Gonna start reloading.

[Twangbanger]

Another vote for not starting on a single stage machine, if you can afford not to, and if the precision level does not require it. Decent single stages sre not exactly cheap anymore (price them), and if the bug bites you, you'll end up buying another press anyway. If it's not your cup of tea, it's not hard to sell a progressive.

What I like about progressive machines is that when starting, you can easily use single-piece flow, which is the foundation of best manufacturing practices, and quickly see the finished result - and test it - before you've made significant quantities of anything.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I started after age 50 with an RCBS Rock Chucker, but then went to a Lee Turret press. As was mentioned, the turret press can be used as a single stage press. The nice thing about about the turret press is that you can buy multiple plates and have your dies all set up for each caliber, which makes switching from one to another quick and easy.

I mainly use the RCBS for depriming now as it's a heavy duty press, especially when depriming milsurp rifle brass which has the primers crimped. I use a universal de-capping die for depriming. Straight walled cartridges like 38 special can be sized and deprimed in one operation pretty easily, but bottle neck rifle cartridges take a little more effort, which is why I prefer to do it in two separate operations.

I also use the RCBS universal hand priming tool because it uses the same shell holders as the press (both the Rock Chucker and the Lee). The Lee hand priming tool uses its own shell holders and they don't work in the press. Priming is pretty mindless and I can do it while watching tv.

 

[openwell]

reloading metallic cartridges is fun & generally safe.

age is not a factor, usually.

skills & knowledge are aquired thru experience.

every reloader owes everyone they come in contact with at the range or in the field to have safely reloaded ammo.

btw. not everyone should reload for all the reasons previously stated.