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Thinking of selling my brand new, never used Dillon 550b

4K views 62 replies 19 participants last post by  Doc McGlock 
#1 ·
A while back I was considering reloading. I purchased a 550b from Dillon. Full set up for loading .45 ACP. Since, I've purchased several different calibers and have probably more ammo than I could ever shoot in my remaining years. After study, I realized that this is not something to take lightly and have procrastinated to the point of rusted in place.

If I am to start learning reloading, in several of my calibers, the set up costs alone, seems to me, to be a bad investment. Between dies and die plates and what ever hardware, plus powder, primers and bullets, I just don't see the savings since I can't shoot as much as I would like.

I feel I would be better served selling everything and reinvesting in a few more guns.

I've got the walnut tumblers, scale, caliper, loader, boxes, .45 dies...etc. 1000 rounds of 200gr .45 bullets and 1000 new shells.

What am I missing? Anyone interested?
 
#6 ·
KW,

I purchased all of the equipment directly from Dillon at the beginning of the ammo scare in 2012. With 1000 200gr .45 bullets, 1000 lg pistol primers, 2 lbs of 231 powder, and shells, dies, reloader, caliper, scale....etc, at the beginning of panic, around $1200.
 
#3 ·
If you don't shoot, reloading is only another hobby. IF you shoot, it is certainly worth investing in quality gear. Many will agonize over say $800 start up cost, then happily spend that much on ammo in a year. Shoot that up, you only have a dirty gun to show for it. Buy the reloading gear, shoot the same amount of ammo, sell the gear for 80% of new, pretty minimal loss. Gear is equity, good gear is will even appreciate in about 10yrs or so.
 
#7 ·
Originally, I was thinking "HOBBY" as well as saving some money, but in the end, at best, I can get out to the range about 3/2mo. It is about a 40 min drive one way and I just don't have that much time to spend there. When I do go, I try to shoot either pistols or rifles.

I was also thinking that if the upcoming Hillary debacle becomes reality, that I might be able to get most of my investment back and equipment to a good home.
 
#5 ·
SJ,
I just don't see how you can reload and shoot 4-5 time more ammo for the same price? I collect all the shells I shoot but buying bullets, primer and powder, where is the per round savings? I understand a pound of powder goes a long way and the primers ~.03-.04 per round but add in the bullets?

I could cast them as well, but then I'd have to buy moulds for each caliber not to mention the lead. I guess I'm just confused.

Do you have a good source for projectiles?
 
#8 ·
Do you have a good source for projectiles?
Shoot mainly cast bullets,myself and three other fellows went in together on a couple of Mastercasters and star lube sizers.
The alloy we have acquired over the years.

I usually shoot three matches a month during spring,summer and fall 200-300 rounds per match,if I wasn't a reloader I wouldn't couldn't afford the ammunition to allow that much shooting. SJ 40
 
#10 ·
I'll give you fifty bucks...



Reloading isn't for everyone, if you want to "get out" wait until after the elections.

After the last one and Sandy Hook I sold a 650 on eBay for over $1800.

You never want to be a buy high and sell low guy. The good news is you bought Dillon and on a bad day will bring 80% of original cost. If you can wait until people are doing dumb "stuff" you will have more money in your pocket.

You don't want to be the guy that puts umbrellas on sale just before the rain, when you can get more for them from folks that don't want to get wet.
 
#16 ·
If you cast your own pistol bullets, they are almost free if you scrounge your lead. All my service calibers cost the same, call it 5c a round, but actually a bit cheaper using stuff bought 8-10 yrs ago. So less than $6 for 100 45acp, yeah, worth my time & the gear.
 
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#18 ·
You either want to load or you don't. That's all the justification I need, as I tend to do things for the sake of doing them, and learning to do them well.

For a specific example, I load only 9mm - a range of purposes, but just the one caliber. Costs me about 11.5 cents/round. I shoot about 35k rounds/year of pistol. I'm hoping/planning for a 15 year shooting career, maybe more. So the cost difference between loading and buying ammo would be on the order of 50 or 60 grand.

I loaded about 150k on my 550 (my first press) before I got my 1050. I had zero experience when I got the 550, so bought all the hardware I needed in the initial purchase, for about $1,100. And the cost difference between loading and buying ammo on that first 5 year period was around 15 grand.

That is all without consideration of the facts that handloads work much better than factory ammo for my purposes, and I learned a ton from doing the loading. So now I've spent about another 2 grand on hardware, and cut my production time about in half.

I have specific goals and ideas about where I want to go with shooting. But if I didn't, and had only a general thought that I might want to load for various purposes in the future, the 550 would be the one press I'd want to keep.
 
#20 ·
BUT you didn't save any money?????:uglylol:
 
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#26 ·
Guys, i totally get why you reload! if i was 30-40 i would be right there with you. I in no way mean anything i say to be critical but rather I've come to the reality that i don't have daily/ weekly shooting available to me. :crying: If I were younger, it would make much more sense but in reality, i mainly shoot for self defense abs keeping my skills as sharp as possible.

Many of you fall into that quasi competative/professional shooter category and it is a way of life. I'm an avid gun guy that doesn't get to shoot as much as i would like. Give me your best round, I'll probably hit the target close the POA. i doubt that the quality of the round will make our break my ability hit where i aim, however.

Shooting , to me is like sex...you don't have to be good to enjoy it.
 
#28 ·
Guys, i totally get why you reload! if i was 30-40 i would be right there with you. I in no way mean anything i say to be critical but rather I've come to the reality that i don't have daily/ weekly shooting available to me. :crying: If I were younger, it would make much more sense but in reality, i mainly shoot for self defense abs keeping my skills as sharp as possible.

