Dillon RL 450, Should I? Pictures Added

03Fatboy · Dec 2, 2011

Need a little help from those that have the experience. I've been thinking about starting reloading for a little while now. I'm about to order the Lyman's 49th book to start learning, maybe some others if you all have some suggestions. I'm mildly mechanical but really like to tinker, and have no problems completely striping my smith revolvers and my others and reassembling without issues, typically.

My question is that my dad has a dillon RL450 that he bought around 1982-3 and has been mildly used and stored in plastic for the last 15 years. He doesn't use and has offered it up to me if I want it. If I did take it I was thinking about sending it to Dillon to inspect and correct any issues first, hopefully warranty work. I know there are upgrades available to bring it to a 550b spec, not sure about these but am considering the upgrades. I've also read that a single stage press is in order for a newbie and I agree with this as that was the direction I was going before my dad made the offer. It will be used for handgun calibers as I'm not much a rifle guy, likely 9mm, 45acp, 38/357 and .44, maybe others later. Would like a little advice or direction to help along my path and start of a new hobby. I'm a pretty casual shooter and this machine will not be used much for how much I shoot but that could increase in the future as well, especially if I'm saving a little money on ammo, but I look at it as a hobby that I think I will moderately enjoy. What advice can you guys offer?
Thanks

walnutred · Dec 2, 2011

I use a 450 for most of my reloading. I've upgraded the priming and powder measure but that is it. Does your dads press still have the old style priming and powder drop? You will still need a good scale for setting up charges. I think the upgraded powder drop runs about $100 now. If you send it back to Dillon for cleaning and lubing do not send the priming system.

TAROMAN · Dec 2, 2011

The purists will scream, but I'll take a contrary view here.
Dillons are great machines, but not the best with which to learn the science of reloading.
There is a lot more to the process than just pulling the lever and cranking 'em out.
Cases abound where novice reloaders have produced faulty rounds (most often double-charged or not charged) with unhappy results. Often, there's a progressive press in that equation.

-my $0.03 YMMV

Skip Sackett · Dec 2, 2011

Got an RL450 configured the same way as nutty!

walnutred said:
I use a 450 for most of my reloading. I've upgraded the priming and powder measure but that is it. Does your dads press still have the old style priming and powder drop? You will still need a good scale for setting up charges. I think the upgraded powder drop runs about $100 now. If you send it back to Dillon for cleaning and lubing do not send the priming system.

I too have an RL450. Got mine from fleabay and it cost me around $200.

I use mine exclusively for 44Mag right now but have caliber changes for 308, .30/06, and another I cannot remember at the present time.

The loader with the modifications for primer and powder make this a really good choice for a beginner or for a dedicated machine. I doubt that I will change it over. It makes some really good 44Mag ammo.

Lou_NC · Dec 2, 2011

I have a 550 and am not that familiar with the 450, but isn't the 450 basically the equivalent of a turret press? You can certainly operate it as such by loading one round at a time, advancing the plate, and continuing the steps one at a time. I know I can do this with my 550 if I choose to, so I assume you can do the same with a 450.

Bottom line is that you're not forced to operate it as a progressive, you can use it as a single stage turret press, which is precisely what I would suggest you do to get started in reloading. Once you get more comfortable with reloading, you have the option of taking it to the next level.

Lou

03Fatboy · Dec 2, 2011

Lou_NC said:
I have a 550 and am not that familiar with the 450, but isn't the 450 basically the equivalent of a turret press? You can certainly operate it as such by loading one round at a time, advancing the plate, and continuing the steps one at a time. I know I can do this with my 550 if I choose to, so I assume you can do the same with a 450.

Bottom line is that you're not forced to operate it as a progressive, you can use it as a single stage turret press, which is precisely what I would suggest you do to get started in reloading. Once you get more comfortable with reloading, you have the option of taking it to the next level.

Lou

I was thinking about using it as a single stage, one round at a time. I assume the powder drop can removed from the machine as well? I have no intention on jumping into the progressive mode as a novice. I need to learn the correct and safe way the first time!

03Fatboy · Dec 2, 2011

walnutred said:
I use a 450 for most of my reloading. I've upgraded the priming and powder measure but that is it. Does your dads press still have the old style priming and powder drop? You will still need a good scale for setting up charges. I think the upgraded powder drop runs about $100 now. If you send it back to Dillon for cleaning and lubing do not send the priming system.

I think it does have the old primer and powder drop. I will see it this weekend or next. Why not sent it back? BTW it comes with a complete RCBS 505 scale and dies for 38/357, 45acp and 45 colt. All I need is .44.

walnutred · Dec 2, 2011

In theory at Dillon 450 is not that much different than a turret. With a turret the dies are in the top and the shell stays in the shell holder directly in line with the handle. You can do each step in batches by not rotating the turret which is how I do it when I'm developing loads on the turret. Or you can place one fired case in the shell holder and have a completely reloaded shell when you remove it by rotating the turret. With a 450 or 550 you don't rotate the turret you rotate the shell holder.

