finally drank (more of) the blue kool-aid

[captain awesome]

so I finally broke down and bought a Dillon 650. should arrive in the mail next week along with an array of convertions kits, strong mount, and the "Hitfactor" "improvements" among a few other things and several after market tool heads. I am fairly certain I can use the case feeder from my 1050, so I am going to try that.
Some background,
I started in the progressive reloading realm by adopting my dads old 550 Roughly 8 years ago. I decided I wanted an extra station and found a few things about the 550s priming system maddening. I had a bad taste in my mouth about Dillons customer service department after I called them about an issue with the powder measure, and the guy must have just been having a bad day, he was NOT friendly, or helpful and gave me the run around about me not being the original owner of the press and not being in their system before finally sending a replacement part. I should have called again when I was having priming issues, but was not inclined after the previous ordeal. I also wanted auto indexing, so after a short while, enticed by the free bullet offer, i bought the Hornady LNL AP. I liked it at first, and have loaded many thousands of rounds on it, but there were a few things here or there that have bothered me about it, that dont seem fixable. Many are/were fixable however, and were addressed by Hornady since, by small redesigns and work arounds, and they always happily sent me parts when ever i needed them, so I tended to look the other way and ignore its short comings.
I had been toying around with the idea of getting a 1050, for quite a while, then decided to pull the trigger on it 4 years ago when i found a good deal and a friend offered to buy me an extra tool head and conversion kit if i let him process his 223 brass and make 300BO brass on it. Done. bought it set up for 45 acp and I also used it for that and trying to process 308 brass with. After losing several swaging rods because of primer pull back, and Dillon charging me for every single replacement because my year warrantee was up it further soured me, so i mostly quit using it except for 45 ACP, and didnt want to spend the money on all the other conversion kits or take the time to switch them all over, so i kept loading everything else on the Hornady, and the 550 and loading precision stuff on my Redding T7 and Forster COAX.
Then after developing mild arthritus in my hands, i decided a case feeder would be beneficial on the Hornady. That thing has been the bane of my reloading existence. I always had to tweek things here or there with the press itself, but the case feeder made it far worse, a couple times i got so mad at it i had to walk away before I broke something. believe it or not i actually loaded much slower with the case feeder because it was so finicky.
So after failing to find a solution and Hornady not coming up with anything for me concerning a myriad of issues....gradual self loosening of bolts... unreliable case feeding hangups at the shellplate mouth...cases tipping in certain cartriges and hanging up on the sizing/decapping dies, and sometimes ruining decapping pins and rods,(an infuriating problem I never experienced on the Dillons), and for some unknown reason developing hang ups on the loaded round ejection nub (shellplate is always tight and subplate clean, so I have no idea why) I decided to move on. sorry for the run on sentence.

I added things up and revisited the idea of doing everything on the 1050, but it would have been far more expensive to get everything I need for that rather than getting the same for a 650. I also didnt want to deal with the lack of warantee on it. I looked at RCBS current offerings, seems as though theirs has its own set of issues, my buddy likes his Pro2000, i have loaded on it and liked it too, but it being out of production seems like an iffy investment. So i avoided that one. That pretty much just left the 650 XL. It seems like Dillons CS reps can be hit or miss on the friendlyness and patience but i do always end up with what ever i need on my 550, and thats what really counts I suppose, and I have since made the 550 run like a top. So here i go. wish me luck. any advice?

 

[Hokie_PhD]

Congrats, condolences and good luck depending on which you need at any time based on your story.

May the new press work for you with no problems and may you have many years of trouble free service.

 

[Hoopjj]

Good luck with the 650. Although i dont think you will need it. I bought mine 6 months ago after having the hornady lnl for a few years and the 650 in my opinion Is the better press. Runs like a top. I have upgraded the spent primer, the live primer, put the hit factor kit on it, the rotocam actuator, and the primer stop switch. Not that it needed all of that stuff but it does run smoother now

 

[jmorris]

The case feeder (collator) will work on both they don’t need the screw tightened on the square post of the 1050 but the round one on the 650 might need it snug.

