jakmak52:
The Dillon RL550B is a Progressive press regardless that it does not have auto advance. The definition of a Progressive press is that it does multiple operation at once where a raw case is input and a finished one is output with each single pull of the handle. The RL550B is more universal because it does not have auto advance as it is very easily used as a single stage press, a turret press, or a Progressive. Auto advance mechanism are the achilles heel of progressive presses (ask recent Hornady LNL press owners about that). If there is a problem at one of the stages it is hard to fix it as the table is not easily moved forward and backward manual making the problem worse.
The RL550B is at least 25 years or more old. It is basically unchanged because it works. It has received free updates along the way. Both Hornady and RCBS progressive press are the current version of several models. It took both those manufacturers several models to get to where they are today while the good old RL550B just stayed basically the same. Then there is the Dillon service. They provide free repair parts quickly with no argument about you paying for parts you broke...They are all free. My 25+ year old RL550 B after many years of hard use has been totally re-built by Dillon for free two times with very little down time. The Lee progressives are not in the same ball park as the Dillon and the Hornady progressives.
Lee equipment is generally inexpensive and you get what you pay for. Many start out with LEE only to graduate to better reloading equipment. If you buy better reloading equipment in the beginning then you avoid having to replace it in the future. Lee's problem is innovative designs done with poor, non-durable material choice in their manufacture (like plastic advance claws in their progressives and plastic powder measures and steel alloy choices that are not durable enough and internal die machining that is rough).
While many suggest starting with a single stage press (not a bad idea) there is a better less expensive way in the end if you stay with reloading. The Dillon RL550B can be a single stage for starting out, a turret as you gain confidence in reloading, and eventually a progressive in the end. Other progressives, because of the auto advance table, are not so friendly. And, if you need to in the future, you can always load a batch single stage no problem.
Many here don't like to hear what I say on these issues and that's fine with me but 25 years with a Dillon RL550B and my negative experiences with both LEE and Hornady are worth something.
One more thing. Do buy a good electronic scale (the Hornady will work OK but a better one with accuracy of less than plus and minus 0.1 grains would be better yet). There is nothing more frustration than waiting for the stupid beam scale to quit swinging back and forth during a measurement. On the Electronic scale it reads almost instantaneously and the right one is as accurate as a beam scale.
There are lots of opinions on reloading equipment and these are mine. They may not agree with other reloader's opinions. We all get to choose.
LDBennett
