Sounds a bit high for a 310 set. I may have a set soon that will be available. (might try E-bay also)Also check with a guy that has a shop called"the 310 shop", he lists in the "gun list" frequently. He may have a decent used set. If you buy comercial cast bullets they are usually lubed with a lube that is pretty clean to handle. Not as good as the old Alox (not the new liquid) or SPG, but servicable. I think the sabots will give a different point of impact and performance than regular bullets.
Paper patched bullets are patched dry. The reason was to use a pure lead bullet for some expansion. The patch wasn't treated, you may be thinking of paper cartridges for muzzle loaders, or for percussion Sharps rifles.
If you are going to use your loads in a single shot, you can probably get by without much loading gear. If for a lever or other repeater, then you will want, at some point, to size the caes, and at least be able to crimp. For an economy loader, the Lee loader(hammer type) is tough to beat. I like the Lyman tool better, but you can make decent ammo with the Lee. They are about $20 I think.
The Lee powder measure set, the dippers, work pretty well. I wouldn't use them for a max load in a high intensity cartridge, but for anything in a 45/70 they are fine, so no need for a scale. the Lee loaders come with a dipper for a general range of powder in factory equivalent loads.
The guy that loads black without tools would likely have a case cut off for a measure. you can't get black to compress that much with your thumb, and I seriously doubt even with a press without damaging the bullet trying to seat it. (yes, I've loaded a few hundred black powder cartridges in the past)
Good luck, and don't work so much!
Just thought of something else. Do you have regular dies for 45/70? If you do(or if you want to get some), Huntington makes a compact press that uses regular dies. It can be used "in hand", or has a flange that can be clamped or screwed to a table. They are about $50 I believe. Their web site should have the info. With it, you can make the same quality ammo as with a bench press , as you are using the same dies.