collapse

Advertisement


Author Topic: Any Dillon Precision Users?  (Read 1342 times)

Offline GASoline71

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Longhunter
  • *****
  • Join Date: Aug 2012
  • Posts: 601
  • Location: Whidbey Island, WA
    • https://www.facebook.com/gary.strassburg.7?ref=bookmarks
  • Groups: Conservation Coalition of Washington, ABF WA Chapter, F4WM, WWC
Any Dillon Precision Users?
« on: August 03, 2021, 11:06:45 AM »
I just acquired my Father-in-laws entire reloading setup.  He passed 2 years ago and My Mother-in-law told me she'd like to see all of his reloading stuff get some use and to please come and get it all.

He has a Dillon Precision RL550.  I believe it is a "B" model.  It looks like a pretty straightforward reloader, and after watching some videos, it seems fairly easy to use.  He has reloading manuals, lots of notes and a lot of dies for different calibers, powder and some brass and bullets.  Mostly handgun stuff.  Also, a lot of your typical accessories like powder measurer, tumblers, micrometers, bullet pullers, etc.

Anyways, I'm just trying to get a feel for this Dillon setup and wanted to know if an other Dillon users might have any tips or hints.  I'm going to be mounting it on my workbench this weekend.

Gary
One does not hunt in order to kill; on the contrary, one kills in order to have hunted. If one were to present the sportsman with the death of the animal as a gift he would refuse it. What he is after is having to win it, to conquer the surly brute through his own effort and skill with all the extras that this carries with it: the immersion in the countryside, the healthfulness of the exercise, the distraction from his job. ~ Jose Ortega y Gasset

Offline jrebel

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (+20)
  • Explorer
  • ******
  • Join Date: Feb 2008
  • Posts: 10602
  • Location: East Wenatchee
Re: Any Dillon Precision Users?
« Reply #1 on: August 03, 2021, 11:21:28 AM »
I run two Dillon 550’s and love them.  Very user friendly.  Watch YouTube videos and you will be fine.  Only tip I could give is, set up tool heads with calibers and powder measures and leave them be.  This means you will have to buy extra powder measures and tool heads, but it will save time and frustration in the long run. 

Offline Bill W

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Sep 2013
  • Posts: 1942
  • Location: Moses Lake
  • Groups: NRA, CBA
Re: Any Dillon Precision Users?
« Reply #2 on: August 03, 2021, 12:52:45 PM »
Two 550's here also. One's set up for large primers and the other for small primers.  Only suggestions I'd have is watch the videos and read the instructions.   They are relatively easy to use.

Offline h20hunter

  • Trade Count: (+16)
  • Legend
  • ******
  • Join Date: Jan 2010
  • Posts: 20873
  • Location: Lake Stevens
Re: Any Dillon Precision Users?
« Reply #3 on: August 03, 2021, 12:53:49 PM »
A single 550 here.

Offline lamrith

  • Business Sponsor
  • Trade Count: (+11)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Apr 2014
  • Posts: 2156
  • Location: Tacoma, WA
    • https://www.facebook.com/pelletpeddler/
    • Pellet Peddler LLC
Re: Any Dillon Precision Users?
« Reply #4 on: August 03, 2021, 02:31:00 PM »
I run a 650XL.  This is the 4th progressive press I have owned over the last 10yrs and first Dillon.  The Dillons run great and the 550 is extremely popular.

I will second JRebel's comment about tool heads and actually further it to say anyone with a progressive press that uses a tool head should do the same.  It really does make life easier.

The expensive part of doing that is normally the powder dropper/thrower.  If you just can't bite the bullet and are loading a ton of calibers then I would recommend getting just the die part of your powder thrower to go into each toolhead and then getting a micrometer adjuster for your single powder thrower.  Various companies make them for the common throwers like RCBS, Hornady and Dillon.  Then you can document the measurement for your favorite load and dial back to about spot on easily in the future.  ALWAYS check and verify what it is actually throwing each session as a number of factors can change the drop from session to session.


Offline GASoline71

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Longhunter
  • *****
  • Join Date: Aug 2012
  • Posts: 601
  • Location: Whidbey Island, WA
    • https://www.facebook.com/gary.strassburg.7?ref=bookmarks
  • Groups: Conservation Coalition of Washington, ABF WA Chapter, F4WM, WWC
Re: Any Dillon Precision Users?
« Reply #5 on: August 04, 2021, 09:34:44 AM »
Thank you all for the replies.  After doing more digging, I'm glad that I can use dies from other manufacturers.  Dillon dies are not even backorderable right now from Dillon, and all popular calibers are out of stock.  At least I might be able to find some .300 Win Mag, .270 Win and .30.06 dies from other places.  :)

