I'm fairly set on the decision. That's true.
Looking for a compelling reason to buy up. Haven't heard one yet.
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Thoughts on Dillon Square deal
- Thread starter Dirty J
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Looking for a compelling reason to buy up. Haven't heard one yet.
If you shoot 1,000 - to 5,000 rounds a year get the 550C, if not then stay with the starter DILLON BLUE, you can move up later...
On the Grafs.com web sight it looks like a fully equipped 550c with hornady/lee/ lyman/or RCBS dies and caliber conversion will cost about $100 more than a SDB.
Dillon dies cost another $20, but are worth it to me.
The leverage on the 550c handle is much better, the 550 press is more durable, the 550 resells used much easier than the SDB, the SDB is little and hard to reach into when something goes wrong on the shell plate, the SDB has a shearable screw that holds the shell plate on—I replaced mine 3 times in three years. The SDB is a great working press—until it isn’t— then it is a pain in the rear.
Those are my reasons for not owning a SDB anymore.
Dillon dies cost another $20, but are worth it to me.
The leverage on the 550c handle is much better, the 550 press is more durable, the 550 resells used much easier than the SDB, the SDB is little and hard to reach into when something goes wrong on the shell plate, the SDB has a shearable screw that holds the shell plate on—I replaced mine 3 times in three years. The SDB is a great working press—until it isn’t— then it is a pain in the rear.
Those are my reasons for not owning a SDB anymore.
Good post. Thanks!
I bought a used Dillon 9mm SDB and a heavy mount for it. Haven’t used it yet, it looks pretty darn old, thought about sending it back to Dillon for a rebuild (costs about $70). I’m debating between that route and just getting a 550.
If you shoot any oversized coated bullets, you’ll want to consider the Double Alpha powder funnel/expander (made by Mr Bulletfeeder). Right now I’ve only loaded on a single stage (over 10,000 painstaking rounds), and a better expander die made a huge difference with powder coated bullets.
If you’re chasing soft shooting minor PF loads, give a serious look at buying 8 pounds of the new Sport Pistol powder. Big thread on it on Enos Forums. I’m on my second jug of VVN320, but find Sport Pistol to be just as good at half the price. Titegroup is popular because it’s cheap, but it’s sure hot and dirty. Eats powder coating and eats your powder hopper if you leave it stored for a long time.
What rounds have you been using in USPSA, Atlanta Arms?
If you shoot any oversized coated bullets, you’ll want to consider the Double Alpha powder funnel/expander (made by Mr Bulletfeeder). Right now I’ve only loaded on a single stage (over 10,000 painstaking rounds), and a better expander die made a huge difference with powder coated bullets.
If you’re chasing soft shooting minor PF loads, give a serious look at buying 8 pounds of the new Sport Pistol powder. Big thread on it on Enos Forums. I’m on my second jug of VVN320, but find Sport Pistol to be just as good at half the price. Titegroup is popular because it’s cheap, but it’s sure hot and dirty. Eats powder coating and eats your powder hopper if you leave it stored for a long time.
What rounds have you been using in USPSA, Atlanta Arms?
124 Blazer brass! Chrono'd 100fps over it's quoted 1080 in a 5" barrel.
The SDB has an expander/powder die.
Not 100% if I plan to go coated or stick with FMJ's.
Appreciate the powder info
The SDB has an expander/powder die.
Not 100% if I plan to go coated or stick with FMJ's.
Appreciate the powder info
I had mine for over 20 years and still use it for handgun reloading, won't get rid of it.
To change calibers you will need a conversion kit that has all you need. https://www.dillonprecision.com/dillon-sdb-caliber-conversion-kit_8_2_25238.html
However, if you order it, it comes with one choice of caliber. So get the 9mm.
I'd recommend a case gauge to Q.C. each and every round for competition. If you are finding a few out of spec, typically the base is bulged from a generous chamber and if shooting more than one gun, then a Lee Bulge Buster special order die (based on a Mak die) for 9mm may be of use if they still special make them. I run all my 9mm reloads through it then use a case gauge as I have several 9mm pistols to feed.
If you have one 9mm firearm to feed then a chamber check will often suffice.
To change calibers you will need a conversion kit that has all you need. https://www.dillonprecision.com/dillon-sdb-caliber-conversion-kit_8_2_25238.html
However, if you order it, it comes with one choice of caliber. So get the 9mm.
I'd recommend a case gauge to Q.C. each and every round for competition. If you are finding a few out of spec, typically the base is bulged from a generous chamber and if shooting more than one gun, then a Lee Bulge Buster special order die (based on a Mak die) for 9mm may be of use if they still special make them. I run all my 9mm reloads through it then use a case gauge as I have several 9mm pistols to feed.
If you have one 9mm firearm to feed then a chamber check will often suffice.
Excellent post. My experience differs a little, but is limited, so take it for what it’s worth,
I’ve loaded well over 10k 9mm from mixed brass, mystery brass from other people’s guns. I’ve come to believe that the vast majority of case gauge failures in 9mm are related to a bulged base, but I think more often than not that bulge happens during the loading process. When I was just flaring the case to accept a bullet, I got a pretty high percentage of case gauge failures. When I switched to a Lyman M die (similar to Mr Bulletfeeder expander die/powder funnel I recommended above), my case gauge failure rate went down to maybe 1 in 500 when using jacketed bullets. That’s using an minimal .377 to .378” crimp, which I also found to be strongly related to preventing brass from buckling at the base during loading.
A way to test my theory above is to size a bunch of 9mm cases and see if they drop freely into the case gauge. I bet they do. Bulge doesn’t come until the loading process. I believe bulge busters are really only necessary when loading .40 S&W.
The one reason I’ve seen a few experts recommend against just doing a chamber check for ammo to be used in an important competition, is that a round with rim damage can sometimes pass the chamber but could fail to eject if the right part of the rim lines up with the extractor. Case gauge on the other hand will also QC the entire rim.
I’m lucky in that my KKM barrel, Glock Barrel, and Lyman case gauge all seem to have similar specs. Lyman is a little tighter, so the occasional round that is a little snug in the case gauge gets used for practice only.
Caught a SDB for $390 shipped to my door. So going to give that one a go. At least to learn on.
Figure at that price I can get out of it later without too much loss
Figure at that price I can get out of it later without too much loss
Keep up updated.
