Need help going Progressive (handgun only)

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Nick_C_S

New member
June 4th, 1984 - 31 years, 2 days ago. That was the day I loaded my first round. It was on my newly purchased single-stage RCBS "Reloader Special 2." I still have that RS2 and after what must be hundreds of thousands of cycles, it still works like the day it was made. It is the only press I have ever used or owned. But. . .

I shoot more now than ever. And although I enjoy every moment at my load bench, my monthly round count (well over 1000) is making it to where that ol' RS2 just isn't quite respecting my time enough.

I need to go progressive, but there are some things I am not about to give up when making the switchover. First, I want clean brass - inside n out, and primer pockets. That means tumbling in SS Pins. I like my current brass cleaning process and it's not going to change. I vibra-tumble in corn cob to get the range fouling off. Then I decap/resize, then flair, then SS pin tumble for the final cleaning - that's not going to change.

What else is not going to change, is to continue to hand prime with my Lee Auto Prime, and charge my cases with my RCBS uniflow, using loading blocks. There will be no compromise with this. I want to "feel" the primer - like I've been doing flawlessly for 31 years. And I want to see my powder charge levels under good light, and compared to one-another - like I've been doing flawlessly for 31 years.

That said, my plan with a progressive is to do the brass prep - the decap/resize and flair as one session, then switch out the toolhead and do the seat and crimp (in some cases: seat, taper crimp, then roll crimp) in another session. So my "progressive" process will be a modified, “hybred” process, if you will - rather than a more conventional process. I know it won't maximize time savings, but it will still save me a lot of press cycles compared to what I'm doing now. This will work for me.

I’ve been pondering this for years. But what has changed is that I just now discovered the Dillon BL 550 Basic Loader. I don’t need five stations (I don’t even need four, actually) and all the other progressives that I previously knew existed (and were of good enough quality to actually own) would be too big and bulky for my work area. I don’t need auto indexing. This thing fits the bill for my needs almost perfectly. I would have bought this thing years ago, had I just spent a little more time on Dillon’s site to discover it.

So here’s the questions: Does anybody have one? How do you like it? Is there anything I should know about it? From what you’ve read in this post is there any reason why it wouldn’t work for my needs? Are there any other suggestions (I have no desire for a Lee press, or a turret press)? Also, money is a little tight, and the BL 550 fits within my budget. I’ll be getting three shell holders, and the strong mount. I don’t believe I need any other accessories at the moment.

Is there any other place to buy one other than Dillon’s site (Midway doesn’t carry them)? Can I save money doing so?

Any guidance would be helpful.
Thanks, Nick.
 
I use a Dillon RL 550B and it's been a great reloader for me. I can only assume that the BL 550B would work well for you. Dillon customer service is outstanding as well should you ever need it. I believe they also offer a rebuilding service if, you say, run across a used loader. You can contact them and send in your used loader and they will rebuild it back to new specs. Good Luck!
 
Thanks guys. I ordered the BL 550 direct from Dillon.

I have lots of ammo loaded, so I'm not going to recondition any brass or load any ammo until it gets here :D

Now the waiting begins. I'm not sure how long it'll take to get here. I wanted to do second-day air. But just couldn't spring for the $97.
 
I don't shoot enough to justify a progressive press, but when someone says "progressive", I (and prolly 90% of reloaders) think Dillon. I've looked at the BL550 and have come close a couple times...

BTW; Will you have to get an Ammunition Manufacturer's Permit to use a progressive press in CA? :D
 
Suggestion:

Grab a Lee universal de-cap die and screw it into your old RCBS.

De-cap. If you have children, neighbors or a dog put them to work--
it isn't a precision process.

Clean cases. SS pins work GREAT---brass looks like new!

