Dillon Presses

[Lazy Ace Bob, #38620]

I agree with Chuckaroo. I don't like spending any more time reloading than I have to. Like you, I started out with a Lee turret press and used it happilly for 4 years. Then I went to a Dillon 650 and never looked back. Now I have two. I reloaded on a friend's Lee pro 1000 for a while along with trying a Dillon 550. Never used the Square deal B. Based on my experience, I would definately go with the 650 to get the auto-index feature as I think that is the key time saver.

 

The Blue vs. Red argument will go on passionately for a long time but here are my two cents on the differences: Dillon equipment is just engineered better. It is defiantely a Cadillac vs. Chevy argument. It is a far more complicated machine than the Lee to be sure and far more expensive. The Dillon has many more springs, etc. that can and do break but I broke Lee products as well.

 

Dillon's customer service is unmatched by any other company I can recall. I have had them on the phone while sitting at my press and they walked me through any setup questions/problems that I have had and immediately send me the parts for free. I often get the feeling that Lee tries to rig their current equipment to do things rather than designing things for their purpose to begin with. The priming assembly was my biggest issue with the pro 1000.

 

I fully expect to be immediately flamed by all the Lee fans out there so before you post keep in mind that this is OPINION only, based on my own experience. Your mileage may vary.

[Wyatt]

Frank,

 

After Sunday's match you are more than welcome to come over and look at my set up. I have a Dillon 650 and I load 5 different calibers on it. I only live a few minutes from the range and it's on the way back into town.

 

JEL

 

Hey Frank,

 

Anytime ya wanta come by my house I'll let ya give my 550 a whirl. I have several thousand cases that need reloading

[Bottom Dealin Mike, SASS #22273]

I'm a Lee fan, but I'm sure not going to flame you. I love my Dillon too.

 

I guess instead of Red vs Blue, I'd have to say I'm more purple. I set up my Dillon 550B with Dillon Dies in two toolheads; the ones for .45 ACP and smokeless powder .45 Colt. Originally I intended to load B-P .45 Colt on that die set as well, but as you know, Dillon 550/650 casemouth expanders require a Dillon powder measure to work right. To load B-P from a scoop I had to change out the .550 expander die to a 450 expander die with an adaptor.

 

It got easier to leave the Dillon Die set for strickly smokeless powder, and set up a new toolhead with a Lee .45 Colt die set dedicated to B-P. When I set up my .44 Spl toolhead and my .44-40 toolhead I just went straight to Lee dies because all I load in those is B-P.

 

Then, when I set up my 10mm tool head I used Lee Dies and a Lee Auto Disc powder measure because I like the auto disk with a micrometer charge bar better than changing charge bars in the Dillon Powder measure.

 

So for me Dillon/Lee isn't an "either/or" proposition. I like to mix and match to take advantage of the strengths each brand offers.