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PsychoKnight · November 22, 2007, 04:14 PM

The Dillon can load more solidly than in its stock form if you install a pair of locking set screws sold by a third party - they jam the die plate in place and keep it from flopping around. Redding premium dies will provide better seating accuracy regardless of the press you use. I also agree that you will have to replace the powder measure if you want a quality dispenser which approaches the engineering of the Hornady.

That being said, and because the press comes with 1,000 free jacketed bullets (avg price on the second hand market $100) if you purchase before the end of 2007, the effective price of the press is about $220 (I pre-sold my bullets online so the purchaser could choose any of about 30 types of bullets).

Two caveats for the LnL AP and the calibers you load, if you use all 5 die stations, the last being to taper crimp, you will have to use Hornady's proprietary taper crimp die, or modify another brand, such as a Lee FCD die and bend the ejection wire a bit. The 9mm ejection problems won't effect you. You can avoid the 5th station if you expand/dispense in station 2 (and also assuming you don't use a powder cop or lockout die) but for the 45acp you will need to replace the expander tube with a wider expander plug of another die, like the expander which comes with the Lee 455 Webley expander die. You don't have to buy the whole expander die, just the expander plug for $3 as a service part. The 223 & 308 and other calibers are fine with this press.

I've been drooling for a Dillon since the early 80's. Got a LnL AP instead with Redding Titanium Carbide dies and have no regrets. For serious shooting I would get the Redding competition dies at double the price instead.

I also owned a LoadMaster for 14 years. For $35 more (because the Lee comes w/ a die set for that price) you can get a Hornady LnL AP. Between the two at similar prices, I can't recommend the LoadMaster.

November 22, 2007, 04:14 PM	#10
PsychoKnight Member Join Date: October 6, 2006 Posts: 29	The Dillon can load more solidly than in its stock form if you install a pair of locking set screws sold by a third party - they jam the die plate in place and keep it from flopping around. Redding premium dies will provide better seating accuracy regardless of the press you use. I also agree that you will have to replace the powder measure if you want a quality dispenser which approaches the engineering of the Hornady. That being said, and because the press comes with 1,000 free jacketed bullets (avg price on the second hand market $100) if you purchase before the end of 2007, the effective price of the press is about $220 (I pre-sold my bullets online so the purchaser could choose any of about 30 types of bullets). Two caveats for the LnL AP and the calibers you load, if you use all 5 die stations, the last being to taper crimp, you will have to use Hornady's proprietary taper crimp die, or modify another brand, such as a Lee FCD die and bend the ejection wire a bit. The 9mm ejection problems won't effect you. You can avoid the 5th station if you expand/dispense in station 2 (and also assuming you don't use a powder cop or lockout die) but for the 45acp you will need to replace the expander tube with a wider expander plug of another die, like the expander which comes with the Lee 455 Webley expander die. You don't have to buy the whole expander die, just the expander plug for $3 as a service part. The 223 & 308 and other calibers are fine with this press. I've been drooling for a Dillon since the early 80's. Got a LnL AP instead with Redding Titanium Carbide dies and have no regrets. For serious shooting I would get the Redding competition dies at double the price instead. I also owned a LoadMaster for 14 years. For $35 more (because the Lee comes w/ a die set for that price) you can get a Hornady LnL AP. Between the two at similar prices, I can't recommend the LoadMaster.