Gary
One does not hunt in order to kill; on the contrary, one kills in order to have hunted. If one were to present the sportsman with the death of the animal as a gift he would refuse it. What he is after is having to win it, to conquer the surly brute through his own effort and skill with all the extras that this carries with it: the immersion in the countryside, the healthfulness of the exercise, the distraction from his job. ~ Jose Ortega y Gasset

Offline lamrith

  • Business Sponsor
  • Trade Count: (+11)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Apr 2014
  • Posts: 2156
  • Location: Tacoma, WA
    • https://www.facebook.com/pelletpeddler/
    • Pellet Peddler LLC
Re: Any Dillon Precision Users?
« Reply #6 on: August 04, 2021, 10:51:26 AM »
Lee Dies (probably also hard to find given market crazyness) are good dies and used by a great many people regardless of the press owned.  They just make a good die for most people's needs.  If you are going high precision it is worth getting fancy dies, but for 90% of people the Lee are more than adequate imho.

Offline Bill W

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Sep 2013
  • Posts: 1942
  • Location: Moses Lake
  • Groups: NRA, CBA
Re: Any Dillon Precision Users?
« Reply #7 on: August 04, 2021, 11:17:56 AM »
Thank you all for the replies.  After doing more digging, I'm glad that I can use dies from other manufacturers.  Dillon dies are not even backorderable right now from Dillon, and all popular calibers are out of stock.  At least I might be able to find some .300 Win Mag, .270 Win and .30.06 dies from other places.  :)

Gary

The main application for Dillon dies on Dillon presses (to me) seems to be for pistol reloading due to the neck belling and powder thru dies.  For rifles that station just throws powder and all other 2 or 3 stations (depending on die set) any mfgr die would work.

Offline GASoline71

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Longhunter
  • *****
  • Join Date: Aug 2012
  • Posts: 601
  • Location: Whidbey Island, WA
    • https://www.facebook.com/gary.strassburg.7?ref=bookmarks
  • Groups: Conservation Coalition of Washington, ABF WA Chapter, F4WM, WWC
Re: Any Dillon Precision Users?
« Reply #8 on: August 05, 2021, 08:21:51 AM »
I went and picked up the reloader last night.  It was kind of surreal as I unbolted it from his workbench, as I had seen him sitting there so many times in his happy place.  :) As I was searching through a couple file cabinets where my FIL kept his reloading supplies I came across 6 different tool heads all filled with dies.  4 with pistol calibers and 2 with rifle calibers.  He also has 2 powder hoppers.  1 set up with the small slide for pistol, and another set up with the large slide for rifle. 

I couldn't find the large primer tube, and the small tube is in the reloader as he was reloading a bunch of 9mm before he got sick. Also one of the rifle caliber powder dies is missing the "funnel" insert, and I couldn't locate it anywhere.  Of course it is the one I really want to start with (.308).

I was quite surprised at how much of the setup he actually had there as he'd only been reloading for 3 or 4 years before he got too sick to do it anymore.

I'm still going over his notes and dogeared pages in the reloading manuals he has.  Pretty cool to read his notes written in his hand.  :)

Looking forward to a whole new adventure in reloading!

Thanks for the comments guys!

Gary
One does not hunt in order to kill; on the contrary, one kills in order to have hunted. If one were to present the sportsman with the death of the animal as a gift he would refuse it. What he is after is having to win it, to conquer the surly brute through his own effort and skill with all the extras that this carries with it: the immersion in the countryside, the healthfulness of the exercise, the distraction from his job. ~ Jose Ortega y Gasset

Offline 300rum

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Aug 2008
  • Posts: 2306
Re: Any Dillon Precision Users?
« Reply #9 on: August 05, 2021, 09:46:33 AM »
Just make sure that you rotate the shell plate after every pull of the handle.  The 550 can be a squib and/or a double charge maker if you aren't paying attention, distracted, or going too fast.  If it becomes something that you really use and like to do, step up to a 650.  Have fun!   :tup:   

 


* Advertisement

* Recent Topics

Bearpaw Season - Spring 2024 by Machias
[Today at 09:19:44 AM]


SB 5444 signed by Inslee on 03/26 Takes Effect on 06/06/24 by hughjorgan
[Today at 09:03:26 AM]


Walked a cougar down by 2MANY
[Today at 08:56:26 AM]


Springer 2024 Columbia River by WSU
[Today at 08:31:10 AM]


Average by lhrbull
[Today at 07:31:56 AM]


Let’s see your best Washington buck by Pathfinder101
[Today at 07:22:11 AM]


CVA optima V2 LR tapped hole for front sight by Remdawg
[Today at 07:09:22 AM]


Which 12” boat trailer tires? by timberhunter
[Yesterday at 08:22:18 PM]


Lowest power 22 round? by JakeLand
[Yesterday at 08:06:13 PM]


1x scopes vs open sights by JakeLand
[Yesterday at 07:29:35 PM]

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal