SDB Dillon reloading press

[cpt-t]

Why do reloaders not like the Dillon SDB reloading press. Or at least never menchion using any of them. I bought a used one that reloads both 9mm & 40sw about 3 years ago. And I really like it very much. Enough so that I am thinking very seriously about buying 1 or 2 more. I will be the first one to admit I am not a very high tech reloader. But for the life of me, I can't see just what is so wrong with the Dillon SDB Reloading Press. Oh yes DILLON`S Customer Service, is just outstanding.
ken

 

[Kiwi cop]

I don't have any experience with either press but I have looked at the specs of both and seen some online comments. I see three drawbacks to the SDB.

First the propriety loading dies. The standard dies most of us have sitting on the shelf for our single stage/turret presses will not work, so if loading more than one calibre you will need to buy more dies. With the 550 B you only need an extra tool head as long as you already have a set of dies.

Next the SDB is only good for straight walled pistol cases. No bottleneck cases or rifle calibers can be reloaded.

Finally the frame is smaller than the 550 B/650 presses which makes getting your hand in there when needed a bit harder. I know from when loading 9mm on my own presses the lesser room with the ram about to enter the dies compared to .38/.357 or .45 ACP is a bit of a hassle so the room available on the SDB compared to the larger presses would be the same.

I am sure that others who actually use the presses will have some more to add.

 

[824tsv]

I bought one new in 2007.
I mounted mine on a strong mount. It works well, changing tool heads/shell plates isn't a big deal. If you like to check every powdered case as it rotates to the next station you need some good lighting as it's difficult to see but it's a good tool.

 

[Joe4d]

Cant load rifle, and not any faster than a 550B due to the above mentioned clearance issues. 550 is more versatile, and the auto index on the SDB doesnt save u any time due to the clearance issues. You index it on the way to grabbing a bullet with your left hand...
Rotate bullet brass pull, load about 500 rounds an hour easy.
SDB is a good pistol press though and I wouldnt mind having one if I had a turret press as well to load rifle. I only load rifle a few at a time no volume stuff.
On the down side of the 550,,, Changing primer sizes is a PIA.

 

[Old_Cop]

My SDB is dedicated to 9mm and I have loaded 3,000 plus per year for 5 years. I have owned it for 20 years or so and many parts have been replaced by Dillon, both fast and free. (Great service.) It is a good press for my purpose. I also have a RCBS rock chucker, a .38 special Phelps (Star), and a Dillon 650 in .45 ACP. I guess that I am not a guy who likes to swap dies.

 

[Beecherkid]

I've owned a SDB since Jan. 1993 and have loaded many thousand rounds on it. Sent it back once for a free rebuild. If the SDB is used for its designed purpose, I think there is none better. Their customer service is an added bonus.

 

[Qc Pistolero]

I've only got 15K rounds loaded on mine and still having problems with it.
The aluminium casting of the internal priming system was defective and caused lots of problems;it is now solved but;
I still have problems with the little red plastic limiter that regulates the primers from the tube to the carrier.And I'm not the only one with this problem.
If I'd have known before,I'd have gone to the 550.
I must have caught a lemon.Well,like they say,nopody is berfect!

 

[socal s&w]

I REALLY like the SDB machines. Have 4 of them mounted to a thick metal plate, that is mounted to a large vise. I can swivel the vise base from side to side to access any one of the SDB's to load any of the 4 calibers that I have set up.
I like that they are a small footprint, I also have large hands and have zero issues in getting where I wanna go. I have however modified them in a few spots to make things better.
Sure, if you have 7/8" dies they won't work with the SDB, but if you need to buy them, they are less expensive than the Dillon dies and you get the first one free with the press, you don't get a free one with Dillons other presses.
I don't like ANY of Dillons primer feeds however and don't use them, I prime by hand. That to me is one of Dillons biggest, only drawbacks for all of their presses.

 

[joken1]

I have a 550 and a SDB and like them both. I feel like the SDB is faster and easier than the 550 when running pistol ammo. They are both great machines, but it would have to be the 550 if I could only have one.

 

[dickydalton]

I bought my Square deal back in the middle 1980s for $79, if I remember right. I have no idea how many thousands of rounds I've loaded with it. They did have me send it back once for a free rebuild sometime around when the SDB came out. I have replaced the nylon/neoprene or whatever the bearings are made of again, due to high usage. I load 38-357 Mags, 44 Special & Mags, 45 Colt and have the 45 ACP setup that I haven used yet. I also have a 550B that I load a bunch of rifle calibers with. The 550 primer system is finiky but works well when properly set. I love my Dillons.

 

[SPDGG]

Anything of volume gets loaded on a 650XL with Case Feeder & soon a Mr BulletFeeder bullet feeder . . . . but

I have 1x SDB(s) set up "per" caliber that dont get as much volume . . . They are as fast as any other progressive loading straight wall pistol calibers without a case feeder.

My LnL is mainly used for case prep now

 

[fredj338]

Biggest issues with the SDB is: only pistol & not all pistol, must use Dillon dies, small work area. If you can live with that, sure go for it. I could not more than 25y ago, so went 550. Still a better option imo, but if you must have auto indexing, then I would look at the LNL.

 

[Twoboxer]

A new SDB costs $5 less with one set of Dillon dies than a 550 without dies.

Presses last a LONG time.

That small cost savings means being restricted to the straight walled pistol calibers supported by the required Dillon dies, having a very small work area under and on the toolhead, and having access to a very limited set of press accesories.

Why?

 

[jag22]

It depends on your needs. About 90% of what I shoot is 9mm so the SDB makes perfect sense. As another mentioned the priming bothers me a little. You don’t get the same feel as a Lee hand primer. (love the old ones with the round tray) I just do a visual check when I’m finished to check for high primers, no big deal. 8000 rounds a year on single stage gets a little old. A Forster co-ax works great for everything else.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

I have 2. Bought 1 in 89 and 1 in 90. I wanted auto indexing. So I didn't want a 550 and the 650 hadn't been invented yet. I have 6 caliber changes.......Both still run like a new sewing machine!

 

[Big Wes]

I have a SDB paid $75.00 for it set up for 45 acp, that's all I use it for. It does have a small work area but it's fine. All other calibers I load are done on the 550. The SDB is a good press & works great. Nothing wrong with them IMHO

 

[Skeet 028]

I had a SDB I bought used for a while..in 38 Sp and while it worked fine my hands are large and it just wasn't a comfortable press for me. Lent it to a friend for quite a while and he kept trying to buy it..so eventually sold it to him for a 100 bucks. He is happy with it. He has probably loaded 40 to 50M rounds on it.

 

[S&WIowegan]

Large hands

I had a friend who sang the praises of the SDB so much that I bought one for 45ACP. I had a 650 already but it was busy running small primer ammo. I eventually set it up for small primers and used it exclusively for 45 GAP which I used in my 625s. It worked fine but I never got comfortable with the tight confines. When 625s fell out of favor, I sold the SDB to a guy with dainty digits.

 

[hdwhit]

Well, I don't like anything Dillon because I use - and will continue to use - a single stage press.

The Square Deal presses are great for the caliber they were configured to load. But people who think they can buy a SDB press and with a cheap caliber change end up with a 650 are just fooling themselves. I suspect that's where much of the complaining comes from.

 

[Beemer-mark]

I have two, one bought around 1995 and one picked up arround around 300. Love them both,