Saving up to get started, and need advice.

[mmc45414]

Regarding my mechanical ability, ... built a 1911 ... engineering background ... USAF flying time

Yeah, you got this. It is really not that complex, just the consequences of goofing can be severe, like aviation.

I'm a cheapskate, but I will trade treasure for truly better quality, and for a real savings in time. I know I need to start very slow, but would like to be able to work up to cranking out 400+ rounds an hour

Racers say "speed costs money, how fast do you want to go?" One thing maybe to consider is that you are not requiring that many rounds, but probably still want to minimize how long the task takes. And added features make it easier to go fast, but they also make it more relaxing. Also, like vehicle towing capacities, output tends to be overstated, so having a faster press can make it a walk in the park instead of a sprint to the finish. 400 rounds in an hour puts you into progressive territory, additional features would include:
Auto Indexing
I didn't think this was a big deal, until I had it. IMO it really helps keep a rhythm. It might make it harder to learn on, but not as hard as building a 1911.
Case Feeder
I didn't think this was a big deal, until I had it. Not taking your hand offa the handle probably doesn't seem like that big a deal, but taking it off the handle, then finding and orienting a case, then placing the case, then finding the handle again, while you are also finding, orienting, and placing the bullet, is a pretty big task load to eliminate.
Bullet Feeder
I have stopped short of this enhancement, but I have been tempted, those 115g round nose 9mm bullets are slippery little bastards...

With my press that indexes and has a case feeder I have timed myself as being able to load 100rds in 6-7min, but that is from the time I touched the handle until the buzzer says I need more primers, and that is not the total picture. From the time I turn on the shop lights until I have a can with 1k in it is gonna be a couple hours, not so far off of your target of 400rds/hr. I am also not going to feel like I just wrested a bear or something. And I also almost never thrash them out like that anyway, more like kicking out 2-400 while my wife watches something on TV I don't want to.

Also, I do not want to be That Guy that pushes what they have because they think they are so smart that everybody should do what they do, so I am trying to not make this brand specific, but my experience is mostly with the Dillon products. But some of the Lee stuff is really a strong value, and their new Pro 4000 indexes and has a case feeder and four stations and costs less than the Dillon case feeder! One thing though, the Lee Loadmaster seems too good to be true, and when I tried one I decided it was.

And @olstyn mentioned loading one at a time on a progressive, that is absolutely true and good advice, and a Hornady advantage. Dillon's 650 didn't work well like that (it feeds primers on every stroke) but now that they evolved to their 750 it would work that way.

Although, I’m a little leery of the fact it uses non-standard dies. I’m wondering what would happen if Dillon ever decided to stop making that press, and supporting parts for it. Maybe I’m overthinking that though.

I would put this wayyyy down the list if things to worry about. They almost never end-of-life products, and in those rare occasions they continue to support them, and the dies are not likely to be what might break.

[SecondsCount]

I started off in the early 90s with a Lee Anniversary Kit that comes with the single stage press. The purchase of a Blackhawk in 45 Colt created a need for lower cost ammo.
After loading that for a couple months, I decided to try reloading 9mm and quickly found that a single stage couldn't keep up with the demand.

The problem is, you reload to save money, but quickly find out that you start shooting 2-3X more ammo. Reloading is probably the biggest contributor to improving my shooting.

Soon after I bought the anniversary kit, I got a bonus at work and bought a Dillon 550. It's a great progressive to learn on and you can reload both pistol and rifle on it. You can set it up just like a turret press or even a single stage and do one round at a time to start.

[Wise_A]

The Frankford Arsenal primer tube filler is a huge time (and hand pain) saver for that. Worth every penny IMO.

As a treat to myself, I'm planning a major expansion to the reloading room. Among the other toys I've picked is a Double-Alpha primer tube filler.

[JohnO]

I purchased my Dillon 550 to load .45 ACP when a box of 50 Blazer Brass was $8.00 in Walmart. My entire reloading setup which included everything I needed plus powder and primers for 20,000 rounds and bullets for 10,000 rounds cost me $1600. Therefore I had a complete setup and materials to load 10K rounds plus primers and powder for another 10K for the cost of 10K of the cheapest ammo at the time. Brass I have never figured into the equation because I have a huge supply from years of collecting at training classes where it wasn't unusual to come home with a full 5 gallon bucket.

Greatest tip ever for a reloader who goes to training classes, bring a bucket for range cleanup. Folks cleaning up the spent cases who don't want the brass love to throw in in a bucket. You can easily multiply your pickup score 10 fold.

[olstyn]

As a treat to myself, I'm planning a major expansion to the reloading room. Among the other toys I've picked is a Double-Alpha primer tube filler.

I have no experience with that one, but if it works half as well as my Mini Mr. Bulletfeeder (also a Double-Alpha product), it'll be awesome, as it ought to be for that price!

[DMF13]

You guys weren't kidding about lots of options.

Luckily I've got some time to figure this out, but I'd like to be ready in case a good deal on something used pops up (although I know that's a huge longshot).

Hopefully I'm understanding what you guys have suggested already, and the other stuff I've read, and videos I've watched on YouTube.

