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Dillon Progressive Reloader |
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Urimaginaryfrnd
MODERATOR Resident Redneck Joined: June/20/2005 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 14964 |
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Posted: June/09/2008 at 02:10 |
Are any of you using the Dillon progressive loaders. If so which model and how consistent is it? Do you wish you had gotten a different model - if so why?
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"Always do the right thing, just because it is the right thing to do". Bobby Paul Doherty Texas Ranger |
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Dale Clifford
Optics Jedi Knight Joined: July/04/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 5087 |
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they make other reloaders?? -- consistent--as the operator, if you can't reload it on a dillon its not worth shooting.
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BeltFed
Optics Retard Joined: February/12/2008 Location: Ky Status: Offline Points: 22287 |
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Have a Dillon 650, love it. I got it used so I have had to replace some parts, but now the only thing that slows me down is keeping it fed.
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Life's concerns should be about the 120lb pack your trying to get to the top of the mountain, and not the rock in your boot.
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Mike McDonald
Optics Journeyman Joined: September/01/2004 Status: Offline Points: 739 |
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I have a few 550's. Use them for pistol with the issue powder measure, as well as 5.56 non-critical stuff. For the important stuff I use an RCBS measure, scale, and dump into the cartridge with a funnel fixed to station 2. Even like that it's difficult to keep primers fed into it fast enough.
They're a good investment, but look at the Hornady progressive, it'll eat the dillons and has a better more consistant powder dispenser.
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VN350X10
Optics GrassHopper Joined: April/13/2008 Location: McHenry, IL Status: Offline Points: 26 |
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On my loading bench, left to right....
Lee 1000
Dillon SDB
Dillon XL 650 w/casefeeder
Dillon RL 1050 w/casefeeder
Dillon "525" (more on this in a bit)
other presses: Bonanza Co-Axial, RCBS RockChucker, Lyman Spar-T
Yes, I load a bit.
The Dillon presses are without question, the current high water mark in mass produced loading presses. They offer speed & reliability, combined with user friendly features.
Are they perfect....NO WAY. But their customer service is about the best I've ever encountered.
Are they better than anything else on the market.....probably, I haven't found better yet & over the years I've loaded on a LOT of other presses, going back to Star, Bair & C&H to name a few.
Powder measures are an interesting point, most measures will work well with SOME powders. I've not seen a measure that works well with EVERY powder, except some of the high end bench rest type measures (Culver type)
Back to my Dillon "525"....
This is an older model RL 450 that has been updated to 550 specs EXCEPT it doesn't have the floppy, loose toolhead. I prefer to clean my dies after a loading session (might be up to 2000 rounds!) so taking the dies out of the press doesn't bother me, it would happen with the toolhead anyway.
I can load ammo on this press & change over to the RockChucker, with the same dies & components & mix the ammo from both presses & not show a difference. I've done this with my old BR in .222 Rem & the rifle deliveres 1/2" groups @ 200 yds, the press that loaded the ammo doesn't matter.
I know that a 1/2" @ 200 isn't worth squat in BR anymore, but I didn't buy it for BR, I bought it from a gent who was quitting BR because of his eyesight & I wanted a prariedog rifle that I could embarass my shooting buddies with. (GOT ONE!)
I've used a Hornady press & find while it loads excellent ammo, it has too much of a "clunk..clunk" while in operation. I feel the Dillon's are a smoother operating press, and seem a bit easier to set up.
My only complaint with a Dillon press is with the SDB; It's small & my hands don't fit in it too well & I've got rather small hands. Hate to be a person with large hands & try to load on it.
Also, the propriatary dies are a bit of a pain, but for someone who is only going to load handgun, it's livable.
I'm not even going to comment on my Lee 1000, except to say it's a dedicated press in 9mm, it works well after the numerous mods I've made to it (lots of changes from stock) & since it's working, I leave it alone !
just my thoughts & experience. I've been loading since 1973.
uncle albert
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My gun safe is LARGER than my first appartment !
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