Trapshooters Forum banner
Status
Not open for further replies.

OT- Dillon 1050 press

6K views 20 replies 13 participants last post by  Hoosier Daddy 
#1 ·
I'm thinking about buying a progressive metallic press. I am leaning toward the 1050 due to the volume of ammo, .223 &.45ACP I plan to reload. Does anyone here have one and are you happy with it? Thanks
 
#6 ·
I have a 1050. Not the new Super 1050. I have used it mainly for 45ACP. I have used it for 223 but it shakes so much powder out of the cases I gave it up. Didn't seem to matter how slow I went. It has been a while but I found I could buy Mil. 223 at gun shows about as cheap. It's a very nice machine, loads about 20 rds/min. The down side is cost and changing calibers takes too much time. It also has a one year warranty not the no BS warranty but then again, what's to break. If I had it to do over I would have gotten one of the cheaper models.
 
#7 ·
The Rl-1050 is a phenomenal machine for loading military brass on. With the primer pocket swage built in, it makes short work out of 223 and 9mm military brass. I owned an Rl-650 for several years with several extra primer tubes and auto casefeed and once my tubes were full, I could load an honest 1200 rounds per hour on it. That is humping. I was a commercial reloader and loaded a different caliber every day. 10,000 rounds was a full days work. Best press I ever owned and customer service second to none. I broke something on my press due to sheer stupidity and told them so and they still sent me the replacement part at no charge and on their dime for shipping!!

Jeff
 
#8 ·
Anoter vote for the 1050. They are the best for the buck. Faster than anything short of a Camdex.

Using a dense powder, such as Accurate 2015 will solve the problem of spilling powder in your 223. Works for me.

They are pricey and a pain to change out. Loading a couple of five gallon buckets of whatever, then changing it over is what I do.

The production rate is worth it if you shoot enough to justify the 1050.
 
#9 ·
If you're going to load allot of 223 and 45 then I would go with the 650. You're going to need to change form large to small primers and the 650 is much easier to change over than the 1050. The speed of the 650 is surely fast enough for any recreational shooter.

John Semprini
IPSC shooter - Chicago
 
#10 ·
I also have a 650, and conversion kits are monumentally cheaper and easy to change out. It has half the output of the 1050. It seems the 1050 has a better primer feed, as well as every thing else.

I have loaded a world of ammo on both of them. I like them both. The 1050 is hard to beat for pistol calibers.
 
#11 ·
Thanks for the replies. I'm still trying to make up my mind on the 1050 or the 650. I like the primer pocket swager built in to the 1050 because I have access to a bunch of once fired cases with crimped in primers. I do like the cost and ease of changing calibers on the 650. The money saved will pay for 3/4's of the AR-15 my wife wants. I will have to think some more on which one wile my den is getting remodeled. Again thanks for the input to all who replied.
Bob
 
#12 ·
Let's consider this, from a a current 650, and former SL900, 550, and 2 SDB owner's point of view.....

Your rifle cartridge uses small primers, and the pistol cartridge uses large primers.

If you load/shoot enough to justify buying one of either machine, you will have to change caliber tool heads, AND the primer feed in order to switch calibers.

Eventually, you won't want to do that, because it's a pain. Not a BIG pain, but never-the-less, a pain. It's time consuming, and requires a certain amount of foul language in order to get it done right. As a gentleman, I, of course, abhor foul language!

Therefore, why don't you consider buying the 650 over the 1050? That way you can afford to buy TWO of them, and not have to worry about changing primer feeds.....

Think about it..... ONE Super 1050 retails for $1539.95, ($1649.95 in .223 with carbide dies) PLUS the necessary parts to change calibers.....the second toolhead is $244.95, and the caliber conversion kit is $102.95 more, PLUS a second primer system, at $98.95. Total for the carbide version 1050 is $2096.80, + $39.95 for the machine cover, + either sales tax or shipping. And you will STILL have to change tool heads and primer feeds!

