Yeah, you're probably right. The more I read up, and watch videos, the more I lean toward the LNL AP. The die bushing system looks awesome.
Yeah, you're probably right. The more I read up, and watch videos, the more I lean toward the LNL AP. The die bushing system looks awesome.
I have the LNL AP and think it is awesome. Nothing bad about Dillon but the auto cam rotation is so much more user friendly for me. Just personal preference really. The bushings are probably the most attractive feature when you are loading different calibers. I highly recommend it.....not a huge fan of the case feeder. I had one and found it really hard to get it to work right consistently. But, I am not the most mechanically inclined guy out there, either ...
I know a few guys that ran the 550 and love it. I spent time in looking at a few reloaders, and I ended up picking the XL650. I looked at them on ebay and was not in a big rush to get it is so I ended up placing a order with Dillon. I got most of what I wanted less then 2 weeks. Still waiting on a few small parts but other then that I was shocked on how fast I got it all. I just got the press in yesterday, so I still have not got to run any ammo on it just yet.
There is really not any bad equipment available. The prices and features vary and you will not be making a mistake with any choice of equipment that you get. The price differences are not that great if you look at how long you can use the stuff. It rarely wears out.
Buy whatever strikes your fancy. I have actually compared reloading equipment to sex on this forum. Everybody has there own idea of what is good. It is better if it looks good to you. But, it is all good. There is one way that reloading equipment is better than sex, you can use it anytime you want. Buy the sexiest press you can afford, it will be worth it.
Buy whatever strikes your fancy. I have actually compared reloading equipment to sex on this forum. Everybody has there own idea of what is good. It is better if it looks good to you. But, it is all good. There is one way that reloading equipment is better than sex, you can use it anytime you want. Buy the sexiest press you can afford, it will be worth it.
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You will love it, but take your time and read the manual before you put it together, and do things in the correct order as you do. Makes it go much faster and easier...
If you did not get it, get the bullet tray, you will be glad you did.
Thank you. I can not wait to run it. I bought just about every thing for .223 that I could get. The only thing I did not get is a case trimmer. My dies and Super Swage will be in Friday. So I hope to have some ammo made Friday night. So far I only got the things to do some 50gr .223.
Love threads like these. I too was in the position of just getting into reloading several months back. I was pissed that I could not find 9mm ammo and decided that was a sign to get into reloading. Based on recommendations provided here as well as other sources I ordered the Dillon 550b. I also ordered or bought locally bullets, scale, brass, all sorts of stuff. Got two books etc. Now, I will say that I have not even mounted the press yet as I have spent many hours thus far reading and digesting information so that when I do start I will hopefully be well educated.
+1....
Along about 1983, I had the same question. "Should I reload ?" I would go to a local gun shop where the proprietor had a casting set up and a loading set up for customers (that he knew well) to use. The deal was, "One for me, one for you". That sunk the hook in me.
In the years since, I have owned RCBS Rock Chuckers, still have the first one and two more to boot. Picked up a Dillon 550 for $200, tried to make it be "all that and the chips and salsa". Nope. The "blue" brought zero to the table for me. I unloaded it to a decent fella over on the FalFiles who needed to "learn the hard way" (mostly kidding). Got a Lee 1000 within a few months of their debut back in the day. Tried to use it for a few years, finally kept the Auto Disk powder measure off it and tossed it in the trash. Recently bought a NIB Lee turret unit for a song. It gets a lot of use making pistol ammo for practice. Nice little ditty, cheap, but functional. Am half owner of an old RCBS Green Machine in .45 ACP. Had a buddy challenge me to a production race against his Dillon 650. Had to quit picking on him finally, he felt so bad when me and the old in-line progressive handed him his hindparts. Beat him a clean 100 rds an hour. LOL.
I am contrary as can be when it comes to my ammo making. Especially brass prep. Moreover, I absolutely enjoy sitting there, plunking along at it. I even reload berdan .308, just because I can. I insist on cleaning primer pockets each and every time I load. I also insist on using my venerable Lee Auto-Prime as well, so a priming station is useless to me. While I do not weigh every charge on the ammo I load en masse, I still verify visually every charge. Considering I am the biggest goofball in the loading room, I need to check and double check. (the in-line progressive is EASY to see the charge. The rotary progressives, not so much. The powder checker thingy on the 550 I had was worth about half of sweet *&^! all)
Day in and day out, having three single stage presses in a row, various gadgets I have whumped up over the years and some practice, I can make ammo that is dependable, accurate and (since I bought up stuff in quantity) still at prices that are late 80's era. (I cast pistol and rifle bullets a fair amount so that helps).
Nothing wrong with any of the red, blue, green, orange or rust colored tools. To each their own. I always tell those who ask me, "Start with a basic single stage setup, preferable O frame". It won't break the bank and it will never go totally un-used if you DO go to a lever operated finger mashin' squib seater later on.
In the years since, I have owned RCBS Rock Chuckers, still have the first one and two more to boot. Picked up a Dillon 550 for $200, tried to make it be "all that and the chips and salsa". Nope. The "blue" brought zero to the table for me. I unloaded it to a decent fella over on the FalFiles who needed to "learn the hard way" (mostly kidding). Got a Lee 1000 within a few months of their debut back in the day. Tried to use it for a few years, finally kept the Auto Disk powder measure off it and tossed it in the trash. Recently bought a NIB Lee turret unit for a song. It gets a lot of use making pistol ammo for practice. Nice little ditty, cheap, but functional. Am half owner of an old RCBS Green Machine in .45 ACP. Had a buddy challenge me to a production race against his Dillon 650. Had to quit picking on him finally, he felt so bad when me and the old in-line progressive handed him his hindparts. Beat him a clean 100 rds an hour. LOL.
I am contrary as can be when it comes to my ammo making. Especially brass prep. Moreover, I absolutely enjoy sitting there, plunking along at it. I even reload berdan .308, just because I can. I insist on cleaning primer pockets each and every time I load. I also insist on using my venerable Lee Auto-Prime as well, so a priming station is useless to me. While I do not weigh every charge on the ammo I load en masse, I still verify visually every charge. Considering I am the biggest goofball in the loading room, I need to check and double check. (the in-line progressive is EASY to see the charge. The rotary progressives, not so much. The powder checker thingy on the 550 I had was worth about half of sweet *&^! all)
Day in and day out, having three single stage presses in a row, various gadgets I have whumped up over the years and some practice, I can make ammo that is dependable, accurate and (since I bought up stuff in quantity) still at prices that are late 80's era. (I cast pistol and rifle bullets a fair amount so that helps).
Nothing wrong with any of the red, blue, green, orange or rust colored tools. To each their own. I always tell those who ask me, "Start with a basic single stage setup, preferable O frame". It won't break the bank and it will never go totally un-used if you DO go to a lever operated finger mashin' squib seater later on.
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