*Dillon Dilemma!* Advise and suggestions please!

[Tactical Zacktical]

I shoot USPSA and 3-gun matches religiously, and I’m looking to reload bulk 9mm and then add in .223 sometime in the future.

I plan to deprime with a Frankford arsenal hand de primer, wet tumble with stainless pins, then load in the Dillion 550. I have access to everything I need to pour and powder coat my own 9mm bullets.
Below is my current shopping list.

————

Dillon:

509.99 Dillon RL 550C w/ caliber conversion kit

75.99 Dillon carbide pistol dies

17.99 Dillon 9mm case gauge

TOTAL $633.96 after shipping and tax

——————-

Amazon:

35.49 Frankford Arsenal Hand Deprimer

35.00 Frankford arsenal DS-750 Scale

19.50 2.5 lbs Guntap stainless tumbler pins

22.95 Neiko Stainless Calipers

5.99 RCBS Primer Flip Tray

*Note: Already have bullet puller and Reloading manual

TOTAL $128.84 after tax (free shipping)

————-

Harbor Freight:

59.99 Dual Drum Rotary Rock Tumbler

TOTAL $50 after coupon

——————

$811 COMBINED TOTAL

Am I good to go? Please advise.

 

[Geronimo Jim]

Quality of Franklin Arsenal and Harbor Freight is not up to Dillon standard.

 

[David Christian]

Have you thought about going with a Dillon 750 and dump the hand de-primer?

 

[USMCDOC]

why don't you get the "square deal" it auto indexes.. just thinking out loud here

 

[Tactical Zacktical]

why don't you get the "square deal" it auto indexes.. just thinking out loud here

I plan to also load rifle calibers in the future, and if I remember correctly the square deal will not.

 

[Tactical Zacktical]

Have you thought about going with a Dillon 750 and dump the hand de-primer?

My thoughts were to deprime with the hand deprimer prior to tumbling so that only clean brass is run through the press. Is this really necessary? Can I deprime nasty range brass on the press and then tumble?

 

[Tactical Zacktical]

Quality of Franklin Arsenal and Harbor Freight is not up to Dillon standard.

This is true. What would you recommend instead?

 

[USMCDOC]

I plan to also load rifle calibers in the future, and if I remember correctly the square deal will not.

i kinda figured that, but had to ask..

 

[USMCDOC]

For depriming.. just get a Lee Universal depriming tool and put it on an inexpensive press..

 

[Mikemci]

You may want to check Midway USA, as a price comparison, to your Amazon shopping list. Might save a few bucks.

 

[JRR]

Casting quality 9mm bullets is as much of a learning journey as the hand loading process itself.

 

[Tactical Zacktical]

You may want to check Midway USA, as a price comparison, to your Amazon shopping list. Might save a few bucks.

Absolutely. I’d rather support midway than the wacktards at Amazon anyway lol

 

[Tactical Zacktical]

Casting quality 9mm bullets is as much of a learning journey as the hand loading process itself.

Thankfully I have a friend to walk me through the process.

 

[David Christian]

My thoughts were to deprime with the hand deprimer prior to tumbling so that only clean brass is run through the press. Is this really necessary? Can I deprime nasty range brass on the press and then tumble?

@Tactical Zacktical, get 2 toolheads so that you can set one for decapping and sizing, then clean, then with second toolhead do the finish process.

 

[Tactical Zacktical]

@Tactical Zacktical, get 2 toolheads so that you can set one for decapping and sizing, then clean, then with second toolhead do the finish process.

Now there’s a thought! I’m still attracted to the idea of using a hand primer so that I can watch TV on the couch while popping primers out. Probably more time consuming though.

 

[David Christian]

@Tactical Zacktical, If you decap and size with one toolhead, with a 750 that auto-indexes, you are touching each piece of brass a lot less, which will give you more time to watch TV and do something even more tedious, like turning necks or sorting bullets or primers!

 

[riflewoman]

My thoughts were to deprime with the hand deprimer prior to tumbling so that only clean brass is run through the press. Is this really necessary? Can I deprime nasty range brass on the press and then tumble?

Not necessary for pistol. Rifle it is faster to dry the brass in a brass dryer.

the 550 will be outgrown within a year, maybe faster. If it was me, I’d opt for a 1050. Which is a huge step up. But, the throughput is just that much higher. For 223, you will need two toolheads. One for processing which will include depriming , staging, Trimming (rapid trim 1500) and perhaps a couple of others. The other for loading. It is much easier to load fully processed brass than sizing and loading simultaneously. For 9mm you can size and load simultaneously, but if you process separately it too is much smoother. You’ll need a bullet feeder as well.

3 gun and USPSA requires as much training or more than actual matches. 300 rounds of each caliber per session plus matches is not uncommon.

 

[rockhound78]

See if you can find a gently used 650. With the 750 out, there are some that want to upgrade from the 650.

 

[C.E.Smith043]

Have you thought about going with a Dillon 750 and dump the hand de-primer?

^^^^ Heed this advise!!!!

 

[rwj]

My thoughts were to deprime with the hand deprimer prior to tumbling so that only clean brass is run through the press. Is this really necessary? Can I deprime nasty range brass on the press and then tumble?

I did for years on a 650. Most of the dirt/debris falls into the spent primer cup.

Casting quality 9mm bullets is as much of a learning journey as the hand loading process itself.

Yup... and unless you have a lot of extra time (or place little value on it), you’re likely financially better off buying bulk bullets!

This is true. What would you recommend instead?

The smaller tumbler offered by Frankford Arsenal. Might want to also buy a food dehydrator for drying the cleaned brass.

Have you thought about going with a Dillon 750 and dump the hand de-primer?

Great idea! As the 750 is new, a lot of Dillon users will likely be selling their 650s, watch the classified adds on this site. You’ll likely be able to get a well equipped used 650 for not much more than a new 550. Dillon warranties the press for life, they don’t care who owns it.

Have fun, but be warned it’s an addicting activity!