What is your opinion of Dillion Precision reloading dies? I'm interested in knowing if you buy Dillion dies for a single stage press application or if you would only purchase Dillion dies for a progressive reloader.

Thank you.

I wouldn't buy them for a Single stage application. They are optimized for progressive presses and are more expensive than regular dies. It's not that they wouldn't work on a single stage but why pay for features you don't need?

On the other had I DO think they are well worth the extra for your progressive press.............................DJ

I only have five or six sets, and they are all in toolheads for my 550's. Very nice, but optimized for a progressive; a bit of a waste in a single stage press IMHO.

Rich

The Redding Competition Die Set is over 200.00 USD IIRC. I did not check prices before this post. I do not intend to ask your opinion then argue with you.

Sounds like you only buy Dillion for progressive application. I posted about progessive presses a couple weeks ago. I decided to set my Harrell Compact Presses up for volume production. Now looking at dies.

RCBS std die sets are only $30-$50, the Dillon die sets are $60 plus. Not a huge price difference but there. The Redding competition die sets are a different animal, made for precision loading not really for volumn production.

I can't imagine how you would possibly set up Harrel compact presses to even approach the volumn and speed you can with a Dillon Progressive. You solution might be interesting if you find one............................DJ

Hi DJ,

I decided to forego the progressive press potential problems by streamlining my single stage presses. I know that I give up production rate, but I have straight forawrd no problem loading at a rate that meets my needs.

Thought that the Dillion carbide dies might help volume.

Carbide Dies (or titanium carbide) will save you having to lube pistol rounds that certainly speeds production.
For me about 100rds at a time is the cutoff point to where it's worth setting up the progressive to load it. If you don't load more than that at time a progressive IMO isn't worth the expense either. Want to load 2 or 3,000 rounds of something and it's a different story!..............DJ

Do you have to lube cases for use in rifle carbide sizing dies? Dillion offers carbide dies in .223 and .308.

I would perform both, partial sizing and full length sizing.

With carbide (or titanium Nitride) Pistol dies you don't have to lubricate cases because of the slickness of the carbide and the fact that it a relatively thin ring of carbide that does the sizing.
With rifle Carbide dies you still have to lube the cases since they have to contact a larger portion of the case at a time. The only real reason to use rifle carbide dies is for extremely high volumn uses where std dies would wear out.........................DJ

Personally I very much like Dillon dies and use them for either 550/650 or 1050 plus plain old RCBS single stage press. I shot LR competetion for quite a few years and probably used all dies on the market at one time or the other, but the Dillon dies give me the best run out, easier to use and absolutely no hassle warranty if you should have a problem. As to lubeing cases, w/ carbide do not need to do w/ 223, but I do use the smallest amount of Imperial re-sizing wax on the 308's or 300WM cases. You do not have to do so, but with the larger cases, makes for easier stroke on the presses. (Just wish Dillon made dies for the 375HH.)
I have no fault w/ Dillon presses or dies and simple to use as single stage if that is desired. If you snug up the shell plate a bit more than normal, you produce a precise reload in conjunction with their dies or at least it does for me.

Ok thanks.

I didn't see 300WM dies on the Dillon site. Does Dillon offer a carbide sizing die for the 300WM?

quote:

Originally posted by Buliwyf:
Hi DJ,

I decided to forego the progressive press potential problems by streamlining my single stage presses. I know that I give up production rate, but I have straight forawrd no problem loading at a rate that meets my needs.
Thought that the Dillion carbide dies might help volume.

I hope you will elaborate on all the "progressive press potential problems"
I have loaded on a Dillon since the 550 came out.I haven't had any problems.
The same things that make the Dillon pistol dies work better on a progressive allso help on a single stage press.
You still nead to lube for rifle when using carbide dies if you don't please have a stuck case removal tool handey.
Bill

Dillon dies are designed to be set up in a tool head and left there. Their lock rings are simple hex nuts with no set screw, cross-bolt or even o-ring to hold them in place while the die is not screwed into the press or tool head. They would keep their settings if installed in Hornady LNL bushings, if your single stage press is so-equipped.

There are much better rifle seating dies than Dillon, namely Forster or the competition seating dies from Redding. Hornady also similar seating die, but it's internal sleeve only engages the case neck, not the case shoulder and upper body like the Redding and Forster sleeves do. Hornady seating dies also accept an optional micrometer head. Forster seating dies are available with standard or micrometer head, and the Redding Competition seating die is only available with a micrometer head.

Dillon handgun dies are not well suited to a single stage press. They still have the lock ring problem, and the pistol seating dies do not have a fine-threaded seating plug, so you have to screw the whole die in/out of the press to adjust seating depth. They do disassemble easily for cleaning, but so do Hornady seating dies, and Hornady seating dies have a standard or even a micrometer seating screw. Dillon handgun die sets do not come with an expander die, since the powder through expander is part of their caliber changeover kit. You can purchase separate Dillon powder dies (the 450 powder die works without a powder measure on top) and PTE's, but Lyman and Redding make far better expanding dies for handgun cartridges anyway.

