how much to get a starter kit for loading

My suggestion is the RCBS Rockchucker kit. I think they go for about $350 less the dies and shell holders for each cartridge, which cost about $40 each. This kit has everything that you need to get started, but eventually you'll need / want to pick up a few other tools.
 
Lee is the cheapest and it can make as good of ammo as anybody. However I had the aluminum linkage break every 4000 rounds or so on thier challenger press. The one included in their anniversary kit. It is worth spending 30 bucks to upgrade to the cast iron one with steel linkage.

So a decent lee kit will be about 300 for the calibers stated. RCBS is a bit more. There is a cost with the loading equipment but it is pretty incidental. In example it takes me a couple hours to cast a thousand 45 ACP bullets with a six cavity mold. The mold costs me about 65$ shipped. 1000 bullets would cost me 189$ shipped. So the mold is basically paid after an hour of use. Also the tools retain thier value for other nutz so I could easily sell it for about 40$ so my real cost is 15 bucks for something that will produces hundreds of dollars in bullets. So basically what I am saying is a hundred bucks more or less does not make much of a difference in a lifetime of loading.
 
Lee Anniversary Breech Lock Kit : $130
Dies : $130 for the three listed
Powder: $75 for 3 different types
Primers: ~ $60 for 1000 Pistol and 1000 large rifle
Bullets: $100/ 1000 9mm , $20 /100 .303 , no idea for 45/70

Brass: save your brass and scrounge $0
 
I just got set up with the RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme Master Kit and 3 sets of dies, 3 lbs. of powder, 1800 bullets and 3k primers for a little under $1K. Money well spent. (I got the Lee Dies.)
 
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