I say don't send the old priming mechanism in if you send the 450 back for overhaul because I've talked to a few who when the press came back had a new priming system installed. For me the updated priming and powder was WELL worth the money. I don't feel I change dies often enough to make the full upgrade worth the investment. When I load a caliber it's usually in batches of a couple thousand. If I'm only doing 100 or working up loads I use a turret.

03Fatboy · Dec 2, 2011

I have seen on the website what I think are three upgrades to make to the 450, but I don't see the powder drop upgrade? Is there a reason to upgrade the powder drop? I see the frame upgrade, auto eject and auto priming system upgrades. These 3 add up to about $235. Can anyone tell me what the benefit of the frame upgrade is? I think the auto eject and auto priming system are self explanatory but maybe some input on the value of these would be appreciated as well?

Pig Hunter · Dec 2, 2011

I've had mine about as long as your Dad. You can just use the first station and have a single station press. Use it as is till you are comfortable loading and then decide what you really want. Dillon has great customer service, the 450 has the lifetime warranty if it needs something. Just go slow. Good luck. Mark

Skip Sackett · Dec 2, 2011

The RL450 is the exact same thing as an RL550 EXCEPT, in the original form, it has no removable tool heads, manual primer and powder measure. When converted in those two areas, it functions exactly like an RL550 until you go to do a caliber change.

So, if the RL450 qualifies as a turret press, so does that RL550. That ought to get those RL550 owners talking!

David Sinko · Dec 2, 2011

I recently acquired a used RL450 with a bunch of other stuff in an estate type sale. I haven't used it yet, but it appears to have the primer and powder system upgrades. I'd say it's almost the equal of the RL550 I'm currently using. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was told that the RL450 does not have the provision for kicking out the loaded round and it will have to be removed manually.

I feel that either a 450 or 550 would be a great choice as a first loading tool. But I would not want to be starting out with my 650 and its auto indexing and non-stop primer feed.

Dave Sinko

Skip Sackett · Dec 2, 2011

My RL450 kicks the finished shell out. No problem there. Just like an RL550 except the tool heads. I will take a close up of mine.

walnutred · Dec 2, 2011

Skip Sackett said:
So, if the RL450 qualifies as a turret press, so does that RL550. That ought to get those RL550 owners talking!

I didn't say the 450 was a turret press, I said the concepts were similar. In a turret press all the dies are in place and the dies rotate above a stationary shell casing. In a 450/550 all the dies are in place but the shell casings rotate under the stationary dies. In both cases it is a manual rotation that lines the shell casing up with the next die in the process.

Skip Sackett · Dec 2, 2011

walnutred said:
I didn't say the 450 was a turret press, I said the concepts were similar. In a turret press all the dies are in place and the dies rotate above a stationary shell casing. In a 450/550 all the dies are in place but the shell casings rotate under the stationary dies. In both cases it is a manual rotation that lines the shell casing up with the next die in the process.

I'm not arguing with you 'red. I have said this very thing over and over and over and over and................you get the drift. The RL450/RL550 is more like a turret than a progressive.

So, I agree with you. Their 500 press (not sure of the number) is a stripped down version that can be built up to a RL550B.

Skip Sackett · Dec 2, 2011

Pictures as promised:
Notice in them how the shell is ejected. Also, notice the solid top of the frame. When the conversion from RL450 to RL550B is complete, the frame is replaced and you can use the slide in tool heads. I didn't go that far and really, see no reason to.

DesertFox · Dec 2, 2011

550B here reloading at least 9 different calibers. That's the beauty of the 550. OTOH, I've seen other people setup with 4 or 5 450, each dedicated to a caliber. Craziest setup I've seen is a guy with 4 650...

As others have pointed out, it is wise to stay away from auto-indexing when starting out.

I'd jump on the 450 if it was me.

03Fatboy · Dec 3, 2011

Do the upgrades need to be done by Dillon or can i purchase and do later should I want them? I was only thinking about the upgrades since I'm going to send it to Dillon to be checked and corrected if needed on warranty?

Does the frame upgrade allow for easy quick change of calibers/dies? If so, then maybe this isn't needed for me since I'm a low use user and just starting?

03Fatboy · Dec 3, 2011

Thanks for the pictures, maybe I can pick it up this weekend and take some shots for you guys to take a look and chime in on what it has and/or missing.

Skip Sackett · Dec 3, 2011

Frame upgrade for toolhead changes only. You can do all three yourself, the frame one is not needed in my opinion, just me though. I used mine with the manual primer and powder things though. It was a real pain and very easy to forget a step here and there.

The more automated a press is, and this is just my opinion, the better when running large batches. I guess that is the reason that I have 2 XL650s!

Dillon RL 450, Should I? Pictures Added

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