415 you are set up
To add a caliber in QC woudl cost:
$25-$30 for the shell plate
QC bushings work out to about $3.50 per so 10.50 for 3.
So caliber changes cas be had for as low as 35.50 plus dies
If you go all out on asseiciers to make changes as easy as possible
one tiem cost for a mcirometer $25-$30
$35.50 normal gear +
QC powder die $17
If its pistol $7 for a exanding powder thru adapter.
SO anywhere from 35.50 base to $59.50 and the one tiem micro metere cost to cover all cartidges of $27.
Dies are all you need and they run the full line on prices so i didn;t includ them but from $25-$200 per set.
I should have my new one setup with case feeder this week and will write a review. Hope this helps.
It is a solid one peice O shaped press.
It has no tool plate like a dillon so no flex or movement there.
It has quck chamber bushing instead that work very much like a AR bolt and barrel extension. a small 1/16th turn and the lugs unlock and y9ou can swap out the die. You can do a swap out of all dies in less than 10 seconds.
It has 5 die ports
It is auto indexing like a Dillon 650 with one huge difference. It does not move the full placment in one move whihc casues powder to be slung out adn cases to tip. It moves a half step on each hal of the arm cycle. Half at the bottm half at the top. THis makes it much smoother allowing you to go faster easier and allow you to use heavliey load cases like the 6.8 is reguarly.
It use a real rotory powder measure not a bar type. IT uses any of the hrdy regaurl powder measures and comes with theri standard one whihc is the equal to the RCBS uniflow.
THe powder measure has QC bottom dies that allow you to change those with cartirdge change so not setup or tunign is needed. It comes with one you need to purchase extras
THe powder measuser also uses either quick chamge inbserts so you can leave each on set for the load so not tuning or a mirometere is aviable whihc allows you to reconrd and dil back any charge without tuning.
The powder measure is case activated so it will not dump powder if a case is not there.
Primer setup is very good and works well hold 100 primers with pickup tubes etc form large and small etc..
Its case retention allow you to easiey remove a case from any point or station you choose.
A case feeder is avalaible and uses plates for large small in rifle and pistol. Has the most powerful motor and a huge hopper.
Bullet feeder are aviable form other vendors that will work with the hrdy as well. Mr bullet feeder which may dillon sue rather than the dillon feeder and RCBS new one works also.
The only things you need to purchase extra for using the press:
Shell plate for your cartidge
Extra quick change bushings. It comes with 5.
Dies if you do not alreaady have them.
Shell plates are around $25-$30
QC bushings are $35 for a 10 packwhihc owrks out to about $17 per cartridge.
After that everything elsebelow are extras that will just make things even quicker for changes:
If you want I suggest getting the micro meter insert for the powder measure whihc is $25-$30 as you can dial right to your powder charge once you have it.
The Qucik change for the powder die are alos very nice as you do not have to addjut the die for differnt case hieghts when you swtich cartidges. They run $17
You can also get powder thru case neck expanders for you handgun laods whihc will save you having to use a expander die and they are under $10.
then you can add a power case feeder and bullet feeer if you want to really step it up.
Witht he few extras minus the case and bullet feeder it will allow you to make changes with virtually no tuning or setup.
There is also no real tweaking that needs to be done. THe unit works as is. No tinkering with the powder meassure or poslioshing this or that.
Its cost is $387 at Natchez.
$25-$30 for a shell plate
and dies adn you are techingally ready to go with one caliber
SO for under $415 you are set up
To add a caliber in QC woudl cost:
$25-$30 for the shell plate
QC bushings work out to about $3.50 per so 10.50 for 3.
So caliber changes cas be had for as low as 35.50 plus dies
If you go all out on asseiciers to make changes as easy as possible
one tiem cost for a mcirometer $25-$30
$35.50 normal gear +
QC powder die $17
If its pistol $7 for a exanding powder thru adapter.
SO anywhere from 35.50 base to $59.50 and the one tiem micro metere cost to cover all cartidges of $27.
Dies are all you need and they run the full line on prices so i didn;t includ them but from $25-$200 per set.
I should have my new one setup with case feeder this week and will write a review. Hope this helps.
I took a look at the Hornady, looks really nice. I am/was so used to the old Dillon, that it is tough for me to want to switch, but all the good things I am seeing/hearing about the Hornady is m aking me think twice. Great post by the way.
