The Dillon 450

[RussellD]

Two things that will really help your shoulder-Order a Dillon Aluminum roller handle. Set you press up on a Dillon smart mount.

Good loading and shooting sir

PS

Hornady One shot case lube makes a world of difference. I can tell the difference on my 550 and 1050..

 

[Amp]

I was thinking of replacing my SDB but now I may keep it and add another. And I like the idea of manual indexing.

 

[AveragEd]

Two things that will really help your shoulder-Order a Dillon Aluminum roller handle.

As I mentioned in my post to the "Which Dillon..." thread, I bought the aluminum roller handle with my 650 and found it painful to use for it locked my hand, wrist and arm into one angle throughout the operating cycle. I went back to the standard handle with a ball for it permits my hand to rotate on the ball. But roller handles are popular so I guess if someone's joints are ailment-free, they are great.

Ed

 

[Boogsawaste]

As I mentioned in my post to the "Which Dillon..." thread, I bought the aluminum roller handle with my 650 and found it painful to use for it locked my hand, wrist and arm into one angle throughout the operating cycle. I went back to the standard handle with a ball for it permits my hand to rotate on the ball. But roller handles are popular so I guess if someone's joints are ailment-free, they are great.

Ed

I'm not a fan of roller handles either. I just don't like the feel.

 

[BE Mike]

I'm not a fan of roller handles either. I just don't like the feel.

You must be a young man. My 450, converted to 550 won't accept a roller handle. My 650 has one. I love the roller handle. I load standing up with the 650 and seated with the 550, so there might be some difference there.

 

[Boogsawaste]

You must be a young man. My 450, converted to 550 won't accept a roller handle. My 650 has one. I love the roller handle. I load standing up with the 650 and seated with the 550, so there might be some difference there.

You guessed it! 35, but I have a bad shoulder from a BMX accident about 10 years ago. A good separation and recently I started feeling that old pain come back to haunt me.

Why won't your 450 work with the roller? Just curious. The only roller I have is on a lee single stage and maybe it's just that press but it feels "squirrelly" to me. I wish someone local had one on their Dillon so I could see how it feels. My Dillon has a WAY short regular handle and I smash my finger tips on the ejector chute or whatever it's called. I forgot I put a wtb ad for a longer stock handle I believe from a 550. Have to check that again as I think someone had one they wanted to sell. I forgot all about that!

 

[AveragEd]

If anyone wants a Dillon aluminum roller handle, I have one I obviously don't need.

Ed

 

[Boogsawaste]

If anyone wants a Dillon aluminum roller handle, I have one I obviously don't need.

Ed

Hey Ed, shoot me a pm on how much you want for it. I'll take a chance and see if I like it. I'm sure it'll beat me smashing my fingers in the ejector chute!

Maybe I just don't like the Lee because the roller part is really wobbly?

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I have the roller handle on my upgraded 450. I feel that it is one of the few upgrades that actually increase production ease, and ease meand more production.


The height of the press in relation to your shoulder will effect YOUR performance. Try loading a full session with different height chairs for each session. Then you can mount the press in the right position for your needs. I'm on version LAODING BENCH 4.2.2! I am set so can load standing or on a bar stool. That brings to another up grade: The Strong Mount. It is great, only if you get the height issue solved. From my experience the "office desk" is the wrong elevation. Think about "kitchen counter" and standing/stool the Strong mount adds 10" to the handle position. Just remember, There is no- one size fits all! and your previous injuries make the fit even more critical. I have shoulder problems from childhood and from a bicycle crash 14 months ago. I've adjusted height many times and tried slightly different angles (perpendicular to the bench, isn't always best). I gave every change about 3 good loading sessions.

Ivan

ETA: I just compared the OP photo to my Alum. Roller Handle. My grip is about 2 inches higher than the photo. That could make a world of difference!! Good luck.

Ivan

 

[Boogsawaste]

Thanks Ivan! The lee I have the roller handle on is mounted right at the bench but my turret is on a "custom" mount I made at one point because it used to be mounted above a drawer and I needed to use it. The turret KILLS my shoulder at that height. Especially when I was depriving brass before tumbling. Maybe I could try standing though? Never really put thought into that.

I'd like a nice comfy chair that has adjustable height and I really should look into getting one. I'm using a chair made of wood and straw (seriously), that was my moms before she passed. She loved that ugly old falling apart chair and that's why I use it. I guess I can find another use for it though and get a proper one for the loading bench. It'll help me decide what height works for me. Thanks for the suggestion.

Here's the turret riser: This press has the stock handle with a grip on it (ball fell off long ago and who knows where it is anymore). My other lee is a challenger I believe it's called. That's the one with the roller handle.

 

[AveragEd]

As you can barely see in the photo of my bench, my chair is a fully adjustable one that I can set for height as well as seat and back angles. I just didn't care for how the roller handle kept my arm in the same angle all the way through the process. The ball just "fits" me better and I guess some of that might be due to my 40 years of using one on my metallic loaders.

