Charging,
Here is what I recommend:
- Call Dillon at 1-800-762-3845 and ask for their catalog;
- Go to the AR15.com and Thefiringline.com reloading discussion areas and do a search on the various types of reloaders (i.e. Dillon, RCBS, Lee etc.). Read people's comments from those who own them and note the tone and frequency of satisfaction and delight.
- After carefully reviewing everyone's comments, do the logical thing and call Dillon again and order their RL-550B or RL-650, depending on your budget, needs etc. You can also order the Dillon budget reloader AT-500, which is convertible to a progressive reloader and costs much less than the RL-550B.
- Try to resist the "start with a single stage reloader" advice, it will lead to frustration and extreme boredom IMO and experience.
- Contrary to popular opinion you can:
- Learn to reload using a progressive
- Reload precision rounds with a progressive
- Start small (read inexpensive) with a progressive.
Keep in mind that the most expensive way to buy something is to buy what you really don't want and then have to replace it with you what really wanted in the first place.
If you're sure you're going to want to reload for a long time and want to reload many different calibers, then my advice is to look no further than Dillon. The RL-550B will reload anything from the .25 auto to the .460 Weatherby and everything in between (sorry, no .50 BMG!).
If it sounds like I'm biased towards Dillon, you got it exactly right, being a RL-550B owner since around 1988 or so. Calibers reloaded: 9mm, .40 S&W, .223, 7.62x39mm, 7mm-08, .308, 30-06, .44 Mag and probably a couple of others I've forgotten. Pistol calibers (ex. .44 Mag) are usually the typical progressive as fast as I can reload them operation. Rifle and .44 Mag calibers are usually reloaded one at a time using the -550B as a multi-single stage press.
If you go with Dillon, you won't be sorry.
I hope this helps.
Merlin