The current product lineup includes several progressive presses ranging from the relatively compact Square Deal B to commercial-duty systems such as the CP2000, alongside the RL550, XL750, RL1100, and Super 1050 families.[1]

Origins

The origins of Dillon Precision are unusual. Founder Mike Dillon stated that he became involved with ammunition reloading almost accidentally after a friend died in an aircraft accident. While helping settle the friend’s machine-shop affairs, Dillon acquired a Star progressive reloading tool along with a Thompson submachine gun. The Star machine introduced him to progressive reloading.

Dillon subsequently wanted to load.223 Remington ammunition progressively. Upon discovering that the Star equipment was not designed for that application, he modified the equipment and developed a conversion. Friends encouraged him to commercialize the modification, jokingly calling it the “Superstar Conversion.” Approximately 100 kits were sold.

Demand for additional conversions eventually convinced Dillon that there was an opportunity to manufacture an entirely new progressive press.

The RL-1000

The RL-1000 became the first full-fledged product manufactured by Dillon Precision. Production initially began in Dillon’s garage before moving into a small commercial shop. According to Dillon’s own account, the company was started with a $30,000 loan secured against his house.

Early development was not immediately successful. The company’s first hobby-oriented progressive machine, the RL-300, became an important learning experience but was reportedly sold at a substantial loss; Dillon estimated that roughly 900–1,000 machines were produced while losing about $100 on each unit.

This experience led to the development of the RL-450, which was less expensive to manufacture and helped establish Dillon as a serious competitor in the reloading-equipment market.

One of the most significant business decisions for Dillon Precision occurred in the 1980s. Large, established reloading companies already possessed strong distributor networks, making it difficult for a young manufacturer to compete through traditional retail distribution. Rather than fighting these companies on their established terms, Dillon adopted an aggressive direct-marketing strategy.[1]

According to company history, Dillon committed heavily to advertising. In one particularly successful campaign, the company needed to sell 500 machines to cover its advertising expenditures for the month; instead, it sold approximately 5,000 machines.

This strategy helped transform Dillon from a small manufacturer into one of the major names in progressive reloading.

The growth of Dillon Precision coincided with the expansion of action-pistol competition, a form of shooting that requires large quantities of ammunition for training and matches.

Dillon recognized that competitive shooters represented an important market for progressive presses. The company sponsored prominent competitors, including Rob Leatham and Brian Enos, and provided support for competitive shooting.

This created a significant feedback loop:

• Competitive shooters required large quantities of ammunition.
• Progressive presses could produce ammunition much faster than conventional single-stage presses.
• Competitive shooters became prominent users and advocates of Dillon equipment.
• Their visibility helped establish Dillon presses as equipment associated with serious, high-volume shooting.

Consequently, the brand became particularly prominent within the competitive-shooting community.

Although best known for its presses, the Dillon Precision product range is considerably broader.

Progressive reloading presses

Dillon currently lists several major machine families:[1]

• RL550 / RL550C – A versatile manually indexed progressive press.
• XL750 – A higher-throughput progressive press with automatic indexing.
• RL1100 – A heavy-duty progressive platform.
• Super 1050 – A high-output, commercial-oriented progressive machine.
• CP2000 – A high-volume case-processing platform.
• Square Deal B – A compact progressive press oriented toward pistol cartridges.
• BL550
• SL900
• 50BMG equipment.

The current machine lineup targets a range of users, from hobbyists and recreational shooters to serious competitive shooters and high-volume ammunition processors.

Dies and caliber conversions

Dillon also manufactures:

• Pistol dies
• Rifle dies
• Universal dies
• Die-related tools
• Caliber-conversion kits
• Toolheads
• Shellplates and related components

Caliber-conversion systems allow a Dillon press to be configured for different cartridges without requiring an entirely separate press for every caliber.

Case-feeding and case preparation

The company produces equipment intended to automate or accelerate parts of the reloading workflow, including:

• Case feeders
• Case-feed plates
• Case-cleaning equipment
• Electric case trimmers
• Vibratory case cleaners
• Case-preparation accessories
• Media and related supplies

Priming and powder equipment

The Dillon product ecosystem includes equipment for handling primers and powder, such as:

• Primer systems
• Primer pickup tubes
• Primer filling equipment
• Powder scales
• Powder-dispensing equipment
• Related accessories

Workshop tools

The company catalogue extends beyond presses into general reloading-bench equipment, including calipers, wrenches, hand tools, gunsmithing tools, and other accessories.

The fundamental technology behind the reputation of Dillon Precision is the progressive press.

With a traditional single-stage press, a particular operation is normally performed on a batch of cases before moving on to the next operation. A progressive press instead holds multiple cases at different stages of the reloading process simultaneously.

Conceptually, operations such as:

1. Resizing and depriming
2. Priming
3. Powder charging
4. Bullet seating
5. Crimping

can take place at different stations during successive cycles of the press.

Dillon describes the progressive system as analogous to an assembly line: cartridges move from station to station while different operations are performed simultaneously. This makes progressive presses particularly attractive to individuals who need to produce ammunition in relatively large quantities.

RL550

The RL550 family is arguably one of the most recognizable Dillon Precision product lines. Evolving from earlier designs, the press became known for its combination of relatively simple mechanical design, versatility, a large caliber-conversion ecosystem, manual indexing, strong aftermarket familiarity, and long-term serviceability.

The current version is the RL550C. Dillon continues to support the platform with conversion kits, accessories, parts, and documentation.[1] The RL550 is particularly significant because it occupies a middle ground: it can be used by a hobbyist while also being capable of supporting substantial ammunition-production volumes.

