Dillon Dies, Prices and Backordered

[solman]

Happy New year All,
I have been out of the reloading thread for a while and was just looking at the Dillon website for their press and their pistol carbide dies. Not for myself but for friend who wants to start reloading. I have noticed that most Dillon dies are currently on backorder for a year or more. I know things are tight right now but a year for carbide dies seems a bit extreme. I have been using these dies for years and I like them a lot, but not worth a years wait and the price at $120 seems a bit extreme even for Dillon.
What am I missing?

 

[ManFromMontana]

I hear you. I have a 750 press and have been waiting for the .308 dies to get back in stock since last April. I wound up using Hornady dies, which work well, but disappointing nonetheless.

 

[rfwobbly]

Thanks to the <edit> virus, production and availability is spotty for everyone.

I believe they are simply holding back sales of individual die sets, in order to promote the sale of their presses. Dillon is clearly, first and foremost, in the PRESS selling business. They couldn't sell presses without also having the ability to ship dies.

 

[lightman]

Happy New year All,
I have been out of the reloading thread for a while and was just looking at the Dillon website for their press and their pistol carbide dies. Not for myself but for friend who wants to start reloading. I have noticed that most Dillon dies are currently on backorder for a year or more. I know things are tight right now but a year for carbide dies seems a bit extreme. I have been using these dies for years and I like them a lot, but not worth a years wait and the price at $120 seems a bit extreme even for Dillon.
What am I missing?

It seems like everyone is behind on everything. Workers are off sick, the supply chain is backed up and consumers are buying at an all time high.

I waited 6 months for a Krieger barrel last year. Magma Engineering was not taking orders for part of the year. I've been looking for some Sierra Bullets for a year and a half. We never find everything that we go to the grocery store for. Some custom Gunsmiths have stopped taking work. Gotta love these times............

 

[AJC1]

I dont believe dillion makes a superior die so paying more and getting stuck waiting is a futile exercise. The real question is does that delay even matter because it's just another item in the list of things the user needs.

 

[rperyam]

I was looking for. 380 dies for my Square Deal. I called Dillon and they said 50 to 75 week wait, no materials to make the carbide dies. I bought them around the first of October and figured I really didn't have much of a choice but to wait. About the first of November my computer showed them showing up everywhere I had marked. Called Dillon and they said mine had just been shipped. No choices when using their Square Deal. Happy to be reloading these little buggers.

 

[jmorris]

Problem.

. I have noticed that most Dillon dies are currently on backorder for a year or more.

Solution

$120 seems a bit extreme even for Dillon. What am I missing?

Missing the law of supply and demand. When people buy up everything they can and go sell it at inflated prices on eBay and other sights, the MFG’s would be idiots if they didn’t cut out the middle man and keep the profits for themselves.

That said, my 223 and 308 Dillon carbide size dies cost more than $120 years ago.

 

[Soonerpesek]

That said, my 223 and 308 Dillon carbide size dies cost more than $120 years ago.

The size dies only are now $195 and $210 respectively...
The complete sets are $239 and $245 respectively...

I am a Dillon fan / user, but the carbide pistol sets @ $120 are getting a bit steep when considering other brands are more economical and will prolly do just a good of job...IN MY OPINION.....

 

[jmorris]

I am a Dillon fan / user, but the carbide pistol sets @ $120 are getting a bit steep when considering other brands are more economical and will prolly do just a good of job...IN MY OPINION.....

You are not alone holding that opinion. There are likely lots more people in the world using dies that are not made by Dillon.

Growing up being able to buy a brisket sandwich, fries and a drink for $2.99 I think a $15 burger at a drive through is a bit steep. However, the line of cars around the building waiting to place an order, makes it highly unlikely they lower prices…and they would be ill advised to do so. Assuming they are in business to make a profit.

 

[The Glockodile]

I am a Dillon fan / user, but the carbide pistol sets @ $120 are getting a bit steep when considering other brands are more economical and will prolly do just a good of job...IN MY OPINION.....

A poor apples to durians comparison, but...

...G - Shocks or Omegas?

