thinking of jumping ship: LNL to 650???

[fmiller4]

I'm sorry if this has already been done a million times, but I've been frustrated (for quite a while) with my press and am thinking of switching sides.

What I guess I really want to know is, have any of you made the switch from Hornady to Dillon? If so, was it worth it?

I've had my press since 2005(2006?) and have produced thousands of rounds in everything from .380 to .50AE. And... well... it's almost always involved some element of frustration.

It's not that there is anything wrong with the whole system, it just seems that I am CONSTANTLY tweaking the machine in some way or another. Or finding workarounds. Or buying third-party solutions to make something do what it says it will do.

I don't want to get too specific here, I'm not ranting against Hornady. They've been great. It just seems like I'm calling them a lot...

Am I expecting too much?
Is the grass actually any greener?

Thanks!

 

[DRAINSMITH]

First off do you have a stand-alone press or do you have a case feeder or bullet feeder?

 

[Walkalong]

If you are unhappy with the LNL, heck, switch. Life is too short to keep a mechanical device that doesn't work for you.

 

[fmiller4]

Thanks for the replies!

I have the hornady case feeder, which I suppose I could sell.

 

[Havok7416]

If you are unhappy with the LNL, heck, switch. Life is too short to keep a mechanical device that doesn't work for you.

This a hundred times over. I happened to pick up a Dillon for myself when I got started and was fortunate to never look back. That's not to say that I wouldn't have been happy with another brand, but if I had been unhappy I would have switched as fast as I could.

 

[Reeferman]

Like Walkalong said do it. I have an LNL with case feeder and also use a friends 650. There are things I like about both. I just don't crank out the amount of loads that many do. Get the 650 but also keep your LNL as you will use it. Take the case feeder off and use it for small runs that you wouldn't want to set the 650 up for.
My friend loads 1000's of 9mm and 45 acp on his 650 every month and that's all its used for.
No one can answer that for you whether they did it or not only you can.
If I was going to shoot the amount 9mm or 45 acp my friend and his wife do I would probably get a 650 but he has had issues with it so don't let anyone tell you different.
Do not get one without the case feeder though.

 

[captain awesome]

wow i could write a book on this, but will spare you. yeah the LNL has its short comings, but so does the 650. as does the 550, and the super1050, redding t7, lee classic turret, forster coax, lee hand press, old lyman spar T turret, and the mec shotshell presses(i bought 3 of them used for a smoking deal and dont remember the models, i just load with them)I do not own the 650 but I own the rest of those, and have done quite a bit of messing around with the RCBS 2000.
None are bullet proof, none are magical and all have their quirks. and all of them need to be kept clean and maintained.

I recently(with in the last couple years) did a few custom mods to my LNL to correct some "design flaws" in that press, which made it MUCH more reliable. before I decided to do that I was also contemplating making the switch and seeing if i had any better luck with the 650 or an RCBS. by watching and reading several reviews and videos and pouring over various forum threads discussing these presses and their various issues, I decided not to buy another or a different progressive press.

what are your main problems that drive you nuts on the LNL? maybe I or someone else could help.

 

[joed]

I've owned all the Dillon presses except the Square Deal. All have been great for me. If I had to constantly tweak a press I think I'd get rid of it too.

The only thing I will tell you is keep the press clean and you won't have problems. After every run of ammo I clean the press including under the shell plate and priming system.

 

[Walkalong]

what are your main problems that drive you nuts on the LNL? maybe I or someone else could help.

Yes.

 

[IMtheNRA]

Do it! I suffered with an LNL-AP for over a decade and I was amazed how it would go out of tune just sitting there between loading sessions. Running it was a nightmare, having to constantly adjust this, tighten that, dealing with surprises and mysteries every time...

Four years ago I happened upon a great deal on a used 1050, bought it, and I haven't had to stare at a high primer since that day.

Had I known how dramatically different the loading experience is with a Dillon, I would have changed presses many, many years ago.

 

[DRAINSMITH]

A 2005-2006 press. You are right in the window of a few changes. Do you have the old or new case feeder? Do you have the old or new primer punch? There are fixes for both that you won't have to keep "tinkering". I have not seen you post requesting help in the past. So let's try and get your press running perfectly be for you make the change. Now I will admit that I run 4 different Ammo-plants 2 for rifle and 2 for pistol so I don't have to change over many parts to run a different cal. so that cuts down on my problems.

 

[Bang!]

I switched from the Hornady LnL AP to the Dillon XL650. The Dillon is so much better. Good luck.

 

[Damon555]

Luckily I chose a Dillon press from the get go. My 550b runs like a champ.....I have no regrets.

 

[VINTAGE-SLOTCARS]

I love my 650 but remember it can get expensive for the different caliber changes. There are great upgrades available on Ebay. As mentioned above keep it clean and lubricated and it will put out quality ammo. "Drink the blue"

 

[cfullgraf]

Do it! I suffered with an LNL-AP for over a decade and I was amazed how it would go out of tune just sitting there between loading sessions. Running it was a nightmare, having to constantly adjust this, tighten that, dealing with surprises and mysteries every time...

Interesting.

I'm not disputing what IMtheNRA is saying, just saying that I've had a different experience.

I've had my L-N-L since 2009 and I have never, I repeat, NEVER made adjustment one to the press outside of setting up the dies and powder measures. I'm still running the original case retaining spring on the shell plate and it had more kinks in it than Carter has liver pills. (I'm continuing to run it to see how long it really lasts.)

But then again, I do not use a case feeder or prime on the press. I resize and mouth expand at one time, then store the cases away for a future loading session.