The 650 primer feed system is the most reliable one in existence, only problem with them is that they always feed primers, even if you don’t want one.

 

[solman]

I have run into an unfriendly at Dillon on a few occasions over the years. Seems they either didn't like their job or perhaps thought I was trying to get over on them, even though I am the original purchaser. Don't understand why customer service would even mention to you the fact you are not the original purchaser based on their lifetime no BS claim. All in all I have been a satisfied customer for nearly 30 years. So much so that I went for the 650 last month to add to my 550 which has served me well. I also wanted the case feeder on the 650 as my hands bother me with age. So fas I am very satisfied and expect to remain so.

 

[jmorris]

Oh, on the phone call side of things if I don’t like how things are going I let them go and call back to get another person.

If that doesn’t work I ask to speak with their boss.

Generally only takes one extra call but I spent weeks doing it with Verizon years ago.....

 

[LiveLife]

I finally broke down and bought a Dillon 650.

any advice?

Celebrate!

Dillon 650 comes with lifetime warranty that 1050 don't come with.

Welcome to the 650 club!

 

[ilmonster]

Can't comment on the 650 as I have a Square Deal B (which I've been super pleased with), but my experience with their customer service has been excellent. The one or two small plastic bits that break once and a while they just ship to me free of charge even though I'm happy to pay for them. Also, helpful with any technical questions I've had (few). Enjoy the new "big rig", and let us know how you like it.

 

[TheDomFather]

so I finally broke down and bought a Dillon 650. should arrive in the mail next week along with an array of convertions kits, strong mount, and the "Hitfactor" "improvements" among a few other things and several after market tool heads. I am fairly certain I can use the case feeder from my 1050, so I am going to try that.
Some background,
I started in the progressive reloading realm by adopting my dads old 550 Roughly 8 years ago. I decided I wanted an extra station and found a few things about the 550s priming system maddening. I had a bad taste in my mouth about Dillons customer service department after I called them about an issue with the powder measure, and the guy must have just been having a bad day, he was NOT friendly, or helpful and gave me the run around about me not being the original owner of the press and not being in their system before finally sending a replacement part. I should have called again when I was having priming issues, but was not inclined after the previous ordeal. I also wanted auto indexing, so after a short while, enticed by the free bullet offer, i bought the Hornady LNL AP. I liked it at first, and have loaded many thousands of rounds on it, but there were a few things here or there that have bothered me about it, that dont seem fixable. Many are/were fixable however, and were addressed by Hornady since, by small redesigns and work arounds, and they always happily sent me parts when ever i needed them, so I tended to look the other way and ignore its short comings.
I had been toying around with the idea of getting a 1050, for quite a while, then decided to pull the trigger on it 4 years ago when i found a good deal and a friend offered to buy me an extra tool head and conversion kit if i let him process his 223 brass and make 300BO brass on it. Done. bought it set up for 45 acp and I also used it for that and trying to process 308 brass with. After losing several swaging rods because of primer pull back, and Dillon charging me for every single replacement because my year warrantee was up it further soured me, so i mostly quit using it except for 45 ACP, and didnt want to spend the money on all the other conversion kits or take the time to switch them all over, so i kept loading everything else on the Hornady, and the 550 and loading precision stuff on my Redding T7 and Forster COAX.
Then after developing mild arthritus in my hands, i decided a case feeder would be beneficial on the Hornady. That thing has been the bane of my reloading existence. I always had to tweek things here or there with the press itself, but the case feeder made it far worse, a couple times i got so mad at it i had to walk away before I broke something. believe it or not i actually loaded much slower with the case feeder because it was so finicky.
So after failing to find a solution and Hornady not coming up with anything for me concerning a myriad of issues....gradual self loosening of bolts... unreliable case feeding hangups at the shellplate mouth...cases tipping in certain cartriges and hanging up on the sizing/decapping dies, and sometimes ruining decapping pins and rods,(an infuriating problem I never experienced on the Dillons), and for some unknown reason developing hang ups on the loaded round ejection nub (shellplate is always tight and subplate clean, so I have no idea why) I decided to move on. sorry for the run on sentence.

