Anyone familiar with this?

[brazosdave]

I was looking in a magazine the other day, and saw an ad where Dillon had a portable reloading press, ad copy said for use at the range, if you live in an apartment, etc. I've never reloaded, but does anyone know if these are any good and worth the time. I have been considering reloading, really only need .38 spl and .357, and don't want to sink a whole boatload of money into it.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

I have never owned a Dillon, but I do like my LEE Hand Press; I have several other presses but the hand press gets most use
http://leeprecision.com/breech-lock-hand-press.html

If the Dillon is anything like it, you should find it very useful

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Howdy Brazos Dave,

I'm a long-time Dillon user.  (Going on 18 years now with the original Dillon Turret Loader, then converted it to the full-bore RL550B.)   On their website, http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/home.html there is no mention of any specific portable press, BUT - I have heard of folks who use their SDB press on a small folding table made for reloaders and they load right on the firing line or somewhere near.  (Personally, unless it was a private range with only me and maybe a friend, I'd load NEAR the line, not on it.

Anyway, the SDB is not terribly big or heavy so it could be used & made to be portable with no modifications.  I'll bet that is what you heard about.  They make no hand press like the Lee press the other responder linked to.

The Dillon isn't cheap, but it does come ready to load one caliber at their selling price, and conversions CAN be purchased to load nearly any pistol-caliber round, bucause it isn't one of their other press sizes which will handle everything (depending on the model) up to and including Caliber .50 BMG (Browning Machine Gun.  Which will kill a truck ... should one attack.


Dillon equipment is top of the line and their presses and main components are guaranteed forever.  Not just "for Life."  Forever.  To whoever owns it, even if they didn't purchase it themselves.  FYI, Dillon Aero (a subsidiary company) makes the awesome M134D powered Gatling gun that is in use throughout the US Military and by other VERY serious users.
(In case you've not seen one:)  http://www.dillonaero.com/content/p/8/catid/1/pid/1/?viewImg=1&pimg=m134d_gun_systems/m134d_steel.jpg

Many would not recommend a progressive press (like the Dillons) for beginners, but LOTS of folks have learned on Dillons.  I would simply get the Dillon, then while learning the basics of reloading, simply use it as a single-stage Turret-type press.  Easy-Peasey.  If you decide to do that, Dillon's Customer Service will answer any and all questions and I'd gladly help you via the phone with any tidbits of knowledge I may be able to share.  If you get one, shoot me an Instant Message and we'll talk on the phone - I'm home nearly 24-7.  (Retired)

Have fun with whatever you decide.  ANY good progressive press, like the 550 or 650 Dillons, the Hornady Lock-n-lLoad, or the others (most ARE good) will cost pretty much up front.  However, with the way the current Political hatred of guns and such driving the prices of ammo, guns, & ammo components, I'll wager you'd be money ahead after loading no more than 1,500 rounds (44/45) or 2,000-3,000 of 38 Spl. or 9mm ammo, which are MUCH more common and less expen$ive.

Take care ...

Jeff  "Steel Horse Bailey" - loading single stage since 1975 and "Rapid Fire" since 1995.

[Papa Irish]

Let me echo the praise for Dillon.  The SDB while not cheap is worth the money.  I have had two of them, I sold one to buy a 550.  the SDB will do you years of service and Dillon's "No BS" guaranty is just that, they have served me well over the last 20+ years.

[Slowhand Bob]

I am not one of the Dillon fans but have used the LEE hand press addressed above and found it to be passable but do think Lyman might have (or had) a slightly better looking version that was advertised as hand held or mountable.  Back when I used the LEE version, I found its greatest value to be for running pan lubed bullets through it with LEEs sizer die set-up or doing other single stage chores in front of the tv.  The biggest downside is that there is no outlet for spent primers and very little storage space inside the small ram for them.  Just a couple of primers over the max and you will have it jammed up.  I envisioned the idea of being mobile to the extent of loading on the range but in the end the more traditional methods of loading small batches at home for testing at the range proved more to my preference.  But youwill never know til you try it?

By the way, my dream machine turned out to be the Hornady LNL AP.  I purchased an old low low number one years ago, I wanted a 650 but did not have the money at the time.  When I searched for advice the Hornady was getting trashed really bad by a vast majority of responders.  I quickly recognised that most were Dillon users who had never even used an LNL, while the LNL users seemed to be a small but very happy group!  I consider the 650 to be at the top, in its class, right alongside the Hornady LNL AP.  Last Christmas Cabellas ran a super deal on the LNL AP, $300, and there was about a two or three day window where the sale price overlapped a free shipping offer so I added two new LNL APs to the fold.  All three now sport case feeds and the old model is now a dedicated black powder sub loader.  I plan to try one or the other of the ideas that are supposed to allow auto feeding of lead bullets next.   

[Tascosa Joe]

i used and RCBS 2000 for years and just recently bought a Hornady AP LNL.  I am with Bob.  I like it a lot.  There are things about the old 2000 that I like better than the AP but overall I am really satisfied with the AP.  I dont get as many rounds per hour as the book says I should but.....I am old and slow.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Joe, I prefer not to say "Old & Slow," rather - "Careful & Deliberate."  I've heard of one shooter/loader who claims around 600 rounds per hour using his Dillon 550 and nearly 800 RPH with the 650.  Cool, but I am happy getting 300 or so per hour because it's a safe speed and I'm not in the "Rush-Rush-Rush" mode that would cause me to break sweat.  And perhaps forget something.


Our friend Ottawa Creek Bill sings high praises of his Hornady L'n'L press.  Having studied his, I've noticed that like my Dillon, it's built like a tank, and it costs somewhat less to buy the caliber change apparatus including the toolheads.

When I got my Dillon I was still employed and making a decent wage.  I have bought many complete caliber change set-ups for my Dillon, including the powder dispensers, which are the main expense.  At last count I have 11 complete caliber change setups (toolhead, conversion plate & studs, dies, tool stand, and powder measure, plus 6 more with all but the pwdr. measures.  I have 4 different caliber guns which use the same powder & powder drop settings, so I just use the same measure on each and the setting of - 21 grs. for IMR 4198 - works for full-power .223 as well as reduced loads (100yd. loads) for 30-06, 7X57mm (8mm) Mauser, 7.62X54mm R (Rimmed -Russian), and 45-70.  I got all those loads from 2 different sources: the IMR ammo tech who also advises many of us regarding BP loads since he is also the tech for Hodgdon, and the Sierra tech, so these ARE safe reduced loads 'tho not found in any manuals. 

Brazos Dave, this  (the caliber change tools) is the expensive part of Dillon machines, as well as, to a lesser degree for the others.

The SDB machine, which is the one I saw used as a portable set-up, costs more for a complete caliber change, but it does come with their own proprietary dies, usable ONLY (to my knowledge) on a Dillon Square Deal B.  The other Dillon machines will use standard dies, with 7/8 X 14 threads.  I have RCBS, Lyman, Lee, & Dillon dies and they all work fine.

Slowhand Bob mentioned both the Lee and the Lyman hand press.  I don't know if the Lyman is still available but it was a nicely built apparatus.  While I was stationed in Germany, one of my fellow weekend shooters (at the range open to civilians on weekends where the US and German forces shot during the week) loaded several thousand 9mm & 38/357 rounds in his barracks room (WITH permission) using the Lee tool.  I helped him shoot a number of those rounds and they always worked just fine.  The hand tools are an option.

Adios!