Posted: 8/29/2012 7:58:57 PM EDT
| I would like to start reloading mainly 5.56. A buddy of mine does all of our 45 on a dillon and it is fast. I guess what I'm getting at is I don't have a clue where to start. Do I need the 650 or would I be satisfied with a 550 that I could just upgrade? And why is their website so damn hard to look at! |
Join in..........drink the blue kool-aid....
I have a 550. It does what I need it to, which lately seems to be holding down my reloading bench 
The actual cost of the reloading press is nothing. Start adding new dies, conversion kits, etc, etc. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Most people start reloading to save money. Few rarely do though. Most end up shooting more, buying more parts and pieces, powder, boooooolits, etc. |
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Dillon leads the way in reloading, but they don't have a clue about websites. If you like the speed of Dillon, the 650 is the way to go. It has a case feeder and once you get the rhythm right, and all the fine tuning done, all you have to do is pull the handle and feed the bullets. caliber changes take about 20 minutes and you can load either pistol or rifle.
If all you're ever going to load is 5.56, the 1050 may be what you want. The main difference between the two is that the 1050 swages the primer pocket as part of the cycle. The 1050 and the caliber changes are more expensive, but it you only load one caliber and want the speed, there it is. A downside to the 1050 is that their "NO BS warranty" does not apply to the 1050. they consider this to be a commercial grade machine. I've never had one and can't tell you much about it. I've only read stories where people break things on their 1050's and Dillon still replaces the stuff. There are also videos out there where some have bullet feeders and motorized units that operate the handle and all you have to do is watch and operate a foot pedal. |
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It may have a case feeder to go with it. The 550 normally doesn't have a case feeder. Also, if you're looking for speed, the 650 is the way to go. It has auto-indexing where the 550 is manual indexed.
I started out on the Square Deal "B" when I had my subguns. The big drawback there was it only loaded pistol calibers. Later on I upgraded to the 650 so that I could load rifle calibers as well. I was looking really hard at the 1050, but the prices of the caliber conversions is what made my decision. I wish I had known about Dillon products 35 years ago when I started reloading. |
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The 550 doesn't have auto index, you don't really need it, the 550 is a great machine, and its great for reloading rifle or pistol, I load tons of 5.56 on my old 550, I got mine in 85 or 86. Don't waste money on the 550 basic, it costs far more to buy the stripped machine and then add the stuff to upgrade it to a 550B, than it would to buy a 550B in the first place. To learn about Dillon's, go over to Brian Enos website, everything you ever wanted to know, and Brian Enos is about the best place to buy one also. http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php? http://www.brianenos.com/ |
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Quoted:
i guess i dont understand the auto index. i picture it rotating when you pull the handle and loading the next round. is that correct? Yes, that is auto-indexing. When you pull the handle, the shell plate rotates everything around to the next station. The 500 doesn't auto-index. You have to use one hand to pull the handle and the other to feed a bullet and turn the shell plate to the next station. For me, the 650 is a much faster machine. |
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I am a proud new owner of a 550B
She however was not so happy |