 

[9mmepiphany]

I dont believe dillion makes a superior die so paying more and getting stuck waiting is a futile exercise.

Dillon dies are about on the same level with Lee dies...they just charge more for them

I am a Dillon fan / user, but the carbide pistol sets @ $120 are getting a bit steep when considering other brands are more economical and will prolly do just a good of job...IN MY OPINION.....

Choosing to pay four times even current prices for similar dies should really be a test of brand loyalty

 

[9mmepiphany]

No choices when using their Square Deal. Happy to be reloading these little buggers.

That is something that adopters of the Square Deal can't really work around. What seemed like a low entry point at the beginning now seems to be a much bigger sticking point.

I remember talking to a Dillon tech at SHOT one year and he confirmed that the original expectation was that SD buyers would purchase a separate press for each caliber they wanted to load. Also that the useful life expectancy of the press was only 65k rounds

 

[Soonerpesek]

I am a Dillon fan / user, but the carbide pistol sets @ $120 are getting a bit steep when considering other brands are more economical and will prolly do just a good of job...IN MY OPINION.....

Choosing to pay four times even current prices for similar dies should really be a test of brand loyalty

Guess I'm lucky I got all mine when they were $50-55.....

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

You are not alone holding that opinion. There are likely lots more people in the world using dies that are not made by Dillon.

Growing up being able to buy a brisket sandwich, fries and a drink for $2.99 I think a $15 burger at a drive through is a bit steep. However, the line of cars around the building waiting to place an order, makes it highly unlikely they lower prices…and they would be ill advised to do so. Assuming they are in business to make a profit.

Following the analogy, there’s a little place in Trenton that sells a really darned good, made to order 1/4lb cheeseburger for $6 with fries and drink. Maybe not the best burger I’ve ever had not made by my own hand, close. Real close. I took a coworker there and all the guy could do was complain - he had to walk up to the window, it took five minutes to get our food, the tables are in the sun.. A) NEVER takin that fella out for lunch again; B) told him he was being rude and he got defensive, resulting in yet more complaining; C) even after admitting it was the best burger he’d ever had and the price was insanely cheap, complained about the slow service and the cook/owner chitchatting with us.
If it’s worth waiting for, it’s worth waiting for. If not, get something else.

 

[jmorris]

Dillon dies are about on the same level with Lee dies...they just charge more for them

I do own a lot more Lee dies than any other brand as they are a good value but the Dillon dies have features others simply do not have.

I remember talking to a Dillon tech at SHOT one year and he confirmed that the original expectation was that SD buyers would purchase a separate press for each caliber they wanted to load. Also that the useful life expectancy of the press was only 65k rounds

It’s not uncommon that people wind up with “small” and “large” machines to keep from messing with the primer system but they offered the conversion kits from the start. Both of mine are 36 years old now and I don’t think one could expect to get 65k rounds out of them even with lubed brass before needing to change the delrin parts. I sent them both in to Dillon a few times and they refurbished them and sent them back to me with no cost. The last time I did that was in 2003. After that I just have them send me the parts and I put them in, no need to cover shipping on my end and I am back going faster.

That said, they were a great deal back then, significantly less than the 550.




Fast forward to today and the SD actually costs more.



Not a chance I would buy one now but I am also not going to sell the ones I have. I suspect the increase in price is just the result of having a design that has parts that require periodic replacement and at the same time are provided free of charge for not just the lifetime of the original purchaser but for as long as the machine exists.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I suspect the increase in price is just the result of having a design that has parts that require periodic replacement and at the same time are provided free of charge for not just the lifetime of the original purchaser but for as long as the machine exists.

That would be my thought also. I'm sure the original pricing didn't take into account that users would be keeping them that long. The SD was originally seen as a "gateway" press with the expectation that the user would step up to a larger press

 

[dcloco]

Only experience with Dillon dies, are pistol calibers at my bench. ABSOLUTELY LOVE DILLON PISTOL DIES!!!! Easy to set up, if a problem is noticed, pull the clip and remove center of die - does not change your setup. Only run carbide and Dillon has sized their pistol dies, perfectly. Never a worry about chambering a round in any chamber when using them.

