Buying progressive. Wait for RCBS ProChucker or Dillon 650 / Hornady L-N-L now?

[varmint243]

I am very happy with my RCBS presses
RCBS has the same customer service and warranty as Dillon

I have
partner press
rock chucker
auto 4x4
ammomaster
piggyback 2

all good presses

Dillon and Hornady also make nice stuff
Lee makes some good stuff for the money, but you have to pick and choose.

 

[ken158]

Green has had a few progressive busts in the past, I have had blue and now have red... But wish I had stayed with blue....

 

[MN2944]

Green has had a few progressive busts in the past, I have had blue and now have red... But wish I had stayed with blue....

I agree with the RCBS past issues on progressives. Despite a nice SHOT show performance, I'd be hesitant to be the BETA tester. Obviously, Hornady has years with the LNL and Dillon has decades. They have the kinks worked out.

What is it that you liked better about Dillon that makes you regret the switch to Hornady?

 

[SLT223]

I agree with the RCBS past issues on progressives. Despite a nice SHOT show performance, I'd be hesitant to be the BETA tester. Obviously, Hornady has years with the LNL and Dillon has decades. They have the kinks worked out.

What is it that you liked better about Dillon that makes you regret the switch to Hornady?

Not to mention there is quite a lot of technical support from the peer group on both of those platforms. I would chose one of the existing models for that reason alone.

 

[Bkreutz]

Been reloading on a Dillon 550 for 20 years without a problem. They have taken polls at the larger pistol matches to see what the various competitors are using to reload. For some reason about 90% use a Dillon. I wonder why?

Close, the statistics from last year on which brand was used by competitors at the the national events in both USPSA and IDPA shows that Dillon is just a hair over 95%

Of course I'm a bit biased, I make 500 -1200 rounds per week depending on match schedules

 

[Twoboxer]

First Prochucker 7 video "review" I've found . . . notable features shown:

- 7 stations for size, flare, powder, lock-out, bullet feed, seat, & crimp.
- A shaped pin that rises through the shellplate to ensure index alignment.

Questions still unanswered:

Will the Primer system be reliable?
Why is there slop in the toolhead? Failure to tighten set screws or design issue?

 

[Bocephus]

Dillon vs Anyone else?
First of all Dillon does charge for repairs. I sent a 550 back to them because the ram was frozen and they charged me $150. Dillon does stand behind their equipment and will ship parts as needed.
Second you will probably pay 80% of the new cost for a used Dillon.
I have used a 550 and 650 for over 20 years and loaded thousands of rounds. The 650 has a great feature in their powder check die. If it beeps I check the load every time and have found some unusual things in the charge.
Loading pistol rounds is a piece of cake. I use both machines to load 223. The 550 does decap and sizing and then through the trim dies. The 650 completes the loading.
They are great pieces of equipment.

 

[Hammerless-12]

Another vote for Dillon. Ive had a RL550B as well as an XL650 since 1995. Very good presses and Dillon service is top notch.

 

[THEWELSHM]

I've gone back and forth with the merits of a progressive vs single stage for my pistol ammo. Each time I've been ready to make a purchase, I decide to stick with my SS. The new RCBS ProChucker that was introduced at the SHOT show once again caught my attention. It looks like it may address a few of the minor shortcomings of other designs. On the other hand, it is unproven in the real world.

If I'm going to make the move to progressive, do you see enough benefits in the RCBS design to wait, or just go with a Dillon 650 that has the proven track record?

RCBS is a fine press, I have a 78 JR3 In SS. See attached though and at least make the comparison with the new proposed purchase.

thewelshm

 

[fredj338]

RCBS is a fine press, I have a 78 JR3 In SS. See attached though and at least make the comparison with the new proposed purchase.

thewelshm

As with anything, it's all opinion. Redding dies & a Lee press, really?
All the manuf back their equip to some degree. The question of cost is more reliability & ease of use when it comes to progressives, not ego as those that won't spend the $$ Would like you to think. Buyer remorse? Sure, buy something that fails you, doesn't matter how cheap it is.
Buy what you can afford, but be prepared to spend more time because of your choice. Hornady took a few shots to get their LNL right, & it's close. It's good to have competition, keeps everyone innovative & honest.

 

[MrG5122]

I jumped into a Dillon 650 after a few frustrating months with a used Lee Turret. I suppose most of my problems stem from trying to load six calibers. Every one of them has its own idiosyncrasies. I can blow through hundreds of 9mm, 40, or 45acp per hour. I move to 38/357, 223, or 22tcm and the process slows way down. It's still faster than the turret though. It's all in the learning curve and I'm still learning.

 

[MN2944]

What I'm gathering from the comments as well as other articles I've read seems to indicate Dillon for durability if loading thousands of rounds per month.

My loading rate would not be that high, perhaps 500 per month. Switching between 4 different cartridges is also a factor. Despite initial growing pains a few years ago, I'm not seeing too much against the current production LNL for my needs.

