Dillon vs Lee Dies

[cw4usa]

Hello, New to the forum and relatively new to reloading. I have been using a single stage press to load, and recently came across a bargain in a Dillon 550B 4 stage press. Question, will Lee Dies work in this press? The powder dispensing die looks significantly different than the than the one in Dillon die set that came with the press. Would like to hear from anyone who could give me guidance in this area.
Thanks

 

[gifbohane]

Why not email Dillon?

 

[bullseye308]

Most dies are universal and threaded 7/8-14. Dillon sdb being the odd man out, there may be another I’m not familiar with. Shotgun and very large rifle are also different.

 

[bullseye308]

Another thing of note is that some presses use bushings that make die swapping quicker and easier and as far as I’m aware they are threaded the same amongst brands. I’m a Lee guy myself so I’m just going on what I’ve read here and other forums over the years.

 

[mcb]

The dies will work but you might need a few extra parts from Dillon to make everything work. I have run Lee, Hornady, RCBS, etc in my Dillon XL 650 but for the 650 powder station I have always had to use a Dillon expander to get the powder drop to work correctly. For sizing/de-capping, seating and crimping I have always been able to use what ever dies I wanted.

 

[cw4usa]

Thanks to all who replied. The threads are not the issue, it is the powder funnel that I asm more concerned about. I have the correct (Dillon) powder funnel, but it is much longer than the Lee funnel and at first glance, it would appear that it will not work in the Lee die. Any experience with this?

 

[mcb]

Thanks to all who replied. The threads are not the issue, it is the powder funnel that I asm more concerned about. I have the correct (Dillon) powder funnel, but it is much longer than the Lee funnel and at first glance, it would appear that it will not work in the Lee die. Any experience with this?

I am almost certain you will need to use Dillon Power Die, and Dillon Funnel/Expander to have that station work correctly on the 550. The Funnel/Expander is what actuates the powder dispenser. The nice thing is you can just buy the parts you need from Dillon to match the rest of your other-brand die set. A powder die will run you $19 and and Funnel/expander will run you another $22-33.

 

[SingleActionAndrew]

What are you using for a powder measure today?

Yes the Lee dies will work. But I would not put the Dillon powder funnel in the lee powder through expander.

I have at times used Lee size, seat and crimp dies on my 750. And used their expander and autodrum on a redding t7 and dont see why it wouldn't work on a Dillon (though inferior IME to Dillon PM).

You will still need the parts of the Dillon caliber change aside from the dies: the shellplate, the four case feed parts ...

Most of the dies on my Dillon heads are Redding FWIW. But all the PMs are Dillon

Edit for clarity/emphasis: use the lee powder funnel and powder through expander die if using a lee case activated powder funnel. Use a Dillon (or photoescape) funnel with a Dillon powder die if using Dillon PM.

 

[jak67429]

if you are trying to use the Dillon powder measure with a lee powder through die that will not work. you will need a Dillon powder die and the correct funnel/expander for your caliber.

 

[rfwobbly]

Yes, you can use the Lee Sizing Die, Lee Seating Die, and Lee Taper Crimp Die in your 550. But you'll need to buy several of the Dillon 14067 "1 Inch Die Lock Ring" and place those on the underside of the 550's Tool Head, like shown below....



This looks like a strange placement, but it works and is often necessary with non-Dillon dies.

 

[stillquietvoice]

@cw4usa welcome to the forum. As stated above your Lee dies should work on your Dillon as suggested. I use mostly rcbs, Lyman and Pacific, Burnside just get a Lee single stage, my first red press.

 

[greyling22]

yes it will work. I'd suggest running lee dies and a lee powder measure. Sell the dillon one for 90 bucks and buy a lee auto drum for $40. it's self contained with the turret so a caliber change is easier, it works just as well, and it's case actuated instead of handle actuated, so if you have an empty slot under powder drop that's fine.

 

[cfullgraf]

The Lee dies will work in the Dillon 550 press but as rfwobbly said, you may need to put the lock ring under the die plate instead of on top. Some Lee dies are short for other brand progressive presses.

I use a Hornady case activated powder die system on my Dillon BL550. If the Lee powder system operated independently from the press except for being screwed into the die plate, it should work fine as long as there is enough adjustment.

The Dillon powder measure uses a linkage to operate the powder measure that is attached to the press making it more difficult to use the Dillon powder measure system on the competitors' presses.

 

[cw4usa]

The Lee dies will work in the Dillon 550 press but as rfwobbly said, you may need to put the lock ring under the die plate instead of on top. Some Lee dies are short for other brand progressive presses.

