The Dillon RL550B has changed the way I felt about reloading in many ways. When I heard people talking about their single stage presses and how tedious some of the reloading stuff can be, I felt that it wasn’t worth the time to start reloading. But let me give you some backstory on my life before reloading. I had been spending thousands and thousands of dollars for years just on ammo. Think about how much it costs for 10,000 rounds of 45 ACP. Or even 5 times that much in 9mm or 7.62×39. It all adds up quick. I have probably spent more money in one year on ammo, than I have spent on filling up my gas tanks my whole time of driving in my life. That’s not exactly a way to build a retirement fund. But finally, i took a leap and decided enough was enough. I chose to start reloading. Now reloading does not sound very appealing to many people for a variety of reasons. I had the same hesitations myself not too long ago. I felt that it was pretty dangerous, and that it wouldn’t really end up saving a whole lot on ammo anyways. I figured I would save a few bucks on 45, and break about even on 9mm. This kind of thinking seems to be pretty commonplace for people who have not considered even looking at what it costs to get started reloading. That is okay, and it is why I want to offer this quick rundown about my experiences and lessons from reloading if you are looking into it. I believe this will save a huge amount of dough down the road whether you shoot 45, 9mm, or 380, you can save a mound of cash on your ammo costs by reloading. It is not hard to get into, and the investment will quickly pay for itself down the road. For example, I am paying half of what the cheapest 9mm costs. That means I am paying about 10 cents a shot instead of 20 cents for cheap ammo that may cost $10/box at Wal-Mart.
When I was looking for a machine to reload on, i wanted it to last, have a good reputation, be simple to maintain, and have a terrific record for good customer service. The other things I was looking for was as little time as possible on reloading the ammo, but without risking my safety or the integrity of the machine. After a good amount of research, I found that the Dillon RL550B was the way to go for me, and fit all the above criteria. I figured that a full automatic index like on the XL650 wouldn’t allow me the control and safety of being able to check every round and make sure everything is operating nominally. This is why i don’t mind indexing the stations myself. I can tell you that when reloading, you get into a rhythm and the worst thing you can do is get into a rhythm of ignoring checking for things that could result in a very bad reload or a detonation. I found that ensuring that the casing is in fact decapped and not cracked or deformed after resizing as well. Also you need to ensure that powder actually goes inside the casing in the powder stage. If you don’t get powder in your round, you will undoubtedly receive a subtle pop and a round will be stuck in your barrel. I have had this happen with factory .45 ammo before and that was not fun. No matter what machine you get, you still have to check your stations and ensure proper functioning and prevent accidents. i found that the Dillon RL550B offered the best balance of time savings and quality control that I desired, so it was an obvious choice for me. I believe you too will find it good for beginning, and once you get more experienced and want to expand the calibers that you reload.
Learn more about the Dillon RL550B HERE…
https://youtu.be/vlJJ7Yad5J8
by
David served in the USMC for a few years. Deployed twice and got wounded. Retired and moved to Alaska. Has a passion for reviewing and testing guns and gear of all kinds. Enjoys working to dispel myths and show that you can train and practice in a realistic, safe, and practical way.
