Dillon Square Deal B Questions

9mm guy · Apr 5, 2019

I'm taking a hard look at the SDB as part of my due diligence in considering a progressive press from my Lee Classic Turret. I'm considering Lee Auto Breech or other Lee presses as well.

I only reload 9mm and am looking for something under $500. The only thing that I'm having a hang up about regarding the SDB is that there is no optional case or bullet feeder. I was hoping even just one of these two feeders was available. The thought of having to seat a brass and a bullet, then alternate pulling the lever doesn't thrill me for this price.

I may be just thinking like a lazy person or being too unreasonable or maybe I'm missing something. Do other SDB users have any comments regarding this requirement? Lee Auto Breech has both a case and bullet feeder for about half the price and I wonder why everyone is not just buying the Auto Breech lock instead of the SDB. I know the Lee bullet feeder requires a lot of tinkering but I wonder if that's worth it considering half the price. Any insight or comments would be greatly appreciated. Thanks everyone.

matts · Apr 5, 2019

My brother and i have a square deal b and a fairly normal pace with one person only can make 300 rounds per hour, much faster if there's a second guy putting in a brass and keeping primers stocked up.
I've never really felt the need to load faster than this, maybe some day though....
I also have the lock n load ap mostly for my rifle loading, (it will work fine for handgun too)and i think this is my best investment so far, and you can add bullet / case feeder i think

Matt

ditchtiger · Apr 5, 2019

All my kids were raised feeding brass into my SDB. 100 rounds in 5 minutes was easy.

kamshaft · Apr 5, 2019

My dad has been using his SDB for around 30 years and has made enough ammo to wear out several Sig Sauer magazines. It's the press I learned on and used it for many years until I bought myself a 550. 3-400 sustained rph is about the rate I experienced as well. The biggest reason I went with a 550 is I wanted to load rifle and 357 Maximum, which the SDB can't do. The proprietary dies could also be viewed as a negative as they're harder to find used but if you're only setting up for 9mm it is a nonissue. I've never used a case feeder or bullet feeder and have never felt the need for one personally.
A buddy had a Lee Pro 1000 that turned out a lot of good 45 ammo and was fairly reliable. The priming mechanism and the auto disc powder measure are a little hinky from what I recall. That Auto Breech Lock doesn't look like it's in the same class as either a Pro 1000 or a SDB. The biggest turnoff for me is the crude priming system.

Tilos · Apr 5, 2019

9mm guy said:
I'm taking a hard look at the SDB as part of my due diligence in considering a progressive press from my Lee Classic Turret. I'm considering Lee Auto Breech or other Lee presses as well.

I only reload 9mm and am looking for something under $500. The only thing that I'm having a hang up about regarding the SDB is that there is no optional case or bullet feeder. I was hoping even just one of these two feeders was available. The thought of having to seat a brass and a bullet, then alternate pulling the lever doesn't thrill me for this price.

I may be just thinking like a lazy person or being too unreasonable or maybe I'm missing something. Do other SDB users have any comments regarding this requirement? Lee Auto Breech has both a case and bullet feeder for about half the price and I wonder why everyone is not just buying the Auto Breech lock instead of the SDB. I know the Lee bullet feeder requires a lot of tinkering but I wonder if that's worth it considering half the price. Any insight or comments would be greatly appreciated. Thanks everyone.

Know that a Hornady or RCBS bullet feeder/with tubes are alternatives to the Lee bullet feeder.
The down side to those feeders is they take-up a station, so with a LABLP with only 4 stations, you would need to seat and crimp in one station, something we all did before Lee convinced us otherwise

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Because you are used to the "pez dispenser" priming on the Lee turret, the dies/powder drop will all transfer to the LABLP and the ease of adding both a bullet and case feeder is why I'm recommending you buy the LABLP.
I'm not sure about a DSDB having auto indexing like the LABLP, though you can run the Lee either way, and the Lee uses standard dies (7/8x14).
I have several "progressives", red and green but no blue, and have added bullet feeders and/or case feeders to them so that my left hand only does one thing during a re-loading cycle, and my right hand never leaves the lever.
That said, the reason I have not bought an LABLP as yet, is because of the pez dispenser priming

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sorry Dillon fanboys,

joken · Apr 5, 2019

I have a SDB and like it better than my 550 as long as I don't have to change calibers.

Jeedia · Apr 5, 2019

If you only load 9mm and you only shoot around 1-3000 rounds a year. The square b is for you. If you shoot more I would go to a 650 with a case feeder. The amount if time it will save you is alot!! I started on a 550, and moved to a 1050 when I started competing in idpa and uspsa. I can load about 12-1500 per hour. I shoot about 15-20k a year.