This thread has meandered all over the place, but I'm enjoying it. However, in the interest of bringing it back on topic, I do have a question.
So I've heard several people make the comment that when you reload, you don't really save any money. I assume that's because you tend to spend just as much on components as you would have on factory ammo. So I take it as you are likely to be able to reload more ammunition and thus shoot more than you would for the same price for factory ammo.
So lets talk equipment. Everyone I know who reloads tells me if I want to do a lot of pistol shooting, that I should skip straight to a turret press. On that same note, everyone I know who has a turret press tells me Dillon really makes great products, and if they don't own one, they wish they did. So I am a "buy once and cry once" type of guy. I'd rather save longer, and spend a little more to get what I really want, rather than have multiple incarnations of the same type of product sitting around that I'd actually spent more money on, than if I'd just bought what I wanted to begin with.
So obviously shopping around is a good idea for a good price, but in general, what will I be looking at as far as equipment goes for a complete Dillon setup? I figure I need:
turret press
case cleaner/shaker
scale
case trimmer
calipers
bullet puller
dies for 9mm, 45acp, 38 special, 357 mag, 45 Colt, 454 Casull, and 460 Mag
A few good reloading books to read BEFORE starting to reload. (recommendations on good reloading manuals?)
And of course, powder, primers, and bullets of all different kinds.
What am I forgetting? I'm sure there's a lot.