Many of you fall into that quasi competative/professional shooter category and it is a way of life. I'm an avid gun guy that doesn't get to shoot as much as i would like. Give me your best round, I'll probably hit the target close the POA. i doubt that the quality of the round will make our break my ability hit where i aim, however.

Shooting , to me is like sex...you don't have to be good to enjoy it.
If you don't have the time, patience or interest in reloading.
Don't do it.
But I would hang on to your equipment until after the election. More then likely everything is going to go nuts price wise after November.
 
#31 ·
There were a good number of years where I put reloading on the back burner when I was younger. Lots neater stuff to play with with you are young and single.
Now we are talking real spending!!
 
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#32 ·
My RL 550B has been sitting untouched in my basement for over twenty years. There's still powder in the hopper. I think I paid less than $300 for it new. It used to cost me (utilizing used brass) about $50 in components for 1,000 45 ACP rounds. Back then I was shooting a tremendous amount of ammo.
 
#33 ·
My brother hunts each year and shoot some. You'd call him a plinker in his backyard. A mix of rifle, shotgun, and pistol. He likes buying a few different guns. Doesn't have as many as me, doesn't shoot as much as me, and has never competed like I have.

When I was talking to you guys about buying a reloader, and then got one, I told him I started reloading. He said he has a Hornady setup and dies for several calibers. He's had it for 20 years but never really used. He thought he would, but he didn't. I been around his house, garage, basement, never knew. He must have it buried. Can't believe the topic never came up.

Don't know how much he's got into it. I just thought it was funny :)
 
#34 ·
Guys, i totally get why you reload! if i was 30-40 i would be right there with you. I in no way mean anything i say to be critical but rather I've come to the reality that i don't have daily/ weekly shooting available to me. :crying: If I were younger, it would make much more sense but in reality, i mainly shoot for self defense abs keeping my skills as sharp as possible.

Many of you fall into that quasi competative/professional shooter category and it is a way of life. I'm an avid gun guy that doesn't get to shoot as much as i would like. Give me your best round, I'll probably hit the target close the POA. i doubt that the quality of the round will make our break my ability hit where i aim, however.

Shooting , to me is like sex...you don't have to be good to enjoy it.
I just turned 60. I shoot pretty much every weekend, competition, training or some instructing. I compete in idpa at the expert level. I suspect i am a better shooter today than i was at 30, shoot way more now than when i was raising kids, going to school & working at 30. If you want to shoot more, just shoot more. If the ammo cost keeps you from that, then you reload.:juggle:
Btw, like anything else, including sex, you enjoy it more if you are better at it.:rock:
 
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#36 ·
Didn't say you wouldn't, but if you know what you are doing it is a lot more enjoyable.:banana::broccoli::pepper:
 
#37 ·
Guys, i totally get why you reload! if i was 30-40 i would be right there with you. I in no way mean anything i say to be critical but rather I've come to the reality that i don't have daily/ weekly shooting available to me. :crying: If I were younger, it would make much more sense but in reality, i mainly shoot for self defense abs keeping my skills as sharp as possible.

Many of you fall into that quasi competative/professional shooter category and it is a way of life. I'm an avid gun guy that doesn't get to shoot as much as i would like. Give me your best round, I'll probably hit the target close the POA. i doubt that the quality of the round will make our break my ability hit where i aim, however.

Shooting , to me is like sex...you don't have to be good to enjoy it.
Not to go too far off topic, but you raise the issue of being good at things vs. enjoying them on an intrinsic level.

My experience has been that the point at which I really start getting "good at" something is when I start letting go of it, and allowing it to inhabit me. For me, shooting is meditation. It is the art of observation of physical process, without intent. Following that path develops physical and visual skills, but they are secondary to the meditative experience, which transcends the shooting itself.

I love the purity of manipulating the gun in space, and observing that manipulation. Placing actual hits on targets is nothing more than a confirmation of that process.

 
#38 ·
For me, shooting is meditation. It is the art of observation of physical process, without intent. Following that path develops physical and visual skills, but they are secondary to the meditative experience, which transcends the shooting itself.
You should read Brian Enos's book, would be right up your alley.

I am closer to Lanny Bassham in terms of mental management.
 
#39 ·
I liken shooting to playing golf. Both require a certain zen approach to get everything just right for good, repeatable results.
 
#40 ·
Guys, i totally get why you reload! if i was 30-40 i would be right there with you. I in no way mean anything i say to be critical but rather I've come to the reality that i don't have daily/ weekly shooting available to me. :crying: If I were younger, it would make much more sense but in reality, i mainly shoot for self defense abs keeping my skills as sharp as possible.

Many of you fall into that quasi competative/professional shooter category and it is a way of life. I'm an avid gun guy that doesn't get to shoot as much as i would like. Give me your best round, I'll probably hit the target close the POA. i doubt that the quality of the round will make our break my ability hit where i aim, however.

Shooting , to me is like sex...you don't have to be good to enjoy it.

You probably just need a reloaded come over, set everything up and work you into the routine. After that you'll be able to make a much better decision.

If I'd still be living in Dallas, I'd do the trip and help ya out.
 
#41 ·
I'll provide room and board plus as many trips to the range as you have time for!I:)

I've been looking for just this type of opportunity! I just don't know any reloaders locally. You tube only goes so far, regardless of how handy I might be.maybe I'll start another thread and see who is local?

I actually would much rather learn this discipline since I already made the major investment.I just need additional dies and players
 
#45 ·
Mogollon,

I appreciate your suggestion and will keep it on the table.
I think I've got the basics under control but am more concerned about measuring and over/under loading/crimping That, I believe is where the art lies.I I'm sure is in the set up?
 
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