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Been online Shopping Dillon SDB

3K views 37 replies 13 participants last post by  2A-Jay 
#1 ·
I have been online to the Dillon Site shopping for what I want for Christmas. I already know my wife will be getting a gun for Christmas. I want a Dillon Square Deal B with all the options, and 2 caliber Conversion Kits. I figure with shipping I figure this will be about $700. I am looking for opinions, is this worth the price. I would love to have a true progressive but couldn't swing that.
 
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#2 ·
2A-Jay:

Some 30 years ago I went through the same scenario. I too had only hand guns and the Dillon Square Deal fit my needs at the time. But within a year I had rifles that I wanted to reload for and of course the Square Deal would not do them too. I got Dillon to take the Square Deal back for full credit and apply it towards the much more versatile RL550B. Dillon will do that in the first year of ownership.

The RL550B takes regular dies, handles any caliber from 22 Hornet to large magnums and all pistol rounds. It does NOT have auto indexing which is a blessing as that was the biggest problem I had with the Square Deal. If anything goes wrong (and it will!) then the auto indexing makes clearing the press difficult. Not so with the RL550B as the table freely moves forward and back manually. Dillon dies for any of their presses are expensive and actually I found them to be no better than RCBS or Hornady dies. With the Square Deal you are forced to use only Dillon specific dies for the Square Deal whereas the RL550B takes anyones dies. Also the RL550B can be used as a single stage press, a turret press, or a progressive press. The Square Deal is progressive only. It is meant for huge volume reloading for competitors who may have several, each set up permanently for a single handgun caliber.

While it may seem like you may never own a rifle, take it from me that once you get bit by the gun bug, you will want it all including rifles sometime in the future. A $700 investment that only allows handgun rounds is probably not wise in my opinion based on my own experiences.

Just food for thought.

LDBennett
 
#3 ·
I would concur with LD on this
Consider moving to the RL 550

It is a true progressive press only it is manual indexing which is a good feature for many reasons, including using it as a single stage if need be and using normal dies and being able to load just about any handgun or rifle on it

I suggest you watch some videos of people using the RL 550 on youtube
 
#5 ·
I watched a video on youtube about setting up and using the 550b That is what got me interested. I will have to crunch some more numbers before making a decision then start working on the wife to try and convince her that this would be good for me.
 
#6 ·
2A-Jay
I also concur with LD & db, I do not know what all the options are for the Square D but if they include a bullet or/and case feeder, I would seriously think about dropping a option so to get the Dillon 550B. To be honest I do not have the bullet or case feeder as I do not feel a need for them. In my opinion if you could swing the 550B, I think you would be happier in the long run, just my $.02 :) :)
Chuck
 
#9 ·
I used to have a square deal b. It is a fine press if you are going to load a lot of one pistol caliber. Caliber changes on the sdb are a pain. I would save all my allowance for the RL550b as it can also do rifle calibers and is easier to change over. If you really want auto indexing, then save even more of your allowance and get the XL650.

Also consider becoming a member of this facebook page as owners sometimes sell their equipment at a reduced price.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/410...=group_r2j_approved&notif_id=1474073203455804
 
#10 ·
Granted this was a helluva find; but if you're patient and do some digging, you can find some great deals out there on used Blue.

This is on page 173/174 of the Who's Reloading Tonight thread.
Included a SDB with 9mm and 45. Paid $180 for EVERYTHING, gave him some extra though just to ease my guilt :)
The "extras" we're a Dillon electronic scale , a Dillon 2001 Huge tumbler, approx 1800 9/45 bullets, 3k+ primers, unopened can of Bulleye, spare parts kit for the press, two ammo cans of brass (one 45acp, one 9mm) Nosler manual, RCBS primer tray, Dillon kinetic puller and a press wrench set........
I ended up buying this for a neighbor who's getting into reloading, so I'll be using it a lot too. I couldn't convince the wife to let me buy a new press, now she's wishing she'd have let me. There is easily $1k worth sitting there.
Will set it up on Sunday and get it rolling.
 
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#12 ·
I was very fortunate. I was on another forum when another member was posting about selling his SDB. At the time, I was shooting a lot of handgun rounds, so I asked him what he wanted for it. I got it for $250, shipping included, with 4 caliber conversions. Later, I was at a gun shop just browsing around, the owner mentioned he was going out of business within a week. Said make an offer on anything he had. He had a 550 he used to teach reloading classes with the stand, and a low powder alarm. I offered him $335 for it if he would include 2 caliber conversions. Sold. Keeping both Dillons. Use the SDB for 9, 40, 45, 38 and 357. The 550 for 223, 300 BO and 308. I still use the Rock Chucker for 44, 7 mag, 30-06, 7.5 Swiss, 30-30, and 30 Carbine. I don't shoot very many of the last ones to get all the stuff for a cartridge conversion for them. Can't see any need for getting rid of any of my presses.
 
