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  • natdscott

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    Have you loaded ammunition before?

    If not, starting out on a full progressive may not be the best idea.

    If so, then Dillon. And get a calendar.
     

    red_zr24x4

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    If no to the progressive, go with the Dillon 550, its a little more forgiving than the 650 for a new reloader.
    I would suggest you get a couple of reloading manuals and read all you can. A good one I have is the ABC's of reloading
     

    King31

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    Have you loaded ammunition before?

    If not, starting out on a full progressive may not be the best idea.

    If so, then Dillon. And get a calendar.

    A Dillon 550 is a fine press to start out on regardless if you have loaded before or not. Being able to manually index you can treat it as a single stage if you aren't confident in your abilities. If you aren't confident, read a little more. Simple. If you follow the recommended load data and reloading procedure you will have no problems.
     

    indyjohn

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    My first press was a progressive (RCBS). I now have a Hornady progressive and use it for 3 rifle calibers (.223, .308, .30-06) and 2 handgun calibers (9mm & .45 ACP). I did a lot of reading before I spent money on equipment.

    A LOT of people like the Blue Press but I've been pretty happy with my Hornady.
     

    Cameramonkey

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    The Lee units are also very capable for a much smaller budget. I crank out many rounds of 9mm on my pro-1000 and they are much cheaper than a Dillon.
     

    bgcatty

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    Looking to get a progressive press dillon horandy ?? Any suggestions
    I agree that if you have not reloaded before, get a single stage press and learn the ropes. You can accumulate the equipment you need ancillary to the press and still use it when you upgrade to another press. Then after you gain experience and learn, you can move up. A Dillon 550 being a “manual” progressive press would make a great upgrade. I’m sure many on this forum would agree.
     

    Clay Pigeon

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    A Dillon 550 is a fine press to start out on regardless if you have loaded before or not. Being able to manually index you can treat it as a single stage if you aren't confident in your abilities. If you aren't confident, read a little more. Simple. If you follow the recommended load data and reloading procedure you will have no problems.



    I run 3 Dillon's, A 450, 550 and a 650. I bought my 450 around 1982.
    Mike Dillon said long ago that for all but very high volume shooters the 550 is the press to own. The 550 is more forgiving, easier to walk away from, and with a simple look will get you back loading, conversions are much cheaper, it's much simpler to operate than a progressive machine...
     

    Bennettjh

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    I use a Hornady single stage. It's perfect for me and I enjoy it. Can't say anything about the Dillon's but they have a BIG following.
     

    natdscott

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    A Dillon 550 is a fine press to start out on regardless if you have loaded before or not. Being able to manually index you can treat it as a single stage if you aren't confident in your abilities. If you aren't confident, read a little more. Simple. If you follow the recommended load data and reloading procedure you will have no problems.

    Trevor, it's the OP's first post here, and I am assuming nobody knows anything about the person.

    I like to lay simple, conservative groundwork until somebody proves they know which end the bullets come from.
     

    two70

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    Trevor, it's the OP's first post here, and I am assuming nobody knows anything about the person.

    I like to lay simple, conservative groundwork until somebody proves they know which end the bullets come from.

    Yes, all the other parts of reloading can be daunting enough for those new to it, no need to make the equipment more complicated than necessary at the beginning. Walk before you run.
     

    Doublehelix

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    When I started a few years ago, my plan was to go progressive right off the bat, but was talked into buying a Lee Classic Turret Press instead, which can be converted to a single stage press by removing the indexing rod in a just a second or two. I am very glad I did that.

    I now have a Dillon XL650, which I love, but the Lee turret press still sits in my reloading room, and gets used for various tasks.

    This was a GREAT suggestion that I received, and I pass that same advice along to anyone who is just starting out. It served me very well, and was very inexpensive. If you decide to go bigger later, you can always sell it and make most of your money back, but even if you don't, you are only out slightly north of $100.

    Also, get some books and read them cover-to-cover. I got the Lyman reloading book and the ABCs of Reloading. I read them at least twice each before even pulling the handle for the first time.

    Good luck!
     

    Twangbanger

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    OP, on a fully progressive press, there is nothing preventing you from taking one shell, and cycling it through all stations to a finished round, before putting another one in the press. It only works on multiple shells if you run it that way.

    Something which indexes itself with each handle pull is also the hardest type of machine to double-charge a cartridge on, as well.
     

    JeepHammer

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    Looking to get a progressive press dillon horandy ?? Any suggestions

    Hello Newbie.

