Decided To Buy A Dillon

[Wobbly]

One of the most wonderful Dillon products is their ammo boxes. They used to be 10 for $10, but they have gone up a little. Still, where you going to get an ammo box for $1.20 ? I always have them throw some in when I order parts.

[nicky]

A lot of folks think the roller handle is great.

I am wondering "What's so great about it". What are the benefits of it over the ball handle.

School me.

[Wobbly]

A lot of folks think the roller handle is great.

I am wondering "What's so great about it". What are the benefits of it over the ball handle.

The larger handle displaces the force over a greater area of the palm and involves more fingers. Plus the shape and pivoting motion of the grip are simply a lot more natural. If you're just going to reload two hundred 9mm once a week, then its use is a toss-up, but if you resize bottleneck cases or anything that takes a lot of force, or simply do a lot of volume, then these things will really pay off in less shoulder and elbow pain. If you're ~50 years or older and ripe for repetitive motion joint issues, then you ought to think about one of these.

? Now, there are at least 2 sources which you ought to consider: Dillon and Inline Fabrication. I purchased the Dillon with the nylon handle for my 550, mainly because the Inline Fab product wasn't available at the time. Then, when it came time to upgrade, the roller handle got moved to the new 650. (Actually, quite a few of the fancy options on my 550 got moved to the 650, but that's another story.)


Side Note
Dillon offers 2 different versions: aluminum handle and nylon handle. I wanted the best one (obviously) and one might naturally assume the higher-priced aluminum version to be the better choice. However, aluminum doesn't like to bear directly on steel, so there would need to be a nylon bush, needle rollers, or some way to add lubrication to separate the 2 materials. I could never figure out (and still can't to this day!) what, if anything, separated those 2 adversaries, and so I simply opted for the version that was self lubricating. So here we are 8+ years and thousands of rounds later, and the nylon handle is still rolling along, seemingly no worse for the wear, with zero maintenance. (And PS, I still have no idea how Dillon assembles the darn thing !)

 

[t107]

Buy the strong mount and the roller handle.     

No fooling i was debating SM  LOL. Being that  My work bench is 36 1/2'' from floor .

I use a Strong Mount on a 36" bench and love it. When you're in front of the press, the op lever needs to be at shoulder level. I like standing to reload, and with a 650 you won't be standing there long !!

 

The SM not only lets you set the machine deeper on your work bench (making it far more stable), but it's also the required option to mount the Bullet Tray and other options. I also like to get some rectangular magnets from the hardware store and plop them onto the SM. That's where I keep all the hex keys and other small setup tools. Sooo much more convenient.

The Roller Handle is really nice, but nothing else depends on it being there, so you can add that anytime.

I think the third party Spent Primer Chutes are very, very handy. What they do is route all the smutt and the old spent primers into a gallon milk jug under your bench. In this way all the trash is taken care of for you. Some scrap metal dealers will even pay you for the spent primer brass.

 

 
 Great Thanks Wobbly. The idea about the magnets is Simple Yet Brilliant !!!



[Mods re-interpreted statement for clarity.]

[Wobbly]

So it'll be a drop shipment straight from Dillon.

I live in Atlanta which is a hotbed of shooting sports and reloading. There are quite a few local stores stocking Dillon. I usually prefer to buy locally, but in this case the purchase was made over the internet. Here's why...

1) Although local vendors stocked the 550 setup with the first caliber (one very significant way to save $ on your purchase), no one stocked the 650 setup the same way. There were apparently too many versions between "with" and "without" the case feeder.
2) The added 7 or 8% local tax was way more than shipping from Dillon.
3) 99.8% of internet orders end up being drop shipped from Dillon in Arizona anyway. Especially all the "low price" outlets. They keep the price low by not maintaining any type of warehouse or inventory.


Funny story. Just before retirement I thought to become a Dillon dealer. What could be easier? Buy a franchise, then have Dillon ship everything, while I sit at home and collect the cash. No way, Jose ! Dillon is not accepting any new dealers !! Apparently, 2 million of my closest reloading buddies all had the same idea !! Oh, well. 

 

[Wobbly]

Great Thanks Wobbly. The idea about the magnets is Simple Yet Brilliant !!!

You're very welcome.

As much as I would like to think that "Simple Yet Brilliant" was a phrase that would appropriately sum up my life, I'm very much afraid that "Hot beer and Cold women" comes closer !!

 

[Wobbly]

One way to save money on your 550 or 650 accessory purchases is to color code your Tool Heads by buying from JoferUSA. At the time of my purchase these were about half the price of the plain Dillon tool heads.