 

[bwxmas]

I am a experienced reloader, and love my Dillon. I have no bias on color, other than I won't use Lee Presses. I do use their dies.
If I had a friend that wanted a new press, I would move him to a LNL, simply for the extra hole for a powder cop die. The biggest mistake a reloader can make is a squib, or double, and I firmly believe in the RCBS lockout die. The Hornady has a hole for it. I rely on it heavily for my loading, and now switch it out to my Dillon, but then I seat, and crimp in one station, in 38, and 357 for sure, others I can see.
I use my Dillon a lot, but I use my LNL more.
I would not buy the RCBS, especially a new model. If for no other reason, I hate the strips, and refuse to use them.
I try to never buy a new model, wait for the second year.

 

[THEWELSHM]

I am a experienced reloader, and love my Dillon. I have no bias on color, other than I won't use Lee Presses. I do use their dies.
If I had a friend that wanted a new press, I would move him to a LNL, simply for the extra hole for a powder cop die. The biggest mistake a reloader can make is a squib, or double, and I firmly believe in the RCBS lockout die. The Hornady has a hole for it. I rely on it heavily for my loading, and now switch it out to my Dillon, but then I seat, and crimp in one station, in 38, and 357 for sure, others I can see.
I use my Dillon a lot, but I use my LNL more.
I would not buy the RCBS, especially a new model. If for no other reason, I hate the strips, and refuse to use them.
I try to never buy a new model, wait for the second year.

And there we have it

Thewelshm

 

[fredj338]

What I'm gathering from the comments as well as other articles I've read seems to indicate Dillon for durability if loading thousands of rounds per month.

My loading rate would not be that high, perhaps 500 per month. Switching between 4 different cartridges is also a factor. Despite initial growing pains a few years ago, I'm not seeing too much against the current production LNL for my needs.

While durability is a great thing, it's more about reliability. If you have to stop & fuss with the press, you aren't reloading. Why many reloaders shun the Lee, they require more fussing. They all make good ammo, not the point, It's the reliability factor. When I need ammo, I want my gear to work with minimal fuss. Dillon gives me that in a progressive.
The new RCBS may be just as good, the current RCBS is a good press but the primer strips turn me off. So if they did away with that, maybe. The LNL is a good press, but priming is still a weak point. It is a tiny bit cheaper, like $75 if equipped with the case feeder as a 650. If you never want a case feeder, then the LNL is a good choice. If you think you want a case feeder in the future, buy the 650. Better case feeder & IMO, better priming system. The priming system on any progressive is the weak link. They all back their gear, too much is made out of the Dillon warranty, even though they are good.

 

[-dave-]

I haven't read all the replies but it seems to be a little weighted towards Dillon so I'll throw in my vote for the Hornady. To be fair I'll go ahead and say I have never used the Dillon and haven't seen the RCBS, but have loaded thousands on my Hornady. At first glance the Dillon 550 may look like a better value, but I wanted a press that automatically advanced to the next stage and to get that feature on a Dillon you have to go to the 650. Best I can remember the 650 costs more than the Hornady. My only complaint with the Hornady is the ball grip handle that comes with it. The aftermarket roller handle fixes that.

 

[fredj338]

I haven't read all the replies but it seems to be a little weighted towards Dillon so I'll throw in my vote for the Hornady. To be fair I'll go ahead and say I have never used the Dillon and haven't seen the RCBS, but have loaded thousands on my Hornady. At first glance the Dillon 550 may look like a better value, but I wanted a press that automatically advanced to the next stage and to get that feature on a Dillon you have to go to the 650. Best I can remember the 650 costs more than the Hornady. My only complaint with the Hornady is the ball grip handle that comes with it. The aftermarket roller handle fixes that.

The reason the LNL appears so much cheaper is it comes with zero case feeder parts. The 650 is designed to be used with a case feeder & comes with all the parts but the bowl. Why I said equipped the same, the 650 is only about $75 more. I prefer the LNL if no case feeder is desired, it seems more user friendly. The 650 would have to be modified to work w/o the feeder parts or you would feed cases into the case feeder tube. Having done this when I first got mine, not worth the effort & not any faster than my manual indexing 550B. I am also not a fan of the current fad of lock bushings. Just something to come loose IME. The removable tool head of the Dillon is easier & more reliable for caliber changes. I don't own a LNL, but have loaded quite a bit on my buddy's. Both good machines, but the priming system on the 650 is a bit better, more positive.

 

[MN2944]

^^^^^

I'm looking at the LNL AP which comes with case and bullet feeders. When comparably equipped for 4 calibers, the Hornady and Dillon 650 are very close in price.

 

[johngalt]

I've never used Dillon, I have a Hornady. I think the bushing system is better than the tool head system. It uses a spring that wraps around the shell plate to hold the brass instead of pins, so cases can be inserted or removed at any station. The primer system won't dump primers on the floor when no case is present. It easy to change out powder measure inserts. It is easy to change between primer sizes.

Some of the reasons I like the Hornady.

 

[brucev]

Very pleased w/ Hornady LNL AP. Problem free. Works. Ordered shell plates and dies for several calibers along with the press. Ended up with 700 nice Hornady .30 cal. bullets as a nice little extra. Very cool. That's enough bullets to keep my 03-A4 replica shooting for almost a year. Very cool indeed!