Preface if this has been answered before send me the link call me an idiot and delete the post

SO I want to order a new Lock-N-Load AP Auto Progressive Press and I want to order everything right off the bat from one reputable place and I essentially would like a "parts list" of what i need to order to read, set up, and not blow myself up (for 223 & 9mm right away). Any info helps thanks guys!

Ok you have my interest now tell me more...

Do you have experiance on a single stage? Of the five people I know with dillons, the path only goes 2 ways.....

1 Experienced reloader gets press and parts, spends a couple days learning and setting up the machine, begins cranking out ammo at an impressive pace.

2 New reloader buys press. Has nothing but issues. Asks for help from experianced reloaded, gets it, but it isn't enough. Sells dillon. Either quits reloading altogether, or gets a simple single stage kit to learn the basics on.

I'm not gonna lie I have zero experience but I am a Pilot with ALOT of free time and a need for something time consuming and it also just so happens to make ammo. I'm aware its not "haha ammo machine go brrrrrr "

Yeah so I've looked at the web sight but I look at certian things on the build list and i have no idea what it is and/or if it need it yet.

Are you close to a Scheels at all in TX?

Or you can order online. Scheels.com

They have the Lock-n-load at Scheels, and they have Dillon at Scheels.

The lock n load is $629, Then I know it needs a case feeder, conversion kits, dies and such.
Brownells has the Ammo Plant at $1525.

The Dillon 750 is $699, case feeder $290, 9mm and 223 conversions, $115 each, they have 223 dies at $140, but 9mm dies are on backorder, but $120 when they come back. Then $48 each for the case feed plates, small pistol and small rifle.

So, $1575 for all the Dillon stuff including the backordered 9mm dies. Then the only other additional would be a quick-change kit for a 750 and that is $160, that would let you keep each toolhead set up for the dies and powder measure and you just swap tool heads and conversion kits when changing calibers.

And, of course, if you add the bullet feeder like the ammo plant has, then you add the Mr. Bullet Feeder or a similar available off of ebay or something. There are 3d printed ones available a few places.

You're a god send. Time to fall down the rabbit hole do a lot of reading lol. Have a recommended web sight you buy your supplies from?

He said he's a pilot, so he's rich. lol

Definitely the ABC's of reloading. Read and get a good understanding of the process.

If you have a greater budget, look into the Dillon RL1100. Yes it's $2300, but comes fully set for 1 caliber.

You'll also need case cleaning equipment, trimming and such as well. The 1100 has a built in swage for crimped primers, the 750 does not.

https://www.ar15.com/forums/armory/-/42-263380/?

Here's a good place to start reading

Not insulting your intelligence, just trying to help a new reloader out. Get the abc's of reloading and a good single stage kit. Start small and learn. After a bit, you will know what everything does, how it all interacts, and what needs to happen. Then it's dillon time. It's your money and time, so do what you want, all I'm saying is when you went to flight school, I'll bet they didn't give you a manual and then stick you in a 747 day one, did they?

ETA- Check the nra website training section, there may be a metallic reloading class in your area. They are great for two reasons, they teach you the basics, and they introduce you to like minded people in your area with most instructors being happy to answer questions even after the class.

haha please insult away you have a good (and humbling) point. I see that it would be best to get all the smaller gear build up get skills and better at what I'm doing before I just go buy a race car and crash it into a wall.

just blow the whole wad on a mark 7  and go down for the couple days training.

https://www.markvii-loading.com/the-mark-7r-revolutionr.html

I started progressive loading with the Hornady LnL AP.  It really is a tinker’s machine.  If you are into homebuilt aircraft, that might be up your alley, but I wouldn’t recommend starting with it.  There’s a much steeper learning curve than with the Dillon XL750.

While the buy in for the Dillon setup is a little daunting for some, Dillon’s system is designed around what I call a “Lego” concept.  Following Lego’s instructions - with the provided parts - gets you the result you expect.  That’s how Dillon’s reloaders work.

I bought an XL750 a couple of years ago, and I’m very glad I did.  I still have the Hornady, and expect to use it now and then.  But for just putting together the rounds I want to load, the Dillon wins hands down.

You can pick up an RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme right now, on Amazon, for under a $100 with rebate.  I'd add a single stage to your list, even if you get a progressive.   I use a single stage all the time for random stuff, and at that price, you can't beat it.

Dillon has some great how to setup a press videos on YouTube, start watching them.  Hornady probably has some too.  But get a reloading book a and read it.

ETA - you will also go through way more components with a progressive.   Plan accordingly.

This is some serious wisdom here. A single stage comes in quite handy do a lot of things for which a progressive isn’t convenient to use. An RCBS or Hornady single stage kit will include many of the extras you’ll need to use in conjunction with the progressive.

And for what it’s worth, after loading with a Dillon SL900 for several years, I wish I would have bought the Dillon 650 instead of the Hornady LNL progressive. The LNL is a good press, but it’s not a Dillon.

I’ve had excellent customer service from both companies. They both go out of their way to keep you happy.

The Dillon is a fine machine for most cartridges.  The 550B was performing nicely for me until it met the 25-20WCF.   I shoot a lot of that through my lever gun, so I needed more ammo output than my Co Ax could keep up with.  The Dillon was not up to the task of handling the rather fragile brass, and destroyed too many expensive cases despite many conversations with their tech support.  The same RCBS dies function fine in the LNL AP with no loss of brass.  The Dillon has since been retired to paperweight status.

I have had both.  

The above is 100% correct.  


Buy the Dillon.  A 550 b will do everything you need done…

Don't buy a single stage or a Dillon 550.  Get an auto-progressive or don't bother.

I started on a LNL AP.  I got a 550 as my second press.  I regret getting a 550 and not a second LNL AP.  

