Dillon 650/750 vs 1050/1100

[timmy75]

facts:
-Upgrade from 550
-9mm, 130 PF match / training ammo ONLY, I don't have any plans or wishes for any other caliber ever.
-case depriming and cleaning is done on other machine before dillon machine
-2 of my friends using 650, north of half million 9mm rounds done

plans:
-would like to have an option for automation in the distant future
-case roll sizer in near future

prices:
-i live in europe
-like new / slightly used 650 with accessories/dies = 1400 eur
-new 750 with accessories/dies = 2000 eur
-used / very good condition 1050 with accessories/dies = 2400 eur
-new 1100 with accessorie/dies = 3200-3500 eur

i load 20-25k 9mm / year. 1 rd costs me 0,12 eur (0,14$) when buying a mixed range brass.
I would like to speed up the process as possible without autodrive (for now)

Which one you would buy and why?

[Wobbly]

Speaking as one who made the leap from a 550 to a 650.... I simply can't imagine needing any more loading machine than a 650/750. The 650 has 4 times the output of the 550... but not for the reasons you'd think. It has nothing to do with manual advance versus "auto-advance". The difference in production levels is all in the case feeder !!

The case feeder allows you to load bullets with the left hand and pull the op lever with the right. The only other thing you need to do is look into the filled cases right before you 'set' the bullets. Pull, look, set... it goes amazingly fast. So fast that I often look over and the blue finished ammo bucket is over-flowing onto the bench.


Like you, I also pre-clean and process my brass. I find it helpful to count the number of cases going into the feeder. In this way you'll run out of cases exactly when you run out of primers. And I do this inspection step by scooping up and sorting cases with a hard plastic ammo tray, which, as a side benefit, also automatically counts the brass....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpkUnUqMo8U

Hope this helps.

[George16]

I went through with the same dilemma a few years ago. I started with a 550 then bought a 650. Then I started shooting 2-Gun competition and the 650 was subpar when it comes to swaging military brass primer pockets. So I ended up buying the 1100 and sold the 650.

The 1100 is more expensive especially if you buy additional tool heads and conversion kits. However, it makes my processing (I  installed a trimmer on my processing tool head) and reloading faster and more enjoyable. I also wanted to automate it but Mk7 is out of stock with their auto drives and I’m not buying the Dillon auto drive (Dillon bought out ammobot and rebranded their auto drive).

Can’t go wrong with the 1100.

[Wobbly]

But note that the 1050/1100 is not covered under the Dillon "no BS" warranty.

[George16]

That’s the price to pay for the convenience I get from it. Two years is the max they give since Dillon knows people buying them  either use it to reload commercially or in huge quantity.

It all depends on your intended use. I bought it so I can process rifle cases quickly and efficiently in large amount.

[newageroman]

I Made a semi automated setup for the 650 a couple years ago, (using some Lee quick trim dies, brackets DC motor, foot pedal and a motor controller) but now for rifle brass I just go WFT. I can do that in a box in the living room with a hand drill watching Curb or whatever.

I DID however become very interested in the Brass badger that uses the router motors. Those thigs are beefy and would never run out, but dang that is a big hunk of stuff on top of your press so it might make it more of a brass processing station.

I think you would be happy either way but if my buddies all had 650s I think that would easily sway me towards it.

[JBruns]

If you're not seeing a lot of crimped brass, the 650/750 is fine. I went from a 650 to an 1100 last summer, because I was seeing a lot of crimped brass. And it solves that problem for sure. But with uncrimped brass, it's not faster than a 650, given the same level of addons.

I use an RCBS lockout die for checking the powder drop. I use RCBS dies, so the seating and crimping is one operation on my 9mm. And that leaves room for a Mr. Bullet Feeder, if you want to add one. I never count brass going into the hopper and do not preprocess the brass other than wet tumbling it.

[timmy75]

thank to all of you guys.
I see you have problems with military crimped brass in USA, but 95% of my "mixed range brass" is S&B  brass case. they make good cases, IMHO.

I have case feeder with 550 now, but I have to put each bullet by hand and move shell plate for each round I make, it makes great PITA.

I use blue bullets FP, I get good price ($53 for 1k), any of you guys know if they work correctly with bullet feeder?

[George16]

If that’s the case, I’d recommend the 650 and get the bullet feeder from DAA. You can still automate it down the road.

[Crawl]

But note that the 1050/1100 is not covered under the Dillon "no BS" warranty.

I bought a really old RL1050 that appears to have been used commercially. It's so old that Dillon longer makes the parts for the case feeder it came with. It's so well used that the circular journal underneath ($400 for a new one) is no longer circular.

Even so, Dillon has sent me quite e a few parts free of charge. They aren't replacing the big, worn out stuff, but if you are kind and respectful to them, they are patient and helpful to you. Besides that, they apparently are pretty hard to break unless you make a mistake. (I've made about half of the possible mistakes thus far...working my way down the list)

I have a Ponsness Warren motor for it, but I think it's probably faster to load by hand anyway. More control, and few issues from going too fast. I can crank out a LOT of 223 in 30 minutes. Hundreds, actually.

Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk

[timmy75]

original poster here.

ended up buying used 650 with mr. bulletfeeder, case feeder, 9mm caliber conversion, light, 9mm dillon carbide set, some accessories and spare parts + a not very useful powder check die and DAA seat/crimp die. The original owner said he made 20k rounds, I belive him, looks good as new.

paid €1400 (NIB 750 with all accessories and dies would be ~€2200-2400)

-95% of the brass I use are non-crimped S&B commercial cases. I don't need primer pocket swaging station
-never had any problems with primer seating adjustment
-automation would be a nice option, but it costs me just too much for now.

I think I do not need 1050/1100 for now.

[Wobbly]

Thanks for the follow-up. That sounds like a good choice.