Hornady or Dillon

[Litlratt]

A 650 with a casefeeder is worth every penny.....and then some.

 

[42769vette]

A 650 with a casefeeder is worth every penny.....and then some.

do you load your match ammo on the 650?

 

[kwatters]

I appreciate all the responses and assistance, you guys are great!
If it is strictly based upon cost the Hornady wins hands down, for now I am looking at loading 9mm and .223. Based upon what I need to buy switching the powder measure over for each the Dillon 550 will run me $100 more shipped to my door. Decisions, Decisions...

 

[LLDJR]

I just went through this comparison and chose the Hornady. Similiar to the Dillon 650, customer service and warranty from everything I've read of people who have actually used it. Lifetime warranty, parts sent for free like Dillon. Much cheaper, and with the bullet rebate going on right now, it's no comparison. People like dillon and I"m sure they are good machines but the cost / value equation just doesn't work out. What are you getting for all that extra money other than the pretty blue paint job and a bunch of old-timers saying Dillon rocks? I'm sure Dillon rocks but not for the hundreds more money for a similiar press and service. Just my decision I made a month ago.

There is also something to be said about how many people there are who talk about the great customer service. Why would you need customer service that often? Do parts break that often? I don't know...just saying that there are few people on forums discussing Hornady's customer service and everyone and their mom talks about Dillon's. Hmm...

If I recall, the LNL and the 550 are very close to the same price depending on where you get them, the only difference that I saw was that the LNL has auto index

Nothing personal, I think it is the Ford vs Chevy thing,,, sort of.

Being that I work with custom designed machinery every day from $10k, to $1-milliion, I will say that these loaders are impressive in terms of all that they build into such a small package.

 

[PappyD]

I bought a Dillon 550B back in the early 80's. My dad taught me to reload on a RCBS single stage press. Bought the Dillon to reload pistol and .223. Sold the Dillon press about 1995 because I just wasn't shooting as much.

Fast forward to 2007. Wanted to get another progressive press. Looked at Hornady LNL and even the Lee systems. Looked for used presses and found that there seemed to be more Dillon items for sale than other systems. I bought a used 550B from a fellow down in KY based on a classified from another forum. (Similiar to INGun) It was in fine shape and I saved $$ over a new press.

I was open to other systems and honestly think the Hornady LNL looked fine. I even thought it would be fun to try something new. I guess I didn't see strong enough reasons to not buy Dillon again.

If you are down near Seymour, Bob at Bite the Bullet has Dillon presses for sale. Great guy to deal with too. Another resource is brianenos.com. Tons of Dillon info..

Lastly, (insert safety briefing here) if you are new to reloading read as much as you can and be safe. Establish good habits. Tell yourself and your spouse that you are saving money but realize that you will only shoot more, because you can!

 

[Litlratt]

do you load your match ammo on the 650?

Pistol, yes.

Rifle, out to 300 yards in .223 all progressive.

500/600 in .223 I use a Harrell powder measure on the 650.

6.5/284 is all single stage and hand dies with an arbor press. Prometheus powder measure.

.308 for an M1A out to 600 was all progressive on a 650.
.308 Palma ammo all single stage. However, I have shot some Palma ammo that was loaded on a 650 that shot every bit as good as what I was doing on a single stage.

When loading for 800 to 1000, the piece of mind is worth the extra effort loading with a single stage or arbor press.

 

[Water63]

I got my Dillon 550 when they first came out back in the 80's. It has loaded millions of rounds and Dillon has rebuilt the powder measure at least 3 times and has sent me countless parts over the years. I have a old RCBS press on the bench that has a stamp of 65 on it the old dies and presses from RCBS had a date stamp so that would make it a 1965. My point is the Hornady is a great machine and so is the Dillon you are making an investment I like my Dillon but that is what I am used to if I had started on the Hornady I may like it just as well.
I think that either loader will do a great job for you

 

[OneBadV8]

I appreciate all the responses and assistance, you guys are great!
If it is strictly based upon cost the Hornady wins hands down, for now I am looking at loading 9mm and .223. Based upon what I need to buy switching the powder measure over for each the Dillon 550 will run me $100 more shipped to my door. Decisions, Decisions...

Switching Toolheads in the Dillon for caliber conversions is the easiest and fastest I've seen.

I have a buddy that has the LNL and while reloading once, one of the dies popped out of the locking system they have for the quick changes. It only happened once though.

I think the toolhead method is far better than the way the LNL does caliber changes. But it'll come down to what you are willing to pay for a press and everything you need.