Virtually all my resizing is done on the L-N-L. The L-N-L bushing system allows flexibility of die placement without the use of a die plate. But, I have found some reloading issues with the L-N-L and have purchased a Dillon BL550 and RCBS Pro2000 for reloading specific cartridges that have issues on the L-N-L.

Also, I do have two Dillon SDBs that were dedicated to 45 ACP and 9x19. I load enough of these on and off it made sense to keep presses set up just for them. I have a third SDB that was set up for 38 Special but I do not like that I cannot easily verify that the case has been charged with powder.

My process works for me and keeps the acid indigestion at bay. Not everyone agrees with me and that is OK. It is a nice feature of progressive presses in that their operation can be adjusted to meet the user's wants and needs.

The bottom line point here is, as already mentioned, all of the presses have their idiosyncrasies.

To the OP, if you are unhappy with the L-N-L, go for the Dillon 650.

 

[Walkalong]

I don't have any issues with my LNL either, although I did do a subplate mod, but if the user isn't happy with it............someone will be happy to take it off his hands.

 

[jimeast]

I have the Dillon 550, it runs great. I have not used others, but suspect everyone makes a good product with their own unique idiosyncrasies... or everyone would have Dillon. One suggestion. Add up everything you will need from Dillon in their Shopping Cart. It's surprising how much it costs to get all the components you will want to use to run the Dillon. If your not yet fully informed on the overall cost, it might help with potential sticker-shock, I had to take a deep breath before jumping when I saw the final cost.

Idiosyncrasy of my Dillon 550: Every once in a while a spent primer gets stuck behind the primer feed slide and does not allow a new primer to engage properly with the brass. Might be a moot issue with the 650

 

[egd]

I've had the LNL for about 18 months or so now, so I guess I'm still a newby, but I set it up for 9mm and have never had to change a thing. It just runs. I've seen several people talk about the retaining spring being kinked, etc. but I don't understand how this happens. I don't use a case feeder or bullet feeder but I do prime and do everything on the press.

 

[Blue68f100]

I've had my LNL-AP since 2003. Done several upgrades over the years but never had to constantly tweak things to run. I have not touched my index paws in over a decade. The only thing that has given me trouble is the brass feeder. With the mods available for it most of those problems have cleared up. I would say the brass feeder is better on the 650. I will also say that most could not setup a 650 from scratch it it was not pre set from the factory. There are a lot more things that can get adj on the Dillons in general. Which gives you more control over the settings but again you must have some mechanical ability to know what to adj to make any of them run smooth.

 

[rfwobbly]

I just switched to an XL650 about 9 months ago after a having a 550 for 15 years. Two things have been difficult for me to adjust to...
• Unused primers advancing. I really prefer the shuttle systems of the LNL and 550 where an unused primer is merely inserted into the next available case rather than needing special handling.
• Shell plate advancing. When setting up the powder measure and other pre-production adjustments it was difficult to work around the mandatory shell plate advancement. I'm almost over this one.

Not sure there is "one perfect reloading machine". But like Walkalong said, just get what serves you best.

 

[cfullgraf]

I've seen several people talk about the retaining spring being kinked, etc. but I don't understand how this happens.

I’m not sure how the springs get kinked either except it is most probably during removal and replacement of the springs during a shell plate change.

If you never change shell plates, it is a non-issue.

I usually shoot several different cartridges when I go shooting. I resize cases shortly after shooting so I can make several shell plate changes in a period of 15 or 20 minutes as I resize the different cartridges.

 

[hdwhit]

thinking of jumping ship: LNL to 650???

I don't own a progressive press of any make.

Never will, since I like to have my hands on the brass, so while I don't have any experience with progressive presses, I don't have a dog in this fight. And after years of reading various reloading blogs and boards, I have yet to see anyone who had any regrets about buying Dillon - that is after they got over the regret of having parted with that much money.

 

[captain awesome]

"I have yet to see anyone who had any regretsabout buying Dillon - that is after they gotover the regret of having parted with thatmuch money."

well i sure did. big blue makes some good machines but darned if breaking 4 swaging rods on my 1050 because of primer pull back didnt piss me off...then having to pay for each one...Dillon offers great service on their other machines but the 1050 is one i regret. FYI as soon as i started depriming on separate runs and checking every single case to make sure the primer was gone i havent broken one since. but...i bought that machine to save time...so oh well i guess.

Dillon, if you are listening, beef up the dadgum primer pocket swaging rods. we certainly pay enough for them!!!!

 

[Reeferman]

I just switched to an XL650 about 9 months ago after a having a 550 for 15 years. Two things have been difficult for me to adjust to...
• Unused primers advancing. I really prefer the shuttle systems of the LNL and 550 where an unused primer is merely inserted into the next available case rather than needing special handling.
• Shell plate advancing. When setting up the powder measure and other pre-production adjustments it was difficult to work around the mandatory shell plate advancement. I'm almost over this one.

Not sure there is "one perfect reloading machine". But like Walkalong said, just get what serves you best.

Those are the two things my buddy really hates with his 650 though he would never get rid of it.

 

[MCMXI]

I've been running an LNL-AP for seven or eight years now with no problems that I can think of but all of my brass is basically spotless and deprimed (stainless steel media). I do prime on the press and don't have any issues with that either. I got to try a 650 before buying the LNL and decided that the LNL was a better choice for my needs at that time since it offers the option to easily feed cases by hand, caliber changes are cheaper and the gentle rotation of the shell plate on both the up and down strokes results in no powder being flung all over the place. Frankly, I'd buy another LNL over a 650 and have often thought about buying another one so that I can have one set up for small primers and one for large. That would be useful but not essential given that it only takes a few minutes to swap.