Most Dillion users:
- Purchase complete tool heads with powder measures for each caliber.
- This is a considerable cost to review and compare.
- Pistol Caliber Conversions are $48+ $113+ $70 = $230
- Purchase many after market products for their Dillon to get it to run like a fine watch. Look into these costs.
- Purchase the press for peace of mind and use.
- Figure 4-500 rounds per hour with a 550 in an hour with more in the second hour of the same caliber.
- Resale has been 70% of new or better for many years.
The Lee LM is functional at a lower price point. Lee recommends a progressive press if you shoot more than 500 of a single caliber per week. So, The Loadmaster will push out 5-700 per hour with more stops & starts. Mastering the load master may take a week or more. The sell for $260-70. Resale is higher than people think, about 70% of new retail price.
The new Breech Lock Pro by LEE is an interesting press. It is functional like a 550 where you load a case and place a bullet by hand. You can add a case feeder for < $30. A bullet feeder is similar in price. So you can make it produce more. You can also just make a single case like a turret press.
I use the LEE Classic Cast Turret with an inline fabrication case ejector. You can do 2-250 per hour. Mind you, it is (4) pulls per cartridge. So I load two 100 round boxes and set up for another caliber in an hour. I am looking at a progressive to save time... But then I ponder why give up something so simple ? This is why so many love their Dillon 550... It is just simple.
The Reloader Dude on YouTube pruchased a Dillon 550BL, loaded too lheads with LEE Dies & Powder measures, and is very happy. He has a Redding Turret and a Dillon 650. He wanted something faster than his LEE LCT and the 550 does that just fine. So he does all his small batch work on his 550. The 650 does one thing, 9mm. I really think he has something to think about with buying the 550 BL. Personally, i would just buy the 550c as the cost of the priming system & powder measure seems fair.
With all of this said... The 650 is $100 more than a 550 when you add the Caliber conversion cost. Auto Index is very nice and reduces squibs. Squibs being the downside to the 550. Many operator errors have produced squibs from people that use a 550. The 650 also gives you a 5th die location. I am not positive, but I believe you can hand load a case on a 650 if you want to. So you could buy just a shell plate for your low volume calibers and use a LEE die set and powder measure.
I doubt if this helps much.
Every brand seems to have people that love and hate them.
All brands fail.
I am stuck with my LCT as I can just spend less time in front of the TV and make all I want with no issues.