-
If you enjoy the forum please consider supporting it by signing up for a NES Membership The benefits pay for the membership many times over.
-
Be sure to enter the NES/MFS May Giveaway ***Canik METE SFX***
I need a a Dillon
- Thread starter Amputee Marksman
- Start date
lol, like they can't just get it when they want it. Hint: They can. Ask me how I know.
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2005
- Messages
- 47,677
- Likes
- 33,832
While Mark 7 is opening a factory in Florida, the designer is a local genius (no, that is not an exaggeration) and if you have trouble with the product I can beat on him for you.
But, knowing the designer and the marketer/promoter, I do not expect you would have any problems with their products.
Amputee Marksman
NES Member
Just came from the local gun shop. Got all of the Dillon stuff and a bunch of bullets, powder and primers. They gave me a good discount because of everything I bought and I am a regular. Basically all the Dillon stuff was about $150 less than buying direct from Dillon and no shipping.
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2005
- Messages
- 47,677
- Likes
- 33,832
Impressive, considering that Dillon only offers dealers at 15% margin (which is why it is rare to see them in retail shops)
I've met him on the range. Don't have the money for a Mark 7 right now, but I sure am drooling.
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2005
- Messages
- 47,677
- Likes
- 33,832
The Mark 7 does not make sense until you have either a Mr Bullet Feeder or the bullet feeder from GSI.
Amputee Marksman
NES Member
Went back and looked at exact pricing and compared them. Some things were packaged a little different however at the end of the day I bought the same stuff exactly. Here are the numbers.
From Dillon: $1150.98
Local: $1055.79
Savings: $95.19
Not as much as I initially estimated however my initial figures were ballpark. Still not bad in my book and certainly a reason to support the local guys.
Amputee Marksman
NES Member
I guess it depends on what you consider "local".
I was up at Pioneer Sportsmen in Dunbarton NH to shoot an IDPA match yesterday. BTW - Awesome day to shoot and they always put on a good match. I had previously looked at Dillons at both Shooters Outpost and Rileys. Shooters Outpost seemed to have better inventory when it came to getting all the extras. There are also a couple of guys at the reloading counter at Shooters who know me fairly well. On the way back from the match I stopped at Shooters and picked up everything along with 8 pounds of powder, a few thousand primers and a few thousand bullets.
To be honest I don't buy any reloading supplies in MA because I am close enough to NH where I zip over the border to save tax. Also while it has been a while since looked around the last few times I went looking for supplies in MA I could never find anything. I started making the trips to Shooters and Rileys because they just seemed to have the supplies. A quick call ahead of time before leaving to make sure they have what I want so I don't waste a trip.
I didn't realize that the 1050 comes without a bullet feeder.
Amputee Marksman
NES Member
Yep, I have been trying to stock up lately. I couldn't find any Winchester or Federal primers so I didn't want to buy that many. One of my M&Ps with a reduced striker spring doesn't like CCI primers so I wasn't going to buy them and I have never used Fiocchi primers so I just got one box of 1500. I am sitting on several thousand bullets already so adding 2 thousand more seemed like a good thing to do. I am down to around 2-3 pounds of HP-38 so getting an 8 lb. container was a no brainer.
This is a timely thread for me. I've been saving brass for over a year with the intention of reloading. I've probably accumulated 3-4000 rounds worth of 223 and close to a thousand rounds of .308, 9mm and 300 BLK. A few days ago I was browsing the web and saw a great deal from Wideners on 77 SMK bullets and ended up buying 1000. So I really need to get off my butt and get some reloading equip. I'm still debating on whether to go simple and cheap and just get a Rockchucker, or go in whole hog and get a Dillon. (Probably a 550, so the whole 550 vs. 650 discussion is interesting. Of course, being a cheap bast*rd I'd really like to find a nice used one in good shape and save some $.
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2005
- Messages
- 47,677
- Likes
- 33,832
Dillon makes case feeders, but does not have any bullet feeders in its product line.
Amputee Marksman
NES Member
I'm still debating on whether to go simple and cheap and just get a Rockchucker, or go in whole hog and get a Dillon. (Probably a 550, so the whole 550 vs. 650 discussion is interesting. Of course, being a cheap bast*rd I'd really like to find a nice used one in good shape and save some $.
