Going from a single stage press to......? The time has come

[GJSchulze]

The only thing I don't like about the 650, is the primer system. If you do not have a case in place, it feeds a primer anyway

The LnL feeds a primer, but if there is no case, it will not feed another; it just leaves the one in place. I don't know how the Dillon primer system works, but I can see that as a small PITA considering that it isn't rare to have a empty spot on the shell plate for one reason or the other. What happens when you first start out and a case hasn't reached the primer?

ETA.. I read about the LNL not being able to use the Lee FCD, is this still the case?
ETA.. How are the 2 on changing caliber? With my single I use a different powder measure so I don't have to change disks, etc. Any warnings on either?

I use the Lee FCD all the time on my LnL, so no problem.
The LnL has a powder measure that uses a rotor where the powder is dumped into the case on the upstroke of the ram and refilled on the downstroke. The volume of powder is adjusted with a stem that screws in and out of the powder space in the rotor. It is infinitely adjustable. Powders that consist of uniform small kernels meter well while irregular and large kernels meter not so well. I use Power Pistol and it meters well. Stick powders have bridging problems. I imagine that any measure that dispenses by volume has the same problem

 

[double bogey]

When you are starting a run, you pick the overfed primers out of the tray, and save them for the next primer tube loading. To me, this is the only thing wrong with the 650. The good, is the powder check station, and case feed. Also 5 stations, 1 -decap and size, 2- prime and powder, 3- check powder, 4- seat bullet, and 5- crimp case.

 

[Chaz88]

After 35 ish years of loading on a single stage I finally went with a Dillon 650. Sorry I can not compare it to another progressive for you. Overall I think it is great. I shoot a lot of handgun ammo and once you have it running right the production capacity is a wonderful thing.

Couple of things I am not impressed with. I think the powder measure system could be better. It can take a lot of fine tuning to get a consistent powder drop right on the amount you want and the bolt head you use to adjust the measure lacks any kind of indexing marks to judge adjustments by.

The other thing is the shell plate can be hard to adjust to run smoothly. It tends to jerk at the and of the rotation and will spill powder out of cases that are filled close to the top. I have learned to grab my next bullet and ride the index a bit on the down stroke wile setting the bullet on the next case.

Not a big deal but I ended up buying Dillon dies for the ammo I load the most. I can use my other brands but the Dillon dies set up faster and fit the die plate a bit better.

 

[JeepHammer]

Just my observations,

Lee Load Master, total waste of time & money.
Owned two, still have one, wouldn't recommend it to anyone for any reason.

Lee Auto Turret, watched a few work first hand, pulled the handle.
Works MUCH better than the Load Master.

Hornady LnL,
I'be spent a bunch of hours in front of one,
They take a LOT of tinkering, but they do work.

Not had my hands on the new RCBS progressive yet,
So I can't comment.

Dillon 'Square Deal' is by far and away the most easy to use & Reliable pistol caliber progressive I've ever used.
VERY reasonable price for the volume of production & ease of operation.
The one thing you can always say about Dillion, THEY WORK.

I still crank my 9mm out on a Square Deal, its just too handy for cranking out range ammo.

I own a pair of Dillon XL650 presses, a little on the 'gadget' oriented side,
But once tuned and the 'Extras' added,
They crank out very good ammo with a bare minimum of effort.
They are reliable enough some people hang a motor drive on them and let them crap ammo while they have a cold drink.
While they run about $600 to get off the ground, for $1,000 you can be dropping a match grade round with every pull of the handle.

The XL650 does an equally good job on pistol & rifle.
Caliber changes are quick, and there are very few screw-ups.

I actually prefer the Dillon XL650 over the Dillon 1050.
I won't recommend the Dillon 550 for the reasons stated above,
Not auto index, no powder check die provision, just as expensive on caliber changes as the 650.

With me, the Square Deal is as close to a 'Perfect' pistol caliber reloader on the market today. (Who knows what will be invented tomorrow?)
I don't shoot a ton of pistol, so keeping press cost reasonable is a consideration.
The little Square Deal has cranked out pistol ammo for years without issues, and does it well.

For rifle caliber, consistancy is the name of the game.
The XL650 is as consistant of a fast progressive as is currently on the market.
Again, I won't use a progressive that doesn't have a powder checker (Pistol or Rifle).
The last thing I want is a squib...