Dillon "Starter" Press

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  • DaemonAssassin

    Why should we Free BSD?
    Jun 14, 2012
    23,970
    Political refugee in WV
    It is an easy way in to the world of Dillon reloading. I do like this loader, due to the ability to use extruded powders on a 550, instead of being limited to ball or flake powders with the automatic powder measure.
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,729
    Socialist State of Maryland
    I don't have any old Blue Presses laying about but, as I recall, before the RL550B came along, they used to market the 550 basic with nothing but the press. Everything else could be added piece by piece.

    The latest move is probably a marketing strategy to stimulate shooters to start reloading. Many of the young people I know have no interest in reloading and just buy their ammo on line. Too bad.
     

    Magnumite

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 17, 2007
    6,561
    Harford County, Maryland
    That press has been out for several years. Good idea

    I got the RL 450 B months before the 550 was announced. It had the plate advancer, measure and loaded round chute with bin. IIRC, the 550 came out similarly equipped. I remember that because I called them to see about exchanging the 450 for the 550.
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    That press has been out for several years. Good idea

    I got the RL 450 B months before the 550 was announced. It had the plate advancer, measure and loaded round chute with bin. IIRC, the 550 came out similarly equipped. I remember that because I called them to see about exchanging the 450 for the 550.

    I seem to remember an upgrade kit to change a 450 into a 550.
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    The latest move is probably a marketing strategy to stimulate shooters to start reloading. Many of the young people I know have no interest in reloading and just buy their ammo on line. Too bad.

    IMO, it is to have people buy a blue press to start.

    Someone new to reloading is looking to spend less on the press, as they need to buy everything. And may not see the need for a full progressive to start with.

    So this gives them a press to start, at a lower price point, that is upgradeable in the future. Smart move.
     

    Magnumite

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 17, 2007
    6,561
    Harford County, Maryland
    I seem to remember an upgrade kit to change a 450 into a 550.

    There is and I did it to mine. The interchangeable toolhead feature is too good not to have. I learned that with the Lee turret press.

    The reason the BL 550 was developed was to give a 'beginner' single stage press the capability to be retrofitted to progressive configuration. The group at Dillon was hashing out a proposal for a single stage to market. They asked an employee, a former world champion speed shooter, what he thought. He said he was told to start woth a single stage then go to a progressive. He was emphatic in stressing all his single stage stuff was unnecessary. The result was the BL 550 was developed.

    I looked for a progressive early on after starting reloading. There were very few choices, none of them really viable until I read an ad for the Dillon 450B. I was close to ordering it. Then Lee came out with the Pro 1000. I had one of Lee's original turret presses. Then I had to choose what appeared the best machine. Took all of half an hour to determine there was no significant comparison. Cry once, buy once. The Dillon it was and still is.
     

    Jmorrismetal

    Active Member
    Sep 27, 2014
    468
    Dillon changed the frame design on both the 550 and 650.

    The 550 got a name change from "B" to "C", the 650 did not. I think the reason is there is no "BL" 650 to get confused with like the stripped down 550.

    In any case the "C" doesn't do anything a "B" won't do, the "BL" is a 550 stripped of the primer system and powder measure/failsafe. If you want more manual operations, it might be the press for you. If you want auto powder drop and priming save up and buy them assembled by Dillon.

    If you liked a car but couldn't afford it yet you wouldn't just buy the body that you could afford then later add the engine and transmission when you could afford them, would you?
     

    Overboost44

    6th gear
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 10, 2013
    6,619
    Kent Island
    Dillon changed the frame design on both the 550 and 650.

    The 550 got a name change from "B" to "C", the 650 did not. I think the reason is there is no "BL" 650 to get confused with like the stripped down 550.

    In any case the "C" doesn't do anything a "B" won't do, the "BL" is a 550 stripped of the primer system and powder measure/failsafe. If you want more manual operations, it might be the press for you. If you want auto powder drop and priming save up and buy them assembled by Dillon.

    If you liked a car but couldn't afford it yet you wouldn't just buy the body that you could afford then later add the engine and transmission when you could afford them, would you?

    Always appreciate your posts. I have a "B". Just curious more than anything and you answered that.
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    If you liked a car but couldn't afford it yet you wouldn't just buy the body that you could afford then later add the engine and transmission when you could afford them, would you?

    More like buying a car and deciding later to add AC and radio.

    A BL550 is fully functional load ammo. A car without engine or tranny is not functional as a car.
     

    Jmorrismetal

    Active Member
    Sep 27, 2014
    468
    A BL550 is fully functional load ammo. A car without engine or tranny is not functional as a car.

    If you can load fully functional ammo without needing to prime or throw a powder charge.
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    If you can load fully functional ammo without needing to prime or throw a powder charge.

    So a single stage press is not functional??????

    :D

    I guess a car without an engine and/or tranny is functional.

    IF you are Fred Flintstone. :lol2:
     

    Jmorrismetal

    Active Member
    Sep 27, 2014
    468
    This is a B, look at the front of the frame and the upper link arm pin.

    You can tell its one of the later 550B presses because the lower link arm pin has the grease zerk.
     

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    Jmorrismetal

    Active Member
    Sep 27, 2014
    468
    This is the new 550C. Notice the truss shape on the front beam of the frame and the upper link pin is hex because it's threaded.

    Those are the only differences between the two.
     

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    Jmorrismetal

    Active Member
    Sep 27, 2014
    468
    So a single stage press is not functional??????

    You said, "A BL550 is fully functional load ammo." and it's not. If it contained all the functions it needed to complete the task, the owner wouldn't need anything in addition to what the regular 550B/C needs and that is not the case.

    Sure a single stage press is functional.

    Like the Lee breechlock on the left. You can't prime on it without buying something extra, so it's less functional than the challenger on the right.
     

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    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    How do you throw a powder charge with those two??????????

    The BL550 is no less functional than a single stage press. Both need some other things to complete the job.

    But the BL550 allows later upgrade to a full progressive. Do those two Lees have that?

    Don't get me wrong. I like single stage presses, and think that every reloader some have one. And I like Lee products for the most part. Some are below my threshold for quality/usability, but they do work.
     

    Jmorrismetal

    Active Member
    Sep 27, 2014
    468
    The BL550 is no less functional than a single stage press.

    Ok but that doesn't make it "fully functional", when it requires more equipment to do the same job the RL550B/C can do out of the box.

    How about I concede that the BL550 is fully functional if you have something extra to prime cases and throw powder charges and you need neither addition to load on the RL550b/c.
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    Ok but that doesn't make it "fully functional", when it requires more equipment to do the same job the RL550B/C can do out of the box.

    How about I concede that the BL550 is fully functional if you have something extra to prime cases and throw powder charges and you need neither addition to load on the RL550b/c.

    It is as fully functional as a SINGLE STAGE PRESS.
     

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