Hey guys. I am a relatively new reloader. I currently use an RCBS single stage press. I throw powder short and trickle the rest on a beam scale. This way takes FOREVER!! I am currently reloading for 45ACP. In the end I would like to reload for pretty much every caliber I have. I dont have a ton of rounds to load in any caliber. Maybe 200-300 tops and thats for 45. I am kicking around the idea of either buying a Chargemaster and speeding up how I do it now, or buying a Dillon 550 and being able to load everything faster. From what I have seen around me and online, the Dillon is about 50$ more then the Chargemaster. My main goal for pistol is just fun shooting. My main goal for all rifle shooting is to kill the animal and make small groups on paper. Thoughts? Thanks for your input.
- Thread starter mercracing
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While the 650 is auto indexing which lessens the chance of double loading, the manually indexing 550 is an excellent choice to speed up reloading. Works best for pistol but rifle ammo can be loaded easily on the 550 as well. With rifle you'll probably size and deprime in one step then clean the lube off, trim and chamfer the case neck then you can finish the loading on the 550. The powder dispenser works best with ball powder like H335 I use for .223.
Whatever choice you make you'll still need to employ basic reloading practices of visually checking the powder before putting a bullet in a case.
Whatever choice you make you'll still need to employ basic reloading practices of visually checking the powder before putting a bullet in a case.
To be honest I didnt know the 550 was manual indexing. I assumed it was auto.
If speed is what you are looking for upgrading your press is the answer. A 550 is not an auto-indexing press but it will easily get you 350-400 rounds an hour. A Chargemaster is good but it's not going to really speed up your loading.
A 650 is another good option if you want an auto indexing press but you should check out the comparison article and recommendations on Brian Enos' web site.
A 650 is another good option if you want an auto indexing press but you should check out the comparison article and recommendations on Brian Enos' web site.
I suppose one should subscribe to the theory of "buy once, cry once"
You don't need an auto indexing press; the 550 works just fine. Yes, you have to be diligent to check for double charges. But if you make it a priority, you won't get one. If there is any question at all whether you double charged, take the case out, dump the powder, and charge again. Loading pistol rounds on a single stage is torture. If I were you, I would get the 550 and be done with it. Easier to change calibers than the 650.
I stand corrected. Cost of the press plus a set of dies would be around 100$ more.
Get the 550 first, later on get the chargemaster when you load for precision rifle.
Personally, I have used the Chargemaster----in the class I took on reloading----and I found it to be slow, and I had to redo about 40% of the charges, as they didn't come out accurate. I currently use an RCBS Powder Throw, even for my pistol rounds. With a good pistol powder, you can adjust the throw to throw virtually perfect loads every time. I just did 400 rounds of .357, using H110, and I weighed every ten at first, but when all of them were perfect, I went to every 25 or so. I use an RCBS 505 scale for every round on precision rifle, and use my RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme for a press.
I'd buy the Dillon for speed, and not buy the Chargemaster.
I'd buy the Dillon for speed, and not buy the Chargemaster.
The Chargemaster will speed up your reloading but not that much over the setup you are using now. The 550B powder measure is fairly accurate for fine grained pistol powder but if you go to rifle stick powders like 4895, 3031, Varget and the like and you wont precise powder drops the Dillon powder measure just won't cut it. Even with ball powder like W748 mine will not throw consistent charges. For bulk loading where accuracy is not that important +/_ 0.5 grains is what you can expect. For my precision reloading with Varget or 4895 I use the RCBS Chargemaster to throw the load I desire. Remove the case from the second position and funnel in the powder and put in the third station.. By the time I do that the Chargemaster has the next charge ready. I take my time and usually get 75 rounds an hour. When bulk reloading without using the Chargemaster I can do 300 an hour but that is only when I am loading for my class III weapons where 1 moa groups are not my prime concern.
Lol, It sounds like I should just get both. Use the Chargemaster for precision and the Dillon for mass pistol/223. 
great. more money... How am I going to explain this to my wife?
great. more money... How am I going to explain this to my wife? 
Shortest answer is yes!
You should get a 550b and a chargemaster. Both are two of the better purchases I have made to make loading more efficient and faster.