I added things up and revisited the idea of doing everything on the 1050, but it would have been far more expensive to get everything I need for that rather than getting the same for a 650. I also didnt want to deal with the lack of warantee on it. I looked at RCBS current offerings, seems as though theirs has its own set of issues, my buddy likes his Pro2000, i have loaded on it and liked it too, but it being out of production seems like an iffy investment. So i avoided that one. That pretty much just left the 650 XL. It seems like Dillons CS reps can be hit or miss on the friendlyness and patience but i do always end up with what ever i need on my 550, and thats what really counts I suppose, and I have since made the 550 run like a top. So here i go. wish me luck. any advice?

Thanks for the post. I am starting to hate my Hornday LNL. I no longer prime cases on it why because its totally unreliable. I would never add a case feeder since I feel thats one more thing I will constantly be monkeying around with. I have relegated it to pistol only as I dont think I can get the accuracy I want for rifle rounds and that is ok. I am eyeing up a Dillon 650. Can you give me the compare and contrast between the two?
Thanks,
Dom

 

[ATLDave]

I bought a 3rd hand 650 last year. A couple of parts were broken (likely suffered in transport or storage). I called Dillon, told them that I was the 3rd owner, bought one with broken/bent parts, and offered to pay for replacements. My money was no good. They just sent me the parts.

 

[DRAINSMITH]

Once again, boys and girls, I buy all Hornady paperweights just PM me.

 

[Laphroaig]

I'm shocked to learn that there is only a one year warranty on a 1050. That's a drastic departure from everything else that Dillon makes.

As for the OP, you are very fortunate to own 3 different Dillon presses. I'd be jealous, but my 550 does everything that I need exceptionally well.

 

[ATLDave]

My understanding is that the 1050 is designed and marketed primarily for commercial reloading, not consumer reloading. Yes, some consumers use them, but mostly they are a commercial rig. Commercial equipment is generally used very hard, running a high percentage of the time, often attached to motorized drivers, etc. If you're cranking out a few million rounds per year, you might generate a lot of warranty claims... and might reasonably expect to have to pay to replace wear items.

Similarly, I bet it costs gun makers a lot less to offer long warranties on pocket guns than on guns that are popular for competition shooting.... not because the mouse guns are tougher (they aren't), but because the gamer guns are going to have 100s or 1000's of times more rounds put through them.

 

[jmorris]

The only parts I have needed for my 1050's are the little plastic tips on the primer tube.

They are the same ones that are on my SD's and 550 but I was honest and told the fellow at Dillon I needed some for the 1050, he sent them for free anyway.

 

[captain awesome]

Thanks for the post. I am starting to hate my Hornday LNL. I no longer prime cases on it why because its totally unreliable. I would never add a case feeder since I feel thats one more thing I will constantly be monkeying around with. I have relegated it to pistol only as I dont think I can get the accuracy I want for rifle rounds and that is ok. I am eyeing up a Dillon 650. Can you give me the compare and contrast between the two?
Thanks,
Dom

i sure will. expect a thorough write-up on the two of them after i have worked with it for a bit.

Once again, boys and girls, I buy all Hornady paperweights just PM me.

i just might have one for sale for you. i have a hard time letting go, but since the 650 is intended to replace the Hornady i will likely end up selling the LNL. maybe someone else will have better luck with it than I.

 

[joed]

I can't say enough good about Dillon support. About 10 years ago I bought a used 1050. After going over it and needing a few parts I called Dillon to order them. They brought up that I was not in the database but it took 5 min of me giving them info and I was never bothered again. They've been very helpful to me.

My first progressive was the 550 but after 2 years I parted ways with it and moved on to a 650.

Odd about the case feeder being a pain on the LnL, I'd never heard that before. Usually LnL owners complain about the primers not seating. I notice there are a lot of owners of the Hornady that no longer prime on the press and will make up a reason for not doing so. Why own a progressive if you don't use it to potential?

