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Slamfire · December 7, 2007, 03:05 PM

I purchased a Dillion 550B back in 1985 or so. I am certain I have loaded at least 100,000 rounds with it. Since I have used other brands of progressives, I cannot comment or compare between brands.

I like Dillion’s customer service. They have a great no “BS” lifetime warranty. They have replaced old and worn out items for free. The compound leverage block cracked, they replaced it. Powder bars have worn out, they replaced them. I still have the original powder funnel and it is working fine.

The priming system is reliable. Gummy residue will get the primer feed arm out of time, so I keep a toothbrush nearby to wipe away reside around the shell plate, primer feed arm, each time I dump 100 primers.

The powder dispensing system is reliable, but without graduations, you have to spend too much time in changing the throw weight. Once set, the thrown weight is very consistant.

Pistol ammunition is easy to reload, each time you pump the handle you get a round. I figure I pump out 250 rounds an hour. I know folks who are much faster.

I use my Dillon to dump rifle powder and seat the bullets on my match ammunition. I no longer use IMR 4350 with the Dillion as the throw weight varies too much, and I weigh my long range charges off the press. My Dillion throws IMR 4895 well enough that I shoot HM scores with the stuff. While numerically you can’t do better than a clean, you can try to shoot 10 X’s. With Dillion reloaded ammunition my highest is 100-8X. And that with an M1a!.

I size my rifle brass on a Redding T-7 Turret press. I don’t like getting case lube all over my Dillion press.

I also prime rifle brass by hand and inspect each and every primer to verify it is below the case head.

With sized, trimmed, and primed rifle brass, I can load an ammo can of the stuff extremely rapidly. Much faster than using a single stage.

The shell plate pins are a winning idea. If you have a mistake, you remove a pin, and remove the offending case.

I do like the manual indexing. Without a doubt automatic indexing would be faster, but manual indexing gives you more control of the process.

I have a couple of Dillion pistol sizing dies. They are expensive but they have the best features for progressive presses that I have found. Mostly I use Lee Carbide dies on my dillion, for handgun ammunition. They cost less, and the decapping pin does not get loose.

December 7, 2007, 03:05 PM	#6
Slamfire Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2007 Posts: 5,261	I purchased a Dillion 550B back in 1985 or so. I am certain I have loaded at least 100,000 rounds with it. Since I have used other brands of progressives, I cannot comment or compare between brands. I like Dillion’s customer service. They have a great no “BS” lifetime warranty. They have replaced old and worn out items for free. The compound leverage block cracked, they replaced it. Powder bars have worn out, they replaced them. I still have the original powder funnel and it is working fine. The priming system is reliable. Gummy residue will get the primer feed arm out of time, so I keep a toothbrush nearby to wipe away reside around the shell plate, primer feed arm, each time I dump 100 primers. The powder dispensing system is reliable, but without graduations, you have to spend too much time in changing the throw weight. Once set, the thrown weight is very consistant. Pistol ammunition is easy to reload, each time you pump the handle you get a round. I figure I pump out 250 rounds an hour. I know folks who are much faster. I use my Dillon to dump rifle powder and seat the bullets on my match ammunition. I no longer use IMR 4350 with the Dillion as the throw weight varies too much, and I weigh my long range charges off the press. My Dillion throws IMR 4895 well enough that I shoot HM scores with the stuff. While numerically you can’t do better than a clean, you can try to shoot 10 X’s. With Dillion reloaded ammunition my highest is 100-8X. And that with an M1a!. I size my rifle brass on a Redding T-7 Turret press. I don’t like getting case lube all over my Dillion press. I also prime rifle brass by hand and inspect each and every primer to verify it is below the case head. With sized, trimmed, and primed rifle brass, I can load an ammo can of the stuff extremely rapidly. Much faster than using a single stage. The shell plate pins are a winning idea. If you have a mistake, you remove a pin, and remove the offending case. I do like the manual indexing. Without a doubt automatic indexing would be faster, but manual indexing gives you more control of the process. I have a couple of Dillion pistol sizing dies. They are expensive but they have the best features for progressive presses that I have found. Mostly I use Lee Carbide dies on my dillion, for handgun ammunition. They cost less, and the decapping pin does not get loose.