While I'm still considering other options, I'm somewhat concentrating on the following three options:

1. A Lee Turret. Pros: A low initial cost, and seems like a good way to go slow enough to learn. Looks like, after learning how to do things, I could get up to 100-200 rounds an hour with one of those. Cons: I might quickly "outgrow" it, especially if I do end up shooting 400+ rounds a month. As for other turrets, they are so expensive it starts to put me close the price of something like the Dillon Square Deal.

2. Dillon Square Deal B. Pros: For an auto-indexing progressive it's relatively inexpensive, and since I won't be loading rifle rounds it's all I need. Looks like I could produce more than twice as much as I would on a turret. Cons: No ability to add a case feeder, and due to it only being a four station set up, and using proprietary dies, there is no way to use a Hornady "Powder Cop" or RCBS "Lockout" die.

3. Hornady Lock-N-Load AP. Auto-indexing, with 5 stations, so I can use the Powder Cop or Lockout. Can add a case feeder later., if I ever get into really high volume shooting and reloading. Cons: Starting to get very expensive relative (although less expensive than a Dillon XL750), and doesn't have the Dillon warranty.

Right now I don't think the Dillon 550C is for me. It doesn't auto-index, and it's a four station setup (meaning no Powder Cop or Lock Out). That makes me a little nervous to not have at least one of those features, as each one helps minimize the chance of a "double charge." Also, the price is about what the Hornady Lock-n-Load would be.

The XL750 is way out of my price range, unless I were to luck into a great deal on a used one. Which is highly unlikely.

[Wise_A]

Powder Checker / Lockout - For loading 9mm, you'll easily be able to see whether a case is charged, and even a charge-and-a-half will overflow with most reasonable powder-and-bullet selections. I think a lot of people use powder checkers as an excuse not to keep their eyes on the press, and to not perform basic safety checks like regularly verifying charge weights.

The Lee Turret is really nice to use. It's low-effort, and the fact that you're only working with a single case at a time makes it very smooth. It's also easy to pull a case and verify the powder charge. I still love mine, but I'm also loading quite a few cartridges that I don't shoot in big volumes. Maybe once you get into reloading, you'll find some guns that you find compelling now that you can produce your own ammo. 200 rounds an hour is really reaching for the stars--on that session (I hit 225, IIRC), I was churning out .38 Spl. I performed very few charge-weight checks (1 in 25, because it's a charge I've loaded thousands of times, on that particular powder measure, without a hitch--and I still verified my first 10). Not to mention I like to think I'm very fast at running that press. 100-125 is a lot more reasonable.

I think I was wrong to discourage you from the Lee Auto Breech Lock Pro. I find it quite high-effort to run, but I can't deny that it produces ammunition in good volumes. And you could always run it with one case in the shellplate at a time, making it a faux turret. The turret, on the other hand, will always be just a turret.The only caveat is that pulling a case to check the powder charge is a bit more complicated--you'd need to resize and prime, raise the shellplate slightly, open the little case retainer and remove the case, weigh the case and put it back in, close the case retainer, raise the shellplate to charge and expand, lower the shellplate, and then remove and weigh the case again before putting it back in. The handle has an annoying habit of not staying where you left it, as well, so you have to keep one hand on it the entire time. But for that, you get a decent auto-indexing progressive with a stupidly cheap case feeder and collator.

As to the Square Deal...well, just puttin' it out there, the 750 is another $200. But I can fully remember being a new reloader and not wanting to invest too heavily. Hell, it took my this long to pony up for one (although I kinda did go all-out) and I've been reloading for more than a decade.

[Hambo]

Luckily I've got some time to figure this out

Probably a lot more than you think.

https://www.powdervalleyinc.com/why-...pply-shortage/

[MGW]

For what it’s worth I just spent a year using a square deal. I picked it up second hand. It’s an okay press. I don’t like that powder drop and priming is in the same station. I also don’t like how small the working area is. The SD is designed to load a decent amount of one caliber back to near factory specs. It does that pretty well. I just sold that press for exactly what I had in it and will be picking up a 550 or 750 soon. I learned how to reload in a 550 and really like that press. I’ve never once forgotten to index them shell plate. It’s reasonably priced. If you have enough pickup tubes 300 rounds an hour is pretty easy. I usually take a break after that anyway. The 550 is easy to set up, easy to adjust, and easy to change calibers on. I’ll never be high volume enough to need a bullet or case feeder. I think for most people the 550 is the way to go.

[Whirlwind06]

The fifth station sounds great, but I haven't seen a need for it yet. I stand at the press, so with the 550, Lee BLP, and Lee turret I can visually see the powder drop.
So like Wise_a said it's pretty hard to double change and spot-checking throw weights should eliminate undercharges.

At least on the Lee stuff, the case feeding isn't all that great. An upside-down case chews up the plastic, to the point where it has to be replaced.
Plus with 45 ACP, I'm looking for small primed brass so that I don't try to put an LPP into it.
With 9mm, I'm looking to sort out crimped brass to be processed later. Picking up each piece of brass seems to be the best way of doing that for me right now.