Imagine, their rifle dies are built to the same quality. I hope they send yours soon.

 

[nettlle]

I have a Dillon 550C and love Dillon stuff. I have (2) tool heads set up. One for 9mm and one for 45acp. All the dies are Dillon. The clip on the dies is a nice feature but if I could buy a Dillon 550 with all Dillon dies or all Redding dies for the same price I would pick the one with the Redding dies.
Nothing wrong at all with my Dillon press and dies. Just saying I like Redding dies better than Dillon. I have a Redding T7 press. My Dillon 550 is a much nicer press than the T7.

 

[tominboise]

At one time I had 4 SDB presses, plus dies sets for a lot of handgun cartridges. I ended up selling the entire lot for $1000 ( pre covid) and a pistol I had for a new RL550C, and three tool heads and dies sets. Since then I have added die sets / toolheads for 3 more cartridges. Some with Dillon dies and some with other dies. Dillon dies are nice and work well, but I wouldn't pay full boat for them. Other brands work, too.

 

[Armorer 101]

The only difference between Dillon dies and others of quality, is the OD of the locking ring. The Dillon dies have a smaller OD ring to fit between the dies in the heads. Dillon used to sell the rings, replace the rings and you have Dillon dies…… I made my own for my Dillons years and years ago.

 

[jmorris]

The SD was originally seen as a "gateway" press with the expectation that the user would step up to a larger press

That’s how it turned out for me. My Brother and I went in 50/50 on the first one and we even once loaded 800 rounds in an hour on it. He only smashed my fingers twice before I suggested we swap positions and he settled down.

I have much better equipment these days, that he would be quite impressed with but I’d trade all of it to load with him again.

 

[Soonerpesek]

he only difference between Dillon dies and others of quality, is the OD of the locking ring

You can also remove the seating " collar " and the crimping " collar " to clean if needed without removing the die itself ( on the pistol sets )....I DO like that feature...( I called them "collars" for lack of another term at the moment )...

 

[cfullgraf]

I remember talking to a Dillon tech at SHOT one year and he confirmed that the original expectation was that SD buyers would purchase a separate press for each caliber they wanted to load. Also that the useful life expectancy of the press was only 65k rounds

I bought my first SDB and a cartidge change set up for another cartridge. I found the cartridge change to bit a PIA, not as bad as a MEC 600jr, but…

At the time SDB’s were not as expensive and it was worth having an entire press set up for each cartridge.

I have three SDB presses set up for 380 ACP, 45ACP, and 9X19. I never change bullets or powder charges with these cartridges so the SDB is a good press. I have a stand set up for the SDB presses. I just swap out the entire press when I want to load a different cartridge.

I have a cartridge change kit for 38 Special. It would be great to use this but I cannot verify that powder has been dropped into the case. The 38 Special is too tall to see inside the case. So 38 Special is loaded on my Hornady L-N-L where I can use a powder cop die.

At today’s prices, this is not really an economic option.

Hopefully things will return to some kind of normalcy soon.

 

[MikeInOr]

I have Dillon carbide pistol dies and many other manufactures carbide pistol dies and I have never really noticed much difference among them. I would have to look at any particular pistol head to tell which die manufacture is in it. I haven't found the Dillon carbide pistol dies to be any better or worse than all the other manufactures dies.

I do have Dillon Carbide .308 and carbide .223 dies. They were pricey but have definitely proved to be worth it. When I bought them 25+ years ago Dillon was the only one that made carbide rifle sizing dies at the time. Has that changed? Do other manufactures make carbide rifle resizing dies now days?

P.S. I use Lee collet crimp dies on pretty much all my 650 heads whether rifle or pistol.

 

[solman]

I have a Dillon RL550B for over 30 years and a XL650 for many years and I like them both a lot. I had considered a SDB a long time ago when the price was more in line with introductory level for Dillon. I was shooting a lot of 9mm at the time but never did go ahead and make the purchase. Now for a quite a while the price is in line with their 550 press and using proprietary dies it doesn't make sense to me. I do wish I bought one when the price was more reasonable though.
As their SDB comes with dies and they do not have them available I guess they are not able to sell that press at all right now.