New & Overwhelmed

[Jay585]

Got a Dillon 550 from a local fella. Spend about 3 hours getting hosed with information and came away with a bit of knowledge, but also overwhelmed.

This is what I ended up with (accessories not pictured but if you need to know what they are I'll throw up another pic):



Now I'm wondering what equipment I need to buy, in what order (assuming a purchase a week), and what I should splurge on and what I can go cheap with.

Plan to reload 9mm (highest priority), 5.56 (for a SPR-type AR) and .38 wadcutters (for my K Frame Smith)

[Artemas2]

I got a 550c a few months ago I totally get the "new & overwhelmed" bit
It looks like you got most of the "big stuff" done

Carbide Die sets for the calibers you want
Primer pick up tubes / or automatized primer vibrator from dillion or DAA if you hate money
Primer flip tray (I was able to use an old RCBS tray fror a hand primer cause I am cheap)
shell plate and locator buttons for relevant calibers (some calibers use the same shell plate, and you only need the buy the locator buttons and powder funnel. That one got me)
powder funnel for relevant calibers

Additional powder measures if you don't want to adjust between calibers changes

dillion Presicion
Titan reloading
BenStoeger Pro shop
are all the places I found stuff at.

I found this video helpfull

[DDTSGM]

This is just me, but I'd get a set of 9mm carbide dies and familiarize myself with the press. You also need a manual, I did the PDF thing, had the copy shop print it off and put it in a binder with page protectors. That way I can also insert tips that folks post or I pick up along the way. Brian Enos forums is a wealth of info in this respect.

After that my next purchases directly 550 related were extra primer tubes, a casefeeder, and extra small parts:

Small parts kits - I bought a couple - https://www.dillonprecision.com/20048

locator buttons - even though they are in the small part kit if you're like me you'll lose them: https://www.dillonprecision.com/s000...ustomization=1

I bought a roller handle and used it for a long while then noticed that I was torquing the shell plate as the machine aged. I felt this was a source of some primer seating issues as well as case feeding and alignment with the sizing die, so I switched back to the original ball and the majority of my issues disappeared.

I'm also not into screwing dies in and out of the die holder so I bought EZ change kits for .40, .45 and 5.56: https://www.dillonprecision.com/s000017 (didn't buy them all at once - LOL) I also purchased some upgrades for the powder measure:

Tube Baffle: https://ballistictools.com/store/per...powder-measure

Micrometer Powder Bar Adjuster: Preinstalled: https://benstoegerproshop.com/precis...-by-uniquetek/
User Installed: https://benstoegerproshop.com/unique...loading-press/

The powder bar adjuster allows you to accurately record different loads without a lot of fuss - initially I was loading 9mm to plinking velocity as well as to power factor, so the micrometer made things a lot quicker.

Micrometer Bullet Seating Stem - same deal, easy to record and replicate: https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/horn...t-seating-stem

Everything else is just general reloading stuff.

[Jay585]

I've put my responses inside the quote box, but in bold text

I got a 550c a few months ago I totally get the "new & overwhelmed" bit
It looks like you got most of the "big stuff" done

Carbide Die sets for the calibers you want
Primer pick up tubes / or automatized primer vibrator from dillion or DAA if you hate money This thing? https://www.dillonprecision.com/s000223 I think I'll use the primer pick up tubes (part of the accessories package I got) before I go full tilt into reloading. I already have a flip tray and pick up tubes
Primer flip tray (I was able to use an old RCBS tray fror a hand primer cause I am cheap)
shell plate and locator buttons for relevant calibers (some calibers use the same shell plate, and you only need the buy the locator buttons and powder funnel. That one got me) I've been checking local classifieds and eBay for a Dillion conversion kit
powder funnel for relevant calibers

Additional powder measures if you don't want to adjust between calibers changes

dillion Presicion
Titan reloading
BenStoeger Pro shop
are all the places I found stuff at.

I found this video helpfull
Thank you!

This is just me, but I'd get a set of 9mm carbide dies and familiarize myself with the press. You also need a manual, I did the PDF thing, had the copy shop print it off and put it in a binder with page protectors. That way I can also insert tips that folks post or I pick up along the way. Brian Enos forums is a wealth of info in this respect.

After that my next purchases directly 550 related were extra primer tubes, a casefeeder, and extra small parts:

Small parts kits - I bought a couple - https://www.dillonprecision.com/20048

locator buttons - even though they are in the small part kit if you're like me you'll lose them: https://www.dillonprecision.com/s000...ustomization=1

I bought a roller handle and used it for a long while then noticed that I was torquing the shell plate as the machine aged. I felt this was a source of some primer seating issues as well as case feeding and alignment with the sizing die, so I switched back to the original ball and the majority of my issues disappeared.