See the stickie thread Reloading Press Upgrades & Accessories

[Wobbly]

Decided to put together a Dillon 650 order, moving on up from Single Stage.

The 650 is a neat piece of kit, but I doubt you'll be getting very far away from the Single Stage. As great as the 650 is, it's not an optimal press for one-off production, especially if the case feeder is attached.

Just a note to say that you may want to keep the Single Stage attached to the other end of the bench, or if you really need the bench-top space, install some T-nuts in the bench so that the Single Stage can be re-installed very quickly when needed.

So, if you had plans to put the Single Stage on CraigsList, you might want to hold off for a month or more and see how things go.

Just my 2 cents. 

[t107]

Decided to put together a Dillon 650 order, moving on up from Single Stage.

The 650 is a neat piece of kit, but I doubt you'll be getting very far away from the Single Stage. As great as the 650 is, it's not an optimal press for one-off production, especially if the case feeder is attached.

Just a note to say that you may want to keep the Single Stage attached to the other end of the bench, or if you really need the bench-top space, install some T-nuts in the bench so that the Single Stage can be re-installed very quickly when needed.

So, if you had plans to put the Single Stage on CraigsList, you might want to hold off for a month or more and see how things go.

Just my 2 cents. 

Yes agreed have no plans on selling Single stage press . Will use SS   for load development .

[t107]

One way to save money on your 550 or 650 accessory purchases is to color code your Tool Heads by buying from JoferUSA. At the time of my purchase these were about half the price of the plain Dillon tool heads.



 
See the stickie thread Reloading Press Upgrades & Accessories

Yes and i hear they are a tighter fit than Dillon's. On my list is Quick Change Kit with stand powder measurer & tool head.

My list being i want to use Two Calipers 9mm & 45 Auto.
 ----------------------------------------------------------------
My LIST
 XL650 /9mm
 2- Dillon sets of Dies 45Auto,9mm
 650 Case Feeder Sm Pistol
 1-Lg case feeder plate
 1-Powder Check
 1-650 Quick change kit
 1-Lg primer pickup tube set of 4
 1-Sm primer pickup tube set of 4
 1-Spare parts kit
 1-Dillon XL650 Caliber Conversion 45Auto
Oh  I Almost forgot 1- Strong Mount and a Magnet .

That's going to empty my wallet.


[Mods corrected quote]

[Wobbly]

? When I bought my 650, I found a deal on one setup for 38 Spcl, which was one of my main calibers. My point is, don't get hung up on "XL650 with 9mm", because you're going to buy the other 2 caliber kits anyway and they are all the same price. Look for the best deal on a XL650 with [any of your calibers].

? Don't buy the dies. Use the ones you're using now. You can slowly work into that.

? Don't buy the Spares Kit... you'll never use it. I haven't touched the one I inherited in 10 years. Anything that breaks, Dillon is going to send to you for free anyway.

? Don't buy the Powder Check. The primer tubes only hold 100 primers. If you can't look at the powder measure while you're re-filling the primer tubes, then you need professional eye help.

? You will need to buy a Powder Die, which is the threaded chrome tube that supports the powder measure. You'll need one every time you buy a Tool Head. The appropriate Powder Funnel comes in the conversion kit with the shell holder.

? One set of Primer Pickup Tubes come with the press. Are you wanting extra tubes ?

? Magnets are in the hardware section of your local hardware store, usually 2 per pack for about $4. I use the large rectangular ones that are ~3/4 x 1-1/2 inches.


Hope this helps.   

[t107]

? Don't buy the Powder Check. The primer tubes only hold 100 primers. If you can't look at the powder measure while you're re-filling the primer tubes, then you need professional eye help.


Hope this helps.   

The powder check that i was referring was for lite charge or over charge case not the power dump.     https://www.dillonprecision.com/dillon-powder-check_8_3_23805.html

[muncie21]

I like the Vibra Prime gizmo for loading primers.  Works very well with CCI & S&B primers (mostly all I reload with) Winny's are OK but don't run as well.  Once the primers are oriented correctly, it takes about 5-8seconds to get them into the tube.  From there, just align with the primer tube on the 650 and pull the pin.  Super quick and easy.

[t107]

Yes on my wish list. You Guys are making me Sweat this is  Feeling Like  An Addiction 

[FN in MT]

 You can never have enough light.....

 https://inlinefabrication.com/collections/lighting/products/skylighttm-led-lighting-kit-for-the-dillon-650

 I do not own a 650, but run these on two 550's and my 1050. Worth the price.

 FN in MT