I discovered .45 Colt via the Blackhawk convertible I had bought, whose initial purchase was to shoot away my ACP cache. The .45 Colt was/is addictive - I soon had a DA (A .454 SRH) - and then another BH. I bought most of my ammo from Georgia Arms - in nice bright new Starline cases. I saved the empties. When I added a S&W 625MG, I really started plinking those rounds away. The folks at the range store kept trying to sell me a Dillon Square Deal press... I had never touched a reloading press - scurried past that reloading dribble at the shows, etc.
Four and a half years ago, I did some reflection. Actually, I counted the .45 Colt brass I had amassed in Ziploc bags - over 2,700! A little math, and I figured that a new 550B and reloading accessories and supplies would cost less than the next S&W I had planned to buy, so I ordered it. Oops. I had the equipment 'paid for', at the then current new ammo prices, by <2,100 rounds loaded. Future reloads would indeed be at just the component cost. I soon started to make ammo for guns I didn't have! That hobby is invasive. I now 'shoot to reload'... thought it was going to be 'reload to shoot'. I soon became that swarmy guy I once saw dumpster-diving at the range for brass and boxes!
My suggestion, worth what you paid for it, is simple... Find GA Arms site - call them Monday AM (800#) - order a couple hundred rounds of their ammo. They make 240gr LRNFP's now in Starline brass, with their name headstamped on it, in either bare brass or Ni/brass - somewhere ~$36/100. They also have the Speer 200gr Gold Dot in brass, and I have chrono-ed them at 1,123 fps from my 4" 625MG and 1,210 fps from my 5.5" Redhawk - probably a decent deer round - ~$21/50. No boxes - just ammo in plastic bags. Nice folks, very good product. Store your empties... I never thought I'd reload, either.
Stainz
PS Get a proper bore AND chamber brush in bronze - use Hoppes #9 - and give it time to 'work', and the residue from shooting lead will be a non-issue.