Square Deal B vs XL-750 for new reloader

TacticalJanitor said:
Yup. I used to reload with my pop in my teenage years. It's not a completely new concept. But, it was 30 years ago. :)
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can’t wait till my sons get old enough! Going to make them poke the primer hole and decap. Then will use them to fill the empty tubes with fresh brass. Get them boys to sort brass too!
 
TacticalJanitor said:
Yeah, I was really on the fence about that. Frankford Arsenal looks like good stuff. I also found a youtube guy that said vibe cleaners create a lot of dust in the house. The wife isn't going to like that.

My plan is to run it in the garage when needed. But, it's not too late to cancel. What brand of wet-wash would you recommend?
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I run mine in a small 10'x12' room with a low ceiling for hours. I have never experienced dust on anything.
The noise is a little obnoxious though.
 
That’ll be a nice press! Keep in mind the Dillon .38 dies are currently listed at 10-14 week backorder - it’s one the Dies/Stock status page. I think I have a set of Lees if you want to borrow them until yours show up.
Edit - removed a line - not important.
 
lordpaxman said:
That’ll be a nice press! Keep in mind the Dillon .38 dies are currently listed at 10-14 week backorder - it’s one the Dies/Stock status page. I think I have a set of Lees if you want to borrow them until yours show up.
Edit - removed a line - not important.
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Thanks for the offer...I may wind up needing to take you up on that.

I haven't really started to look for dies yet (other than checking the box on Dillon's site). If you guys were starting over, what brand of carbide dies would you be looking at for .38 Special & 9mm?
 
TacticalJanitor said:
I haven't really started to look for dies yet (other than checking the box on Dillon's site). If you guys were starting over, what brand of carbide dies would you be looking at for .38 Special & 9mm?
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I like the Dillon pistol dies for a few "conveniences" ( seating and crimping dies can be disassembled for cleaning without moving the die settings) and the sizing die has a "spring" decapping pin.
They also have a generous lead in at the base .
They are, however, on the costly side.
But, realistically, any die brand will get you to where you want to be in any pistol cartridge................IMO..............:thumbup:
 
35 Years ago when I got into reloading the Dillon square deal B was their entry level press and priced accordingly. While their XL 650 (750 now) was at a much higher price and these two presses didn't really compete with each other. At the time I bought the 550B and still use it today. I did add a 650 years ago but it turns out I don't use it much. I really like my 550 and use it for all but .223
Now the price is so close for these two that it is a fair comparison and a decision to be made. I can't speak the square deal press I never used one but you won't go wrong with a Dillon 750.
 
TacticalJanitor said:
If you guys were starting over, what brand of carbide dies would you be looking at for .38 Special & 9mm?
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Redding for the .38Spl. Assuming you intend to load non-jacketed bullets. the Dual Ring Carbide Sizing die and the M-profile Expander make all the difference. To really do it right, You'd add their Competition Seating die and never have to worry about shaving lead/coating again.

I use a Redding set for 9mm also because I got a good buy on the Competition Seating die, but I also use a Lee Undersized Sizing die to avoid the "9mm wasp waist"
 
Ok, I have to admit something,

My Dillon dealer was dragging his behind all week. Today I told him to forget about it. The dude isn't good with communication or followthrough. I can understand that. We were only talking about a $2500 sale. Small potatoes...apparently.

Now I'm thinking about a SDB again. I'll debate everything over the weekend, but will probably order a SDB directly from Dillon on Monday.

I appreciate everyone's advice throughout the thread!
 
I don't want to derail this thread, but before you jump into a SDB, I'd highly recommend you take a look at the Lee Six Pack Pro (SPP).

I have had a Hornady LNL AP and a Dillon 750 on my bench, and only had the Lee SPP a few months. However in that time it has proven to be very competitive with the SDB, in ease of use and efficiency, for the number of rounds you are talking about loading
 
9mmepiphany said:
I don't want to derail this thread, but before you jump into a SDB, I'd highly recommend you take a look at the Lee Six Pack Pro (SPP).

I have had a Hornady LNL AP and a Dillon 750 on my bench, and only had the Lee SPP a few months. However in that time it has proven to be very competitive with the SDB, in ease of use and efficiency, for the number of rounds you are talking about loading
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I'll look into it. I must confess that I haven't looked at any company other than Dillon so far.

Thanks!
 
TacticalJanitor said:
I'll look into it. I must confess that I haven't looked at any company other than Dillon so far.

Thanks!
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I would wait 1-2 years before buying the very new Lee 6-pack. For your needs of volume ammo, the 750 is good… no Amazing. Just remember the SDB has decades of being a workhouse, and the 750 is as solid & reliable as a S&W 686.

for rapid single stage processing, look into into the Lee APP. about $90, it can do one thing and one thing very FAST. Especially with the Dillion bullet feed attached
 
TacticalJanitor said:
Ok, I have to admit something,

My Dillon dealer was dragging his behind all week. Today I told him to forget about it. The dude isn't good with communication or followthrough. I can understand that. We were only talking about a $2500 sale. Small potatoes...apparently.
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Does the guy own the shop? If not, find out who does and go straight to them.
Don't let some jackwagon, lazy ass alter your decision.
Maybe take the weekend to make some calls and check some more places on-line for what you want.
 
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Okie_Poke said:
I’m not interested in the proprietary dies required for the sdb.
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Folks often forget that the Square Deal was intended as a "gateway" press to introduce folks to progressive reloading...that is why it was price at about 1/3 of a 550 and had a designed life expectancy of 65k rounds. The expectation was that by then you would have become a full time reloader and ready to move up to a better press...there were no expectations that the owner would ever need a case or bullet feeder. At the original price, getting one for every caliber you reloaded was considered very practical.

Fans have only themselves to blame for the current price of the SDB; which has risen with demand
 
9mmepiphany said:
Folks often forget that the Square Deal was intended as a "gateway" press to introduce folks to progressive reloading...that is why it was price at about 1/3 of a 550 and had a designed life expectancy of 65k rounds. The expectation was that by then you would have become a full time reloader and ready to move up to a better press...there were no expectations that the owner would ever need a case or bullet feeder. At the original price, getting one for every caliber you reloaded was considered very practical.

Fans have only themselves to blame for the current price of the SDB; which has risen with demand
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SDB fan boy here! Might pick up the local .357 SDB for $389+tax… even tho I already have a .357 full conversation
 
jmorris said:
Only thing better is not having to swap them.
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Yes it would be nice to change cartridges be swapping Dillon
650/750 presses but I have to settle to do the same with SDB presses.

With the SDB, it was not terribly more expensive to buy a compete additional press versus getting a cartridge change kit.
 
TacticalJanitor said:
Ok, I have to admit something,

My Dillon dealer was dragging his behind all week. Today I told him to forget about it. The dude isn't good with communication or followthrough. I can understand that. We were only talking about a $2500 sale. Small potatoes...apparently.

Now I'm thinking about a SDB again. I'll debate everything over the weekend, but will probably order a SDB directly from Dillon on Monday.

I appreciate everyone's advice throughout the thread!
Click to expand...
I bought my last Dillon from Scheels, shipped in a week. You can order by the caliber you want, or without a caliber conversion kit, or with the conversion kit but without dies. Graf's is another good option especially if you have or are able to get a dealer account, little bit of a price savings and where I'm buying any future dillon presses.
 
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