Dillon RL 550 B or XL 650?

[dieselrealtor]

I was leaning toward the auto indexing of the 650 but had a conversation with someone that had experienced the 650 being a little finicky, he preferred the 550.

I really don't want to have to fiddle with it, I understand that all things mechanical will need some adjustment & work from time to time but I really want to be able to run it without a lot of headache.

Planning on the strong mount, powder check & case feeder either way.


I will probably be making the purchase in the next 6 months, anything else I am missing or need to be aware of?

 

[Gluemanz28]

XL650 all the way. Call Profire and talk to the guys there.

I have ran about 10-15 thousand through mine in about a year with out any issues.

 

[FishnHunt]

Pretty in-depth comparison here: Dillon Precision Reloading Press Reviews Planning on a 550b myself in about the same time frame.

 

[Que]

If you are loading one caliber, I would go with the 650. If you are changing from small to large primers, go with the 550.

 

[Slawburger]

I debated with myself for a long time on 550 vs 650. The 550 is a little faster to changeover. The 650 is faster.

I went with the 650 and have been very happy with it. There are only a couple of calibers that I reload and I usually run a bunch before changing over so the extra changeover time is not an issue for me.

 

[dieselrealtor]

The bulk of my shooting is 9mm, .223 will be increasing soon.
I will load in large batches, 5000+ rounds (9mm, .223, .45acp) before changing calibers. I also have a LCT that I will be keeping for load development & smaller batches of other calibers if changing calibers proves to be a pain on the Dillon.

I expect the volume to be as follows from most to least;

9mm
.223
.45acp
.380
.357 mag (pistol & rifle)
.38 special
.45 LC
.308
.30-06

 

[Water63]

I have had my 550 for over 30 years now its been a great machine. The big thing is the caliber conversion kits and tool heads the 650 cost more. Both are awesome machines the 650 is more up front and the 550 is quicker change time. You can't go wrong with either one.

 

[M67]

I'm pretty happy with my 550, manual indexing is pretty easy.

 

[Chaplain45]

I'm Fairly new to reloading. The 550 is serving me well. Currently I load 45acp and 38spl. I Have never run a 650 so not much help there other than to say the 550 works well for this level of reloading (500 rounds in an evening).

 

[Gluemanz28]

I load in large batches ata time. Minimum is 1000, but more like 3000-5000 at a time. I can change over from one caliber to another in 30 minutes if they are both the same primer size. add another 20-30 minutes if you are changing the primer size. This time includes cleaning and inspecting all of the parts and machine. I was going to get a 550 but ended up calling and canceled my order and bought a XL650 locally.

If you are wanting high quality and high quantity then the XL650 is the way to go. Im reaching for and have the bullet in my hand ready to set it on the next case while the 550 guys are indexing.

 

[SicSTi]

I literally just had the same dilemma up until yesterday when I ordered my RL550B.

How I made my decision:
1) XL650 with all the options to maximize round production and get the most out of the machine is almost twice as much as the 550B
2) The XL650 would make me complacent with reloading and I feel I would be more aware of whats going on with each bullet on a 550B. Which would result is a higher quality of round over of 650 in my eyes.
3) You can stop and fix the 550B mid stage where as from what I've heard you have to take stuff apart to clear issues on a 650.
4) Conversions are cheaper which means you can get even more conversions and have more money for supplies.
5) Really not beneficial to have a 650 unless u pounding out tons of rounds everytime you sit down or if you are changing calibers / primer sizes alot, but if you have 20mins a week to make rounds for the range on the weekend then the 650 would be the way to go.
6) In a way you can perform single stage operations if you want on a 550B, and change outs seem alot easier.
7) I will be reloading alot of 9mm for competition but ultimately I dont care about everything being perfect for every round as its just 9mm. However with my 308 for my FCP-k and 44mag for my Henry, I want max accuracy and thats all I care about. I feel taking my time and controlling each step would produce better results than on a 650.

These are just my opinions but this is how I made my decision.

