Progressive Reloading Presses?

[Hi Ball]

I don't know how many of you would like to own a faster reloading press but I can tell you for a FACT, that the HORNADY***Lock-N-Load AP reloading press is a lot of press for the money and it is also very very user friendly, somthing that the Dilllion XL 650 is NOT....Dah!

Now after spending sometime with the Hornady LNL-AP press belonging to a friend of mine, I can see right now that it is no problem to fix a problem on that press by simply reaching up and taking any one of the cases in various positions on the Hornady press. Something you can NOT do with a DILLION XL 650 and also very helpful to all reloaders is the fact you can change calibers in the blink of an eye.......FAST. Another problem that is not good with the XL-650 press.

Now the Hornady with the Auto-Case Feeder, will in fact load over 700 rounds per hour and you are NOT killing yourself inorder to get the job done.
The Dillion XL 650 will load over a 1000 rounds but beware if you have a problem during reloading. To fix something on a Dillion is a major job and requires lots of time. To change calibers on a DILLION 650, it takes 10 times the amount of time or more compared to the HORNADY PRESS!!!

Now to change calibers on a Dillion XL 650 press, it will cost you $300 dollars!
To change calibers on the Hornady LNL-AP press, it will cost you $60 dollars!
Changing calibers on the Dillion 550B press will cost you $200 dollars. Just food for thought Gents!;) :) :D

[tommyt]

Just what food you talking right Thar

[rimrock]

I don't know how many of you would like to own a faster reloading press but I can tell you for a FACT, that the HORNADY***Lock-N-Load AP reloading press is a lot of press for the money and it is also very very user friendly, somthing that the Dilllion XL 650 is NOT....Dah!

Now after spending sometime with the Hornady LNL-AP press belonging to a friend of mine, I can see right now that it is no problem to fix a problem on that press by simply reaching up and taking any one of the cases in various positions on the Hornady press. Something you can NOT do with a DILLION XL 650 and also very helpful to all reloaders is the fact you can change calibers in the blink of an eye.......FAST. Another problem that is not good with the XL-650 press.

Now the Hornady with the Auto-Case Feeder, will in fact load over 700 rounds per hour and you are NOT killing yourself inorder to get the job done.
The Dillion XL 650 will load over a 1000 rounds but beware if you have a problem during reloading. To fix something on a Dillion is a major job and requires lots of time. To change calibers on a DILLION 650, it takes 10 times the amount of time or more compared to the HORNADY PRESS!!!

Now to change calibers on a Dillion XL 650 press, it will cost you $300 dollars!
To change calibers on the Hornady LNL-AP press, it will cost you $60 dollars!
Changing calibers on the Dillion 550B press will cost you $200 dollars. Just food for thought Gents!;) :) :D


ALL progressive presses are precise tools that require some set up and adjustment, most must be kept clean and lubed lightly, but once adjusted they can produce cartridges by the bucket load
I own the DILLON 550B and 650, and while your point has some merit the caliber change on the 550b costs less than $60, and on the 650, less than $90 (provided you don,t order the auto case feeders)
you can load for MONTHS and thousands of cartridges without a single issue, Id be very surprised, if I had not loaded over 35,000 10mm or 44 mag on my 550 b, and 50K would be more likely as Ive used it for 12 years and shot bowling pin matches, needed the two S&W revolvers rebuilt twice and rebarreled, twice etc, and hunt with a 44 mag frequently, and on on my fourth 10mm glock barrel
Ive changed calibers on the 550b in under 8-10 minutes, the 650 takes about 15-25 minutes to change calibers, if your not changing primer diam. cut those times by 50%
NOT the prices you quoted and, theres no problem Ive seen that takes over about 5 minutes to fix MAX with either press, and even after owning the 550b for about 12 years now when I called about a minor wear issue on a bushing it was sent free no questions asked, as was a broken pin I had several years ago , Ive always been very satisfied with their 100% no BS guarantee

https://www.hornady.com/shop/?ps_session=c6feb766330405912043174b5550ab50&page=shop%2Fbrowse&category_id=d12e69ab3325862ec67131f0d9a3aa1b

the hornady is a good press but its doesn,t offer an auto case feed so lets compare apples to apples and leave that option out of the discussion,plus each one of dies are replaced and adjusted, while the dillon swaps complete tool heads, once both are set up correctly

http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/customize-reloader.html

http://www.dillonhelp.com/rl550enghelp/rl550b/rl550_pg1.htm

http://www.dillonhelp.com/xl650enghelp/xl650/xl650_pg1.htm

http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/XL650_Caliber_Conversion_Kit_Individual_Parts-8-50.html

the dillons have interchangeable tool heads that will retain all adjustments, and swap in seconds, and the dillon has the OPTION of an auto case feeder, now Im not saying the dillon won,t take more time to set up or use the first time, but once your familiar with the presses they are BOTH easy to use and simple to clear problems on

[Hi Ball]

Rimrock I beg your pardon but the information I got was from the man himself as far as cost of changing calibers on both the 550-B and the XL-650. Now I was on the phone with Brian in Arizona just 2 days ago and those are his figures. $200 on the 550-B and $300 on the XL-650!!!

Now Rimrock, I think you best get yourself out of the closet and back on the PC sir! YES, HORNADY does offer an AUTO CASE FEEDER!!! It is listed in Cabela's and Also on MIDWAY'S web sight. Cost is $299 dollars. Now everybody I have spoken too about the changing of calibers on a 650 Dillion press has stated from $200 to $300 dollars including Brian who sells the Dillion product on his web sight.

Brian has a very well defined web sight for selling the Dillion product, which I am positive you have seen in the past year or so. I will also tell you that his biggest complaint about the XL-650 is the time it takes to change calibers and according to him is is close to a half an hour. Also stated that clearing a fool up or problem takes 3 times as long as it would for the 550-B.