The 1050 is a real pain to change calibers and primer sizes; ANYONE who has tried will agree with that statement.

The basic 650 is $504.95; the case feeder is $199.95, the bullet tray is $36.95, and the roller handle is 38.95; multiply everything by a factor of 2, as you will need two of everything.

The total there is $1561.60, + tax or shipping, because you have to buy 2 of everything. That's TWO complete 650 machines for less than the price of ONE 1050.

I will admit that the is a certain cache' about owning a 1050, but only if you only load ONE caliber on it.

That's over $500 savings, PLUS the time and frustration you WON'T have by having to change calibers and primer feeds.

Just a thought. I load 6 different handgun calibers on a single 650, each of which has it's own toolhead, dies, and powder measure ready to go. I'd like to think I have a little experience with handgun reloading on Dillon products. I sold the SL900, the 550, and the 2 SDB's (one in EACH primer size!) to help pay for a different shotshell press, and the 650.

John
 
#13 ·
I had a 550B and loaded .38, .357, .40S&W .45ACP, .257 Ackley Imp., and .30 Carbine using separate tool heads. Changing out the tool heads and primer parts was a piece of cake and the dies remained set forever. I did have to use both hands to add bullet in one and a shell in the other but had not a single complaint or want from that setup. Pretty much gave up the metallic cartridges with aches and pains plus discovering clay birds don't have to be fetched, cleaned, cooked, or eaten and the money saved bought all the chicken and beef I could eat.....breakemall....Bob Dodd
 
#14 ·
Wow Coach, nice loading bench!!! I also have the XL650 and a SL900 and love
them. I change calibers a lot so the 650 gets my vote, it only takes a few minutes to do and is pretty easy. In fact I'm going to get another XL650 just to cut down on die swaping. And if I break something, I can call Dillion and they send me a new part N/C, I don't know how you can beat that!

Cheers,

George
 
#16 ·
John Malcom,
You sold me. Mike Dillon should give you a commission on this one. I never gave any thought to two machines. It is the perfect solution for me. I can get my .223 operation going as I'm burning more of them than .45's right now and ask Santa for the .45 setup.
Shooting Coach,
Like Zuzax said, great bench setup. I'm in the process of re-doing my den so I can set up all my metallic and shot shell presses. Right now I have to keep changing machines to load and it is getting to be a pain. Thanks to all.
Bob
 
#18 ·
I found some info on renowned pistoleer Brian Enos' forum that states the basic differences between the 1050 and the 650 are that the 1050 swages primer pockets, and seats primers on the DOWN stroke.

Enos suggests that the 1050 should not be your first progressive press, and can be justified if you are shooting upwards of 4000 rounds per month, <i>in a single caliber!</i>

The 650 does not swage primer pockets, and seats primers at the end of the UP stroke, like most other Dillon presses.

Changing calibers is 15 to 30 minutes, depending on your familiarity with the 1050 machine.

The 1050 comes with ONE primer system, only. Small or large primers, your choice. The second primer system costs you another $99.95. (Just Like Earl Scheib......."ninety nine ninety five!")

The 650 comes with both large AND small primer systems, standard.

Oh yeah, there is also the cost issue; the 1050 is TWICE what the 650 is.
 
#19 ·
I have both of these rigs, and would not want to get rid of either of them.

The 1050 is an expensive bear to change calibers. The 650 is much more economical and quicker to change calibers. The production rate on the 1050 is without equal.

The primer feed and most everything else is better on the 1050. You DO get what you pay for.
 
#20 ·
I'll be ordering a 650 in .223 at the end of the month. I got lucky and scored a used but excellent Square Deal B for my .45ACP. It spits out loaded ammo at an amazing rate. I'm thinking about the Dillon power case trimmer with the 650 too. I've got a lot of cases to trim and after watching how fast a person can trim brass on U-Tube I'm sold.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top