When I was a very active shotshell reloader, I went through several brands of loaders as well as different handle types including the shovel handle style. To use that one without discomfort, I had to leave it loose on the handle shaft so it could rotate so I may as well have saved that money too and stuck with the factory's ball handle. My final solution was to go with an electric operator for a MEC 9000E - no handle, just push two buttons and 3.8 seconds later, you have a loaded shell.

To each their own. As I said, a lot of people must like that "locked" kind of handle or they wouldn't be available.

Ed

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I find it amazing, that we come up with so many different ways to do the exact same thing. I really Like your BIG RED MOUNT. It looks to have been repurposed from a bracket of some nature.

There are some companies that make mounts and handles for loading presses besides the press manufacturers. As with most web pages, the photos never give the critical information you need. Like height, width, and depth, along with back-set and different angles of approach.

In looking at your latest photo of the Lee turret press handle, The way you grip the handle; looks to put several different stresses on your right shoulder. Weather you clasp over the top or vertically grip the rubber changes several muscle and tendon attachment points at your shoulder.

May I suggest you start with the handle/grip problems then start on the height issues.

In my last house I had a dream LOADING ROOM, 12' by 15', with a 7' bench along one wall and turn around , there was 9' of "L" shaped bench in the corner. (This took 15 years to perfect, and didn't start until my daughter went off to college and I took over her room complete with pastel walls with pretty flowers stenciled on them) At one point I had 2 Rock Chucker Supreme presses mounted at different heights, 2 progressives (a L-N-L AP & a 450/550)) and a Redding T-7, PLUS changeable plates with more loading presses and bullet sizing presses that I could switch as needed. NOT SO MUCH ANYMORE! I have a 5' bench between filing cabinet and gun safe and a few shelves in the laundry room. The 550, the T-7, and my plate system (usually not mounted so I have some space to do small projects). To load shotgun shells, those pressed have always been mounted to 3/4 plywood and clamped to the bench. Only now there isn't room, so I "C"-clamp them to a workmate in the family room. (Shot spills in Mama's carpet earn me much grief, that I deserve!)

I started loading 37 years ago,. My bench(s) have changed, my space has changed, even my location has changed twice. But I keep loading and improving the process! Good luck figuring out what you need and balancing it with what you are allowed to get!

Ivan

 

[Boogsawaste]

I find it amazing, that we come up with so many different ways to do the exact same thing. I really Like your BIG RED MOUNT. It looks to have been repurposed from a bracket of some nature.

Yup, it is actually from a hospital stretcher! Part of the hydraulic jack assemblies. I was being lazy and left the bracket part on it figuring maybe I'd bolt something to it one day.

The handle on it is just there to cover the metal. I don't hold it like a grip or anything. I just hold it as if it were a ball. My hands aren't soft so that doesn't bother me. I wish I did have the ball though as it would at least look nicer. Have to find it one day!

 

[AveragEd]

I started loading 37 years ago. My bench(s) have changed, my space has changed, even my location has changed twice.Ivan

Isn't moving a real chore for reloaders? I've had to do it twice over the last six years and do NOT want to go through it again!

Ed

 

[BE Mike]

I have the roller handle on my upgraded 450. I feel that it is one of the few upgrades that actually increase production ease, and ease meand more production.


The height of the press in relation to your shoulder will effect YOUR performance. Try loading a full session with different height chairs for each session. Then you can mount the press in the right position for your needs. I'm on version LAODING BENCH 4.2.2! I am set so can load standing or on a bar stool. That brings to another up grade: The Strong Mount. It is great, only if you get the height issue solved. From my experience the "office desk" is the wrong elevation. Think about "kitchen counter" and standing/stool the Strong mount adds 10" to the handle position. Just remember, There is no- one size fits all! and your previous injuries make the fit even more critical. I have shoulder problems from childhood and from a bicycle crash 14 months ago. I've adjusted height many times and tried slightly different angles (perpendicular to the bench, isn't always best). I gave every change about 3 good loading sessions.

Ivan

ETA: I just compared the OP photo to my Alum. Roller Handle. My grip is about 2 inches higher than the photo. That could make a world of difference!! Good luck.

Ivan

Interesting that you were able to install a roller handle on your 450. The part that the handle fits was one thing that was left "450" and I tried to get a roller handle to fit, but the bend in the handle was wrong. I called Dillon and they said that the roller handle wouldn't fit and basically I was out of luck.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

BE Mike; I suggest you look to one of the After Market fabrication companies. They make several handles and if there is a special need they are in the business of making things worl.

Ivan

 

[BE Mike]

BE Mike; I suggest you look to one of the After Market fabrication companies. They make several handles and if there is a special need they are in the business of making things worl.

Ivan

Thanks for the tip. I tried the Dillon roller handle on my converted 450 eons ago. I sent it back. My bulk reloading is .45 ACP on a 650 which has the roller handle.

 

[Qc Pistolero]

I was thinking of replacing my SDB but now I may keep it and add another. And I like the idea of manual indexing.

If it can be of any comfort to you Sir,I own both manual(RL300)and auto indexing(SDB)and I prefer manual.Better feeling on the handle and if something goes wrong(Murphy's law),it is easier to correct and get back to business as usual.But like they say,different strokes for different folks!The most important is enjoying what you're doing!
Qc