Run them through a Dillon 550 or 650 like it was designed--one loaded round for each pull of the handle. :)
 
Grab a Lee universal de-cap die and screw it into your old RCBS.
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I have an RCBS universal decapper. On my single stage, it flings the spent primers everywhere. As hard as I try to restrain them, they fly away - too messy for volume decapping. But I still use it for odds n ends type work. Hopefully, it won't do that in the Dillon, because my plan is to use it. The plan is to run a three die system for brass prep - decap, resize (with decap pin removed), then flair. We'll see. Something may change as reality kicks in.

I don't have children. I have a three-n-a-half year-old grand daughter though. She "helps" me with brass prep from time to time. She's interested in anything grandpa is doing. I let her help me actually load once - once. Boy that was a mistake. Consequences weren't catastrophic, as I have already shot off the ammo produced. But I won't be doing that again; until she's much older at least. It was really dumb on my part - I thought about putting it in the "dumbest thing you ever did reloading post," but was too embarrassed. Not my most stellar moment.

BTW; Will you have to get an Ammunition Manufacturer's Permit to use a progressive press in CA?
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Heh :D Shshshshshsh! Don't tell Kamala Harris (our DA, and next Governor) I'm getting one!
 
Your described method of reloading will kind of defeat the purpose of having a progressive, even a semi-progressive like the 550.
But it will do exactly what you want.
I reload for a couple of revolvers using a similar method with one single stage press.
But I'm thinking of going with a second single stage to speed up the process, so my Square Deal can remain set up for the caliber that gets the most action.
Although a good, sturdy, old fashioned turret press would do just fine, too.
I shoulda' kept my old Lyman when I got the Dillon.
Too bad.
 
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LMAO. Aren't kids and grandkids fun! I remember setting my son up
on a single stage with a de-cap die when he was maybe 5. Rainy day,
he was bored, helping dad sounded like a great idea.

5 gallon bucket of mixed 38 special and 357 magnum. I wasn't paying a
lot of attention. About halfway through the bucket he started complaining about the "hard ones". Blazer aluminum case berdan primed 357.
He was punching right through the case and knocking the primer out.

Those Lee Universal De-Cap dies are TOUGH!
 
Your described method of reloading will kind of defeat the purpose of having a progressive, even a semi-progressive like the 550.
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Not true at all. It will do a tremendous job of reducing small finger work in handling each piece of brass for each operation... all the while allowing him to do one of the parts exactly as he most wants to do -- meter the powder one at a time.

I doubt there is anyone who "gets this" better than I get this, it's very nearly the same as my nearly perfected hybrid semi-progressive system. Over 6,000 rds so far in 2015 and 15-20k annually since I went to this system a few years ago.
 
Like G Willikers said....the 550 will do what you want done...but you're wasting its potential. In my view :

a. You have some steps like - depriming and cleaning a 2nd time / that will not add to the reliability, consistency or the accuracy of your handgun ammo..in my opinion.

b. Not using the 550 to prime or to drop powder...again isn't using it to its potential...
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Each additional step - where there is a lot of redundancy /can, doesn't always, but it can create the chance of more human error - because the repetition is boring ...and all those extra steps adding the chance of a human error, in my view...doesn't give you a better quality reload.
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Progressive presses these days - especially ones that auto index - and have the 5 station tool heads to allow the addition of a "powder check" die...like the Dillon 650 or the Hornaday LNL...they are very good presses that produce very high quality ammo / and they will make obsolete, some of the additional functions ....if you want them to.

I'm not a big fan of the 550 - because it does not have the 5 station tool head allowing a powder check and it does not auto index...because to me, those two functions are critical issues to eliminating human error and giving you additional quality control over your ammo.
 
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BigJimP-I agree completely but I suspect it is time to 'agree to disagree'.

Good luck Nick. Dillon has a great reputation. Either update this thread or start a new one when you get it running. I'm interested in this project.

P.S. BigJimP I see you added some stuff to your post. I agree with your additional points (powder check etc.) too.

Again I'd like to hear from Nick when he gets his new machine sorted out his way.
 