I now actually have two 550's set up and use one for large and other for small primers. They see most their use from handgun cartridges, 45/70 and 223 loading.
I have used 650's and was torn--although only momentarily--when time came to add another press. Considering how comfortable I was with my 550 and how quickly it works even with manual indexing, decided it was really a no-brained for me--and just went with another 550. I like the manual indexing. The 650 is awesome too, just not my personal preference. They are faster though.
Only recently got a CM for my long range rifle loading and love it.
Both great, just different purposes.
You should get a 550b and a chargemaster. Both are two of the better purchases I have made to make loading more efficient and faster.
I now actually have two 550's set up and use one for large and other for small primers. They see most their use from handgun cartridges, 45/70 and 223 loading.
I have used 650's and was torn--although only momentarily--when time came to add another press. Considering how comfortable I was with my 550 and how quickly it works even with manual indexing, decided it was really a no-brained for me--and just went with another 550. I like the manual indexing. The 650 is awesome too, just not my personal preference. They are faster though.
Only recently got a CM for my long range rifle loading and love it.
Both great, just different purposes.
550 is more than capable of handling the loading volumes you desire, just need to exercise some focused attention. That being said, I love the 650 for bulk loading.
The Chargemaster isn't going to speed up your pistol caliber loading. But the 550 will.
I believe the only application of the Chargemaster is to drop precise weights of extruded powder for precision rifle loads.
I have two 550s (set up for small and large primers respectively) and one Chargemaster.
I believe the only application of the Chargemaster is to drop precise weights of extruded powder for precision rifle loads.
I have two 550s (set up for small and large primers respectively) and one Chargemaster.
A Chargemaster is ideal for loading precision rifle rounds, especially if reprogrammed and modified using some of the hacks posted online.
For pistol, I've been content to calibrate a cheapo Lee powder dispenser using the chargemaster's scale, and re-check every couple hundred rounds. I'm sure a progressive press would be quicker, but I've found that it doesn't feel like all that long if I prime all the brass, then drop powder in 50 shells at a time before visually checking powder levels and seating the bullets. I'm sure if I shot thousands and thousands of pistol rounds per year I might reconsider, but it's very tolerable for doing a thousand or so at a time.
For pistol, I've been content to calibrate a cheapo Lee powder dispenser using the chargemaster's scale, and re-check every couple hundred rounds. I'm sure a progressive press would be quicker, but I've found that it doesn't feel like all that long if I prime all the brass, then drop powder in 50 shells at a time before visually checking powder levels and seating the bullets. I'm sure if I shot thousands and thousands of pistol rounds per year I might reconsider, but it's very tolerable for doing a thousand or so at a time.
I haven't been successful trying to throw small charges with the chargemaster. If I try to throw 8 grains, it revs way too fast and doesn't stop until it is about 2 grains over. Point is, although I know my chargemaster is not programmed correctly for small throws, it isn't the best option for pistol charges in my opinion. The 550 is great for pistol.
I decided to get SDB and a forster co-ax for precision rifle stuff.
Look how much a conversion kit costs for every caliber that you want to load. Look at how much time you need to PROPERLY set up a progressive press for each caliber.
It generally takes a lot of money and time to set up a progressive.
Look how much a conversion kit costs for every caliber that you want to load. Look at how much time you need to PROPERLY set up a progressive press for each caliber.
It generally takes a lot of money and time to set up a progressive.
Get the 550 and more brass. a LOT more brass. I've got a 550, a 650, and the chargemaster. The 550 mostly sits idle now that I've switched most of my dies to 650 toolheads. The 650 does mostly .45ACP and .223, since I have a few thousand pieces of brass for both I generally load all the brass I have, then switch calibers and do it again.
The Chargemaster and an old RCBS Partner press are what I use for rifle loads for matches, and my .22-250 AI where precision is more important than speed.
550 vs. 650: The 550 is manually indexing and a four-station toolhead. You can load 400+ rounds an hour, so all your pistol brass on it in 45 minutes or so, assuming it's all clean (do you have a tumbler? You should) and your primers are all ready to rock in pickup tubes. Changing calibers is around 10-15 minutes if you've got a toolhead set up and ready to go, which I highly advise. No need to recalibrate all your dies.
