Due to the recent increase in my pistol shooting I am looking at getting a progressive press that is set up with both a case and bullet feeder to load 9mm, 45 acp, and 38 sp/357 mag. Im stuck between the Hornady LnL AP or the Dillon XL650. What would you guys suggest?

You're going where I've never been, but if I was headed that direction I'd go Dillon. There's gotta be a reason Dillon users are so fanatical!

Gotta be...

those are the top two...

big debate between which is better...

How many calibers are you loading? The 650 has a nice caliber change system but can be more expensive (depending on how you do it)

I have a lnl ap and made up for the machine in 45 acp alone

i would check out ultimate reloader and review some of his videos

I've never used a Hornady, so I can't comment on one. I really like my Dillon.

if you go dillion check out sniper hide...there is someone doing a GB on Dillon and you can save a few bucks

Im going to be loading for 4 pistol calibers to start, I may add in 223 and 300 Blackout down the road. So ideally I want to be able to switch between them fairly easily.

Love my Dillon. It's a RL550B and I can make some fine 45ACP and 9mm cartridges plenty fast. With the powders I use for them I do not feel I need a secondary powder drop. I check about every tenth one after I have it dialed in. With the quick change tool head I have the complete setup including powder drop for each.

Dillon for their no bs warranty
The Hornady is written by a lawyer.
Dillon has better resale look at eBay

When you want to add a bullet feeder, you will need more than 5 stations. I won't run a press without a powder check die, so that's a requirement. Add a bullet feeder with a powder check die, and you will need a Dillon 1050. If you don't run a bullet feeder (really not needed, but is nice) you can get by with a 5 station, like the 650 or Hornady LNL. The Hornady press will change calibers much faster than a Dillon 650 will. That's a huge plus. The Dillon 650 that I used to run messed up a lot of primers. Once the primer leaves the cradle just before seating on a 650, the primer is unsupported. The brief unsupported time allows the primer to move around, and sometimes seats incorrectly. It would drive me nuts! I have played with a LNL, and it is a nice press. The 650 is good, but the LNL has more functionality. I'd lean to the LNL.

Let's back up a bit, what type shooting are you reloading for? For fun you can't beat the Dillon, if for match it will be fine but you may need to control your powder drop more precisely. With the Dillon (or Hornady) you can do all the functions but I like to weigh each for competition rounds.

With a 5 stager you could...
Stage 1 deprime
Stage 2 powder/ptx expander
Stage 3 powder check
Stage 4 bullet feeder
Stage 5 seat/crimp

I don't use a bullet feeder because I have easily loaded 400ish an hour and that's enough for me

If you want to load pistol look at the Dille square deal. I have a 650 and the square deal and use the sd the most.

I understand about proprietary dies but figure the cost.

It is hard to recommend one over the other. They both have strong points and weak points.

I've owned and used both the Hornady LNL, a Dillon 1050, and now a 550.

The LNL case feeder was fussy about placing the shells into position and they tipped over with some frequency, which was irritating and the reason I ultimatley sold it. The retaining spring tends to develop kinks, so buy a couple of extras as they are a wear item. The LNL powder measure is dramatically better... hugely better...than the Dillon system. The Hornady threw very consistent loads. The LNL took more time to set up initially and adjust, where the Dillons ran pretty well right from the beginning with not too much adjustment required.

The Dillon powder bar system is a poor design. Everything else about the Dillon I find preferable, but the powder system is a major negative for me. If someone could figure out how to mount a Hornady or Redding powder thrower on a Dillon press, that would be the setup to have. If you go with Dillon, either check every load or as Chad mentioned, use a lockout die and even that still lets inconsistent throw weights through. Throw weights with the LNL were +/- 0.1 to 0.2 max with charges of 5.4 of Titegroup. The Dillon throws between 4.5 - 6.0, and a few down even to around 3.5 total weight, which is a big range, and opens the door for squibs and overcharges. I finally found some ball powder to try in the Dillon. Hopefully it will meter better.