I'm also not into screwing dies in and out of the die holder so I bought EZ change kits for .40, .45 and 5.56: https://www.dillonprecision.com/s000017 (didn't buy them all at once - LOL) I also purchased some upgrades for the powder measure:

Tube Baffle: https://ballistictools.com/store/per...powder-measure

Micrometer Powder Bar Adjuster: Preinstalled: https://benstoegerproshop.com/precis...-by-uniquetek/
User Installed: https://benstoegerproshop.com/unique...loading-press/

The powder bar adjuster allows you to accurately record different loads without a lot of fuss - initially I was loading 9mm to plinking velocity as well as to power factor, so the micrometer made things a lot quicker.

Micrometer Bullet Seating Stem - same deal, easy to record and replicate: https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/horn...t-seating-stem

Everything else is just general reloading stuff.

Thank you. I'll save the links for when/if I get seriously into reloading. For now I'm staying basic until I figure out if this is something I want to be serious about.

Some additional questions I have:

Dies - go high end or low end? From what I'm seeing it seems like Lee is cheapest and Redding is the most expensive.
What's the difference between carbide dies and the normal steel ones?
Do reloading wadcutter bullets require a special type of die?
Case cleaners - I think I got this from the book, ABC's of Reloading that ultrasonic is the way to go for cleaning brass? IIRC, it's the least abrasive method of cleaning brass and it'll last longer. Any brands to stay away from?
Case prep - I got those hand turning trimmers (one for primer pocket and case mouth) but the fella I got the press from had this big bench machine with several attachments sticking up. At what place in the list should I place this?
In line with case prep- if I only buy new brass (for now), can I save myself the expense of the case stuff or is it still necessary?
Is a scale necessary? What do I need to weigh, and how often? I'm assuming the powder charge in the brass has to be weighed when I'm setting it up. What's a good one to use? Or should I use my digital food scale (of which I have an NIB extra)?

I became aware of needing a case gauge via the Dillion channel @Artemas2 linked to. What else might I need that I don't know about?

[Bergeron]

Following this thread with great interest- I want to handload 10mm, and eventually a rifle-caliber wildcat (.358x39mm).

What kind of table/desks are good? I only want to cry once.

[bofe954]

I would start with the 9mm conversion kit from dillon and the dillon dies if they are available.

https://www.dillonprecision.com/s000217

https://www.dillonprecision.com/s000089

Then if you have a scale, a flip tray and components I would start making bullets. i am assuming you have the primer tubes and the small primer set up for the press.

I would recommend dillon dies, but they are hard to get right now. You could poke around for a used set, which you might find, or just buy a Lee set of carbide dies to get by.

[mmc45414]

I will blather on more later, but you may consider starting with 38, lower volume and bigger savings from reloading.

ETA: Maybe a little simpler

[WDR]

I will blather on more later, but you may consider starting with 38, lower volume and bigger savings from reloading.

ETA: Maybe a little simpler

.38 cases are also cavernous and easy to double or triple charge, depending on your powder type.

Personally I'd start with 9mm, particularly if you plan to eventually load .38 wadcutters, as those take a bit different setup and specific brass, possibly a different expander, etc. I think 9mm is a bit easier to learn on, and you have a bit more magin for errors. If you pick a bulky powder, a double charge will overflow a 9mm case, making mistakes more obvious. A manually indexed press like the the 550 increases chance of double charging a case, and requires a bit more attention, particularly if you stop part way through the process (interruptions, issues with the press, etc).

It's a perfectly safe press, you juat have to be vigilant, and when in doubt, start over from scratch.

[mmc45414]

.38 cases are also cavernous and easy to double or triple charge, depending on your powder type.

Excellent point.

There is also a great deal of information on Ultimate Reloader, if you learn better from video.

https://youtube.com/c/Ultimatereloader



Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

[Flamingo]

Most of my loading now days is 38 Special with wad cutters. It is a pretty easy load to do. I run 3.3 grs of Titegroup, and while it is possible to double load I just don't load as fast as possible. A great inexpensive addition is to use a light kit for a dillon.

I would get carbide sizing dies. You won't have to use lube on the brass for it and that is a huge time savings (for me at least). I have the dillon dies, but I bought them in the before times when there was not a backorder and they weren't crazy expensive.