Ok, I have always been very much into DIY work and have wanted machine tool off and on for a long time. For someone who has no real experience machining, I feel I know a pretty decent amount about machining in general (I did lots of research about it when I had my fabrication business and was considering getting into machining). Recently, I have got into casting loading my own ammunition, and want to start making my own bullet cases out of aluminum. The way I would make the cases would be to take .5" aluminum rod, cut it down to 1.5" lengths, turn it down to ~.405" diameter (can vary by a few thou.), and bore a ~.3125-.375" hole about 1.3" into it from one end. Each end of the case will have a simple taper done for a little streamlining.

Here is a cross section of roughly what they will look like. The entire dark part is hollow, and the lighter grey part is where it will be filled with lead.


Ok, so you know what I want to make. Here is where I go back and forth:

I know whatever I get will also be used for other stuff. I know I personally would use a mill more than I would use a lathe. I might go ahead and spend the extra $100 to get the 7x10 over the 4x5 lathe, so I'd be looking at about $470 (vs about $350 for the micro mill). The mill I'd get would be the micro mill, for about $350 (after tax and warranty).

I can imagine that all the processes I am looking at would be much easier on a lathe, though I have read about people turning things on a mill (put the work in the chuck). However, most everything else I'd want to machine would be much more easily done on a mill, so it would make sense to get that for more general use.

I guess my question is, how hard would it be to do these small turning operations on a micro mill compared to a lathe?

Thanks, and sorry if my question is vague!

*edit*

And I know turning on a mill has been covered, but all the ones I can find are about using CNC to do it. This would be done manually.