Hornady Lock-N-Load AP vs Dillon 550-B decision

[BigJakeJ1s]

I wanted the ability to load single stage, turret, or progressive if I had to even though I have a single stage press.

This can be done on any progressive press, some more easily than others.

Single stage style, the 550, with dillon dies & lock rings, requires you to either have a tool plate dedicated to each die, or you have to reset each die every time you change it (dillon lock rings don't have set screws, so as soon as you loosen the die/ring from the plate, the settings are lost).

Single stage on the Hornady, you just pull all the other dies (simple 1/6 turn ea), and you can still use the case feeder to automatically feed and eject, but perform one operation per batch. Die changes between batches are a couple of quick twists.

Turret style, you just load one cartridge at at time on any of them. You can't use the case feeder with any of them, but they will all auto eject.

Fully progressive, the Hornady is auto-indexing, the 550 isn't.

Andy

[45Dave]

I have owned and reloaded on both Dillion products and Hornady. My Hornady was a shotgun reloader which had some design problems. Hornady's service was outstanding poor in attempting to get the problems resolved and fixed. I was never so glad to sell a reloader. Advance a few years, a friend had a Dillion 650 stilling on his desk unused for 12 years except to hand clothing on. I did a swap and became the owner. After working on getting it set up there were parts missing. The call to Dillion for help was outstanding and after a bit the Dillion rep said..heck send it back. For 30 bucks shipping they gave me a new rotate system, rebuilt the primers system, provided the missing parts for the powder system and sent it back inside of three weeks, total cost...just my initial 30 dollars shipping. I had told them it was not new and I was not the original owners..they simply said I am now a Dillion customer and they take care of there customers.
The Hornady metalic may be good but there is not way they match or exceed service you get when you own a Dillion.