If you were to start reloading today?

[Basin&Range]

If you were to start reloading again today, where would you spend or save money?

I'm sure this subject has been beat down over and over but I want some opinions considering what tools are in the market now. I'm a complete newb to reloading so I'm trying to learn where I can before I make the investment. I have enough brass collected that I want to start considering the process. I'd be loading 3-4 short action cartridges, and 9mm to start with. From the research I've done I understand that a single stage press and hand-primer would be best to start until I have the desire to load hundreds of cartridges in a session. Here is a few general questions I have.

Is a rcbs, redding, or co-ax press much better than the hornady lnl classic or are the single stage presses all comparable? With the hornady rebates it seems like a no brainer to go that route unless the press, or the lnl system is a pain to use.

Would it be worth considering a progressive or turret press for my first one?

Is it worth it to get a chargemaster or autocharge pro and just get used to using that from the start?

Where is it worth spending extra money up front? (things like billet trays, funnels, etc)

I've looked at a few of the kits but it seems like most of the "kit" will get replaced with other things quickly and I already have some mitutoyo calipers. All that said I'm someone who doesn't mind investing in nice tools to make the job more enjoyable.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

Rockchucker kit and you'll be set with the basic needs. All you need then is the dies.

 

[Sled]

Spend money according to your priorities. If you value your time, get a prep station and maybe a turret press. If you value only consistency, spend the money on precision adjustable dies and a bomber press. I can charge manually on a scale in about twice the time my rcbs charge master does. It's accurate, but care to guess which one of us is more accurate?

Until you decide what's important to you, a kit is rather convenient.

 

[Steve300xcw]

Stick with the single stage. It is also a lot easier to buy decapping pins and what not for rcbs and sometimes redding on a saturday night, than it is for forester and such...

I have not touched my balance beam scale since I got an electric one.

I'll get a chargemaster one of these years..

 

[NRA4LIFE]

One more recommendation, if you will be loading any caliber with crimped in primers, invest in a Mighty Armory decapping die. That thing has been a game changer for me as I load a lot of .223/5.56 that has been crimped. No more broken/bent pins.