 

[dieselrealtor]

I load in large batches ata time. Minimum is 1000, but more like 3000-5000 at a time. I can change over from one caliber to another in 30 minutes if they are both the same primer size. add another 20-30 minutes if you are changing the primer size. This time includes cleaning and inspecting all of the parts and machine. I was going to get a 550 but ended up calling and canceled my order and bought a XL650 locally.

If you are wanting high quality and high quantity then the XL650 is the way to go. Im reaching for and have the bullet in my hand ready to set it on the next case while the 550 guys are indexing.

I am looking for quantity & quality. I enjoy reloading, I also enjoy my family & time is finite. If I can spend less time making ammo that means more time for everything else.

 

[SicSTi]

Either way you are getting a top quality machine with the best warranty on the market. You really can't go wrong with either options, its all about what you want to accomplish with the machine and how involved you want to be.

 

[dieselrealtor]

I appreciate all the responses, from what I can gather I am unlikely to get hurt either way. If I can find a deal I am not opposed to a 650 for the bulk of the production & a 550 for the other. When I got in the groove I could do over 200 rounds an hour on the LCT, but it was more like work.

Ideally, I would like to load about 15-20k 9mm & .223 over the winter & spend little time reloading over the warmer months.

 

[Gluemanz28]

I am looking for quantity & quality. I enjoy reloading, I also enjoy my family & time is finite. If I can spend less time making ammo that means more time for everything else.

That was the exact reason that I went with the XL650. I spent a little more for the speed so I could use the saved time for different things. My wife loads the primer tubes with a vibra prime. Ten tubes is for 1000 rounds takes her about 20 minutes. She puts the loaded rounds in 100 round boxes and checks to see if the primers are all seated. She keeps the case hopper full and I crank out the rounds. We can turn out about 1000 rounds in less than two hours. This includes checking powder in the cases and measuring OAL on random rounds, minimum of 50 rounds between checking them.

 

[lovemywoods]

You appear to have a good grasp on your reloading goals. Good for you!

You made two statements that stood out to me and both would cause me to lean toward the 650.

-- Loading in batches of 5000 rounds per caliber.
-- Time is finite and you don't want to take too much time reloading.

[Full disclosure: I load on a Dillon 550B and it works great for my needs, which are different than yours.]

We've met in Martinsville. I live in northern Brown County. If you ever want to get your hands on the 550B for comparison, you're most welcome to visit and try it out.

 

[rvb]

biggest thing is how much do you shoot? I've loaded up to 25k per year on my 550. At that time I was longing for a 650/1050 but it got the job done and I certainly wasn't spending all my time on the press. Now that I'm only shooting 4-5k per year pistol and another 1-2k rifle, I see no need for anything more than a 550. I load big batches and I haven't even touched my press since early spring.

Caliber changing is easier and changeover kits are cheaper for the 550, so if you're loading for several calibers that's a consideration. You're looking at $330 difference just in caliber conversions and toolheads for the 9 calibers you listed.

You have to decide if saving 45-60 minutes per thousand rounds is worth the cost difference between the 550 and 650. The 550 is a little more "work," too, since you have to index and set the case (if not using the case feeder).

Which ever one you pick you can't really be "wrong".

-rvb

 

[nj4020]

Each person's needs and desires are different. It all boils down to what is it you desire and can you afford it. If a 550 will satisfy your needs, I would suggest buying two. One set up for small primer, the other set up for large primer. All calibers on quick change tool heads. One learning curve, no brainer, good luck and happy loading.

 

[8th SPS USAF]

550 My buddy has a 650 and nothing but problems My 550/Sq D work great

 

[BE Mike]

I have both machines. IMHO, the primer feed system of the 650 is better. If saving time is important, which it appears to be, then go with the 650. Buy the strong mount and case feeder. The 650 requires that it is mounted to a very sturdy and solid bench. Mine is made of 2x4's and screwed into the wall. I reload on the 550 while sitting on a drafting stool, but I reload on the 650 while standing.