You can certainly save money (or shoot more for the same$ - same-same). There are a few calibres which are very cheap for factory ammo - 5.56mm NATO, 9mm Para and 7.62 x 39mm are classic examples. Your savings per round will be much less for those. On the other hand, if you are loading something like the WSMs or .44 Mag or .30/30, then your savings will be realized far more quickly. nada's advice of looking at it for the long term is bang on. Consider the cost of components (less brass as you probably have some from shooting commercial ammo). Compare that to the cost of a commercial cartridge and you will see your savings. Factor in how much you shoot and it's just a question of basic arithmetic. For most rounds, 50% savings is a good rule of thumb.
If you are shooting, say, 50 rounds a week, a single-stage press is all you need. A turret press is similar but has all the dies mounted on a plate that can be repositioned, making set-up quicker. If you are shooting a lot of ammo, those will probably be too slow for you and a progressive press like the one you mention is the ticket - it's like a miniature factory. Every time you pull the handle, out comes a complete round. But they cost more, of course.
Is reloading hard to learn? Not at all. It''s like anything else; getting the rhythm down takes practice, but it's not rocket science.
Is it dangerous? Potentially, yes. If you focus on what you are doing, double and triple check every setting, don't reload when you've been drinking, don't take load data off the internet until you have a feel for what makes sense - basic precautions - then it's perfectly safe.
Some suggestions.
First off, before you buy anything, buy or borrow The ABCs of Reloading and read it. It's a good general overview of reloading. Not many recipes, but reading it will answer many questions and save you money in the long run.
Second, your shopping list looks like you are jumping in with five calibres. That's a brave way to do it, but might I suggest that you just buy the dies and shell holder for one calibre first? See if you like it before investing a lot more money. I'd hold off on the tumbler as well; they're nice, but not really necessary.
Third, scrap the Hornady lube and get a tin of Imperial Sizing Die wax. It's like a shoe polish tin. Much less messy than most other types of lube and a tin lasts forever. Just tap a finger lightly on the wax and roll the case between your fingers.
You're going to need a bench or something to mount it on, something solid.
If you are shooting, say, 50 rounds a week, a single-stage press is all you need. A turret press is similar but has all the dies mounted on a plate that can be repositioned, making set-up quicker. If you are shooting a lot of ammo, those will probably be too slow for you and a progressive press like the one you mention is the ticket - it's like a miniature factory. Every time you pull the handle, out comes a complete round. But they cost more, of course.
Is reloading hard to learn? Not at all. It''s like anything else; getting the rhythm down takes practice, but it's not rocket science.
Is it dangerous? Potentially, yes. If you focus on what you are doing, double and triple check every setting, don't reload when you've been drinking, don't take load data off the internet until you have a feel for what makes sense - basic precautions - then it's perfectly safe.
Some suggestions.
First off, before you buy anything, buy or borrow The ABCs of Reloading and read it. It's a good general overview of reloading. Not many recipes, but reading it will answer many questions and save you money in the long run.
Second, your shopping list looks like you are jumping in with five calibres. That's a brave way to do it, but might I suggest that you just buy the dies and shell holder for one calibre first? See if you like it before investing a lot more money. I'd hold off on the tumbler as well; they're nice, but not really necessary.
Third, scrap the Hornady lube and get a tin of Imperial Sizing Die wax. It's like a shoe polish tin. Much less messy than most other types of lube and a tin lasts forever. Just tap a finger lightly on the wax and roll the case between your fingers.
You're going to need a bench or something to mount it on, something solid.