Dillon 750 or LNL AP, there is no other choice (unless you want to spend big bucks on the higher tier presses).

I started with a dillion 550 in 1992
I knew nothing of reloading.

Told the shop owner what I wanted to do.
He sent me home with a reloading manual, a forster case  trimmer, and manual powder scale.

He had me get everythimg else from dillion and I never looked back.

I now have two 550 presses and 4 single stage presses one is for swaging bullet, one for 50 bmg, one for 375H&H, and one for sizing bullets along with a lyman 450 sizer also.

Single stage presses have their place like very small batches.
Or things that a dillion 550 won't do like longer cases & swaging bullets.

My advice is get a dillion 550 at least so you can do the 556 along with pistol stuff.
And a single stage for swaging primer pockets and other longer cases over 30-06 .
I'm not sure where the cut off is on the 550 it does 30-06 but the 375 H&H is to long.

Also get the newest reloading released book you can.
Like 30 bucks on eBay then work back for older obsolete calibers and loads.
Even digital scales are cheap now the hornady digi scale is like 30 bux also.

Sorry I know knothing of the lee series loaders.

But I'll push the blue press on ya all day long.

Let us talk REALITY
Hornady is good stuff!  Dillon is better stuff!

Without spending a lot of money at first....Get the ABC's of Reloading.  Study it.

Load development is part of the deal you do not mass produce loads that have not been tested in your guns period.  Otherwise you will be sorry!

9MM is one path and 223 is another!

9MM you can load progressively.  Clean you brass check for 380/38 Super cases and go from there.  Basically you reload 9MM brass till you lose it or the case wall cracks.

223 you can not reload progressively.  The brass needs detail work done some steps are one time occurrence such as crimp removal and flash hole deburring. Whereas, case trimming and case mouth chamfering and deburring after trimming go hand in hand.  You must be careful of 223 brass.  Either you fired it as brand new factory ammo or someone you trust gives you theirs.  Of course you can scrounge brass at the range looking to see if the crimp has been removed.  A NOOB rule of thumb...5 firings of 223 in a semi auto and pitch it.  

Despite what some say....YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE A NEED FOR A SINGLE STAGE PRESS.  Buy the RCBS Rockchucker Supreme Kit it comes with a mechanical scale.  The stuff will out last you and your kids!
RCBS has a father's day special mail in rebate...

Conversion Kits for 750's are expensive.  And, if it involves Magnum Rifle cases the extras cost even more money.  And, in reality for some calibers you might reload down the road in small #'s it not worth the cost.  Heck for the price of the conversion kit you can buy a set of dies and shell holder and have money left over.

You do not need Dillon Carbide 223 dies, because you still need to use lube.
Redding makes Pro Series Dies 9MM that are meant for a Dillon press as they come with sizer/decapper, seater, and crimp die and there is Competition Pro Series with a Competition Seater.

I have been reloading for a long time, almost 50 yrs.  I do not know everything.  But, I do know that the term buy once and cry once was made for reloading!

How much do you plan on shooting? And are your only cartridges you plan on reloading 9mm and .223?

The Hornady press would be somewhat equivalent to the 650/750 series from Dillon. As noted in this thread so far the Dillon is likely slightly more expensive than the Hornady.

I had an early Hornady LNL, and what people have been saying in this thread is true. I was constantly tinkering with it. On a good day it cranked out ammo, on a bad day it would take me a few hours to even load 100.

Then I came across a deal on a 1050. The 1050 is very good at cranking out ammo quickly, but it is very expensive to change calibers. The 650/750 is maybe a bit slower than the 1050, but caliber changes are significantly less. The 650/750 also has the lifetime warranty from Dillon, while the 1050/1100 are considered commercial machines and only carry a 1 year warranty. If you break part of the main press they can be very expensive to fix. Generally breaking a part on the main press is reserved to people who've automated them.

The mechanical advantage of the 1050 is significantly higher than the Hornady. Running a undersized die in the Hornady became a bit of a workout after a few rounds. The 1050 you hardly noticed it.

Finally worth mentioning is resale. Reloading can be as absorbing as shooting as a hobby, it is what you make of it. That being said there are people that never get into it, and that's where resale comes in.

Hornady, I was happy to recoperate I think 50-60%% of my initial investment. Dillon you will see resale hovering around 70-80%.

First, BUY THIS BOOK.  The ABCs of Reloading is a primer on all aspects of producing firearm ammunition.  I started with the 4th Edition, from back when Dean Grinnell was still around; his writing made it feel like he was there in the room, guiding me like a real, personal mentor.

Second, as I just proved to myself yesterday, however you may produce lyour loaded rounds, you ARE going to eventually need to take some of them apart.  That's not practical on just about any progressive press.  I strongly recommend the RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme as a stand-alone press.  It carries on the legacy of their original Rock Chucker (mine is a 1980 vintage, and still doing fine, thanks!).  I pulled down 94 rounds of .380 yesterday afternoon without much fuss using my Rock Chucker and Hornady's collet-type bullet puller.  Collet-type pullers are better when you're recovering components, especially (a KNOWN) powder.

Rifle loading is ALWAYS a two-part process.  You need lube rifle brass to size it, then you need to trim rifle brass after sizing it.  You CAN do both parts on a progressive press, and depending on how you have things set up, Dillon's case trimmer could work well for you.  I trim with a Giraud trimmer on my bench top after I size the brass (and remove the lube by tumbling in plain corncob media).  Once brass is sized and trimmed, you just load it.

Pistol loading can be done completely on a progressive press in a single pass.  Using carbide/titanium nitride sizing dies eliminates the need to lubricate cases, so you can start with clean cases and crank out loaded rounds.

I can't weigh in on whether a Dillon 550 would suit you better than the 750 because I haven't ever had one.