The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Talk me into getting a Hornady LnL AP OR Dillon 550/650 !!!!!

BigSlick · February 6, 2005, 06:04 PM

I have owned four presses over the years

Dillon SDB
Hornady Projector
Dillon 550B
RCBS Rock Chucker

I have had to call customer service for all of them at one time or another. Hornady customer service was certainly congenial, but Dillon and RCBS have been great. RCBS has been most willing to replace anything needed, but the folks at Dillon have gone out of their way to make damned sure I was 110% satisfied every time I called.

I crushed a primer pick up tube by rolling over it with my chair about two years ago. I called Dillon to order another and they wouldn't hear of charging me for a new one. The new one arrived in two days, along with a new set of plastic tips for both primer pick ups and the primer magazines.

I have had a question or two from time to time about load data, dies and other assorted things. Never once have I been brushed off, been rushed to get off the phone or treated like a PITA.

I have never owned a 650 and didn't buy one because the caliber conversions I needed (nine total) and quick change setups were more expensive (by far), and the 550 is somewhat more compact giving me a little more room on the bench.

If you have the room, and the bucks aren't an issue, the 650 may be a good choice for you. I thought a lot about the manual vs. auto index before I decided to go to the 550. After the dies are setup, I can crank out more ammo than I will shoot in two or three trips to the range in just one day.

I have read online stories of both great things and problems with the 650. I think many of the problems some 650 owners have encountered may be from user error more than complexity of the rig itself. I downloaded and read the manual for the 550 and 650 and read both from cover to cover before I went shopping. The 550 is hella easy to setup and understand. The 650 has more moving parts so obviously it is a litte more complex. Either one is easy to setup *if* you follow the manual to the letter.

The Projector I had was a pretty good press overall, but the auto index was more of a bell and whistle than huge time saver.

Service after the sale means a lot to me. None of these rigs are cheap to setup in the most convenient fashion. The LNL dies thing and the extra station is certainly a nice feature, but for me, the knowledge of the 'No BS' warranty and support from Dillon make the choice a no-brainer.

550 or 650 ? Download the manuals and read them before you drop any cash. Don't let your dealer talk you into anything. If you read the manual for one or the other (or the LNL) and find all three to be to your liking, then buy the setup that makes the best sense financially.

I use the Rock Chucker for decap and resize before I run a batch. It keeps the lube out of the 550 and it is hell for stout. I run small batches of new calibers on it before investing in the quick change for the 550.

So, if space is an issue at all, you might also consider the practical aspects of press mounting. The 650 takes a lot of space.

Let us know what you decide.

BigSlick

February 6, 2005, 06:04 PM	#8
BigSlick Senior Member Join Date: January 25, 2005 Location: Texas of course Posts: 277	I have owned four presses over the years Dillon SDB Hornady Projector Dillon 550B RCBS Rock Chucker I have had to call customer service for all of them at one time or another. Hornady customer service was certainly congenial, but Dillon and RCBS have been great. RCBS has been most willing to replace anything needed, but the folks at Dillon have gone out of their way to make damned sure I was 110% satisfied every time I called. I crushed a primer pick up tube by rolling over it with my chair about two years ago. I called Dillon to order another and they wouldn't hear of charging me for a new one. The new one arrived in two days, along with a new set of plastic tips for both primer pick ups and the primer magazines. I have had a question or two from time to time about load data, dies and other assorted things. Never once have I been brushed off, been rushed to get off the phone or treated like a PITA. I have never owned a 650 and didn't buy one because the caliber conversions I needed (nine total) and quick change setups were more expensive (by far), and the 550 is somewhat more compact giving me a little more room on the bench. If you have the room, and the bucks aren't an issue, the 650 may be a good choice for you. I thought a lot about the manual vs. auto index before I decided to go to the 550. After the dies are setup, I can crank out more ammo than I will shoot in two or three trips to the range in just one day. I have read online stories of both great things and problems with the 650. I think many of the problems some 650 owners have encountered may be from user error more than complexity of the rig itself. I downloaded and read the manual for the 550 and 650 and read both from cover to cover before I went shopping. The 550 is hella easy to setup and understand. The 650 has more moving parts so obviously it is a litte more complex. Either one is easy to setup if you follow the manual to the letter. The Projector I had was a pretty good press overall, but the auto index was more of a bell and whistle than huge time saver. Service after the sale means a lot to me. None of these rigs are cheap to setup in the most convenient fashion. The LNL dies thing and the extra station is certainly a nice feature, but for me, the knowledge of the 'No BS' warranty and support from Dillon make the choice a no-brainer. 550 or 650 ? Download the manuals and read them before you drop any cash. Don't let your dealer talk you into anything. If you read the manual for one or the other (or the LNL) and find all three to be to your liking, then buy the setup that makes the best sense financially. I use the Rock Chucker for decap and resize before I run a batch. It keeps the lube out of the 550 and it is hell for stout. I run small batches of new calibers on it before investing in the quick change for the 550. So, if space is an issue at all, you might also consider the practical aspects of press mounting. The 650 takes a lot of space. Let us know what you decide. BigSlick