rcurtner
Hellcat
Have four tool heads with powder measures one with Dillon 45acp dies and one for 9mm dies. Are the XL 650 tool heads compatible with the 550C press, guessing they are?
reloading questions/advice if you would please?
- Thread starter Old_Me
- Start date
Old_Me
Emissary
i really do not know if they are compatible.
i just looked it up
No, Dillon 550c and 650 toolheads are not directly interchangeable. While both are made by Dillon, the 550 uses a 4-station toolhead, and the 650 uses a 5-station toolhead. The toolheads are physically different in shape and number of die stations. However, third-party toolheads are available that are designed to be compatible with both the 550 and 650 models, say Amazon sellers and YouTube videos.
rcurtner
Hellcat
Thanks Old_Me will do some research.
jumpinjoe
Hellcat
Being the old die hard "Lee" Precision tool user from the early 1970's, all I can say is I'm sorry to hear this. I started out using the simple, but effective "Lee" hand tool in several calibers, then a simple "Lee" Challenger 'O' frame press, then a late 1980's 3 die turret press. Used the 3 die turret for many years and thousands of rounds, up through 2016-18 when I upgraded to the newer "Lee" 4 die 'Classic" Turret press. Still use it today and occasionally will limber up the old 3 die turret. Then I saw the new "Lee" Challenger III Breech Lock 'O' frame press and bought one. Then there was a few months I temporarily set up a loaned "Lee" Pro 1000 progressive press and used it for several months. I also have many, many "Lee" accessories such as powder measures, scales, Auto Disc and Auto Drum measures, 10-12 die sets, length trimming tools, quick mount plates for various presses, and the list goes on. In fact everything in my loading room is "Lee" brand with exception of one powder scale sold by RCBS that I won in a raffle. And to the best of my memory, and after loading literally thousands of rounds for hunting, competition, and plain paper punching, I've never, not ever had a situation go wrong with any of it that I hadn't caused either by not paying attention, lack of experience or something similar ... and that number was very small. Now admittedly, I started out with the simplest tools available (hand tool) and because it was a hand tool I probably paid more attention to each detail as I used it and that paying attention probably carried forward with me through all the other equipment I've used over the years. Since I've personally had such good service from "Lee", and I don't call it luck, but service, I hate to hear of anyone else having such bad luck with it and feel like I should speak up for the "Lee" brand based on my experience. Today with the number of years I've been reloading, and the many, many thousands of rounds I've loaded, I could probably set a station up blindfolded. But I won't because it does require details even with many years practice and experience. Much like "SnapOn" tools compared to some others. They don't do a single thing that some others won't do just as well, but they are prettier! None of the above is intended to insult anyone who might have had some bad service with "Lee" reloading equipment, nor "SnapOn" hand tools ... just this one old man's personal experience.
I am just studying and learning in plans to begin reloading sometime next year once I've accumulated some once fired (from my guns) brass to load. I am assembling kit and kaboodle to do so and so far it is basically all Lee unless it's something I didn't find offered from them. I don't see any reason to look elsewhere. And having written to them twice with very basic questions for new guy clarification I can confirm their CS is excellent. I'll be a Lee user for as long as I'm able to reload. Great company and great stuff. And I don't mind a bit not paying double for other names or paint colors on the equipment either.
Old_Me
Emissary
you and i had spoken via PM's in the past, when i said way back then, "i'm gonna take my sawz-all to this POS, and you talked me out of it.
now of course, i do not have your years of experience, but i do with Snap-On tools being a former wrencher. Yes, they are prettier tools, and of course, more pricey.
however, they work, day in and day out.
but this damned blasted Lee Pro-4000 has gotten on my last nerve, and i think i only paid about $200 for it, with the 45 ACP dies installed, at the same time.
it took time to set up...once it started to run, it would run fine....for THAT reloading session.
over and over again.
each "new time" in reloading i have had to remove the powder cup, and use a tool to poke thru the powder to make the powder flow...why..???
