Utter newb buys Dillon 550b!

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MyMonkey

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Thanks for all the insight provided herein. I am grateful. It is amazing the things I have learned from this Forum! :bighug: I plan on posting pics when I get things setup and rolling etc. Will hunt for supplies this week.
 

dlbleak

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jeramy, you've never reloaded before and jumped right in to a dillon? thats like foregoing ground school and hopping into the cockpit of a 747! seriously though, i'm still cranking a red handle but when i have some more room, a dillon will be in the works. let us know how it goes.
 

MyMonkey

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jeramy, you've never reloaded before and jumped right in to a dillon? thats like foregoing ground school and hopping into the cockpit of a 747! seriously though, i'm still cranking a red handle but when i have some more room, a dillon will be in the works. let us know how it goes.

Well, every thing I had read recommended going with the Dillon for it was the better machine. Now, I like the idea of using it as a single stage. However, I assume if I go slow and not rush things until I am very familiar with the process that it will be fine. I am in no hurry but wanted to get the machine while I could frankly! :) Never know what tomorrow may bring. I look forward to my 747! :)
 

B96brig4CC

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I jumped right into the 550b myself. As long as you take it slow, setup each station according to the manual and take your time making sure everything is working properly on the first couple rounds you will be cranking them out in no time. The problem I had when I first set mine up was forgetting to swap out the primer components. Came setup for large pistol, I was loading small pistol for 9mm and my primers were tumbling and ended up with some primers pressed in upside down! Once you get it all setup and going, if you have any problems our would like help setting it up, I would be glad to come by and lend a hand.

As far as everything you need to get going. Here is what I have learned.

primer flipping tray is great for primers that don't come in packaging with the primers already facing up.

Load books are nice to have if you don't want to search the internet, but if you only have a speer, it really only gives laod data for their rounds, which can be used for others, and you just have to adjust your loads for your guns.

Tumbler is a definite get item. If you buy new brass it will end up costing you the same or more as buying ammo from Academy or Wallie. Reloading brass is the best way to save money. That and cast bullets from J&K.

Powder scale is great for starting out. Dillons are very good about the powder measure being very precise. I have figured out on mine exactly what a 1/4 turn +- gives me per grain and can adjust my loads very well off of that. The scale is great for when you are only using 1 powder measure for multiple calibers.

I would personally get a full setup for each caliber you load, and for some get 2 per caliber. This way you can have say 9mm +p for HP bullets and 9mm lighter loads for practice. This way you have your powder measure set and don't have a lot of down time changing everything for the next load.(this is more of a future plus. If you have to swap everything out for different calibers ect. you will learn the ins and outs of setting up the loader and have it down to a fine art)

extra primer pickup tubes. I find it easier to sit down and pickup primers for 500-600 rounds and have them ready than do it between every load session. This way I can sit down for an hour and load 400 rounds without stopping to pickup more primers.


This is just another experiance I had to learn from that I will share with you.

If you pickup range brass, especially 9mm, you may end up with stuff you didn't shoot and it's worth your time to sort through all of it and make sure you don't have any crimped primer pockets, nato or foreign brass that doesn't have the single hole in the bottom of the case. Some has 2 small holes and you can't press the primers and will bend or break the punch.....been there done that.

Hope that helps
 

MyMonkey

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I jumped right into the 550b myself. As long as you take it slow, setup each station according to the manual and take your time making sure everything is working properly on the first couple rounds you will be cranking them out in no time. The problem I had when I first set mine up was forgetting to swap out the primer components. Came setup for large pistol, I was loading small pistol for 9mm and my primers were tumbling and ended up with some primers pressed in upside down! Once you get it all setup and going, if you have any problems our would like help setting it up, I would be glad to come by and lend a hand.

As far as everything you need to get going. Here is what I have learned.

primer flipping tray is great for primers that don't come in packaging with the primers already facing up.

Load books are nice to have if you don't want to search the internet, but if you only have a speer, it really only gives laod data for their rounds, which can be used for others, and you just have to adjust your loads for your guns.

Tumbler is a definite get item. If you buy new brass it will end up costing you the same or more as buying ammo from Academy or Wallie. Reloading brass is the best way to save money. That and cast bullets from J&K.

Powder scale is great for starting out. Dillons are very good about the powder measure being very precise. I have figured out on mine exactly what a 1/4 turn +- gives me per grain and can adjust my loads very well off of that. The scale is great for when you are only using 1 powder measure for multiple calibers.

I would personally get a full setup for each caliber you load, and for some get 2 per caliber. This way you can have say 9mm +p for HP bullets and 9mm lighter loads for practice. This way you have your powder measure set and don't have a lot of down time changing everything for the next load.(this is more of a future plus. If you have to swap everything out for different calibers ect. you will learn the ins and outs of setting up the loader and have it down to a fine art)

extra primer pickup tubes. I find it easier to sit down and pickup primers for 500-600 rounds and have them ready than do it between every load session. This way I can sit down for an hour and load 400 rounds without stopping to pickup more primers.


This is just another experiance I had to learn from that I will share with you.

If you pickup range brass, especially 9mm, you may end up with stuff you didn't shoot and it's worth your time to sort through all of it and make sure you don't have any crimped primer pockets, nato or foreign brass that doesn't have the single hole in the bottom of the case. Some has 2 small holes and you can't press the primers and will bend or break the punch.....been there done that.

Hope that helps

Invaluable information. Thanks.
 

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