Upgrade to Dillon XL650 or RCBS Piggyback 3

mnhntr · January 28, 2010, 02:05 PM

I want to upgrade my reloading setup. I have a rockchucker and am thinking of either buying a piggyback 3 or just going to a Dillon XL650. I load mostly 38/357, 45 acp, and 44 mag. However, I am going to be loading some .223, .308, .35 remington and .257 roberts soon. I know the piggyback will not do .308 or .257 but I can still do them on the rockchucker. Which would you get? Why?

**Unclenick** · January 28, 2010, 02:56 PM

I would get the Dillon because it can be fit up with an automatic case feeder and it auto-indexes and that means all I have to do is place bullets, with interruptions only for keeping the powder hopper, primer tube, and case feeder stoked. It's also because I have earlier Dillons and have been very satisfied with them.

The other reason is the rifle loading. It normally requires you to stop and trim after sizing, which is not conducive to progressive loading. Rather than Dillon's sizing die, if I were going to progressively load rifle ammo, I would want the RCBS X-die so I could avoid having to stop and trim after sizing. That keeps the action progressive. However, I would still use a conventional sizing die on the Rock Chucker for that first-time size and trim that the X-die requires. I would also use the Rock Chucker with a Lee universal decapper because I like to decap my rifle brass before cleaning it, and cleaning comes before sizing to protect the sizing die from scoring. Brief cleaning afterward in plain corncob would happen to remove case lube.

Once you have two presses, I think you'll be surprised how convenient it is for other oddball operations. Want to use a Lee Collet die for your long range single-loaded rounds? You have to run the case up into it twice, so, again, the progressive method isn't suited to it. Want to use a Lee sizer to narrow some cast bullets? The RC will be great for that. How about odd loads where you don't want to stop and set up a progressive? You only want to make ten of something to do a pressure work up? You want to do 24 for a Newberry round robin before committing to hundreds? The single-stage is your go-to for all that sort of thing.

David Wile · January 28, 2010, 05:44 PM

Hey Mnhntr,

I am pretty fond of my RCBS single stage presses, and I tried working on a friend's RCBS Piggy Back add on a long time ago. In my opinion, RCBS stumbled when they marketed the Piggy Back. You give up a perfectly good single stage press to get what to me is a Frankenstein creation that just does not do well.

I bought a Hornady LNL AP when they first came out in 1997, it works perfectly for pistol and rifle cartridges, and it is still in its original condition with the exception that I had to replace one shell plate spring which Hornady sent me at no cost. Believe me, there is no comparison between the LNL AP and the Piggy Back. Not even in the same league.

I think that is also true about the Dillon 650. I have another friend who has the 650 and later added a case feeder. I like my Hornady better, but the 650 is also a good machine. I simply cannot stand the noise of the case feeder on both the Dillon and the Hornady, and frankly, I don't see any need for them for my needs.

Get a Dillon 650, get a Hornady LNL AP, but look very carefully at all of them before you go the Piggy Back route.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

View Poll Results: which one
Piggyback 3	1	16.67%
Dillon XL650	5	83.33%
Voters: 6. You may not vote on this poll

January 28, 2010, 02:05 PM	#1
mnhntr Senior Member Join Date: April 9, 2008 Posts: 972	Upgrade to Dillon XL650 or RCBS Piggyback 3 I want to upgrade my reloading setup. I have a rockchucker and am thinking of either buying a piggyback 3 or just going to a Dillon XL650. I load mostly 38/357, 45 acp, and 44 mag. However, I am going to be loading some .223, .308, .35 remington and .257 roberts soon. I know the piggyback will not do .308 or .257 but I can still do them on the rockchucker. Which would you get? Why?

January 28, 2010, 02:56 PM	#2
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,082	I would get the Dillon because it can be fit up with an automatic case feeder and it auto-indexes and that means all I have to do is place bullets, with interruptions only for keeping the powder hopper, primer tube, and case feeder stoked. It's also because I have earlier Dillons and have been very satisfied with them. The other reason is the rifle loading. It normally requires you to stop and trim after sizing, which is not conducive to progressive loading. Rather than Dillon's sizing die, if I were going to progressively load rifle ammo, I would want the RCBS X-die so I could avoid having to stop and trim after sizing. That keeps the action progressive. However, I would still use a conventional sizing die on the Rock Chucker for that first-time size and trim that the X-die requires. I would also use the Rock Chucker with a Lee universal decapper because I like to decap my rifle brass before cleaning it, and cleaning comes before sizing to protect the sizing die from scoring. Brief cleaning afterward in plain corncob would happen to remove case lube. Once you have two presses, I think you'll be surprised how convenient it is for other oddball operations. Want to use a Lee Collet die for your long range single-loaded rounds? You have to run the case up into it twice, so, again, the progressive method isn't suited to it. Want to use a Lee sizer to narrow some cast bullets? The RC will be great for that. How about odd loads where you don't want to stop and set up a progressive? You only want to make ten of something to do a pressure work up? You want to do 24 for a Newberry round robin before committing to hundreds? The single-stage is your go-to for all that sort of thing. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle Last edited by Unclenick; January 28, 2010 at 03:01 PM.

January 28, 2010, 05:44 PM	#3
David Wile Senior Member Join Date: June 14, 2001 Location: Mechanicsburg, PA Posts: 585	Hey Mnhntr, I am pretty fond of my RCBS single stage presses, and I tried working on a friend's RCBS Piggy Back add on a long time ago. In my opinion, RCBS stumbled when they marketed the Piggy Back. You give up a perfectly good single stage press to get what to me is a Frankenstein creation that just does not do well. I bought a Hornady LNL AP when they first came out in 1997, it works perfectly for pistol and rifle cartridges, and it is still in its original condition with the exception that I had to replace one shell plate spring which Hornady sent me at no cost. Believe me, there is no comparison between the LNL AP and the Piggy Back. Not even in the same league. I think that is also true about the Dillon 650. I have another friend who has the 650 and later added a case feeder. I like my Hornady better, but the 650 is also a good machine. I simply cannot stand the noise of the case feeder on both the Dillon and the Hornady, and frankly, I don't see any need for them for my needs. Get a Dillon 650, get a Hornady LNL AP, but look very carefully at all of them before you go the Piggy Back route. Best wishes, Dave Wile