OT: Progressive loader setup

[barretcreek]

Finally setting up a pair of Dillons. My question is should I set up one for handgun and one for rifle calibers, or one for large primers and one for small?
Folks I've spoken to have stressed the need to regularly disassemble and clean the primer assemblies, so it does not seem to be an undue burden switching between large and small. I always empty all primers and powder at the end of each loading session but still the chance putting a pistol primer in a rifle case is worth the extra trouble to avoid.

thank you

[Ipscshooter]

That's why I have three Dillon presses. One for pistol one sml rifle and one for large rifle. When I ran two presses I had them set up for sml and large primers.

[georgeld]

Barett:
Which press's??

I'd go with pistol n rifle myself. but using the loose tool heads
solve's a lot of problems there.


A little robbery here: I have an old 450 on the shelf if anyone wants it
at a fair price.

[Furhunter]

I've got two 550's on my bench and have them set up one for small primers and the other for large. I don't use the large one much seems most everything I shoot is small primer.

Since the tool heads interchange..... What's the difference between setting it up for pistol or primer size? I mean.. You can run 9mm or 223 rem with the swap of a tool head right? Swapping the primer systems is enough of a pain that if you start out doing it... You won't be for long when there's a second press sitting there.

Besides the primer bar at the bottom which can be cleaned with a brush there's nothing to clean in the primer system and no need to disassemble it. The cup on the primer bar at the bottom will get grungy from spent residue but cleans easy with a small paint brush, just dust it off. The interior primer tube and all other parts of the priming system stay clean. I've had one of my 550's for over 20 years, believe me, once its set.. Leave it alone. I don't take mine apart unless there's a problem and that is rare.

[TinMan]

Set it up for small and large primer. Make sure you have at least three powder measures, and you will be good to go. That makes it real eay to not to have to change powder bars.

[Dean2]

I use a Dillon 550 for high volume, small primer loading in 17 HH, 22 HH, 17 FB, 221 FB, 223 etc with ball or small stick powders. I have 4 powder measures and 6 changeable heads. For large stick and big primers I use an old fashioned single stage press as the volumes are much lower and no powder thrower does 4895 and the like accurate enough. If I was going to do large primer loads on a Dillon I would have to switch to powders that are more thrower friendly.

[barretcreek]

Dean2,
Good point. The only volume loading with lg. rifle will be .308 and 30-06.