[bassfishindoc]

Hey welcome back to the club. You will get a lot of great help here, I know I have. Allow me to help you.

1. what is the best set of dies I can buy for the money?
I use RCBS. They can be found online for relatively cheep and a good used set can be found for next to nothing. I load 7 different calibers and have basic RCBS dies for all of them. A lot of people here will recommend Lee. I only have experience with a Lee de-priming die so I cannot comment on the quality of their other dies but with so many people swearing by them I am sure they are great options as well. Redding are fantastic dies but they are a bit more expensive. I use Redding competition dies to reload 30-06 and 223 for competition.
2. full length sizing or neck sizing only?
Depends, are you shooting a bolt gun or a semi-automatic. First, you must full length re-size all new brass that has never been fired (unless it is the premium stuff that comes ready to go). Also, you must full length re-size fired ammunition that is going to be used in a firearm other than the one it was first fired in, i.e. you can't fire a round in you Savage, neck size it only, reload it, then try to use it in you Remmy 700. Chances are it will not chamber well, or even at all. The reason is that when a round is fired, the high amounts of heat and pressure cause it to form to the chamber in which it was just fired. By neck sizing, you re-size the neck to be able to get the tension you need to hold onto a round, but keep the rest of the case in the same dimensions as the particular chamber in which it was fired. It will work in that rifle but most likely not others. You can neck size only, only if you are loading for a particular bolt rifle, however, after so many loadings you will begin to notice the rounds will become harder to chamber and you will have to full length re-size at that time. Conventional wisdom states that all rounds to be used in a semi-auto rifle need to be full length re-sized. To sum it up, you must have a full length re-sizing die because at some time or another you will have to full length re-size. You can get a die that neck sizes only to enhance your accuracy in a particular rifle or your full length die can be set up to neck size only (I hope I haven't completely confused you, there are many other threads that beat this topic to death if you have more questions).
3. Do I have to lube my brass for resizing? (got out of this with carbide pistol dies).
Yes, all rifle dies need to be used with lube for resizing. After re-sizing the lube should be wiped off or the brass can be ran through a cleaner. You do not have to use lube for bullet seating. If you crimp your rifle rounds with a separate die these may require lube, just check the instructions that come with the die. There are many options for lube from traditional lube pads to newer spray lubes. I still use a lube pad but am looking at trying the Hornady spray lube.
4. Do I need a case trimmer?
Yes, as brass is fired it tends to "grow". This is due to the brass flowing as it is being fired. Eventually the brass will get too long and need to be trimmed to length. Also, some factory new brass is not uniform in length and may need to be trimmed to length. I use the Wilson case trimmer and would recommend it. It has a very simple design that perfectly aligns the round with the cutter. It is more pricey than others but well worth it IMHO.
5. 3 die or 2 die set?
Basic rifle die sets are two dies. You do not have to flare the case mouth with bottleneck cases like you do for straight wall cases so that eliminates a die. All you need is the full length resizing die and the seater die. All others are optional, such as crimping dies which are commonly used by people loading for semi-auto rifles or re-producing military rounds, neck sizing dies, and others.
6. any other pointers that would be helpful would be appreciated.
My biggest pointer is when you start to reload always start 10% below the maximum load and work up, watching for pressure signs. Get a good loading manual (I have about ten but the Speer is my favorite). Most load data can be found online but it is hard to beat a good manual, especially if you want to load when the internet goes out. Stick with and search this site as there is a wealth of info here and please do not be afraid to ask questions if you do not know. Above all, stay safe!!