Now just how many rounds per hour do you reload on your XL-Dillion 650 press with Auto Case Feeder? I am real curios as I have heard several different numbers thrown at me on this subject.

[rimrock]

I have only owned the 650 for a short time but Like I stated Ive used the 550b for a dozen years plus I bought one of the first ones offered when they came out replacing the 450 series
I can easily hit 500 plus cartridges per hour on the 550 b , but then with 12 years of practice that's not hard
Im still getting used to the 650 but I didn,t order the auto case feed (budget says I need to wait awhile)so its just a bit faster and easier to use than the 550 at this point, yet its still slightly faster already even without the auto case feed, but I bought it with several different caliber conversions, 223,...308,....7.62/39, without the auto case feed its not up to its full potential but its still faster and smoother than the 550b and thats been an excellent press, but even at only 500 plus cartridges an hour,without the auto case feeder the 650 seems like a good investment to me, and it won,t take you long to run thru a 5 gallon pail of brass,or start buying the 8 lb powder containers either

BTW the auto case feeder is $210 for many calibers, so thats the difference in the prices, between your quote & mine

[Hi Ball]

RimRock........I will give you the number to 0 Brian's Store in AZ and you can discuss the price of those caliber change kits over the phone with him also.
I know for a fact, that he told me $200 dollars for the 550B press and $300 dollars for the XL-650 Dillion Auto Case Feeder OK.

I know that Dillion has been the big dog on the block for several years but I saw with my own eyes on U-TUBE the pro's & con's of Dillion 550B & XL 650 with auto case feeder, comparing to the Hornady Lock-N-Load with Auto Case Feeder.

Brain is a great guy and one heck of a pistol shooter, he has been at this a long long time and if he states you can load up to 1200 rds per hour on the XL 650, I will take his word for that fact. However, on his web sight it states between 800 & 1000 rds per hour!!!

However, I watched a young man use the Hornady Lock-N-Load press with auto case feeder and he was NOT going full speed ahead by any means and managed a rate that would give a person 700 + rds per hour. Now he loaded 12 rounds per minute (a round every 5.5 seconds) and that is good to go for most who wish to reload a bunch of cases.

It is a little confussing to know exactly what one needs or can get by with on the Dillion XL-650 auto case feeder, when talking to someone on the phone about the press. However, when you see it in a video it helps to understand the pluses & minus's ok.

Now after speaking with a Hornady rep in NEB. and Mid-Way, also Graff & Son's. I am confident that the Hornady Press (Lock-N-Load etc) only takes $70 dollars to change from one caliber to another and that is a very important thing to many reloaders now days, most of whom have more than 1 or 2 calibers to reload.

Brian tried hard a month or so ago to sell me a 550-B press but after watching how one must work that press, I optioned out of the deal because I have a problem right hand and don't like the idea of having to reach with the right hand and then pull the lever. My arthritis in that hand will not let me work the thumb hardly at all and picking something up is far to painful sometimes. I still think the XL-650 Dillion with Auto Case Feed is a great press but Hornady is taking a big bit out of Dillion and company with their new version of a progressive press and auto case feeder.;) :)

[Hi Ball]

Now I will continue about that Hornady Lock-N-Load Press! The cost of changing from one caliber to another is less than 1/3 the cost of that of the XL-650 Dillion.

I have at least 6 calibers that I wish to reload in mass numbers for at the reloading bench: 9mm Luger, .40cal Smith & Wesson, 10mm and 45acp in pistol calibers. Then I reload .223 caliber and .308 Caliber for military rifles.
Now going by the figures I got from Brian on the 650 Dillion, it would cost me an additional 4 x 300 dollars and that equals another $1,200 US DOLLARS!!!

The Hornady Press would cost me 5 X 70 dollars, which is $350 dollars, minus the $70 dollars because .40cal and 10mm take the same die and bushing etc.
Hornady is giving a "Rebate" of a 1000 new bullets of your caliber choice upon purchase of their press!:) ;)

[billt]

I have 2 Dillon Progressives, a Square Deal set up in .44 magnum, and an older RL-450. If I were to upgrade today I would go with the Hornady Lock-N-Load AP. The main reason is that I've never been a fan of Dillon's die cast Aluminum powder measures with the sliding bar. They are horrible with long grained stick powder, and have too much slop in the bar / housing for super fine ball powders like H-110. Dillon has replaced the powder measure twice on my Square Deal. They were very good about it, but a powder measure isn't something that should require constant replacement. The Hornady powder measure uses a rotating machined drum, with a micrometer adjustable screw system, and linkage that has much better mechanical advantage. I also like the Lock & Load die retention system. Again it's more solid than the Dillon as it doesn't require the massive cut out for the sliding tool head. Bill T.

[Hi Ball]

BILL-T............The big reason I harp about that new Hornaday LOCK-N-LOAD press is that one can STOP ALL and check or change anything out if need be on that press and start right back up in a blink of an eye.

Brian Arenos told me himself over the phone and states this on his web sight, that the XL-650 press does have some down time to contend with, if something goes wrong and takes a good while to change calibers on that press. He also states that you don't want this press if your loading small amounts of ammo in the 2 to 5 hundred count range. It just takes to LONG to change calibers to his liking.

The Hornady LOCK-N-LOAD press is very quick to change calibers and start production once again. I have timed those people who put video's on U-TUBE and they were loading ammo at the rate of 700 plus rounds an hour using the "Auto Case Feeder". ;) :)

[billt]

One other thing I like about the Hornady Lock-N-Load AP are the automotive Zerk type grease fittings it has on all load bearing stress points. It allows you to keep the press well lubricated without having oil dripping all over the floor. It shows a well thought out design with excellent attention paid to detail. Bill T.