So, I have been reloading for shotguns since I was a kid, and for rifles since I was in my early twenties. But I have never reloaded for handguns.
Coincidentally, I have recently caught the 1911 bug, and have just about decided to jump in feet first for a lot of reasons, among them the fact that I live in Cali.
I'll take all the input I can. Almost bought a Dillon 550 in the Free Classifieds here last week, and may regret not having done so, but ...
OK, so what machine for the long haul?
I take it buying 1000 rounds of factory .45 ACP ammo and saving the brass is a plan with some merit.
What should a newbie know going into this?
I bought a well used Dillon Square Deal B around 1993. Dillon told me to send the machine back to them in '95 when it developed some problems. They completely rebuilt the machine free of charge even though I didn't buy it new from them. 20 years later started having problems with the same machine. Dillon again completely rebuilt the machine free of charge. Think Hornady, RCBS or Ponsness would do that? You already know the basics and the nuances of reloading (how a primer going in should feel, ect,ect.). Probably not a bad time to advance to a progressive. But feel free to continue to load single stage. Some of my best "quiet times" were had doing that.
