Dillon 650 Caliber Change vs Buying a Second Machine

[gregthehand]

I've been reloading .45 ACP on my Dillon 650 for a while now and love how good a machine it is. I upgraded to it for .45 ACP, since that was the bulk of my reloading, and use my Dillon 550 for everything else. Recently though I've been shooting IDPA with my S&W Pro 9mm and my wife has been shooting it with her Beretta 92FS so I've been loading 9mm on my 550.

This Christmas the wife is asking what I would like and I'm leaning heavily towards another Dillon 650 to load 9mm on. I've heard from some people who have done the caliber swaps on the 650s that's it's easier to just get another machine. While this may sound like a lot to some I look at it in the mindset of it being cheaper than a new gun and will increase my reloading rate signifgantly. If buying another machine is the way to go I fully intend to have one set up for .45 ACP, 9mm, 5.56 x 45, and 7.62 x 51.

I have a machinst friend who is going to make a little braket that the machines will slide and then pin into for easy changing, and I'm going to weld up a little stand for the spare machine to sit on.

So my question to those out there who have swaped calibers on a Dillon 650 would be is it a fairly simple process like the 550 or would you jsut defer two or three gun purchases and go for a new machine?

[george]

I suppose it takes me about 15 min to change over if the primer size is the same. Maybe another 10 if I have to change primer sizes, too.

[Charles L. Cotton]

I used to have the same setup you have; one 650 for large primers and a 550 for small primers. Now I have two 650's; one set up for large primers and one for small. I also have two RF-100 primer fillers; one for large primers and one for small. I changed the RF-100 ONE TIME from large to small primers and back again. Did I mention I did it ONCE!! That's why I have a second one now.

Reloading time is at a premium for me, so I need to be as efficient as possible.

Chas.

[PBratton]

I load both .45 and 9mm on my 650. I have a toolhead and powder measure set up for each caliber I load. Change out time is minimal once setup has been done on the toolhead, even when changing primer size.

[gregthehand]

Thanks for all the info. I may still buy a second machine but it will be one for large primer and small primer cases.

Thanks again.