Dillon 450 to 550 upgrade

[red_zr24x4]

WOOHOOO!
My frame upgrade came in yesterday! Spending a few hours today upgrading my 450 to a 550.
I'm using Bosshoss's sticky thread about rebuilding a 550 as my guide for tearing it down, actually all I have left to take apart is the 2 pins in the pivot arms. Then I'll clean and lube it as I go back together.

 

[trophyhunter]

Oh you're going to like that when it's done! The 550 is probably the single most versatile press ever made, quality of the ammo it produces is second to none.

You're not far away from me, if you want to try an led skylight kit from inline fabrication on your new press when it's done I'll loan you a brand new one to try I can't imagine loading without one and it just drops right in ready to go.

 

[ZbornacSVT]

Just helped a guy get the stuff he needed to do the same thing yesterday. Good luck!

 

[red_zr24x4]

Pretty straight forward, easy upgrade.
We did my brothers 450 last year, its on the bench next to mine.
I also ordered the fail safe linkage for the powder drop.
Took me about an hour and a half, I scrubbed everything clean and lubed it when I reassembled it.

Thanks trophyhunter, we've been talking about buying those, I'd have to run some power to use it though, no outlet close to the presses.

 

[trophyhunter]

Pretty straight forward, easy upgrade.
We did my brothers 450 last year, its on the bench next to mine.
I also ordered the fail safe linkage for the powder drop.
Took me about an hour and a half, I scrubbed everything clean and lubed it when I reassembled it.

Thanks trophyhunter, we've been talking about buying those, I'd have to run some power to use it though, no outlet close to the presses.

I can't imagine loading without the lighting system, it's so good I keep a spare on hand just in case something happens to the light while I'm loading although I think he pretty much has a no questions asked policy if there's ever an issue with those they are cheap enough I just ordered a spare.

You can see every grain of power in the case clear as day after it drops before you advance it, and I really like that.

 

[17 squirrel]

My brother did the upgrade years ago and was very happy. I just leave my 450 set up for 38 waddcutter. I bought a 550 when it came out and years later a 650.
Awesome machines.. I have thought about buying the measure linkage also. That would be a good upgrade to do. Good Luck..

 

[Fullmag]

Why so many machines? Are there not quite versatile?

 

[17 squirrel]

Absolutely not, the 450 is for 38 waddcutter only, my kid and I both shoot thousands of rounds of it each year... I bought it around 1979-81 ???
I bought a 550 when they first came out, its a faster, safer easier to use machine. It is used for say 40% of what we load. It's quick to change calibers and is semi progressive. Unlike the 450..
I walked into a gun store years ago and there sat a used 650 with a dozen or so conversions with it. It was bought for less money than the converions cost.
That machine is used for nothing anymore besides 223 & 308 loading.
When I was younger I shot alot of MG's... Sometimes my son shoots them. It's easy to roll through a few thousand rounds in a afternoon. Also with as much as I used to shoot and my son shoots now, more is always better.
Unless i need to load a few thousand of a different cartridge.
And I also have a few single stages...
I know guys that have 3 and 4 Dillon 1050's.

 

[ZbornacSVT]

I know guys that have 3 and 4 Dillon 1050's.

 

[17 squirrel]

For personal use silly.... Not company owned... Even if you or I own the company its cheating if we do government work with company tools.
CHEATING I SAY !!!!!!!

 

[Fullmag]

Right now thinking about getting a Dillon and was considering the 550. Have 3 calibers and was thinking about quick change dies heads. Just missed out on a 550 with 2 heads.

 

[17 squirrel]

With a used Dillon, you need to be fast with the cash....
I will say that all of mine have been great investments. The 550b is an great machine and will serve you well.
I believe alot of people tend to overbuy when selecting a machine, normally when someone is whining about what a converion costs, the 650 loaded they bought, should have been a 550. JMHO. No offense to anyone.

 

[red_zr24x4]

Why so many machines? Are there not quite versatile?

We've got 2 550's, 2 RCBS single stage, and 2 lube-a-sizers set up in our loading room.
2 guys loading, possibly the same caliber at the same time.
Different machines for different uses. We deprime 223,308,30-06 on the single stage presses.