Aftermarket Toolheads for 550 or 650

[Stats Shooter]

Has anyone used some of these more, shall we say, inexpensive Toolheads from:

Here

Here

[Nathan]

Are Dillon ones aluminum?

[Stats Shooter]

Yes

[higgite]

The purty color coordinated ones are $18 more than Dillon’s and the shiny (when new) engraved ones are only $2 less than Dillon’s. Besides maybe being prettier, what do they offer that Dillon toolheads don’t?

[Stats Shooter]

The purty color coordinated ones are $18 more than Dillon’s and the shiny (when new) engraved ones are only $2 less than Dillon’s. Besides maybe being prettier, what do they offer that Dillon toolheads don’t?

I can get the colored ones off eBay for $14 each, flat shipping of $6. So for $50 I can get 3 tool heads. Or two from Dillon

[higgite]

I can get the colored ones off eBay for $14 each, flat shipping of $6. So for $50 I can get 3 tool heads. Or two from Dillon

That's a significant difference, but that's not what you linked to. Now I see why you're asking.

[jmorris]

These are the most expensive tool heads I have for the 650 and they are worth every penny to me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3hVi6PuduM

[disseminator]

Dillon sells billet tool heads right from their website.

I have three of them and they look nice but that's about it.

https://www.dillonprecision.com/rl55...114_26150.html

[Unclenick]

I don't know anything against them. I also don't know if tighter tolerances are useful unless you also can get tighter tolerances in the shell plate and ram alignment somehow. You'd want to do something like load and check cartridge concentricity with a Dillon head and again with the replacement part to judge any difference in result quality. I could argue that a little slop may actually help the the head center itself, but with several stations filled at a time, it couldn't float all the dies independently, so that may be meaningless, too.

[jmorris]

I could argue that a little slop may actually help the the head center itself, but with several stations filled at a time, it couldn't float all the dies independently, so that may be meaningless, too.

You are not alone, these folks make an independent die floating tool heads for the 550 and 650 too.

http://www.whiddengunworks.com/produ...n-toolheads-2/

[disseminator]

I don't know anything against them. I also don't know if tighter tolerances are useful unless you also can get tighter tolerances in the shell plate and ram alignment somehow. You'd want to do something like load and check cartridge concentricity with a Dillon head and again with the replacement part to judge any difference in result quality. I could argue that a little slop may actually help the the head center itself, but with several stations filled at a time, it couldn't float all the dies independently, so that may be meaningless, too.

As far as I can tell there would be no difference in regard to fit in the machine as they are both about the same amount of "slop" and the pins actually locate the tool head rather than the overall dimension of it.

[Stats Shooter]

When I get the time I'll check the shoulder to casehead, run-out, and seating depth.

I'm not sure yet that I need a special floating tool head. I might though.

I think I'll just get the standard Dillon Toolheads for now. I'm leery as to how these Toolheads stackup.....then again, for $12-$15 each, I suppose I could buy a few and check them out.

[pete2]

A little slop should help everything line up. Tighter aint better in this case.

[T. O'Heir]

"...anodizing adds a hardened surface to the part..." That's absolute BS, I mean, nonsense. It does add corrosion resistance, but doesn't add hardness unless the anodizing is really thick.
You should rethink the idea of buying reloading kit from a car parts maker. Especially one who puts a comma where a period belongs. No mention of a warrantee either.

[jmorris]

Hard anodizing is thicker than the "for looks" anodizing and yes it will make the surface harder, no BS.

http://www.coastlinemetalfinishing.c...hard-anodizing

[Unclenick]

Yes. And aluminum oxide in any form is harder than aluminum. The abrasive, Alundum, is aluminum oxide.

The comma as a decimal mark is the standard notation in non-English speaking European countries. I simply assume the person who put the price up was born in non-English speaking Europe. Small error, but you see the same thing on web sites from non-English-speaking countries that are translated.