Andy

Thanks Andy. Many imortant details to consider for optimization.

Bill, I made a post a couple weeks ago, Recommendations Requested: Progressive Press, which is now on Page 4. The responses to that post have me thinking progressive presses are more complicated and sensitive to opertae than I expected.

I reload on a couple of Dillons but then I also have 3 Bonanza Co-Ax presses and 2 Rockchuckers. If you buy Dillon dies for a single stage press you need to remember that any cartridge that you are reloading for that needs a belling die, the Dillon set won't have it because it bells with the powder drop. David

Wow I've been screwing up all these years . I've got Dillon, RCBS, Redding in my 550 tool heads .

I wonder what makes a die a progressive or regressive die ?. Precision is just that regardless of which name the dies wear .

7/8 X14 thread Std. as well as precision dies are all made for presses single or progressive , never seen any different .

Exception 50BMG dies but they don't fit but one size press either !.

Doc,

I understand the mouth is opened up for dies designed for use in a progressive loader. There may be other design points.

quote:

Originally posted by Doc224/375:
Wow I've been screwing up all these years . I've got Dillon, RCBS, Redding in my 550 tool heads .

I wonder what makes a die a progressive or regressive die ?. Precision is just that regardless of which name the dies wear .

7/8 X14 thread Std. as well as precision dies are all made for presses single or progressive , never seen any different .

Exception 50BMG dies but they don't fit but one size press either !.

Doc,
I have some of those regressive dies my self. I will use the Dillon for pistol because they have a nice large bell to the opening of the die and if you get in the holder it is going into the die with no problem.
I will always try to use a Redding die set if not available from Dillon as I like the great quality of there dies. I do have some dies that are RCBS.

quote:

Originally posted by Buliwyf:
Thanks Andy. Many imortant details to consider for optimization.

Bill, I made a post a couple weeks ago, Recommendations Requested: Progressive Press, which is now on Page 4. The responses to that post have me thinking progressive presses are more complicated and sensitive to opertae than I expected.

I don’t think the progressive is any harder to set up. You set up each station as you would on a single stage press. I can’t see them as any more temperamental than any other press. With any reloading you need to payattenton to the task at hand.
I was wrong on the Dillon dies you do need a die to replace the powder die/station to bell pistol cases. I do it so automatically that I forgot that station. Like I said I have been using a Dillon 550 for a long time and haven’t had to use a single station press.
The real benefit is the time saved. I know there are a lot of claims made but I loaded 50 30-06 in about 35 min as I had forgotten to deburr the case mouths after trimming. That slowed me down.
Bill

Thanks Bill. If you were buying a progressive machine now, would you buy the 650 over the 550?

Well you have me there I like the 550 and have great confidence in it especially with the new powder system that has a positive link that ensures positive reliable powder bar operation. Some people claim the manual indexing is a problem for them. I like it that way. I have loaded on a 650 and wasn’t as enamored with auto indexing as some are.
I like the fact I can use the 550 like a turret pres when loading big capacity cases that I weigh the powder charge and add a filler like the 470 NE or 500 NE. You just resize decap and prime in the first station then move it to the powder station remove the button and pull it out then put it back in and rotate it to the seat station.
That being said I usually recommend the 650 to people starting out as the 650 has the extra position for the powder check system. Some people think this is a must have.
This is a very subjective decision but I like the 550. The good news is if you want to upgrade latter you can get most of your money out of your 550 and put that toward an upgrade.
I am sorry for the long winded reply. The great fun/advantage of a progressive is once you get it running every time you stroke the handle and advance the shell plate a loaded round falls in the bin.
Bill

If you are priming on the press, the 650 cannot operate turret style (1 cartridge in the press at a time, run through all stations before you start the next cartridge), since the 650 priming system dispenses a new primer every cycle, whether you use it or not. Unused primers take the "ski jump" to ???

I would look at the Hornady LNL AP, especially if you want to load rifle cartridges on a progressive. It can be used as a single stage (just remove all the dies except the one you are using, and you don't even have to manually remove the cartridge, just feed a new one). It can be used as a turret press (just don't add a new case until the last one is through the press). And of course, it can be used progressively. The Hornady PM is better suited to extruded rifle powders than the Dillon PM, and the Hornady PM can operate in any station, whereas the Dillon PMs only work in station #2. So you have room for only one operation prior to dumping powder. The LNL AP will let you use a lube die, then resize before dumping powder, or use a separate shoulder bump and neck sizing dies prior to the powder station. The individually changeable dies let you easily swap neck sizing with full length sizing dies, etc.

Andy

Thank you gentlemen. I appreciate the level of effort you put in your responses.