Need some serious reloading advice

I had a friend bring me over this weekend and show me a bit of his reloading setup.

He had 2 dillions set up for 9mm and 45 acp, both progressive. He explained a bit of load devolpment and then showed me what actually went into making the machine run.

First, it seemed that without a case loader and bullet loader the process was still VERY involved and was a bit less "mindless" than I had invisioned it.

second, he told me by the time he payed for all the materials he told me he was around $6 per box of 50 FMJ rounds. that is a bit more than I somehow pictured it costing.

Now I realize that with reloading you get much more consistant loads, thus allowing much better accuracy. You also have the ability to tailor loads to different situations. However it seems that for someone new to the game, that uses less than 500 rounds per month buying cheap ammo is the way to go (unless accuracy is really required). At least for pistol ammo.

Rifle ammo seems to be a totally different animal, at least in calibers other than 7.62x51 and 5.56x45. Both military cartridges can still be bought at low prices thanks to our "comrades" however when it comes to 25-06, 22-250, it is either reload or get a second job to support the cartridge.

I guess the purpose of this to warn others who are about to start reloading. If you are like I was at one point, and expecting to throw out $500 for a reloading setup then expect to shoot 5 cent rounds you are going to find out there is a lot more work, and a lot more expense than you are expecting.