XL650 and XL750

Another major platform is the XL650, later succeeded by the XL750. The XL750 is designed as a higher-throughput progressive machine and incorporates automatic indexing, allowing the shellplate to advance automatically through the stations during operation.

The XL750 sits above the RL550 in the product hierarchy and is particularly suited to users who want greater automation and output without moving fully into commercial-duty platforms.[1]

Super 1050 and RL1100

At the heavier-duty end of the lineup are the RL1100 and Super 1050. These machines are designed for users who place a greater emphasis on production volume, durability, and extensive automation.

The Super 1050 has historically occupied a particularly important position because it evolved from the company’s high-output commercial-oriented equipment. The newer RL1100 provides another heavy-duty option. Current support documentation distinguishes the warranty coverage of these machines from that of several consumer-oriented presses.[1]

The engineering philosophy of Dillon Precision has traditionally emphasized robust mechanical construction and long-term serviceability. The company highlights durability and reliability as central characteristics of its equipment.

Current warranty policy states that several major consumer-grade machines—including the XL750, RL550, XL650, SL900, and Square Deal B—have lifetime coverage including normal wear and tear. The RL1100, Super 1050, and several other products have different warranty periods.

An example of this engineering approach is the development of improvements to powder-measure mechanisms and mechanical components. Company history describes changes intended to improve rigidity, reduce unwanted movement, and increase operational safety.

Customer support is a major part of the Dillon Precision brand identity. The company maintains dedicated support resources covering machines, manuals, videos, spare parts, and maintenance information.

Rather than treating a press as a disposable consumer product, Dillon has historically positioned its machines as equipment intended to remain in service for many years. This contributes to the brand’s reputation among reloaders for long-term ownership and parts availability.

Mike Dillon is inseparable from the history of the company. Born in 1935, Dillon had interests extending well beyond ammunition equipment. He was a pilot and aircraft enthusiast who owned and restored aircraft, including warbirds. His aviation background influenced the personality and culture surrounding Dillon Precision.

Dillon died on November 7, 2016, at age 81. His personal philosophy was strongly reflected in the company’s culture; in his history of Dillon Precision, he described his approach simply as treating other people the way one wants to be treated. That philosophy became associated with the company’s emphasis on customer service.

A distinctive part of the Dillon identity is The Blue Press, the company’s long-running publication and catalogue. It served not merely as a conventional product catalogue but also as a communication channel for the shooting and reloading community. Dillon used it to promote products, discuss reloading and shooting topics, and maintain a direct relationship with customers.

The publication became sufficiently well established that it was integrated into recruitment and corporate culture; historical material discusses hiring writers specifically for the publication.

Dillon Precision branding is strongly associated with the colour blue, to the point that “The Blue Press” became a recognizable trademark in the reloading community. The company uses the slogan: “World’s Finest Reloading Machines.”

Brand positioning revolves around several recurring themes:

• Durability
• Reliability
• High production capacity
• Engineering
• Customer support
• Long-term parts availability
• Competitive shooting
• American manufacturing heritage

Dillon describes its experience, reliability, and durability as major aspects of its identity.

Dillon is generally regarded as one of the major names in metallic-cartridge progressive reloading equipment, alongside companies such as Hornady, RCBS, and other established manufacturers.

Its particular niche is especially strong among competitive shooters, high-volume recreational shooters, serious reloaders, ammunition hobbyists, shooting clubs, and users who value durable, serviceable equipment.

Historical importance lies not in inventing the progressive press, as the concept existed previously, but in developing, refining, marketing, and popularizing progressive equipment for a broad consumer market. Company history attributes growth to making progressive reloading equipment accessible while supporting it with direct marketing and customer service.

Dillon Precision is headquartered at 8009 E Dillons Way, Scottsdale, Arizona 85260, United States. The current site lists the Scottsdale location for headquarters, retail operations, telephone support, and customer service.[1]

Dillon Precision has historically maintained an unusually recognizable personality compared with many industrial-equipment manufacturers. Mike Dillon’s aviation interests, competitive-shooting involvement, advertising style, and distinctive sense of humor all became part of the public image.

The result was a brand marketed as more than anonymous industrial machinery. Dillon presses developed a strong following among reloaders, and older machines are often kept in service for decades. The combination of product longevity, customer support, and a recognizable founder-driven identity is a primary reason the Dillon name has remained prominent in the reloading community.

The greatest contribution of Dillon Precision to the shooting-equipment industry is arguably the popularization of high-output progressive reloading for individual shooters. Before the widespread adoption of affordable progressive presses, producing ammunition at home was a substantially more labour-intensive process. Dillon products helped turn progressive reloading into a practical option for ordinary hobbyists as well as competitive shooters.

The company became particularly associated with producing large quantities of consistent ammunition efficiently. Its legacy encompasses three areas:

1. Progressive-press development – Refining and commercializing highly capable progressive platforms.
2. Competitive shooting – Establishing deep connections with action-pistol and other high-volume shooting disciplines.
3. Customer-service culture – Making long warranties, parts support, and service integral elements of the brand.

As of 2026, Dillon Precision continues to operate from Scottsdale and maintains a broad ecosystem surrounding its progressive presses. The current catalogue encompasses presses, caliber conversions, dies, case feeders, case-preparation equipment, primer and powder equipment, tools, spare parts, and accessories.[1]

The current lineup demonstrates that Dillon is no longer simply a manufacturer of one famous progressive press. It functions as an integrated reloading-equipment ecosystem where a user can purchase a press and subsequently expand it with caliber conversions, toolheads, feeders, case-processing equipment, replacement parts, and other accessories.

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