My setup pretty-much mirrors
's setup with a few small changes. I have the Pact Electronic Dispenser along with the Pact digital scale. Also, I use a Lyman Electric case trimmer with a PTO on the other end for cleaning primer-pockets.
This may tick off some guys but, with your budget and skill-level, stay away from Progressive presses.Too expensive and too complicated. Unless you're shooting in competition and fire 1000 rounds a week, you really don't need the capability a Progressive offers.
Another thing, you get what you pay for with reloading equipment. The 'inexpensive-pricing of Lee equipment' is tempting but, it just doesn't hold up.My reloading partner and I both tried Lee equipment. I bought a Lee Classic and he bought a Challenger, these are what Lee calls presses. Neither press lasted more than six months. Further, the Dies are very cheaply made, alot of plastic involved. I finally relieved myself of the last of my Lee Equipment this last week when the Lee Bullet-seater for 45ACP broke.Lee uses a steel seater tube but they also use a plastic depth knob. The threaded part of it broke in half.
Here's the thing, get the best you can afford. Everything I use now, except for the casetrimmer, scale/dispenser and one set of Hornady 'New-Dimension' dies(44magnum), is RCBS. The stuff is Bulletproof and not alot more in price than Lee, especially if you buy used. Good equipment never wears out. My Rock-Chucker was 20 years old when I bought it six years ago, it's still working great, no problems.
Now, what do you really need to make good ammunition?
1.) A good press
2.) Good die-sets
3.) A inside/outside champhering tool
4.) A good scale, either a standard measuring scale or one of the battery-powered electronic scales(They run about the same price).
5.) A Primer-pocket cleaner.
6.) A Powder-Trickler for final measuring of charges.
7.) A Dial-Vernier, doesn't have to be electronic, a decent steel vernier can be bought for $20.00.
8.) A lube-pad and lube, RCBS is fairly inexpensive and lasts a long time.
9.) Get a Lee auto-prime, the only decent thing Lee makes
10.) I strongly recommend either Speer #13 or #14 reloading manual. It has the best reloading tutorial out there. Easy to read and understand with plenty of explanations, tips, pictures, and help.
You can pick up a good used Rock-chucker for about fifty dollars and, you'll never have to buy another press(Unless you want one), the rest will run about $200.00 total. A box of primers runs about $27.00 per thousand, the rest is pretty much regional, powder runs about $23.00 a pound. Most guys have a bunch of cases.
Breakdown of cost to load 45ACP.
Cases- Most guys save their cases so, unless you toss yours that's taken care of. However a Value-Pack of WWB costs $40.00, afterwards you have 100 cases you can reload. I use this as an example of case cost because you get to have fun emptying them before you reload them.
okay, I use 5 grains of HP-38 in my 45 practice-loads and a 230grain bullet,either FMJ or Lead( I pay $45.00 for 500 LRN 230s) and Winchester large pistol primers.
Case-free,once fired.
Primer-.02 each
Bullet- .09 each
Powder charge- .02 each charge(7000 grains in a pound,5 grains per charge,$23.00 a pound)
So, my 45ACP practice-loads cost me a whopping $6.50 per fifty and they're more accurate than most factory loads.