Good luck!

 

[Cloverdaleman]

i just bought a dillon 650. to be honest i dont know much about progressive reloaders, but folks i trust told me dillon was the way to go

I had an older Dillon and loved it. I got out of reloading but, my son now has it so I still can use it anytime I want. I think the Dillon is the way to go.You will be surprised at how easy it is to reload. You will have fun reloading and be amazed at the same time.

 

[Jay]

If you want to drive to Grant County, I'll set you down in front of my 550B, and you can see it up close. All that's left is to get yer hands on a Hornady.

 

[gunwh]

I have a buddy that baught 2 dillon presses used then contacted dillon about them. Dillon had him send them in and they referbished them for little to no cost. The majority of the cost was in shipping. The main point is he now has 2 like new Dillon presses for the cost of 1. If I ever get in to reloading I will go with Dillon for the simple fact of there customer service and warrinty. They treated my buddy the best I have ever seen from any company I or he has ever dealt with.

 

[CountryBoy19]

Do parts break that often?

Trust me, when you get a lot of age/round count on a press things start to wear/break. It's just nice that those parts can be replaced free forever.

 

[GSPBirdDog]

DILLON....END OF STORY

 

[42769vette]

I had an older Dillon and loved it. I got out of reloading but, my son now has it so I still can use it anytime I want. I think the Dillon is the way to go.You will be surprised at how easy it is to reload. You will have fun reloading and be amazed at the same time.

i already reload, but i did 1000rds of 5.56 on a lee single stage and said "never again" i really enjoy reloading but that many rounds ona single stage is for the birds. it wouldn't have been as bad if i was trying to make precision ammo but i was trying to save money

 

[kwatters]

i already reload, but i did 1000rds of 5.56 on a lee single stage and said "never again" i really enjoy reloading but that many rounds ona single stage is for the birds. it wouldn't have been as bad if i was trying to make precision ammo but i was trying to save money

that is where I am, question though. I have a ton of military brass, I don't see the progressive saving me much until round 2 of loading.
I have had to deprime with my Lee universal deprime die, swage the pockets with my Dillon Super swager, I resized and noticed the brass grew in length so I am trimming as we speak.
How do you handle case length when you are sizing and priming on the first stage? My length was OK before I resized.

 

[lf19]

Dillon. Have reloaded at least 20k 9mm and 5k 223. Also load 30-06 and 45. No problems, consistant powder drops, fast caliber changes and reliable bullet seating. Sometimes us "old timers" know what works. Don't base all your decision on 100 or 150 dollars. It will pay you back 10 times in the long run. The bottom line is get what YOU want not matter what "we" say.

 

[42769vette]

that is where I am, question though. I have a ton of military brass, I don't see the progressive saving me much until round 2 of loading.
I have had to deprime with my Lee universal deprime die, swage the pockets with my Dillon Super swager, I resized and noticed the brass grew in length so I am trimming as we speak.
How do you handle case length when you are sizing and priming on the first stage? My length was OK before I resized.

id love to help but im doing the exact same thing. i only trim ar brass every other firing but i shoot a very mild load. hopfully somone can chime in for us both.

what im thinking of doing is trimming on the bottome end of 5.56 spec and letting it grow into the middle of spec but im not sure yet

 

[Jay]

There are no hard and fast rules, but when I reload 30-30, or .223, I size, then trim, then load the primers into the tube, and re-size, and prime in station 1, then go on with the progressive part of things. To each his/her own, but it works for me.

 

[groovatron]

for $400 you only have two choices.

The LNL or the 550.

Its up to you to decide which is better.

They both work, or will be made to work by the manufactorer.

I think this has already been established........in the OP

 

[j706]

that is where I am, question though. I have a ton of military brass, I don't see the progressive saving me much until round 2 of loading.
I have had to deprime with my Lee universal deprime die, swage the pockets with my Dillon Super swager, I resized and noticed the brass grew in length so I am trimming as we speak.
How do you handle case length when you are sizing and priming on the first stage? My length was OK before I resized.

With the price of the IMO outstanding new Lake City 09 brass these days I am not messing with any crimps. I just bought 2000 rounds from Nanchetz for a little over 200.00 shipped. For that price I not messing with the crimp stuff.

As for the OP, I have a Dillon 550 and 650. I recently bought a Hornady LNL AP on a whim. IMO the LNL is a much better designed and much smoother press. Love mine. Now I need to get me a case and bullet feeder.