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I've got about 48 hours to decide whether or not to proceed with buying a Dillon Super 1050. It's a lot of cash to spend, but I don't object to investing in good equipment that will last for years and retain a good proportion of its value. I'll be making 308 only, so no problem with the calibre change effort of this press. I don't plan to make thousands of rounds each session, but I do need to be able to produce a couple of hundred in *much* less time than 4 hours or so I spend with a single stage press. I know that the 1050 is overkill for this, but I am sold on this model and not interested in a 650/550 etc. I'm not concerned about the lesser warranty.

I've waited a long time for this, but now I face the choice whether or not to click that cash away into the ether it doesn't seem so easy! So, any current or past Dillon users that can swing me one way or the other?

Thanks!

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You've said what I would say, it is way overkill for you needs.

A 650 or an Hornady LnL RCBS 2000 auto index would be far more tailored to your needs.

Your are obviously set on that model and spending the money on features, capacity and build you would never need doesn't seem to be an issue for you so go ahead and click the button.

What he said smile2

If it was me (and I am resisting the urge of buying another progressive press as we speak!) it would be the Hornady LNL AP, gets great feedback from users and is a fraction of the cost of the Dillon. For me it would be for my "bulk" loading needs, .44mag and 9mm, my .308 usage is only 100-200 a month so I prefer to load those on a single stage press with hand checked powder loads for greater consistency.

I've had a 450B for many years. Given great service, as have Dillon company. I use for mass reloading of 38spl. I prefer single loading 308 for accuracy.
More bits, more to go wrong!
JohnG :cornwall:

I've got an old 1050 that does over 1000 rounds per hour. A second hand 550 is all you need. Evil bay dot com might be a good place to start looking.

If you have the cash then go for it. yer pays yer money...and I'm certainly jealous. :55:

Although, personally spending $1669 on a 1050 when the XL 650 is about $559 is a helluva difference in price. Once set up, my second hand XL650 can produce about 300-400 rounds an hour, if I go carefully, which is more than enough for me....you must shoot loads to need that extra 200 rounds an hour capacity.

I know you know about the warranty thing, but the No BS Dillon warranty on the XL 650 is what makes Dillon customer service the best. The fact that they would swap any defective parts free of charge no questions asked even though I bought my machine second hand made all the difference to me.

A mate had a 1050 that made 100 rounds of 9mm in just over 4 minutes

THE big feature of the 1050 model is the SPEED OF PRODUCTION

A decent used 650 will allow you to make very good quality ammo at the rate of about 500 an hour, possibly 600 if you get more automated feeds set up (case, bullet, etc.)

I am more than satisfied with my 550 Dillon

Thanks for the comments, which seem to focus pretty much entirely on production rate.

The only person I've actually spoken to who has both 1050 and 650 has told me on several occasions that the 1050 is a much much better made machine than the 650. I don't intend to utilise its production rate at present, but am happy to invest in something capable of being used in future to produce volume for a club or team, or if I ever got into other forms of shooting that demand it. The majority of processes for match ammo based on a 550 or 650 seem to call for two passes through the machine with a case-prep toolhead and a loading toolhead, whereas the 1050 can do this in one pass. I see the benfits of the 1050 as the flexibility of the extra station, the strength of a steel vs aluminium frame, and a better priming system, rather than 'rounds per hour'. I know of factory ammo produced on a 1050 that is perfectly capable of knocking cr*p out of the [huge TR] V-bull all day long from 300 to 1000 yards, so I figure that making ammo with a similar setup, but more carefully at lower rate and tuned for my rifles can only improve on this.

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BTW the 1050 is for pistol calibres and shorter rifle cases (.223, .222 etc)

I have a Super 1050, which is set up for .223. Works well, but I'm sure, in hindsight, I didn't really need to buy it! A calibre change, whilst not difficult, is not as straight forward as other progressive presses and does take a bit of time.

I use a Hornady LnL for pistol calibres and .303, which is almost as efficient and reliable as the Dillon. A Forster Co-ax sorts my other rifle loads.

Ceri