 

[DRAINSMITH]

Bad news Dillon boys, Dillon just came out with a new commercial case prep machine. This one will cost you!!!

 

[solman]

I had a Hornady LNL for a few years but finally sold it as I too didn't care much for the primer system. Too many glitches. I agree with the fact that if I am going progressive loading I want to prime the brass as part of the process. I have a Dillon 550 for almost 30 years and almost never have a problem with priming on the press. I recently added the 650 to my bench with the case feeder and it works well. My friend swore by the Hornady LNL for years and he did make excuses for priming off the press. He finally ordered a Dillon 650 last week and loves it.

 

[DRAINSMITH]

I last timed my four Ammo-Plants on 23 May 2015. I have not missed 1 primer in all that time. Don't time your press close, don't time it good enough, but time it perfectly and you won't have any problems.

 

[Bang!]

I can't say enough good about Dillon support. About 10 years ago I bought a used 1050. After going over it and needing a few parts I called Dillon to order them. They brought up that I was not in the database but it took 5 min of me giving them info and I was never bothered again. They've been very helpful to me.

My first progressive was the 550 but after 2 years I parted ways with it and moved on to a 650.

Odd about the case feeder being a pain on the LnL, I'd never heard that before. Usually LnL owners complain about the primers not seating. I notice there are a lot of owners of the Hornady that no longer prime on the press and will make up a reason for not doing so. Why own a progressive if you don't use it to potential?

Before I bought my LnL AP I read the excuses but they didn’t register as excuses. The most popular being, “I like to prime off press while watching TV.” I thought they were sincere even though I could never see myself priming and watching a TV. Then when I started working on mine it was a hahahaha moment when I finally got it. I used a dremmel on my first subplate and had it priming really well. But that subplate had to be changed out because it was warped. The second subplate had totally different issues. Sold it to someone like Drainsmith with full disclosure of remaining issues and fair market value. I rarely sell things.

A machine, all functions, has to work at its price point.

 

[Bang!]

I last timed my four Ammo-Plants on 23 May 2015. I have not missed 1 primer in all that time. Don't time your press close, don't time it good enough, but time it perfectly and you won't have any problems.

Timing is not the sole priming issues on the LnL AP.

 

[BrianC636]

wish me luck. any advice?

Put extra packing in the box when you sell me the case feeder for the LNL?
While my LNL hangs up empty cases on the ejection nub from time to time, as long as I do my part with full strokes of the handle, it always indexes correctly and primes.


Congrats on the purchase of the 650.

 

[Reeferman]

Timing is not the sole priming issues on the LnL AP.

What is?

 

[captain awesome]

just out of curiousity,
drainsmith, how do you calibrate your timing? i havent had issues with that aspect in the last couple years but wonder about your method.

 

[Bang!]

What is?

There’s more than one possible scenario for priming problems on the LnL. And different primer brands can be effected differently. Which primer brand I was using was Hornady CS first question. Timing is critical and it can change with a shellplate/caliber change. For some the timing changes while they’re in the middle of reloading (don’t understand that one). The milling job influences priming in different ways. All sub plates aren’t milled the same. Breaking the edge where the primer punch comes up through the first subplate I had stopped my hang ups on that one. My replacement subplate wasn’t milled near as deep and therefore had no edge needing the use of my dremmel. I sold the press before I finished troubleshooting the replacement subplate. It was intermittent and totally random. Some others have pointed out the need to polish the shuttle. Others complain of powder kernels causing their problems and regularly blow out the shuttle slot.

Enough on line reading, a little experience and you have to accept the LnL flaws of priming. Too many deny their sacred (what ever color machine) is as pure as the driven snow and is sinless. Yea, the creators gift to the world. Others point out, “mine works, therefore if yours doesn’t it’s your fault.” Or, “I keep a can of compressed air next to mine and just blow it out from time to time, apply my fix and you’re golden.” A better fanboy service would be to identify the possible problem, how to identify them, and what solution to apply to specific problem you have.

Some presses (any brand or model) are delivered to your doorstep and have no problems. Some do. Enough of my two cents.