Can a neophyte put a Dillon 650 together.

[Motobob]

I have never seen a progressive press run but the initial set-up is going slow but making good progress.As a student of all things mechanical I'm very impressed with the press and accessories. Any advice on minimizing the learning curve would be greatly appreciated.

[farmerj]

Make a sturdy bench

[Einthoven's Triangle]

If you are new to reloading then I heartily suggest this.....first buy and read cover to cover twice "The ABC's of Reloading". Next, take notes of points to ponder..... Next, Dillon has a good video that you can buy for their 650, that is a great tool. Remember the Dillon Motto, Do Not Suffer in Silence......

If you are total noob then I would never suggest the 650, as it adds a few things to equation. A 550 is just as fast, if you do not have a case feeder.........It is has more versatility.......

If you are going to reload rifle rounds.....well there is more to reloading rifle rounds then meets the eye. There is a lot of case prep.......that sort of gets glossed over with some people's ideas of reloading.......

My best suggestion is to call John Walton at the Gunstop 952-474-0211 http://www.gunstop.com
He is a Dillon Dealer, and he will do right by you.............. I know there is nice looking used 650 on his shelf with case feeder for a pretty inviting price...............

[westhope]

When I bought my Dillon, about 12 years ago, I was in the same dilemma, 550 or 650. I never regret spending the extra money for the 650, and extra stations in the press allow me to do things I consider essential now. The 550 does not have those additional stations available. Also at that time, there was no case feeder for the 550.

I bought the 650 without the case-feeder. I had used a single stage press for 20 years and didn’t think a case feeder was necessary. Boy was I wrong! After the first time I loaded on the 650, I bought the case-feeder. It is so fast; you spend all your time loading cases in the feed tube without the case feeder.

The additional stations on the 650 allow me to use a powder check station and a Lee Factory Crimp die. Both of these I consider essential now. The Lee Factory Crimp die resizes after crimping the bullet and puts a much more uniform crimp on the case. Using range pick-up brass (9 mm & 45 ACP) it makes sure it will fit any of my guns.

I am an RO / SO and can think of at least a dozen squib loads that I have stopped other shooters with. (I did have one squib load myself with my reloads. It was after that squib load with my own ammo that I added the powder check station; about $40 at that time.) I load about 10,000 rounds a year.

I have never heard anyone say they did not like their 550. The 650 offers several options the 550 doesn’t.

If I remember correctly, the 650 did take a long time to set-up initially. There was a very detailed instruction book with it that needed to be followed exactly and then it was fine. It did take a long time if I remember. Now, to change calibers, it takes about 30 seconds to change the head. The only complaint I have is that if you need to change primer sizes, it takes about 15 minutes. Way too long in my opinion.

You’ll like either one. You’ll like the 650 more after you forget about the additional cost.

(My location is south of Owatonna since you are near West Concord if you want to see my press.)

[Rem700]

A little bit of futtsing.
With the first couple of cases after setting it up the first time do not load up the primer tube or the case feed tube, Instead place one empty case into the tube and crank the handle until the case gets to the primer station place a primer by hand in the station and seat the primer and continue the rest of the process until you have a loaded round. You only have one case/cartridge to watch during the loading process and eliminate all the boohaha about starting out with a single stage press. Once comfortable fill up the primer tube and case feed and have fun. Remember when starting out it takes 6-10 pulls of the handle to get a primer to the priming station so dont feed any empty brass until the station has primers in it.

[Pinnacle]

I have never seen a progressive press run but the initial set-up is going slow but making good progress.As a student of all things mechanical I'm very impressed with the press and accessories. Any advice on minimizing the learning curve would be greatly appreciated.

A 650 is simple yet complex all at the same time. The simple part is the process itself. The complex part is learning all of the steps to set the thing up properly.

Any questions - please asl.

[Motobob]

Thanks guys for all the input. The Dillon die set comes with a crimp die. Would I be better off using the Lee crimp die then the Dillon ? I made the trip up to Gunstop to buy the press from John new. I started with a single stage and went to a turret and now up to progressive. I'm certainly not familiar with this press but professionally pulling wrenches for 30 years helps .

[macphisto]

Any questions - please asl.

25/M/MN

[Motobob]

Any questions - please asl.

25/M/MN

That's just wrong and way off topic I hope.

[westhope]

motobob

Would I be better off using the Lee crimp die then the Dillon

No. You use BOTH!

Use the standard bullet / crimp die to only seat the bullet to the proper OAL (back off the crimp adjustment of that die). The Lee Factor Crimp die is after the bullet seating die, the last die in the progressive press. It will apply the taper crimp and do a final re-sizing of the round.

If you think about reloading a pistol round. The first die re-sizes (compresses) the case and removes the spent primer. The next die expands the mouth of the case to accept the bullet. The third die normally seats the bullet and crimps the case (compresses it again). Normally this is all that is needed. What the factory crimp die does, in addition to appling the taper crimp, is to re-size the round a final time to be sure it will fit the chamber after all the compressing, expanding, and compressing the case in the reloading process.

For the $13 cost (at Cabela's in Owatonna) of the LFC die and you having the open station with the 650 press I would highly recommend it. It will not slow your reloading process any, and will give you rounds that will always chamber.

[Einthoven's Triangle]

Remember that Dillon die sets are mean for progressive use...

A carbide sizer die
A seater die
A crimp die
in general no need to use more dies....this will work just fine and dandy


other die sets (exception Redding Pro Series same set up as Dillon meant for progressive use)
A sizer (carbide is mainstream)die
A case mouth expander die
A seater / crimp die.....
(Lee has 4 die set with FCD as the 4th die)

to me seating is one step and crimping another.......

Some people over think crimp....the idea is use the crimp die to remove the case mouth expansion......the best case gauge is to use the bbl from your gun as QA tool, or buy a case gauge.....the rounds should drop in and out....

Now some people loading on 650 with will use the extra station in many ways....
using FCD at final step
using EGW U die in station #2 by moving the powder measure over to station three
using a powder check die...

many combos possible

assemble some test rounds......before buying extra stuff that is not needed......

[Rem700]

The case feed is worth the extra money IMHO.
If you didnt get the case feed initialy have the SO feed empties into the case feed tube while you load, It significantly increases production and after about an hour you should get an offer to go buy the auto case feed Well atleast it worked that way for me. Hmmm wonder what John wants for that used Dillon

[Einthoven's Triangle]

Hmmm wonder what John wants for that used Dillon

$550