I'll weigh in here Sarge,
+1 to everything you see above. All the answers are "spot on."
My first press is the RCBS Rockchucker. It is everything a single stage press should be. It will outlive you, your children AND your grandchildren. The Rockchucker Supreme kit has all the tools you need. Weigh scale, press, powder dispenser, cartridge holders. All you need extra are the carbide dies and the shell holders. I still use the RCBS for 5.56/.223 rounds. $269 at Cabelas.
http://www.cabelas.com/product/RCBS-...h-All+Products
All this said..... my Second press is
The Lee Classic Turret Press.
http://www.cabelas.com/presses-dies-...:referralID=NA
It is a four hole turret press that will work in auto mode, OR single stage. A turret press is "inbetween" a single stage and a progressive. You CAN use the turret in auto mode and make one cartridge at a time. OR... you can set up the deprime die, the flaring die and the seating die and work in batch mode. The turrets are removable so that you can have your .45 dies set up, then with a simple twist, install the .223 dies for rifle. I bought the Classic fourhole turret for $89 on sale at Cabelas. That was the press and one turret only since I already owned the scales and powder charger. Additional turrets are about 10 bucks or so at Cabelas on sale, or 12.99 at Midway. The advantage for me is that once I have a setup for .45, and have locked it in... I NEVER have had to make an adjustment. Done is done.
I PREFER to do my reloading in "batch mode." Meaning that I spend a night priming 500 or so rounds. Next night I bell/flare the rounds, following night I load powder and seat.... following it ALL up with checking each round with a Dillon or Wilson depth and seating gage ( a DEFINITE PURCHASE). They are about 15 bucks per caliber, and worth every cent to a new reloader.
If you can find a special on the Lee Classic 4 Hole Turret press WITH a package i.e. scales and powder measure... I would go that route. If you can't, you will NEVER go wrong with the RCBS Rockchucker Supreme. My actual preference, since I like the RCBS Scale and Powder measure, would be to purchase the RCBS Rockchucker Supreme above, learn the system, then buy a Lee Turret. Gee... wonder why.... OH... that's exactly what I did!
OH!!!! And if you go the RCBS route... CALL RCBS direct. They usually have Rockchucker Supreme kits as Refurbished at a discount!
Just sayin'
Da
