Looking for 9mm and 45 cal Dillon dies

[Jimbuck]

I just got a 650 and all the bells and whistles but no dies. Looking for a set in those two calibers. Dillon now says 6-8 weeks for them. don't feel like paying the $150 a set on ebay. Anyone got some?

Thanks,

Jim

 

[coopermania]

I would call Bob Mancer in Pomfret, Md. He owns Maryland ReloadeR
He is a Dillon Dealer, I am out tonight and I don't have his # Googlefou for it.
If you call him have some patience he has had a few heart attacks and if he does not answer, leave a message and he will call back. Good Luck

 

[pilgrim]

I got my .45ACP at Frederick show Saturday.
I saw Bob Friday afternoon. He is out of the popular calibers. I did get .45-70. He said everything is on backorder. I did see the slick looking 650 and 1050.

 

[guthook]

Are you looking for the conversion kit, or just the dies?

 

[Jimbuck]

Just the dies. Bob has everything else. We need those so we can pickup our press and accessories.

 

[atblis]

Why Dillon dies? You can use any regular old dies in it. I reload several calibers in a 650. I've never used Dillon dies.

 

[Pinecone]

Dillon dies are very nice dies.

And the sizing die has a larger bell mouth to avoid messing up the case mouth if the case is not fully inserted into the shell holder.

But to get started, any dies are better than none.

 

[coopermania]

Why Dillon dies? You can use any regular old dies in it. I reload several calibers in a 650. I've never used Dillon dies.

Because Dillon Dies are designed from the ground up to be used on progressive machines.
You can take most Dillon dies apart by pulling out a clip, cleaning out the die and put back together without readjusting the die.

 

[atblis]

Redding also sells a progressive specific set if you feel like blowing money on that.

Qualitywise, Dillon dies aren't that remarkable. Redding, RCBS, Forester, etc. etc. pick a favorite color and have at it. The carbide rifle dies are somewhat interesting though.

Tons of people use regular dies in progressive presses all the time. They work fine.

And the sizing die has a larger bell mouth to avoid messing up the case mouth if the case is not fully inserted into the shell holder.

Regular dies are radiused at the bottom plenty enough. I'll also point out that 9x19 is a tapered case. The case mouth will always be narrower than the bottom of the die so that feature is absolutely no value for that cartridge. Some people specifically avoid the Dillon dies for that very feature. They don't always do a good enough job sizing the case down towards the bottom. Lee dies do a better job than most in this regard.

Unless you're loading cast bullets, the easy take apart thing isn't that big a deal.

 

[Traveler]

I have done a fair bit of reading, and the only positive I hear about Lee is that they are cheap. For me, Dillon, Forester, Redding, RCBS, in that order. Better to buy once and grumble over the price than buy many times and grumble about the hassle.

 

[atblis]

There are a multiple positives to Lee dies actually.

Their carbide pistol dies tend to do a better job of getting the bottom of the case. The Dillon dies are notably bad about this. This can be important for auto pistols stuff.

The collet neck sizing dies are very interesting and have a few advantages. They are mostly insensitive to neck thickness, size the absolute minimum amount needed, do a very good job of repairing damaged necks, and do not require the case to be lubed. They do have limitations. I reserve them for use in bolt action rifle.

Lee's decapping pin system is better than Dillon's. It holds tight enough to remove crimped primers, but will move if there's an issue.

The Lee collet crimping dies are the way to go if you need to crimp rifle rounds. Not sensitive to case length like normal crimp dies.

Oddly enough, the Pistol Factory Crimp Dies that most people rave about I do not like.

 

[Pinecone]

If you have never used Dillon dies, how do you know that are not better?

As for not fully sizing the cases, I have no problem with any of the rounds produced with Dillon dies not chambering in any firearm I have tried them in. Even .40 cases fired in a Glock. They chamber fine in a several .40 firearms.

And if there are a big problem, I can run them though a Lee Bulge Buster first, once.

 

[atblis]

I've never bothered to use them in the 650.

 

[guthook]

Main point is, you don't have to wait 6-8 weeks for Dillon's die set. Any manufacturers die with standard threads will fit the plate.

I know it's a bear waiting on stuff. We're just letting you know that anyone's dies will work with the Dillon.

I use RCBS dies with my XL650 for 9mm, 45acp, 233rem and 308win.

*Helpful hint:* A lot of the 650 conversion parts are interchangeable between those 4 calibers as well.

 

[Pinecone]

This will help you figure out what parts you need for various calibers.

IMO, it is better after you have a few, so you can see if it makes more sense to buy a few pieces or another entire conversion kit.

http://gunwiki.net/apps/calconversion/index.asp

See, you can use other dies in the Dillon. But the Dillon dies are very nice, and IMO, well worth getting. But if it is a matter of not reloading, then use whatever you can find.

 

[mstraus]

I have an extra set of .45acp lee dies i would part with. PM if interested

Seuss

 

[SOMDSHOOT]

I picked the wrong time to get in to reloading 9mm for fun. I was given a box of 5000 OF brass and now there's no die sets or molds to be found without offering up a kidney. The brass will have to set. Sellers are simply ridiculous with their prices.