Dillon Precision or...

[justeric]

I'm getting the idea that I should buy a Dillon

I would say yes. But don't expect to save money, you will just shoot more!

If you were shooting 9mm, I would invite you to load some up at my house. I have my 550b set up for 9mm and won't get a 223 conversion kit until Christmas (if I'm a good boy).

 

[jimbobborg]

I'm getting the idea that I should buy a Dillon

Lots of Dillon Kool Aid drinkers here I must say, I resisted the urge for YEARS. I have the 550, and a turret and single-stage press. I have use for all of them. Some day I'll have a 404 Jeffries or 416 Rigby and really need the single stage press.

 

[Speed3]

If you shoot lots of pistol rounds, I would say yes, a Dillon would be worth it. As far as rifle rounds goes, depends on the final purpose of the rounds. If your looking for plinking ammo or hunting rounds, I would say you would be fine loading them on the Dillon.

If your looking for "pure accuracy" then probably a single stage is better for rifle. Most of my time on the reloading bench is prepping brass. Once that is done, just measure each powder charge and seat to respecitive "ogive".

As mentioned...its going to take "lots" of rounds to pay for the Dillon, however its really nice to be able to crank out loads when there is a shortage of ammo.

 

[Magnumite]

It would take approximately 4300 rounds of Rem/UMC 115 grain metal case equivilent ammo to pay for a Dillon 550 B...Rem FMJ bullet compared to FMJ bullet and loaded to nominal 1180-1200 fps. One year's worth of fairly heavy shooting to recover the cost of the 550B. Lead or plated projectiles would incur greater savings if one wishes to consider that route.

If shooting heavier caliber the saving occur at lower number of reloaded rounds. Shooting 230 grain FMJ ball ammo it would take approximately 3300 rounds to recover the cost of the same press. And 45 ball right now is priced nicely at Wal Mart.

44 Magnum...savings are huge. 960 rounds would pay for the 550B using 240 grain JHP bullets. With lead...closer to 860 rounds would buy it.

These prices do not include acquiring good deals on blems, lead or excess stock pricing. Just like at WalMart, typical prices for same class components.

 

[smdub]

Add 300BLK and 500S&W to the mix and its like Dillon is *PAYING YOU* to buy their stuff

 

[DaemonAssassin]

If you do 308, you should recover the cost of the 550 in about 1k rounds. 223 should recover the cost of the 550 in 1500-2000 rounds. Granted those figures are based off of recouping the cost of the press, bench, all the sites, tool heads, quick change kits, and the Dillon accessory kit.

 

[tylerevans42]

I'm reloading mostly 30.06 and a little .308. Once I get my .45 I'll be reloading that a lot I think it would pay off fairly quickly

 

[Jmorrismetal]

How many 30-06 have you fired in the last 6 months?

 

[tylerevans42]

How many 30-06 have you fired in the last 6 months?

750+ easily since start of june

 

[Broncolou]

750+ easily since start of june

my shoulder hurts just thinking about that.

 

[Traveler]

my shoulder hurts just thinking about that.

Nah, he just looks like Popeye.

 

[tylerevans42]

my shoulder hurts just thinking about that.

Out of a garand nonetheless

 

[tylerevans42]

Nah, he just looks like Popeye.

Not quite, but I like where your head is

 

[Jmorrismetal]

750+ easily since start of june

That's enough that I might get a 550 but 250 rounds a month on a single stage or turret is not out of the question.

 

[tylerevans42]

That's enough that I might get a 550 but 250 rounds a month on a single stage or turret is not out of the question.

I just feel like I dont have the time for that. But dont we all

 

[Pinecone]

I have the full conversion, including powder measure and powder alarm. The problem I have is getting the indexing right.

How so?

Unless you over tighten the bolt holding the shell plate, there is nothing to set.

 

[BenL]

How so?

Unless you over tighten the bolt holding the shell plate, there is nothing to set.

That might be it. I picked up the DVD to watch so I can get this squared away this winter.

 

[Pinecone]

I use a RCBS Charge Master to throw and weigh my charge. If the charge is not spot on, I throw the powder back in hopper and let it measure out another load. Depending on the powder, I might get a good drop 1 out of 3 tries. Then I seat the bullet using a competition die with a micrometer on the top. I load them long and then check their length with a comparitor. Then I use the micrometer to do a fine adjustment on the seating depth and seat the bullet again. I keep doing this in small increments until I get the bullet seated at the correct depth according to my comparitor.

You need to mod your Chargemaster.

I get maybe one out of 50 off.

I reprogrammed based on the instructions you get Google and get.

I tried the straw mod, and it helped, but made my own mod that works better.

 

[Jmorrismetal]

I just feel like I dont have the time for that. But dont we all

I understand that too, when my kid was born was when I finally finished my computer controlled 1050 project.

I could feed her, do the laundry, get everything together for the match and load ammo all at the same time.

 

[ironpony]

Loving my new 550, no hiccups like the old 450. At this point has anyone done the math on a shell feeder and how long it would take to pay for itself? I would use it for 9mm, maybe 223 and at this rate maybe 300 bo.

My thoughts on the single stage for accuracy is that the 550 should make rounds more accurate than I can shoot. Ergo the box for the single stage.