THE NORSEMAN:
500-1000 rounds per month? Time for a progressive unless you have a lot of free time on your hands. This type of equipment will run somewhere between 400-700 dollars.
1000+ rounds per month? Time for a serious progressive set up with a case feeder most likely. Costs to set this up will run from 500 to well over 1000 dollars.
First a little information about what I shoot, and how much:
Rifle calibers: 5.56x45mm (semi only)--1000 rounds/month, 7.62x51mm (semi and bolt)--100-200/month, .50BMG (bolt only)--25-30/month
Pistol calibers: .38 Special--minimal, 9x19mm--500/month, .40 S&W--500/month, .45 ACP--500/month
Roughly, 2100 to 3000 rounds per month. The .50BMG stuff won't be reloaded until I can find some boxer-primed rounds and/or brass (don't shoot enough of it--shot .50BMG before, and it HURTS after a few shots--paid for, but I still have to pick it up from my dealer next month), .38 Special doesn't get shot a whole lot, and I'm not sure if reloading 9mm plinking ammo would really be worth it.
* Rule #1: Never, ever, ever, ever exceed powder charge for any given round (also, different powders require different powder charges--even from batch to batch of the same brand powder) and start with lowest listed loading.
* Rule #1.5: Never, ever, ever, ever trust ANYONE else's reloads--no way to verify if they followed #1.
* Rule #2: Don't do anything that would cause me to strangle my cat.
* Rule #3: Don't ever use reloaded ammunition for self-defense.
I know the basic components of reloading: brass, primers, powder, bullets, and primer sealer (optional). Also, case preparation: tumblers w/ media (walnut shells, ground corncobs, and ceramics), case lube (wax is the way to go, apparently), neck sizing dies vs. full-case resizing dies (see next point), priming cup brushes, primer removal pins, priming tools, and bullet pullers (in case I

).
I also know that, for rounds being fired in a semi-automatic, full-case resizing dies are pretty much required.
The meat of my questions:
-What is a progressive press? I see them here and there online, but the picture looks the same as any other--I may not know what I'm looking for though.
-Case feeder?
-Anything above that is totally wrong?
-Any recommendations for me as far as where to get equipment? Reloading area layout? Any across-the-board trusted brands (i.e. "you can't go wrong with...")? Any brands/products to avoid like the plague?