The Rockchucker is a great press. Mine has loaded 10s of thousands of rounds over the years. The only maintenance ever required was to keep it cleaned and lubed. In fact I will say I love RCBS reloading equipment and have no problems recommending it to anyone.
The 550 vs. 650 is a real misleading discussion I feel. If you assume you are going to setup both the same (case feeder, strong arm mount, bullet trays ec.) then the reality is there is not a ton of difference in price. When I ran the numbers it turned out the 550 setup was about $150 less then the 650. Using Dillon website prices it was $1104 versus $1150. You can get them $69 closer by eliminating the powder check station from the 650 because you can't put it on the 550.
So for me the question on 550 versus 650 does not come down to $. It is relatively simple. Do you want auto-indexing? Do you want an extra station? Do you want a more reliable case feeder (or so I have been told)?
Thanks ddraper. I'm kind of leaning towards the 550 since my understanding is that it's easier to switch between calibers. Based on my current shooting about 60-70% of my reloading would be 223. The balance would be split between 9mm, 45, 308 and 300BLK (although I'd probably shoot more 308 and 300BLK if it was cheaper).
The other goal would be to upgrade the accuracy of my ammo, particularly rifle ammo. Would be nice to get FGMM results without paying $1+ a round.
The other goal would be to upgrade the accuracy of my ammo, particularly rifle ammo. Would be nice to get FGMM results without paying $1+ a round.
Me too. There's nothing wrong with the 550, a case feeder and auto indexing would be nice sometimes though.
From what I understand, the case feeder for the 550 doesn't work very well. Also, I'm not a fan of the 550s priming system. Spent primers often don't make it into the spent primer bucket. They sometimes end up on the press, jamming the primer bar. The lack of a 5th station prevents the use of a powder check die. That can be very useful for long, skinny cartridges like .38 Spcl.
headednorth
NES Member
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2012
- Messages
- 26,911
- Likes
- 49,821
I heard the same of the 550 case feeder. Conventional wisdom says if someone wants the 550 and a case feeder, just get the 650. Im assuming most dont start this way, they get a 550 and want to add a case feeder at a later time.
FWIW, I have the 650 and have the same issue (intermittently) with the spent primers going their own way. Also, I have the powder check but kind of wish I saved a couple bucks and went without it. I eyeball the charge while setting the bullet anyway and feel more confident in my eyeball than something mechanical. With that said, I dont load 38spl/357 so maybe it would be more of an issue for me if I did.
Seems the whole 550 or 650 issue boils down to case feeder and auto index. (Aside from convenience, auto index lessens the chance of double charges.) If someone can live without them, the 550 is the way to go.
eta- Also regarding the powder check, if you change your charge weight, the powder check setting also has to be changed to match the new weight. Not that big of a deal, just one more thing to do. If you load more than one caliber you would either have to set up the p.c. with every caliber change, or have a dedicated p.c. for each caliber. More $ or more time and effort. Its also not really a precision device. It will tell you if a load is grossly over or under charged, but so will your eye (which doesnt cost anything, works for all calibers and doesnt need to be set up.)
Last edited:
I'm currently loading 9mm. Last weekend I loaded about 800 rounds and went to the range on Sunday, where I had a squib load. I do try to visually check every case, but stuff happens. A powder check would have caught that squib load.
Mike 53
NES Member
Guy at Riley's reloading counter said yesterday that the 550 case feeder was meant ONLY for use with the 5.56 and not for use with pistol rounds...
also doesn't remember Riley's ever selling one.
-Mike
also doesn't remember Riley's ever selling one.
-Mike
![[wink]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/002.gif "Wink [wink]")
The 550 case feeder does NOT work with 5.56 or any rifle rounds
Some people have modified theirs to work with 5.56 but Dillon doesn't support it.
I had a 550 for years and loaded 10's of thousands of rounds. It was a great press and I never had a squib (knock on wood). I got into the habit of putting the handle down anytime I had do anything like top of primers or powder. Less chance to mix up if I had or hadn't manually advanced the shell plate.
Mike 53
NES Member
