should a new reloader consider a Dillon Square Deal??

[Bart45]

Take a look at a Redding Turret. Not as fast as a progressive, but speed is last on my list for any type of reloading.

 

[novalty]

Yeah the Dillon 550B is just a little more, and a scale is just a little more, a tumbler is a little more, reloading manuals are a little more, a bench is a little more.

 

[Mack]

IMO reloading 9 mm is a waste of time unless you are reloaing huge amounts and if you are the SD is not the right press. I could see the SD for expensive rounds like .357, 10 mm, .44 or .45 Colt NOT for .38, 9 mm, .40 or 45 acp. YMMV.

 

[Moonman]

The Square Deal is a nice little machine and will crank out a
bunch of excellent handgun ammo.

Many people have one SET-UP for 9 MM and one for 45ACP
that they never change, just crank out ammo.

The Square deal CANNOT do rifle ammo.

The dies for the Square Deal are EXCELLENT and not really the BIG NEGATIVE that some folks SEEM TO EXPOUND UPON.

 

[Rule3]

Thanks for the replies so far. The Lee turret is way cheaper. if I understand it right, you could de-prime 200 cases in a row, THEN, resize 200, THEN charge all 200 cases, etc You would rotate the turret one position only after every 200 repetitive motions.

I said 200 figuring that would easily cover a range session with my wife and me or a guest. Then go home with most of my 200 empties, reload over the next 2 weeks and hit the range again.

In the video, the Dillon seemed so easy but after reading the owners manual on setting it up I got nervous. the idea of doing 200 identical motions, then doing 200 of the next step is looking better and better. time.

You could do it that way if you have it set as a SINGLE stage (simply remove the turret rod) The LEE Classic turret is self indexing meaning it turns with each pull of the handle. 4 pulls and you have a complete round. About 100-150 rounds per hour with no sweat. I load 10-12 handgun calibers and 4 rifle on it.

Real Guns - Lee Classic Turret, It's Not Just For Kids

 

[Krell1]

In my opinion, you need a single stage press first and above all. It may be slower, but it will get the job done right.

I agree. I started out with a single station RCBS press and eventually went with the square deal. I liked it but, unless you want to load a lot of ammo quickly, you can do just as well with a single station press. I really never needed the quantity and, now that I'm retired, I can reload what I need at my leisure. I sold the square deal and went back to single station. In my opinion, a Lee press is the most inexpensive way to go as a starter press and it produces quality reloads.

 

[x10x10]

The quality difference between Lee and Dillon isn't even measurable, As a person starting out, I can't stress enough to buy quality up front.

 

[wheelgun28]

I started with a square deal and was very happy.

I had several sets of dies but started with 40. I had 9mm, 38 spl, 41mag, 44mag, I think others too.

I made loads of ammo with it, it was fun and easy to use.

I think the dies that the machine uses are very very good. I dont think that they are expensive in the least. You buy the conversion with the dies so it has what you need to set the machine up.

The dies are Dillon quality, they stand with the best of them IMHO.

Yes they fit that press only, not a big deal to me.

If you out grow the machine you can sell off the dies. It seems that they hold value pretty well so you wont get to beat up financially.

I moved from the SD to the 650 mostly I wanted to do rifle and the case feed for easier loading.

I also along the way picked up a 550. I do like it to but really I only load longer rifle on 308 and up. Its easier to set up and for a few hundred its fine.

I do process the brass on the 650 size trim etc.


Dont fear the SD

I say this all the time, if I started with a single stage I would have lost interest in very short order and gave up on reloading.

Yes I do have a single stage press and its a handy tool for certain things. Just not the primary loading machine.

 

[dla]

Here's why I ask:

Availability of powder, bullets & primers. I will load only 9mm and will get my initial supply (200 rounds) of brass from buying factory ammo.

Complexity of press assembly, adjustments and operation. The exploded parts diagrams and owners manual sure do mention a LOT of adjustable parts. As a newbie, setting all those adjustments up might be daunting.

The press is $380 before any extras. I will also have to buy all other reloading supplies such as manuals, scales, etc. I assume I will not get into this for less than $550 before cost of bullets, primers and powder. I hate to think about spending $550 total and then not being able to find supplies to reload. I then go back to spending $13-15 per box for factory ammo and have $550 just sitting there. And it's not all that easy finding the factory 9mm either.

Dillon's factory video shows a fully assembled unit that works so SIMPLE. But I realize there was a lot of work getting it assembled and adjusted.

So please make comments on whether I am getting in over my head with this model or should start with a basic one function O or C press where I measure my own powder for each round and have to manually prime each round.

The SDB is the best pistol cartridge progressive available. You won't get a higher production rate until you step up to the 650.

