RE: deans plugs are awesome!!!!!
I've even had a Dean's melt on me (a while back in fairness) - they're just hard to get used to, once you get good at it (5-6 of them) it isn't too bad. I've probabely soldered at least a few hundred of these plugs it gets easier every time, just hang in there and it will work out!
I still don't think I'm up to the task of soldering military circuit boards!