Which Dillion Press

[Side drifter]

My hunting partner called and wanted to know if I wanted to go 50/50 with him on a Dillon Square Deal B . We only what it for handguns but why wouldn't you just buy the 550? I'm I messing something?

 

[jjordan355]

I would spend the extra money on a 750 with a case feeder. A little more refined press than the square deal and 550/650 series.

I have a 750 I use for all my pistol loading.

 

[sierracharlie338]

The square deal is a bad ass press for straight wall pistol ammo. Auto progressive and simple to use. I wish I never sold mine.

The 550 is full manual and requires a bit more attention especially when swapping plates/cartridges etc if you don’t have multiple plates for various cartridges.

If you want a dedicated pistol press, square deal is the way to go hand down imo.

If you want the option to load non-straight wall cartridges then the 550 is a better option.

If you want full blown Cadillac, then the 750 with case feeder is the way to go.

Dillons are awesome!

 

[Slickhill]

I held off buying a progressive for years, looking back I’m not sure why. I bought a 550 and have setups for 38, 9mm, 45, 223, and 44. Once you get the plate set up changeover is a 5 minute deal. I really wish I’d have bought it a decade sooner.

If you get a 550 you get one caliber conversion with it. Choose the most oddball caliber you will use it for, the super common conversions like 38, 9mm, and 45 ACP can be had on the used market for much less than new.

 

[streamerfish]

If I was going to buy a dillon i would skip right past both the square deal and 550 and head straight to the 750xl.

Going from 4 to 5 stations is a big deal. Case feeder is a big deal.

The square deal and 550 are both good presses.

But the square deal in particular is overpriced by market comparison for a 4 station press.

The 550 really has the same problem in terms of pistol reloading use.

If you want a blue press get the 750, or go buy a 5 or 6 station press from another brand...

No reason to buy a square deal over say a lee pro 6000. Or a hornady really.

 

[DavidReed]

How many different cartridges do you and he plan to load?

If the answer is more than one skip the SDB and go to the 550C or perhaps the 750 if your loading/shooting volume justifies it. The SBD is not as straight forward to change between cartridges whereas the 550 is a 5 to 10minute operation dependent on if the primer size is being changed; the 650/750 takes a bit longer to convert between cartridges.

Based on direct and indirect experience I wouldn’t go with any progressive press in this class that isn’t blue. I have a 550B that I got in 1996 that is closing in on 300k rounds loaded on it and it’s still
going strong. Keep them clean and well maintained and your kids will be using it.

 

[Shooter Mike]

I’m the odd man out here. I used a 750XL for a few years and it seemed I spent more time tuning than using it as its intended. Gary, from Dillon was a big help
To me for getting things dialed in, but it always seemed like it needed tweaking somewhere when swapping things over. Swapping between large rifle and small rifle, large pistol and small pistol, the time spent swapping and tuning and trial and error wasn’t beneficial for me. I ended up with a better finished product from a single stage in what seems like less time. I’m only making 50 or so at a time though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[streamerfish]

I’m the odd man out here. I used a 750XL for a few years and it seemed I spent more time tuning than using it as its intended. Gary, from Dillon was a big help
To me for getting things dialed in, but it always seemed like it needed tweaking somewhere when swapping things over. Swapping between large rifle and small rifle, large pistol and small pistol, the time spent swapping and tuning and trial and error wasn’t beneficial for me. I ended up with a better finished product from a single stage in what seems like less time. I’m only making 50 or so at a time though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeah...That's a relatively common occurrence with all progressive presses, especially when your constantly swapping things out.

I'm loading both rifle and pistol on my progressive right now. I am debating on getting a single stage or maybe a turret for the rifle loading, just to cut down on the constant back and forth swapping things around.

Just running pistol though, I wouldn't imagine that tuning would be too bad.

 

[jjordan355]

I load mainly for 9mm pistol only on my 750 and single stage in all rifle calibers. For 9mm I load 400-600 rounds at a time and have probably +75k on my 750. When I’m competing a lot it’s nothing for me to go through +400 rounds a week. I’ve broke some things and had to replace some springs and retune some of the shell plate system but besides that it’s pretty reliable.

 

[skipper907]

a 550 would be a way better purchase and way more useful

 

[ResearchinStuff]

The square deal is silly because it costs as much as a 750 and is far less capable, and doesn't upgrade like the 750 does. 550 doesn't make any sense either, is harder to remember to index than it is to just keep pulling the handle

 

[Chama]

750 - Go big or go home...

 

[Chase4566]

I would not buy a square B just because of the proprietary dies it takes. You will never be able to carry those dies you spend money on over to another press. So if you get the square deal, spend the money on dies for the cartridges you load and then 5 months later decide to upgrade to something like a 550 or 650/750… those dies are useless and you are selling them at a 30% loss best case scenario.

My suggestion, ditch the SDB idea. Look at either a 550 or a 650/750 and decide based off those and which fits your needs best.

My suggestion following that suggestion… get the 650/750. Way more ability to upgrade if you so wish with a case feeder, bullet feeder, ect ect. It’s a buy once cry once type of deal. Right now you think a SDB will fit your needs. In a year, you probably would be wishing you bought a 550. After a year with a 550 you may or may not be wishing you bought a 750.

You only want it for handguns right NOW. Your wants/needs may change. Buy something that will grow with future needs if they materialize. Ya know?

 

[Chase4566]

Just priced it out on Dillon’s website to satisfy my curiosity.

SDB- 9mm setup ($750)
Add- 45acp conversion kit(does this come with diesel? Not sure. $195)
Add- bullet tray ($80)
Total- $1025

750- $795 base price
Add- 9mm conversion kit($150)
Add- 9mm dies($140, understand I just use $40 Lee dies )
Add- 223 conversion($150, buy other brand dies)
Add- tool holder($55)
Add- bullet tray($80)
Total: $1370

For $350 more, you get the 750 and the future capabilities it can do. I’d go with the 750 over SDB for sure.

 

[Laelkhunter]

Just wanted to mention the Dillon life time guarantee (warranty whatever). If a spring wears out, they will send you 2 for free. If a part breaks they will send you a new one for free. My "failsafe" primer warning system (has a AAA battery) and the battery went dead and leaked ruining the failsafe warning system. I called them to buy a new one, thinking it's my fault the battery leaked and ruined it. They sent me a brand new complete replacement unit-for free. Dillon's customer service is heads and shoulders above anyone else. They will even honor the warranty of their products if you are not the original owner.

 

[valleyforge.1777]

I have a 750 set up all the time for 9 mm. I also have a 650 that I use for various rifle cartridges. I can't tell you what to do, but I am so glad that I have bought these presses and after using them for 15+ years I am glad that I did not put money into a less-capable press than the 650, and now the 750. I have heard of buddies sharing a machine, but I like being able to use my machines whenever and however I want, leave them set up how I want and come back to them whenever I want to. Also, having your own means no risk of ever having confusion about what powder or which primers or whatever was left set up on the press, and you never have to wonder who actually screwed up something with the press. And, it's got to live somewhere, so wherever that is, that person owns it and the other just gets to use it sometimes. It is like sharing a Ferrari. Don't. Get your own.