The cost of caliber conversion, (with everything + shipping), is $130. That sounds like a lot, but when you add up the cost of the equivalent goodies for the 550 & 650 you'll see that they aren't so cheap either. Plus, honestly, you aren't going to jump & add calibers that often.

I recommend that you get at least 4 primer pickup tubes and a solution for primer flipping and pickup. Loading primer tubes is my least favorite part of the process and I like to do about 400 rounds at a sitting (~ 1 hour).

The SDB dies are first rate and the setup is excellent - it really is an excellent little press. IMO, the SDB is a simpler, safer solution for a beginning reloader.

Now I should mention that I started on a Lyman turret back in the 60's, and I also did time on an RCBS RockChucker in the 70's and 80's. So I have painful memories of sllllooooowwwwllllyyy making ammo. I decided that I'm one of those who likes to shoot more than fondle each cartridge.

 

[shield]

IMO reloading 9 mm is a waste of time unless you are reloaing huge amounts and if you are the SD is not the right press. I could see the SD for expensive rounds like .357, 10 mm, .44 or .45 Colt NOT for .38, 9 mm, .40 or 45 acp. YMMV.

Depends what you mean by "huge amounts". I load 9mm for about 13 cents per round, and 45 ACP for about 18 cents on my SD. Doesn't take much to save a lot compared to buying factory rounds.

 

[Rule3]

To the OP, all these threads always turn to the same thing. Buy a Dillion.

When you buy your first car always buy a Benz or BMW when you take up Golf always buy the most expensive hand fitted clubs. Never buy a suit off the rack, get one hand tailored out of silk in Italy.

It's all a matter of how much cash you have and if you really want to get into reloading and buy all the other "stuff"

Scroll to the bottom of this page and there are many threads on this, do a search and find even more.

If you think a progressive press is for you, it's hard to believe but other companies like RCBS and Hornady make them also.

Choose wisely Grasshopper

 

[ChuckS1]

Get the SDB. Even though I started on an RCBS single stage press, and still use it for .45 Colt and .223, I use my SDB on a regular basis. As others have said, changing dies isn't hard if you get additional tool heads. Set up your dies and bang, all you have do is remove a few screws and you're done. If you have to switch primer sizes, I would buy another primer assembly so you have one for each size. Again, a few screws undone and replaced and you're done. Shell plate swap is also easy. My two most loaded calibers are .45 ACP and .38 Special, but I also load 9mm on it as well.

 

[Ben_hutcherson]

IMO reloading 9 mm is a waste of time unless you are reloaing huge amounts and if you are the SD is not the right press. I could see the SD for expensive rounds like .357, 10 mm, .44 or .45 Colt NOT for .38, 9 mm, .40 or 45 acp. YMMV.

I reload for several calibers where reloading is the only realistic option(i.e. 32-20) or at least the only affordable option(44 magnum).

I also reload a LOT for 38 special-far more than I do for any other caliber.

Around here, when it's in stock, the going rate for factory 38 special is around $20-22 a box(this is up from the $18-20 I was paying pre-panic). This works out to a cost of $.40 to $.44 per round.

I use a lot of the Xtreme 158gr plated bullets, which run right at $.10 each. Primers are running $.04 each now, and using Unique powder at a cost of around $25/lb, the cost is $.02 per round for powder(my actual cost is lower, but I rounded off to make the math easier). Using a powder like Bullseye gets things down to closer to $.01 per round. I consider the brass free, since all of mine came from factory ammo already bought and effectively lasts forever.

That give me a cost of $.16 per round for 38 special, or $8 per box of 50. I've bought cast bullets as cheap as $.06 each, and using Bullseye can get my cost down to $.11 per loaded round, but I'll go with the $.16 cost.

$8 per 50 represents a savings of $12 per 50 vs current market prices. Using a "bare minimum" of $200 worth of equipment(what I started with), the break even point for 38 special is after about 17 boxes, or 850 rounds. Even looking at $600 spent on a Dillon or other high end press, the break even point is around 2500 rounds.

Looking at the math for 9mm, Xtreme has 115gr plated bullets for around $.085 each. Primer costs are the same(although you might get lucky now and find them for $.035 or even $.03 each), and using Unique powder you'll be in the range of about $.025 per round. That puts us to $.15 per round, or around $7.50 per box. Assuming $15/box for factory, that means that your break-even point using the "bare minimum" equipment is around 1350 rounds, and on $600 of equipment will be 4000 rounds.

For me, even if I only loaded 38 special, reloading would still be a no-brainer. Of course, other calibers like .44 magnum(where I save about $30 a box) and 32-20(where I save $35 a box) are icing on the cake.