#13 ·
dbcooper mention the strong mount. I have one, and it helped a lot! Not sure about the bullet tray, I don't have one, and the handle that comes with the machine works well for me. I do think you will be well served by the 550B, the numbers you quoted on the SDB aren't very far off on the 550B, and you can use any other dies. If you do settle on the 550B, you can save bucks by checking each caliber conversion you might need. Some calibers use the same shell plate, some use the same pins. I cheated and added a Lee auto drum powder measure to my Dillon, so caliber conversions are quick when I swap out.
 
#14 ·
Clipper:

Since the Dillon RL550B already comes with a powder measure, I wonder why the change to the LEE Auto Drum powder measure? What I have read here about the plastic LEE powder measures is that they don't like fine powders like the W296 or the AA#9. The fine grains get into the wide clearances of the LEE power measures and gum them up making smooth operation of the measure nearly impossible.

Did you make the operation of the LEE powder measure automatic like the Dillon measure or do you just drop the powder load manually?

I will admit that I sometimes use the Redding Competition BR30 powder measure on my Dillion RL550B when I am loading for my 6mmBR cartridge for my home made BR gun when using long cut powders. I use it manually.

LDBennett
 
#15 ·
The Lee auto drum is a whole different animal compared to the Lee perfect and the auto disk measures. The Lee perfect, when set up CORRECTLY doesn't leak with H335. The auto disk that I have does leak with H335, which is a shame because it's a really good measure. The auto drum hasn't leaked one granual of H335 for me and the throws are extremely consistent. I'll break mine down and post pictures here soon.
 
#16 ·
I agree with the rest of them, get the 550B! Even though I went straight to the 550 instead of the SDB, I am glad I did.

LD, I also have one of the Lee auto drums on one of my tool head set-ups. Yes the 550 comes with a powder measure, ONE. If you buy any of the $120 quick change "kits", they also come with a powder measure, ONE. If you put the Dillon components together separately to create your own quick exchange setup, the Lee is a viable alternative.
 
#18 ·
I am about set on the 550, Without buying dies I think I can keep the price down quite a bit. Right now I have a Lee Press kit and an RCBS Rock Chucker Kit. So I have two Powder Measures ad like both of them though I would have to give more points to the RCBS Powder Measure overall the Lee Perfect powder measure is easier for me to set the charge. But that may just be because I have used it more and the Micrometer settings are easier to read.

Also, if I get the 550, I can re-coup a little bit of the cost by selling the Lee Press kit.
 
#19 ·
I have it figured out that I can get the 550B with one Caliber conversion kit, the Stand, 2 extra tool heads, and one extra powder die for $571.50. That would be using the Lee dies I already have.

The question I have now is, How do I know which shell plate I would need, I am presently only loading for 40S&W, 45ACP, and 9MM, also possibly adding 38Special? I go to look at the shell plates pull down the list and it does not give Calibers. Just an Alphabetical designator stock number and price.
 
#22 ·
I have it figured out that I can get the 550B with one Caliber conversion kit, the Stand, 2 extra tool heads, and one extra powder die for $571.50. That would be using the Lee dies I already have.

The question I have now is, How do I know which shell plate I would need, I am presently only loading for 40S&W, 45ACP, and 9MM, also possibly adding 38Special? I go to look at the shell plates pull down the list and it does not give Calibers. Just an Alphabetical designator stock number and price.
Page 16 of the 550's owner's manual gives a list of shellplates, locator pins, and powder funnels needed for each caliber conversion. Here's a link.
http://www.dillonhelp.com/Dillon Manual PDFs/Dillon-RL550B-September-2010.pdf
 
#21 ·
I've never used 296 or #9. The only ball powders I use are H335 and H870. I honestly don't think the auto drum would leak any of the ball powders. Check out the photos I've posted in the auto drum thread I started, you'll see it's completely different than the other Lee measures.
 
#32 ·
I was 3/4 the way to my Dillon 550B, was able to stash $400 in the savings side of our Joint account at the credit union. Until my better half decided that we needed a new Chest Freezer, then discovered the extra money in the account. Chest Freezer is in the Garage 550B is still in Dillons warehouse:mad:. she only left me with $100. I need a visit from Publishers Clearing House:rolleyes:
 
#34 ·
:rolleyes:What I need to do is put the money in my Gun Safe instead of the bank until it is time to place the order. At least it was spent on something that made sense. I could still use a visit from PCH. Just think that $1000 a week for life would make my gun safe a lot more well stocked.
 
#36 ·
Well, if I put it in the gun safe, she doesn't have the combination yet. I have kept money in there before that she at one time knew I had. but thought that I had already spent. Usually my Casino winnings. She has taken to asking me how much I won when we go to the casino.. I have this method. We get a budgeted amount each. If I win $100 more than I started with I cash it out and put that $100 in my wallet (Also known as the vault. Usually happens 3 out of 5 trips to the casino. I start out with a $20 bill in my favorite slot machine. If I get that up to 120 I cash it out. and keep going with a new 20. when all my original money has been spent Win or Lose I quit. She really likes it when we are driving home and I pull out my wallet and show her a few hundred dollar bills. That is how I saved the 400 that I mistakenly put in savings. Now I will just show her one or two big bills. the rest will wait till she is not looking and then into the safe.
 
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