    There are two questions you need to sit down and ask yourself and give an honest answer to...

    1. How mechanically inclined are you?
    Do you like to tinker? Can you spend hours tuning, and keeping the machine tuned?
    Will you be making 'Also Fired' ammo, or will you be making Match grade or better ammo?

    2. Do you drop 'Hobbies' or have unfinished 'Projects' laying around the house/garage?
    If you don't intend on 'Match' grade ammo (not all will turn out that way, but that is your goal) then it's cheaper to buy import or seconds from the common manufacturers.
    Match ammo can run $2-$3 a round, so rolling your own makes sense, if you make 20¢ a round ammo, you have lost money when you figure time & equipment...


    Right now, the Dillon 550 series is roughly equal to a Hornady Lock & Load (more or less).
    The Dillon XL 650 is a level above the common progressives, and still under $600.
    If you intend to swage primer pockets or do serious resizing (beating blown out milbrass back to 5.56/.223 size) then consider a Dillon Super 1050 which starts around $1,900

    *IF* you intend to make a SAAMI sized round, you will also need gauges, measuring tools (that didn't come from Harbor Freight), and a boat load of other stuff.
    Quality isn't cheap, cheap isn't quality...

    You aren't too far up the road from me, I have a few presses, if you would like to take a stab at them let me know...
    I'm outside Washington, IN.

    -------

    WHAT *I* DO...
    What you do is entirely up to you.

    I run an older Lee tool head press next to my progressive.
    (Lee called it a 'Turret' press, but this is NOT a turret press)
    This is for tools & teardowns, oddball calibers, case conditioning, and general bending stubborn brass.
    The tool heads swap out in about 3 seconds, so tearing down QC culls is in real time, no 'Mystery Rounds' showing up on the bench...

    Dillon XL650, about $600
    Case feeder $250
    Good Dillon dies about $200
    Solid bench about $200

    If you make other than "It Goes BANG!" Ammo, about $200 for an accurate caliper & standards to verify the caliper is accurate.
    (Same with micrometers, they MUST have accurate standards)
    Various gauges & measuring adapters, $200 or so... Minimum...



    Keep in mind the aftermarket supports the crap out of Dillon.
    A couple of places make single adapters for Dillon (XL650 I'm sure of, I don't own a 550)
    One die hole right in the middle of the tool head, an adapter for the shell plate that accepts common shell holders.

    Keep in mind that a BUNCH of the aftermarket stuff isn't necessary...
    'Low Mass' detent balls & reduced pressure springs are an example.
    The ONLY function of the detent ball & spring is to keep the shell plate from being dragged backwards when the indexer returns at the end of the stroke.
    Simply trimming the factory spring or heating the factory spring will reduce tension and do exactly the same job for $0.00
    While putting roller bearings on friction surfaces actually IS a good idea to prevent wear and make the machine work smoother since friction is reduced.

    Another 'Not Needed' is shell plate bearings.
    *IF* plate is properly adjusted (drag) & lubricated,
    And *IF* the dies are properly adjusted to touch the shell plate (where appropriate),
    The shell plate with neither drag, wear or wobble during sizing/loading functions.
    The shell pate bearing is a 'Fix' for a poorly adjusted/tuned machine, and can case issues in its own right...

    A primer feed 'Disconnect' is a great idea!
    Stops primers from being loaded/ejected when clearing the press or having issues with the process.
    Well worth the nominal expense.

    -------

    Cycling one case at a time through the press is the way to go when sitting up dies or doing test cases/rounds.
    Simply feed it one case at a time.

    What I like about Dillon (and I've owned all colors over a 45 years of reloading) is Dillon RUNS OUT OF THE BOX.
    It GREATLY benefits from tuning, since it is mass produced, it's not precisely tuned out of the box, but it does run without bending/breaking/eating it's own parts.

    Dillon also has 100%, No BS warranty on all it's 'Blue' presses.
    Break or wear something out, Dillon replaced it without complaint, and usually within just a few days. I don't think it's ever taken more than 5 business days to get parts replacements...
    ('Black' presses aren't covered for lifetime warranty)

    I pick up the Lee 'Turret' presses used when I run across them cheap.
    They are dirt simple, pretty strong/solid, and like I said, they make GREAT companions for tools, widget, whatever tools/dies.
    They aren't Rock Chucker strong/accurate, but they make GREAT general tool presses, and are cheap to buy/operate since the tool heads are the only proprietary part of the press (and accept common dies).
    They also don't require a big footprint on your bench, and the handles will fold up out of the way (no hip/elbow busters).