Me too. I was a 100% True Blue Kool-aide drinker and proud of it. I have used a 550 over the years to load many many cases. I had gotten rid of all my loading equipment and was buy new stuff. I was doing mainly precision so I went with single stage. When I got ready to buy a priogressive again about 5 months ago. I actually started out trying to decide between a 550 and 650. In doing the research I kept seeing posts and articles about the Hornady. Finally I figured I needed to not limit my research to only Dillon as iot was possible if only slimly that othera were making as good presses. The more I checked into tthings the more I was suprised. It opebned my eyes to the fact that things hadc changed greatly in the progressive press market. Now RCBS and HRdy noth had very good presses. It also made me relaize how much tinkering that we do as jsut part of owning a Dillon to get it to be consistnet and work smoothly. It was always just something you did and were happy to do beacuse the end result was so much better than anything else at the time but a huge margin. I found that much of the Dillon stuff had been met and some passed up. In the end what Dillon really had going for it was its history. Its proven you know for sure what you will get after doing the tweaks and mods. It also had the QC and customer service. But when you actually looked at the presses themsleves and how well they worked and how they came out of the box and price you start to see the Dillon is very dated.
The main points the Hrdy had was the cost was less than a 550 all said and done. not only that but it had the capacblity of the 650. Even then it had a mcuh better powder measure system, indexing system, and a major home run was the QC die bushings. that allow for a much more ridged setup as apposed to the tool head of the dillon yet was as quick to change out and cheaper to boot.
Add in free 1K worth of bullets as icing on the cake as I is better with otu them. IU think it is a way to get peoepl to look at ther press instead of blindly going with Diullon from its rep. Once people actually take a honest look at the Hrdy I thiink bullets or peopl will see it a great press. While no one can realitically beat Dillons serive Hrdy does have very good CS and QC adn all the grea has life time no question ask warranty. Still I do nto think they can match the way Dillon handles warranty issues. They are still the king without peer there.
The way I look at it is if you get a Dillon you will surely be happy. If that is what you already have and are getting anouther it makes sense to get a dillon so parr will work on both. But cavieat to my statment of being happy with the Dillon is that you do not compare it to a Hrdy then I think you woudl find the Dillon lacking comapritevely. The Dillon will still be a great press but the Hrdy IMO is a better press. if DIllon makes only a few changes I think they woudl be right back on top and with therie rep even if it was clsoe or even peuo,ke woudl choose Dillon.
They need to change the powder measure not just offer a adpater to allow you to use others both which cost extra.
They need to address the indexing and make it smoother.
Change the tool head so it is more like the aftermarket tool heads you can get.
If they did those things I think the they would make it very hard for someone to choose any other.
There are other things as I have lsited in the other post the hhrdy does better but they are more minor. These are the main ones you hear complaints about.
The main points the Hrdy had was the cost was less than a 550 all said and done. not only that but it had the capacblity of the 650. Even then it had a mcuh better powder measure system, indexing system, and a major home run was the QC die bushings. that allow for a much more ridged setup as apposed to the tool head of the dillon yet was as quick to change out and cheaper to boot.
Add in free 1K worth of bullets as icing on the cake as I is better with otu them. IU think it is a way to get peoepl to look at ther press instead of blindly going with Diullon from its rep. Once people actually take a honest look at the Hrdy I thiink bullets or peopl will see it a great press. While no one can realitically beat Dillons serive Hrdy does have very good CS and QC adn all the grea has life time no question ask warranty. Still I do nto think they can match the way Dillon handles warranty issues. They are still the king without peer there.
The way I look at it is if you get a Dillon you will surely be happy. If that is what you already have and are getting anouther it makes sense to get a dillon so parr will work on both. But cavieat to my statment of being happy with the Dillon is that you do not compare it to a Hrdy then I think you woudl find the Dillon lacking comapritevely. The Dillon will still be a great press but the Hrdy IMO is a better press. if DIllon makes only a few changes I think they woudl be right back on top and with therie rep even if it was clsoe or even peuo,ke woudl choose Dillon.
They need to change the powder measure not just offer a adpater to allow you to use others both which cost extra.
They need to address the indexing and make it smoother.
Change the tool head so it is more like the aftermarket tool heads you can get.
If they did those things I think the they would make it very hard for someone to choose any other.
There are other things as I have lsited in the other post the hhrdy does better but they are more minor. These are the main ones you hear complaints about.
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