[jpwright]

Year in and year out, Speer seems to put out one of the best reloading manuals. But I have manuals from three other publishers, too. I've never found a single manual that had data on all bullets and powders for a given caliber.

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If God didn't want us to own guns, why did He make the 1911?

 

[Chico]

If I could only have one reloading manual, it would be the Lyman 47th. I also find the "One Book/One Caliber" series by Loadbooks USA to be helpful. Using only one source for a particular "recipe" could be inaccurate or even dangerous.
Also, the video Dillon sells covers setting up the machine, basic reloading, changing calibers, maintenance, etc. is a necessity in my opinion. It definitely saved me hours of frustration.
You might also contact the Training Division of the NRA. There may be an Instructor certified in reloading in your area.
I believe the low-primer-warning gauge is worth the $, while the low-powder-warning gauge is not (you can see it).
Use the barrel in your pistol as a case gauge. For revolver loads I bought the gauges Dillon sell.
I live in a dusty climate - the desert. The cover was useful for me. A plastic trash bag may suit your needs.
If you will be changing calibers, then it is definitely worth the $ for the time it will save to use the "Quick Change Assembly". Once you have that perfect load dialed in, it is a major pain in terms of time and component spoilage for testing/setting up.
ENJOY!!

 

[Chico]

I should have said, "Use your UNLOADED barrel as a case gauge". That is, disassemble your pistol enought to use the barrel all by itself.

 

[Billy Ray]

Buy some extra primer pick-up tubes--that way, you can get 5-6 set up and you won't waste time stopping every 200 rounds to pick-up more primers.

A scale is essential--it would be foolish to reload without one. Might also want to pick up some calipers.

Good luck.

Billy Ray

 

[AA RAY]

You will love your RL550B, when you get it up and running. As Chico said the Lyman 47th ed. manual is my bible, but almost all the major powder companies, usually have freebie manuals that are available where they sell powder locally. If your going to spend the money for a RL550, don't cheap out spend the extra $9.00, for the case gage. Unless you need the pratice taking your pistol apart. Believe me after you have pulled the handle of you press several hundred times you will be looking for something else to do. Wiping the trace amount of bullet lube off and dropping your finished shells in a case gage is just the break you'll need. Happy reloading to you!!!


Happiness is "25 straight"

 

[Ralph]

Ditto on the case gages, you probably can use your barrel as a gage in a pinch, but,all that is telling you is that those cartridges will fit YOUR pistol,what if the chamber of your pistol is slightly large? no two chambers are exactly alike, a gage will tell you if it will fit in any pistol of the same caliber,and if you start loading for rifle you'll need'em, little risky using a rifle as a gage!

 

[BOLANTEJ]

thanks a buch for the info everyone. i appreciate the quick responses.

 

[OKShooter]

The strong mount and bullet tray are worhtwhile options for the 550B. The standard lever arm is excellent, and I personally do not care for the roller arm. The low powder sensor might be worthwhile if you sit to reload. If you stand up, the powder hopper is right in front of your face.

Get a primer flipper tray, and it does not need to be the $13 brass ones that Dillon sells, and some extra primer pickup tubes. These also do not have to be Dillon's because virtually any primer tube will fit on top of the 550B's primer feed tube. (The primer feed tube, by the way, does not come out unless you want to change it for some reason. The pickup tube is placed on top of the feed tube and the cotter pin is pulled. The primers drop into the feed tube.)

A decent scale is an absolute must, and Dillon's Eliminator is about as good as any of that type but nothing special.

A stainless steel caliper is necessry, some kind of case trimmer is probably necessary, and if you trim a chamfering/deburring tool is necessary.

I'm not sure what Chico meant by the low-primer warning gauge unless he is talking about the low primer sensor that is part of the press. This is standard on the 550B. (Simple device consisting of a battery operated buzzer, a switch, and a plastic rod that sits on top of the primers in the primer drop tube. When the last primer is fed out, a knob on the rod contacts the switch and the buzzer buzzes.)

Buy Dillon carbide dies ($50) if you are loading for a handgun and forget about lubing and gaging the cases.

You may know this already, but I'll mention it anyway. While the 550B uses standard 7/8x14 dies, standard 3-die sets (carbide or otherwise) do not work very well in the 550B or any other Dillon. One reason is that the 550B does not use a standard expander/flare die but a funnel/expander/flare "die" that actuates the powder dispenser. (The 550B will not drop a powder charge unless a case is at station 2.) Another reason is that the 550B is designed to seat the bullet and apply the crimp separately. This means that the expander die of a standard 3-die set is superfluous, and you would need an extra die to handle the crimp operation. (Seating and crimping in one operation on the 550B, or any other Dillon, is not advisable.)

Some good, through reloading manuals are the Hodgdon #27, AA #2, Speer #13, Hornady 5th edition, and the LoadMaps. The Lyman 47th edition is also an excellent manual but is rapidly becoming dated.