Originally Posted by gnoahhh
Unless you have a stash of powder, primers, and bullets, now isn't a great time to take up handloading. Of course, it's not a great time to be buying factory ammo either.

I too would recommend getting your feet wet with a single stage press. Save the progressive for later if you find your volume of shooting justifies it. A guy who shoots a box or two of ammo occasionally is better off using the money for a progressive to stock up on components, or take the old lady out for dinner.

I agree with this 100%.

I started handloading in the mid '60s with a Herter's single stage C press. I later upgraded to a RCBS Rockchucker that still sits on my bench and I use it to deprime all rifle cases before I clean them, and to reload all of my rifle cartridges larger than .308 Win.

At least 30 years ago I bought a Dillon 550 progressive press. It too has been mounted on my reloading bench since I bought it. I load all of my pistol rounds on it, including .357 and .44 magnums, and all of my .223 and .308 rounds on it. It takes me about an hour to load 200 shells on it, and I load something on it just about every week.

I also began loading 12 gauge shotshells in the early '70s on a Honey Bair single stage press. When I started shooting competition Trap I upgraded to a Pacific 366 progressive 12 ga shotshell reloader, and when I started shooting competitive Skeet I added 3 more Hornady 366 progressive shotshell loaders in 20 and 28 ga and .410. I still have the 12 ga Honey Bair on my bench for loading hunting shells.
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