If you also want to load rifle ammo, the 550 seems to be more user friendly for rifle, at least to me. The 550 does not automatically advance, so the taller cases don't wobble as much when advanced by hand. It is only a four station press, so think about whether that will work for you. Attention is really required with all of these to avoid a double charge or a squib with pistol ammo.

I sold the LNL, but would own another without any reservations; same for the Dillon products. Both companies provide excellent customer service, which you will need at some point with either. I still have a Dillon on the bench, so I guess the balance tips in that direction a bit at the end of the day.

Here is the u-tube Chanel that convinced me to buy my Dillon 550b

His old was bill morgan reloading, i read the hornady boards and he was their Guru.

His videos will make the lock n load run well and he explained how to fix their problems.

The facts about dillon

I agree with Chad. The powder check die is a must. 5 stations is the deal breaker for me. Both Dillon and Hornady are great products with great customer service.

Danny,

This aftermarket part prevents the primer bar from hanging if that is your issue.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ixzqd9iPMaQ

Dillon 550b primer plate extension 550B Primer bar extension ebay link

His video is stupid! I only made it through 7 minutes before deciding it probably wasn't going to improve. Why buy machines that you have no plans to use?

I bet I have one of the earliest RL550b's made, bought new in the 80's. And, I am not about to knock the 650s or above.

All I will say is that the more things "fed" the more operations that are moving at the same time and have to be working just right. To this day I have never gotten the primer feed to work just right, non-stop without occasional adjustment. When reloading for high speed production, such as for pistol ammo, I don't want to take time to stop and adjust things.

With all that said, when I'm loading what else is there to do with my left hand during the handle stroke anyway? When I push the handle down with my right hand, my left hand is accessing a primer. The way I look at it, I will never load one, or many, without a primer. And hopefully I will never overlook a primer sitting sideways, or whatever was wrong with it, and have the equivalent blast of a 22LR go off in my face. That was extremely loud!!!!

As far as a progressive, if somebody stole this 550 tonight, I would buy another 550 tomorrow. If it breaks tomorrow, Dillon will give me another one, for free.

OP,

if you go with a Dillon, Brian Enos' forum has lots of information and troubleshooting for Dillon equipment.

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showforum=78

Here is a link to his FAQ's, which are worth reading before making a final decision.

http://www.brianenos.com/pages/dillonfaqs.html#550650

650

If you watched the he Has been doing a series on the dillon reloading press.
His points are this none of the sucriber ask him to a video like the
Hornady progressive people.
The dillon difference is that they run good out of the box.
The other point is that a friend sent to dillon a wore out pos
and sent a rebult one that looks like new condition and work like a new one.
.

Thinking about this more while loading this afternoon, my 550 runs and runs without stoppages or needing attention. In the long run, it turns out as much ammo as I need without down time to fix stoppages which were persistent with the LNL and also to a lesser degree the 1050. I have not used a 650, so cannot comment, but between the LNL and the 550, the Dillon is preferable, which is why it is still on the bench.

A friend of mine who is a competition pistol shooter bought 2 Hornady projector press's and flat wore him out he spent many service calls too Hornaday and they sent him parts.
He bought a Dillon press instead and has had zero problems with it if anything minor ever brakes the in mail within a couple days.
The I want to see my friend has salvaged from the two Hornady presses is a powder measure hornady powder measure is design better and throws a more accurate charge than the Dillon.


Here's the real deal you must read the warranties Dillon is just send it in for repair or replace it hornady is written there when they don't feel like servicing their machines they don't have to give you parts I would consider this before buying a Hornady machine unless you can afford to buy a dillon.

I also have both L-N-L and the 650. For pistol I like the Dillion better. I only load 9mm on the Dillon and pretty much use the Hornady for .223. If you want to process .223 brass the swager system for the Hornady is really the best I have tried for removing crimps.