 

[Oldgoat03]

I have a single stage (still use to work up new loads) a Lee Classic 4 hole turret that I use for rifle and 2 SDB's. I like and use them all. I have toolheads& dies for all my pistol calibers and I got a second primer assy for quick primer size swaps. Since caliber / primers size changes are so easy the 2nd SDB sits in a box.

One thing that no one has mentioned yet is that the SDB comes set up ready to make ammo in the caliber you order. All you will need to do is check and adjust powder drops and bullet seating depth which must be done on any press.

In my oprion you can't go wrong with an SDB for loading pistol cartridges.

Hope this helps
OG03

 

[Yellowjacket56]

Greetings to all, and I might add that as a new member, perhaps I should keep my pie hole shut. But I would like to add my $0.02 for WIW.

I started to reload over forty years ago. Not a lot at first but enough to learn some things about it. I started with a single stage RCBS Rockchucker because it was cheaper and easier to find.
I probably am not smart enough to run a progressive press anyway. But it works and still works for me.

My advice is that if a particular press appeals to you. Study up on it and learn all you can before you put your greenbacks down on the table. But remember a machine bought on emotion alone, is not going be as pretty when the newness and emotions wear off. That Rockchucker of mine is ugly as sin, but I love to work with it and I get a chance to fondle each round as it is processed. Don't tell my wife.

I started with one loading and at present I load for 8 different calibers and I found a used MEC shotgun press and restored it to good working order for 12 Gauge.

It (Reloading) gives me a great deal of pleasure on cold winter night with my black Lab sleeping nearby. I hope you find it as fulfilling as I do.

Now I will shut up and sit down.

 

[M&PUSER]

Here's why I ask:

Availability of powder, bullets & primers. I will load only 9mm and will get my initial supply (200 rounds) of brass from buying factory ammo.

Complexity of press assembly, adjustments and operation. The exploded parts diagrams and owners manual sure do mention a LOT of adjustable parts. As a newbie, setting all those adjustments up might be daunting.

The press is $380 before any extras. I will also have to buy all other reloading supplies such as manuals, scales, etc. I assume I will not get into this for less than $550 before cost of bullets, primers and powder. I hate to think about spending $550 total and then not being able to find supplies to reload. I then go back to spending $13-15 per box for factory ammo and have $550 just sitting there. And it's not all that easy finding the factory 9mm either.

Dillon's factory video shows a fully assembled unit that works so SIMPLE. But I realize there was a lot of work getting it assembled and adjusted.

So please make comments on whether I am getting in over my head with this model or should start with a basic one function O or C press where I measure my own powder for each round and have to manually prime each round.

Start with one of these for the 9mm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPoLxeCAhcQ

You can always upgrade to a progressive later.

 

[shil]

I would recommend starting out with a single-stage, along the lines of an RCBS Rockchucker or similar. Once you get the feel of the reloading process, then consider a progressive. My feeling is that as you gain experience, even if you buy a progressive you will always use the single-stage from time to time. I've been reloading for 30+ years (still learning much from this forum!) and have both, getting a progressive for high-volume batches. Volume is the advantage of a progressive. Consider that, if you compare cost of components with cost of factory ammo, it will take 2-3 thousand reloaded rounds to amortize the initial cost of a progressive, depending upon what you buy. That's my estimate, anyway. Others may or may not agree. I still frequently use my single-stage for rifle cartridges and small batches of handgun cartridges for which setting up the progressive is, to me, anyway, more trouble than it's worth. Square Deal B? Not for me. Too limiting. If you are only going to load for one caliber, then maybe. I bought a Hornady LNLAP. Tough choice between it and a Dillon 550, but, for the price, the auto-advance of the Hornady won.

 

[plattincreek]

I reload for about 30 different calibers. I started out 40 years ago with a RCBS Rockchucker single stage press. I also have a Dillon 650 XL with all of the bells and whistles. My advice, get a good single stage press. Unless you are a very active competitive shooter where you need a couple thousand rounds per week, a Rockchucker will handle all of your reloading needs in a simple, straightforward, easy to use manner.

 

[x10x10]

All good points above but one thing is missing, TIME,
Depending on your lifestyle "Time" is a precious thing. I like to reload in the winter or in bad weather and do batches, and the larger the better. I try to knock out no less that 500 rnds everytime I sit down, with pistol I can easily do that with the 650 and if I get an hour or more I can knock out 1k rounds. For Rifle I try to knock out no less than 100 rounds.

that means If I can get an hour of time at home without interruptions I can do that.

If you don't have other commitments then time isn't a big deal, but for me the days of spending all day at the bench are not here yet.

 

[NAM68]

I don't think you need a Dillon. In my case I go to an outdoor range twice a month. 24 times a year and shoot about 200 rounds og 45 cal I reload on a Lee Pro 1000...progressive press. I like the progressive press because of the finished bullet.