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My greatest concern here is that a new person to reloading started with a progressive press. (If I've read correctly.)

The basics of reloading, the whys and wherefores (listed astutely here by others) are best learned and retained if the novice begins with the basics: including basic equipment.

It goes a long way toward diagnosing new problems that may erupt, and especially toward the close observation and constant monitoring that is required with a progressive press.

There are reasons we don't learn to drive in double-A fuelers, and we don't learn to fly in 747's.

I couldn't agree more... Frankly, I consider the 550 to be a VERY dangerous press for beginners to use. I have been reloading for over 20 years, and I still occasionally screw things up on the 550. While some of my concerns are mitigated when loading rifle on this press (it's hard to double charge a rifle round without powder spilling everywhere) the lack of auto-index, makes double charging pistol rounds a high possibility on this press. The lack of a powder checker makes this even worse!

I'm probably the wrong person to ask, because I have about 10,000 gripes about dillon's gear (yet I'm also a user of it). But starting slow, methodically, and with the high precision of a single stage press is the real way to get going. I know a lot of people who take the "just get a progressive and start making ammo" approach, however, there are still dozens of uses for single stage presses even after you get a progressive. All types of case prep things are better done on a single stage. Plus, instead of having to wait weeks for new shell plates to show up for the progressive, if you add a new caliber and have a decent selection of shell holders you can start loading immediately on a single stage, or a turret press. I recently just replaced my rock-chucker with an RCBS big-max press... while I won't say the difference is night and day... boy am I loving having a press that large.

Lets also not forget the reloading injury they call "dillon finger" they sure don't have "RCBS finger". Out of the approximately 8 people I've worked with (at an ammunition manufacturer) over the last 5 years, only 2 people have gone without getting dillon finger. (myself, and the new guy who just started in march).

As a result of my complaints about dillon's equipment and other manufacturers, I started my own company to start building equipment to compete with dillon's high end offerings. Most of my stuff is still in the design phase, but the company who currently pays my salary has one product on the market, the TX-50. I designed a number of the sub assemblies for it. http://www.tenxammo.com/tenx_tactical.html TX-50_photo-243x420.jpg

The name of my company is Ammunition Manufacturing Products, hence the name "AMProducts". If you are interested, you can check out my site. Right now most of the equipment is in prototype, I'm hoping to get it all done before I move to snohomish, wa next year. http://www.ammomfg.com
 
I couldn't agree less! The 550 is a dangerous press to use? LOL. "Dillon finger" LOL some more. Sounds like you have an interest in selling your own products. Nothing wrong with that and I wish you success, but please stop with the lies.

If you plan on loading a bunch of pistol ammo, get the 550 first. If you are the slow type, you can use it as a single stage 'til you feel more comfortable. About the only thing I agree with in your post is that a single stage is good to have around. I started off with the 550 a long time ago and ended up getting a single stage for most rifle rounds. Never had one misfire, double charge or any other reloading mishap other than getting a case stuck in a die. It's really NOT rocket science, though some would have you believe.
 
Alfack, perhaps you should re-read the first paragraph of my post.

This is neither lies, nor smack. I cite specific deficiencies with dillon's products.

Dillon finger is what happens when you trap your finger (usually seems to be the index finger) between the case mouth and the die. Granted, it can happen with any press, however the lack of camover force on the 1050 usually ends up with neophyte reloaders slamming the handle down to get more force out of the machine. When they are not paying attention the results are rather gruesome. I've seen it happen, twice.

When you have anywhere near as much experience with this equipment as I do, feel free to call me a liar. Until then cram it with walnuts.
 
Sorry, but some of your statements don't seem to jibe with the thousands of other users whose collective experience outweighs any you will ever have, including my own extensive experience with this equipment.

A tool is only as dangerous as the person using it.
 
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I would like to apologize both to alfack and the rest of the community for this developing flame war. There are certainly people more experienced than I with reloading gear, and alfack may be one of them.

The press shown above is one I contributed designs to, I am neither the principle architect, nor is it one of my products. I have already been paid for my efforts, and have no further financial interest in that product. It is essentially a very large dillon 650, designed to reload .50 BMG, and other cases based on the BMG. At this point, it doesn't do anything else, making it something of a one-trick pony.
 
OK now that you guys got that off your chest can we get back to helping the Newbie (Me)?. I got a Redding SB sizer and put it in a 550 toolhead (by itself in station 1) Set it to touch the bottom of the base. I sprayed sone Dillon case lube on some Remington once fired cases and started running some thru the 550. I did about 2 dozen and noticed it was denting the cases where the body meets the shoulder. Then my 25th case jammed in the Die and I can't get it out.

I'm really starting to dislike rifle. Have loaded thousands of 357 and 45 in my 550 and never had anything close to the problems I've had with .223".
 
I would guess the dents or ripples would be caused by too much case lube. are you having to "force" the brass into the SB? I've never had any of these problems you are having with my rcbs press and rcbs and lee dies.
 
You need to let the alcohol evaporate, otherwise they tend to stick. Spray it on, and put it next to a fan, or hit it with a hair dryer for a few minutes. I'll be honest, with the exception of lube dents, you can't put too much lube on cases. You might also spray a bit of the lube into the die itself. Don't forget to hit the expander ball.

Also, were you able to get the casing out? Or is it still stuck?
 
No matter what die it is, there is always the possibility of getting one stuck... I remember my first experience with RCBS' carbide sizing dies for .30 carbine. I thought WOW GREAT NO MORE LUBE! I think I managed to get through 2-3 cases before one stuck good.

I was going to suggest getting an RCBS stuck case removal kit. For about $20, that thing is a lifesaver, I use mine constantly. Come to think of it... next time I send a job off to my CNC machine shop I should turn out a bunch of the little bushings which hold the screw over the case. Sell them for $5 at the gun show... Just remember, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery...
 

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