The 650: Auto-indexing, plus you can get a case feeder and really speed things up. Five station toolhead, so you can run a powder checker to reduce over/under charging errors. You can run 7-800 rounds an hour if you have your shit tight and don't screw up. Changing calibers is a much longer process, it takes me 20-30 minutes to assure myself that it's in and running right. Plus I clean and lube whenever I change calibers, since it's apart.
My .02, when running a progressive press: Shut the door, turn off the phone/TV/stereo, and focus on what you are doing.
1911fan
The Chargemaster and an old RCBS Partner press are what I use for rifle loads for matches, and my .22-250 AI where precision is more important than speed.
550 vs. 650: The 550 is manually indexing and a four-station toolhead. You can load 400+ rounds an hour, so all your pistol brass on it in 45 minutes or so, assuming it's all clean (do you have a tumbler? You should) and your primers are all ready to rock in pickup tubes. Changing calibers is around 10-15 minutes if you've got a toolhead set up and ready to go, which I highly advise. No need to recalibrate all your dies.
The 650: Auto-indexing, plus you can get a case feeder and really speed things up. Five station toolhead, so you can run a powder checker to reduce over/under charging errors. You can run 7-800 rounds an hour if you have your shit tight and don't screw up. Changing calibers is a much longer process, it takes me 20-30 minutes to assure myself that it's in and running right. Plus I clean and lube whenever I change calibers, since it's apart.
My .02, when running a progressive press: Shut the door, turn off the phone/TV/stereo, and focus on what you are doing.
1911fan
Another vote for getting both. I have two 550's and a chargemaster and I am happy with them.
I would buy the 650 from the start, the auto indexing and powder check is well worth the little extra it costs if you're loading pistol. On the 650 you can remove two screws and disable the auto index. I have a 550 too and it's what I do all my rifle on now and I get less runout than I do with my T7 turret press. I also experimented with loading 308 match ammo progressive over the weekend using the dreaded Varget in the dillon powder measure. I set it and it dropped within .1gr +/- or so and loaded up some test rounds trickling every round as well and dispensing with my redding BR-30 measure. That was the only difference other than the trickled rounds were tapped on the bench to settle the powder, and I let the ones run all the way through the dillon crunch. The crunched dillon loaded rounds were under 1/4MOA whereas the trickled rounds with settles powder ran about .5MOA. Four 5 shot groups of each were fired and the results were consistent.
I never use my Chargemaster for pistol reloading either as the Dillon powder measure drops fairly precise charges with 2400, Bullseye. W231, Unique and Pistol Powder. You just have to be very attentive your don't get distracted. As stated previously I only use the Chargemaster for precision rifle loads (I use 4895 and Varget) for my 308 AIAW, TRG 22 and W 748 for my PSS 223.
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Bingo, that's exactly what I did. For 223 and 9mm or other pistol the 550 is great. I actually think there are less chances of mistakes on the 550 vs 650, especially starting out. I use powders that make a double charge very obvious (they overflow). With the 650 it's easier to lose track because of the auto-indexing if something doesn't feel right, with the 550 nothing moves until you move it so if you get that sense something was wrong it's easier to stop and troubleshoot. Not knocking the 650, it's nice when you really get it rolling, I just don't think you give up much speed on the 550b. The 550b is supposedly easier to switch between calibers too, which I do a lot.
The Charge master can be re-programed to dump your average powder weight faster, just google it, very easy to do. For me in the 260/308 that was around 41 grains. Sped up my precision loading by a lot.
The Charge master can be re-programed to dump your average powder weight faster, just google it, very easy to do. For me in the 260/308 that was around 41 grains. Sped up my precision loading by a lot.
Lol, It sounds like I should just get both. Use the Chargemaster for precision and the Dillon for mass pistol/223.
I'll be shooting a comp out to 1000ish this Saturday and I have complete confidence in it. Most factory ammo has more than a .1gr difference in charge weights and you don't see anybody complaining.
Cool- let us know. Wasn't meant as a slam, by the way-
1911fan
1911fan
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