Looking for real world experience, emphasis on speed difference.
#Dillon550
#Dillon650
Looking for real world experience, emphasis on speed difference.
#Dillon550
#Dillon650
Last edited by LittleLebowski; 04-12-2017 at 12:48 PM.
#RESIST
Dibs on your 550 [emoji3]
“If you know the way broadly you will see it in everything." - Miyamoto Musashi
To me the big improvements are the ability to add a case feeder and bullet feeder. The primer feed system is also more reliable than the 550's.Originally Posted by LittleLebowski
I moved from a lee turret to a 550 to a 650. I don't regret the moves for a second. I did keep my 550. My thought was that the caliber changes are so easy (and relatively cheap vs the 650) I'd keep it for oddball low volume calibers. I run 9mm only on the 650 (I shoot production USPSA). Used to load only 40 on it when I shot limited and single stack. It isn't THAT hard to change over the 650, but for the hassle and money I wouldn't want to do it to load a couple hundred 45 long colt that will last me for years.
I don't get into loading times discussions. In my experience I spend more time adding bullets, primers and brass, dumping completed rounds, moving stuff around and fixing the occasional issue than actually pulling the handle, and no one adds those times in. With the bullet feeder, case feeder and primer tube full, you are just standing there pulling the handle. You can't do it as fast as you can, you need a rhythm, but it is a hell of a lot faster than a 550.
I think the question you have to ask is whether you are better off just getting a 1050 and not bothering with the 650. I kind of wish I would've just got a 1050. Then I could automate if I felt like it, wouldn't have to worry about primer pockets etc.
Absolutely get the 650 and casefeeder over a 550. Not getting a casefeeder kind of defeats the whole purpose. I find it much faster and more reliable than the manually indexing presses. While the 650 is awesome I really wish I'd have just sucked it up and bought a 1050 with Mark 7 autodrive instead.
What's the breakeven point for ponying up for the 1050 + autodrive? I'm leaving the measurement of breakeven ambiguous since I don't currently reload and don't really know what I don't know, but have considered reloading to shoot more.
Been loading 9 on a 550 for about 7 years.
Just bought a used 650 and hope to have it set up by next week.
I'll give you what numbers I get.
I'm currently at ~500/hour of 9mm without much stress and I *think* I should see a 40-50% speed increase with the case feeder. Time will tell and I could be off, certainly. A bullet feeder will be added in the coming months. It's not really the time I'm after though - it's the constant handling of cases, bullets and manually indexing that gets to me. If I can just pull a handle, 500 rounds will be "easier" and the speed increase (whatever it is) is just a bonus.
I certainly understand the allure if a 1050. I absolutely debated it but the massive jump in price just wasn't something I could justify for MY needs.
After selling my 550 I will be out $250 to upgrade to a 650 with a case feeder. The bullet feeder will about $475.
ETA - after watching a friend load 1,000 9mm in an hour I was impressed. He did have a case and bullet feeder. He wasn't killing himself at all and that took into account loading 5 tubes of primers halfway through. His rate purely pulling the handle was about 1,300/hr.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Last edited by punkey71; 03-12-2017 at 01:13 PM.
Depends on your cost per round, what your current pace is vs. the new, and equipment costs/which drive you pick. My cost per 100 rounds is $4.15 right now as a reference, I cast my own bullets.
If I bought jacketed/plated bullets, I'd save up for a 1050 and Mark 7 over a few years - I've seen those things cranking out over 1000 rounds an hour without a sweat. That leaves me open to filling supplies and doing QC at the same time, vs. stopping loading to keep another thing going. Get some buddies over and run it like a team-weapon system and you'll make a lot of ammo in a hurry.
From what I've seen, I'd likely do a 2-step with the 1050, a processing and then loading phase, with universal decapping for the loading phase. More time up front, but you can max out on the processing RPM since there's no powder, and the system will run far more effeciently with less stoppages on loading if everything is uniform going into the press. The stoppages while loading take away any/all automation advances, be it feeder/auto drive/650-1050.
In all reality, I can do 100 rounds in less than 5 minutes on my 650 taking my time. It's the stupid .380 cases that I miss that mess me up the most right now. I wouldn't do a 1050 if you're going to do caliber conversions and still use the bullet feeder (unless you can afford a different collator for each different bullet). Too much of a hassle to get it running perfect every time you change bullet profiles.
Last edited by jeep45238; 03-12-2017 at 01:14 PM.
Dillon 550: only four die stations, where I usually need five. Manual indexing, where I found that it was easy to "forget" and double charge.
Dillon 650: nearly ideal, but only with case collator.
For me, I rate presses I have tried as:
1) 550: not enough press to be worth the cost FOR ME. Not where near as ergonomic as Hornady, so if I had to have one, I would definitely want the case collator.
2) Hornady L-N-L: perfect if I don't want a case collator
3) Dillon 650: near perfect if I want a case collator, otherwise not a ergonomic as the Hornady.
4) Dillon 1050: near perfect even if it didn't have a case collator. Then you add in the primer pocket swager...
How much are you guys spending on a 650 setup after all is said and done? I'm running a 550 right now.
I spent about $850 for my dillon and case feeder - already had the dies. Spent another $450 on the bullet feeder.
I'd like to upgrade the handle, but haven't had long enough loading sessions to make it worth the expense yet.
Reply With Quote