What you are unwilling to give up are unnecessary for handgun ammo, so I don't think you will get the value out of any progressive except maybe for one caliber with new dies on a Square Deal B. Seems to me, you need it to spit out a case on every lever pull, and the auto index feature of the SDB will do that for you. You mentioned interest in doing this for three calibers, so you aren't far off what would make sense.
 
Dale - sure, I get your point / He's made up his mind ...and I hope it works for him... we don't all have to use the same press - or process our ammo the same way !

but there are still guys out there - every month that I talk to at the range or in a gun shop - that don't quite understand the process of how a true progressive press works / or how auto indexing and a powder check option integrate into the process. So in the interest of discussing the whole subject - I just wanted to challenge folks to think about some issues.
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I've been reloading for over 50 yrs...and I still load and shoot a lot of handgun ammo ( 20,000 rds a yr or more ) -- and I've been thru the the single stage presses - some of the first progressive machines - and for the last 15 yrs or so, with a Dillon 650 / and I have buddies that load on a lot of different machines including the Dillon SDB, the 550 and some of the Hornaday and RCBS machines...we discuss the pros and cons a lot.

Common theme...most every press works very well / biggest issue is human error ( on any machine ) !
 
but you're wasting its potential. In my view
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I know I won't be using it to its full potential. It's obvious, considering I won't use more than three of its four stations at a time.

cleaning a 2nd time / that will not add to the reliability, consistency or the accuracy of your handgun ammo..in my opinion.
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And I share your opinion. But my brass is clean inside n out, including primer pockets. And that's the condition I like my brass to be in before I begin reloading it. I've been doing it this way for a few years now, and it works for me - progressive press or not.

Not using the 550 to prime or to drop powder...again isn't using it to its potential.
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I have loading blocks that hold fifty rounds. And in the case of 38/357, I have four of them. So sometimes I powder charge up to 200 rounds at once with my Uniflow. Once they're all charged, I pick up the block and inspect the level of each and every round under strong light. This is a critical quality control point that I will not forsake. I have never had a squib or double charge, and this process is the reason why.

Not true at all (regarding defeating the purpose of going progressive). It will do a tremendous job of reducing small finger work in handling each piece of brass for each operation. I doubt there is anyone who "gets this" better than I get this, it's very nearly the same as my nearly perfected hybrid semi-progressive system.
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Heh, yes Sevens. My process will be similar to yours. I'm sure we're not alone. For 38, I'm going to use two toolheads - one set up for brass prep; and one set up for loading. It's going to allow me to go from up to five press strokes per round, down to just two. That's a huge time savings - even if I'm not using the press' full potential.

Good luck Nick. Dillon has a great reputation. Either update this thread or start a new one when you get it running. I'm interested in this project.
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Thanks. I'll be in touch :)
 
Sounds to me like you need a turret press instead of a progressive. The beauty of a progressive is that you can clean the brass, put the case in the machine and then once all stations are full you get a loaded round with each pull of the handle.
 
Sounds to me like you need a turret press instead of a progressive. The beauty of a progressive is that you can clean the brass, put the case in the machine and then once all stations are full you get a loaded round with each pull of the handle.
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The progressive, especially as defined by auto indexing, can eject a case with every lever pull.
 
cleaning a 2nd time / that will not add to the reliability, consistency or the accuracy of your handgun ammo..in my opinion.
And I share your opinion. But my brass is clean inside n out, including primer pockets. And that's the condition I like my brass to be in before I begin reloading it. I've been doing it this way for a few years now, and it works for me - progressive press or not.
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You mentioned tumbling dirty brass. You could save money on media if you wash the brass instead. I wash, dry, then tumble and haven't bought new media in forever. It's okay to be proud of what you worked out to suit, but don't lose objectivity.
 
In my OP, I mentioned that I'm not interested in a turret press.

A turret press is nothing more than a fast way to change dies; it's still just a single stage. It doesn't perform multiple operations in a single press stroke.
 
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