    Notice my presses are inset into the bench top with a heavy brace under them?
    They aren't cantilevered over the edge of the bench, so the bench doesn't slap the wall and the presses are mounted at bench top level.
    No stand to add leverage to the press over the bench, no bending over to chase things on the bench, MUCH easier on the back/shoulders/neck...
    No hip/elbow busters, no crashing into the presses with any projects going on in the room with the presses, etc.
    This work area isn't dedicated to reading alone, many things go on in the same space, so 8sq.ft. of floor space (2' deep X 4' Long) provides about all the space needed for this particular set of presses and most reloading tools needed.
    It leaves you 8sq.ft. of floor space under the press for brass buckets, etc.

    I should have painted it before pictures (white reduces the need for high powered lights and makes small escaped parts easier to find), but it's just one of those things... It's painted now but not exactly presentable for pictures...

    -------

    Newbie RULES!

    1. NEVER have more than one kind of primers or powder on your RELOADING bench at a time!
    Mixing things up can be anything from an expensive mistake to a catastrophic disaster.
    This is #1 for a reason, it's sacred and NEVER to be violated.
    Powder sould NEVER be stored on your bench! Nothing but the powder & primers you are using at that moment, nothing else!

    2. Check AT LEAST 3 load information source tables before you try ANY load!
    Misprints abound! The internet LIES!
    With one source (load book), you have no idea if it's correct or not.
    With two sources, you have no idea which one is wrong if they don't agree (more or less).
    With THREE sources, not only will you find mistakes/misprints/lies, but the two that agree will be correct.

    Keep in mind these sources are FREE at the Local Gun Store (LGS).
    The manufacturers send FREE booklets to the LGS with latest load tables (to advertise their products).
    And did I mention these are FREE!
    No reason in the world not to have 3 sources of reference when they are FREE!

    Just because the guy at the LGS 'Recommends' something, it doesn't override PRINTED DATA from the manufacturer.
    You don't have any idea if that guy is full of beans or is making loads that would scare the crap out of professionals.
    He's a minimum wage salesman, trying to sell you what he has on the shelf/in stock, so take anything told you as fiction unless it's backed up by the manufacturers data...

    What you read in magazines is 99.9% crap.
    It's a feature length advertisment for products paying the printing costs.
    Again, stick with manufacturers printed material until you learn the signs of over/under pressure & other danger signs.

    3. Powder Check!
    Either eyeball, weight, or spend the $70 for a beeper/lockout!
    A fully progressive machine MUST have a lockout/buzzer that's automatic since eyeballs get tired when you do more than about 500 at a sitting...
    I always recommend an automated powder check when you have a bullet feeder since the volume of loading speeds way up giving less time to check each case by eye...
    Since Dillon doesn't glitch/jam nearly as much as a bunch of the others, I consider a powder check mandatory when you go full progressive with feeds...

    4. If you can't afford a couple sets of HIGH QUALITY safety glasses, you can't afford to reload. PERIOD.
    EVERY machine puts sufficient pressure on the primer to set it off. PERIOD.
    If you *Think* it won't happen to 'YOU', so 'You' don't have to wear eye protection each & every time, *YOU* are self deluded.

    I spent 45+ years without a primer detonation, and my XL650 detonated in the feeder/tube, more than making up for the years without a detonation.
    This is the best argument for NEVER having uncovered powder on the bench! All powder containers covered, including the bin on the charge thrower!
    The lid wasn't screwed down on my powder can and the detonation blew the cap off, but powder didn't go up.
    The little plastic primer follower stuck in a plaster (not drywall) ceiling, like it was shot out of a musket.
    Just a word of warning from someone that WAS over confident (but not now!)...

    5. Buy the 'How To Reload' books and actually read them!
    This is probably more important than learning from someone that reloads since the books (plural) will give you information that the average home reloader won't cover.

    Highly recommended is an ACCREDITED class in reloading.
    Most start with basic safety, then move to a single press so you understand the most basic things you need to achieve,
    Then they move to more advanced reloading.

    Then once you have the basics down, go back and read the books again, they will make a LOT more sense!
    I keep a couple in the bathroom with bookmarks, read a little here & there, and even after 45 years I still pick up tid-bits I missed the first 20 times I read them...
    (Keep in mind that most 'Hobbies' won't blow your face off, so ongoing education is a real good idea!)
     
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