why not the Dillon..???
further...why the CONSTANT readjusting of the seating die..???
and not the Dillon..??
shell plate is snug, (no wobble), and the base is clean to allow smooth rotation.
ram is lubricated all the time
every thing is as clean as possible.
i set my seating depth to 1.135.....for that, ALL my guns, INCLUDING ALL my 9mm CZ's.....CAN shoot the 9mm reloads.
if i go by Lyman book seating depth..??
the CZ's do not shoot the 9mm's...
why does my Dillon, constantly give me my 1.135 seating depth...with Lee dies too by the way...and the Lee FAILS to do this time after time..??
well...only a price of $200 tells me why (only in my opinion)...
I have gone thru videos, i have asked for help (here in person) and on line.......
damn damned results.........the Lee has failed after each and every reloading session.....
at my age...i have had enough of the constant let downs and BS........
I will NEVER recommend a Lee, at the very least, NOT a Lee Progressive....maybe a single stage if at all.
Old_Me
Emissary
good luck with your choice...i just hope you have good luck with your Lee.
buying a little at a time, especially "on sale" items will help in the long run as well.
you can for instance, buy the brass cleaning things now, like either a vibratory system, like i have, or a wet tumbling system, like many others have.
the only "wet cleaning" i do is, fill up a 3 gallon bucket of water, add Dawn dish soap, and some Lemine Shine, and then i use a "orange net (that oranges come in) and put the brass in tha and let the brass sit in it. rinse, then put into my Lyman case dryer. from there when done, into the polish vibrator.
dies, carbide dies are better, are your choice to buy, i have been using Lee Carbide and they work well.
many places to buy from, the bulk i have bought at Midway USA... they to me, seem to be the fastest in shipping..
if you buy gunpowder online, expect to pay a "hazmat fee"......i cannot recall the exact pricing, but i think last time for me was $30.
many places of course sell powders but add a profit to the prices as well, check with the actual makers of the powders for lower pricings....i have been buying the 8 pound containers, and the LGS does not sell that size.
i try to get my primers from the LGS, to avoid any hazmat fee's and shipping charges
a lot to learn, as i too am still learning, only been now 3 years(?) since i started
i bought a neat work bench for about $100 at Home Depot, fits nicely where i had the space, and is quite sturdy.
I do buy significantly from Midway. Good service and reasonable prices. I'm only getting carbide dies. A bit more expensive but based on my thimbleful of knowledge easier to work with. I buy powder/primers from MiWall. Best prices of anywhere I've found, especially with a sale. I bought in a couple of batch buys and that really diluted the hazmat fee. Do you have a link to the work bench? I'm working on clearing out enough junk to make space for one. Hopeless cause probably, but we'll see.
rcurtner
Hellcat
My favorite powders are WW231 & Power Pistol for 45acp and 9mm.
The powders I've checked have been less expensive at MiWall than Hodgdon. But maybe on sale and I hit the right time. I usually check both plus Natchez and Midway.
Old_Me
Emissary
during the pandemic and just a bit after you recall the shortage..
i really wanted to by 231, but none to be found...my buddy at the mom/pop bait and gun store, told me when i asked about TiteGroup, that is is a very good all around powder.
that was available at the Miwall place, that's when i bought my first 8 lbs jug of it.
i been satisfied with it ever since.
alos for safety sake too, i'd not want a different powder, even though i have places to store it, it's just that if i forget to label anything, that loud KABOOM may scare the neighbors.