I use a Hornady case activated powder die system on my Dillon BL550. If the Lee powder system operated independently from the press except for being screwed into the die plate, it should work fine as long as there is enough adjustment.

The Dillon powder measure uses a linkage to operate the powder measure that is attached to the press making it more difficult to use the Dillon powder measure system on the competitors' presses.

This is the problem that I have run into with the Lee Dies. They seem to be too short to work in the Dillon Tool Head. l I am aware of the necessity of the Dillon powder funnel situation and have that solved, but the Lee die set that I have (90513) does not seem to be compatible. Everything I did previously was on a single stage press and I did not have any problem using he Lee set. I ran up on a bargain in the Dillon 550 and bought it and tried to use the Lee dies, but it would appear that they won't work. I must be missing something.

 

[wmgeorge]

I ran a Dillon 550 for years with Lee dies, 45 ACP and zero issues. You were missing something.

 

[SingleActionAndrew]

Are you saying they are too short because you can't fit the lock ring on top? Just put them on bottom

 

[LiveLife]

Dillon 550B ... Question, will Lee Dies work in this press? The powder dispensing die looks significantly different than the than the one in Dillon die set that came with the press

I run 550C and as others already posted, if you want to use Dillon powder measure, just use Dillon die for the powder measure.

If you want to keep using the Lee powder thru charging die, you could use Lee powder measure and lock ring on the bottom of tool head.

I use C-H 502 micrometer powder measure for rifle loads because it meters quite consistently and the standard thread will screw right into Dillon tool head (Or into any other press) - https://www.ch4d.com/products/equipment/powder-tools/502

I must be missing something.

Since you are using Lee dies, do not discount Lee powder measures. Even the humble "Pro Auto Disk" meters quite well and in this comparison 10 drop test, Lee PAD metered W296/H110 for .300 BLK load with .12 gr variance - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/powder-measures.873198/page-2#post-11603562

Lee Pro Auto Disk: (.61 cc disk hole)

1. 9.16 gr
2. 9.16 gr
3. 9.08 gr
4. 9.20 gr
5. 9.12 gr
6. 9.18 gr
7. 9.16 gr
8. 9.12 gr
9. 9.08 gr
10. 9.12 gr

Range - 0.12 gr​

.12 gr powder charge weight variance is pretty good, especially .12 gr variance is what I get with many small granule powders from C-H 502 - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/c-h-502-micrometer-powder-measure-10-drops.834894/

 

[jmorris]

As above any 7/8-14 die will work on the 550 and all of their other presses except the SD (it uses die inserts specific to only that machine).

If you order a caliber conversion for it you will get the powder funnel with it but when you do you will want to order a “powder die” as well. It’s essentially just a threaded tube the funnel drops into that has a groove machined into it for the measure to clamp to.

 

[Mark_Mark]

Hello, New to the forum and relatively new to reloading. I have been using a single stage press to load, and recently came across a bargain in a Dillon 550B 4 stage press. Question, will Lee Dies work in this press? The powder dispensing die looks significantly different than the than the one in Dillon die set that came with the press. Would like to hear from anyone who could give me guidance in this area.
Thanks

OK… everyone is thinking but not asking… What did you pay for the 550???? and how old is it?

 

[SingleActionAndrew]

If you order a caliber conversion for it you will get the powder funnel with it but when you do you will want to order a “powder die” as well. It’s essentially just a threaded tube the funnel drops into that has a groove machined into it for the measure to clamp to.

If you order a Dillin Powder Measure or your press came with one already, it should come with the powder die. I have 2 extra powder dies because I didnt realize the measures came with them (2020)

 

[NC9mm]

Die Lock Ring" and place those on the underside of the 550's Tool Head, like shown below....

I have 2 Dillon 750s with Lee dies in both using Dillon lock rings on top to the tool head for 9mm and 45acp.
No need to put them on the bottom, there are enough threads.

 

[jmorris]

From his comment about the Dillon dies it came with and the Lee dies he already has, I was going on an assumption he was going to be adding calibers.

There are a number of ways to do so though. A complete tool head, measure and all is fastest. I have even read of folks unscrewing everything from the tool head and replacing it all with something else, I imagine it doesn’t get much slower than that.

In most cases I have an extra tool head, with powder die/funnel ready to go as well as powder bar set and ready. Then I just swap the tool head, move the measure and change the bar. Looks like this.



If a primer size swap is also needed, this is the way I do that.