Price check on a Dillon 450

[Skeet 028]

Found a Dillon 450 today...or I guess the owner found me. The press looks to have never been used. I am sure it has though. I would say mostly complete missing one of the primer posts. This is the one with the manual primer/powder feeds. Fellow wants to sell it to me for 200 bucks. Wondering if the darn thing is worth that much? I probably have any missing parts. I thought of buying it to use pretty much like a basic 550 or AT500...or a turret press. What do y'all think..and as I said it is as new!

 

[NikA]

For 200 bucks, you could probably part it out and make a profit. Dillon has been good to me for supplying missing small pieces.

 

[contender]

If you have a use for it,, BUY IT!
Worst case scenario,,? Send it back to Dillon for a rebuild/upgrade.

 

[Bad Barlow]

If you have a use for it,, BUY IT!
Worst case scenario,,? Send it back to Dillon for a rebuild/upgrade.

That one doesn't have the removable die holder...if that's ok with you, it's a good deal on a good press.

 

[Skeet 028]

I have 2 550 Cs...I once had an AT 500 I used as a turret press for rifle ammo. I don't load much rifle ammo any longer but figured it would be worthwhile to buy it just in case. I think I will call Dillon tomorrow and see what an upgrade to a 550 would cost. Parting a bit of it out would pay for part of that I guess. Or just an upgrade to auto Prime and powder would be ok too. Thanks for the help y'all. I'm trying to talk myself into this ya know?

 

[woodperson]

It is certainly "worth" the $200. Whether or not it is something you can use or would like to fool with is a different question. It may not be worth the money to you to use as a single station. I would either buy it and send it in for rebuild or just pass on it. I only have room for one press and it has to work. I use the LNL bushings and the Dillon will not accept them.

 

[carvertim]

I run my 450 every week and use it for my rifle calibers and a few of my pistol calibers. I upgraded the powder setup, but left the primer setup alone. The upgrade of the powder cost me about $120, so you are still looking at a good press for a good price. I had though about upgrading the whole thing, frame and all, but that would put it in the price range of a used 550.

 

[Arizonagunsmith]

Contact Dillon they sell a new 550 frame only to take the 450 and make it a 550. It use to be $150. If you can get that 450 for $150 you'll be the proud owner of a 550 for $300

 

[3manfan]

Found a Dillon 450 today...or I guess the owner found me. The press looks to have never been used. I am sure it has though. I would say mostly complete missing one of the primer posts. This is the one with the manual primer/powder feeds. Fellow wants to sell it to me for 200 bucks. Wondering if the darn thing is worth that much? I probably have any missing parts. I thought of buying it to use pretty much like a basic 550 or AT500...or a turret press. What do y'all think..and as I said it is as new!

I bought a 450 from a detective at my station back in 2001 for $40. His Dad had it for many years & was getting too old to hand load & he offered it to me since he knew I loaded. I called Dillon & told them what I had & that it was in poor shape. They sent me a shipping label & 2 months later it arrived, refurbished, repainted & upgraded to a single caliber 550/650 equivelant for no charge at all. I was stunned.
I don't know if you'd get that level of customer service these days but give them a call...they may surprise you.

 

[Skeet 028]

I think I may pass on it. Dillon will upgrade it but for the cost I think I can come close to having a new550 C and don't really need another. He did lower the price to 175...but the new powder measure setup is at least 125. Other stuff is fairly expensive and I can buy a new 550 for a bit more than 500. Heck I have a new in box 750 I can use if I need to.Got a Super 1050 I am probably going to sell. Let me talk myself out of this hole.LOL!

 

[Arizonagunsmith]

I think I may pass on it. Dillon will upgrade it but for the cost I think I can come close to having a new550 C and don't really need another. He did lower the price to 175...but the new powder measure setup is at least 125. Other stuff is fairly expensive and I can buy a new 550 for a bit more than 500. Heck I have a new in box 750 I can use if I need to.Got a Super 1050 I am probably going to sell. Let me talk myself out of this hole.LOL!

What do you think you might want for the 1050?

 

[3manfan]

I think I may pass on it. Dillon will upgrade it but for the cost I think I can come close to having a new550 C and don't really need another. He did lower the price to 175...but the new powder measure setup is at least 125. Other stuff is fairly expensive and I can buy a new 550 for a bit more than 500. Heck I have a new in box 750 I can use if I need to.Got a Super 1050 I am probably going to sell. Let me talk myself out of this hole.LOL!

You'd get more flex ability out of a new one. The one they refurbished for me is only one caliber at a time & doesn't take the toolheads, the dies screw directly into the press so switching calibers is an ordeal. If you'd have to buy all of the add-ons, I'd go the new route too.

 

[BrassMagnet]

I prefer the 450 to the 550.
I always shim the 550 tool head to prevent it moving. When it moves that drives me crazy!
Set the 450 up for a caliber you want to load a lot of and dedicate it to that caliber.

 

[BrassMagnet]

If you only have room to mount one press, mount it on an Inline Fabrication quick change mount. I prefer the low one.
Then you can change out the press in under a minute.

 

[Skeet 028]

I passed on the 450. Cost too much to refurb it. Shipping back is not free. I had a SDB here also. 9mm and another cal conversion. Darn thing was just to small for me to use. And I don't really want to load 9s. I just bought 10 boxes for 9.99 a box...and another 10 boxes of Blazer Brass for 10.99. No tax in Mt... Even got 7000 primers at the same time. 2M SRPs 2M LPPs 3M SPPs. Avg price was 68 dollars per M. Even got 4 lbs of powder under 30 a pound. Things are finally starting to moderate a bit. Talked to a shooting friend in the business who said primers will probably bottom out at 50-60 M. Powder may be at the new prices now. Another industry source(powder) told me Alliant powders are shipping to Ukraine for artillery shells. Sure can't find much locally from Alliant.
The 1050 I will put in the for sale section. Or send an email to me

 

[Skeet 028]

Oh forgot to add I use the Dillon Strongmounts mainly because I have 'em. I even have two Redding T 7s mounted on them. I just change out the whole press from the bench top. I use the Turrets for rifle and top vel loads for handgun.

 

[Hawk-in-Wi]

offer the guy 150 and then sell it here , he gets some cash out of it and you get a little for your time