jumpinjoe
Hellcat
You're right, you and I have gone round n round on some of these issues, but without 'hands on' there's no way I can offer much help to these issues. My only guess would be that if all this is going on with this one press, there must have been something wrong with that press before you got it. The previous owner or original shipper may have dropped it, bent something and then tried to straighten it, etc, etc. Maybe a piece is actually missing, etc. These things are all (whichever brand) near precision machines and will work within certain tolerances, but won't at some others. I'd personally love to have that press to play with and just see if the problems you're seeing can/can't be figured out. It's a shame you've had all these problems and I hate it for you, especially your being so new into reloading, when I've had nothing but great success with all "Lee" stuff. Admittedly I've not used a Pro 4000 but very little at a buddies place, but everything I tried worked well on it. I do have considerable experience with a "Lee" Pro 1000. The two are pretty similar and the 1000 being one of the first progressive "Lee"s ever and so many of them are still going strong, it's just so out of the ordinary for this to be happening. So, again I'm going to say my guess is there has to be something wrong with that particular press rather than the "Lee" products. I'll make you this offer ... if you'll box it up and ship it to me, I'll spend whatever time necessary to try to figure it out and if so, I'll ship it back to you corrected and fixed ... no charge. It concerns me that you've had all this trouble to the extent you have developed such a bad taste for all "Lee" stuff. I just can't believe it's the "Lee" stuff rather than something particular to this one piece. If you truly do not want it anymore, ship it to me to keep at my expense and I'll let you know whatever I find. jj
Old_Me
Emissary
what one problem was...is the spent primers...they go down thru the press, and the primers release thier junk into that hole and as a result, jam the shell plate, to where it "skips" as it advances....
1 st picture..
it is tough, but inside that allen head bolt, is where the primers drop into the catch tubing..as you can plainly see, the black tracks of the spent primer crud..the underside of the shell plate..?? i had to use a wire wheel to remove it..!!
the shell plate when i reinstalled it, was snig, in other words, no wobble to mess with the advancement, or the die stations.
it irks me to no end, the CONSTANT adjusting of the powder, or the adjusting of the seating die...where as the Dillon..??
"set it and forget it"
same powder (TightGroup) used on both machines. cleaned and polished shell casings on both machines'
copper coated bullets 45 ACP or 9mm on both machines.
i think i "might" keep the Lee, and set it up for strictly decapping the 9mm and using the case feeder, so that way i can "speed de-cap" over one at a time as on the single stage.
2 nd picture.....
but then too, many times, nearly ALL the freaking time in fact, the "push bar, that pushes the case into the #1 station..??
doesn;t always push the case far into the shell plate, making me squash a perfectly good case..!!!!!
i should not have issues, but have had them, since day #1..
the Dillon...??
i had no help setting it up, like i had no help setting up the Lee, but like the Lee, i did.....and no issues what so ever
so i dunno...my cutting wheel and sawz-all are hungry, and looking over my shoulder.
jumpinjoe
Hellcat
Well, the offer stands at any time. It would be a real shame to throw it away, cut it up, or in any other way destroy it if in fact there was a simple problem and fix. If it's thrown away or cut up you'd never know for sure. Myself, I couldn't stand not knowing, I guess I'm just too inquisitive. So I'll just end this by saying, neither of us know just how many 4000's are out there churning out reloads, but it's a big number. And of all the reviews I've read, yours is by far the worst by a wide margin. I still say it's your particular machine and not "Lee" over all. Discounting all the "Lee" products being used across the world every day, it seems if there was a problem across all "Lee" products, or even all Pro 4000's, there would be thousands of bad reviews anywhere you looked relative to reloading equipment. There are some, but no more than on any other progressive press as far as I can see. I did see one with the title indicating there was a particular issue with the 4000 that "Lee" provided the fix for, but none ... no review I've seen had all the individual issues you have. Have you thought of contacting "Lee" to see what they have to say? That in itself might solve your issues. I dunno Old_Me, there's obviously something not right about your press, but I have to believe it ain't because it's a "Lee".
rcurtner
Hellcat
Just checked Midway they have WW231 but it's pretty expensive forgot to check on Power Pistol.
rcurtner
Hellcat
WW231 8 pounds $319.00, 4 pounds $167.00 and of course hazmat. Power Pistol out of stock.
So what did Lee say when you talked to them about these issues?