What else to reload 308 ammo?

D

Devestator

Active Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2012
Messages
43
Location
jodaviess county illinois
If i was to buy this:

Hornady Lock-N-Load Classic Single Stage Press Kit

What else would I need on order to start reloading 308 ammo?

I know i obviously need bullets, and i wanna try out hornadys 178gr bthp, which has a .53 BC. i know ill need powder too, and it seems like varget is pretty much what everyone uses. But what else? I keep reading online about dies and case trimming but i have no idea what that stuff is.

Im trying to get into 1000yd f-class and maybe a few other types of competitions, but i cant find any
**** ammo and what little i do find either wont work at 1000yds or its just one box of 20, which isnt even enough to practice, or its $60 for a box of 20, which is plain outrageous...

I have a Marlin X7VH 308, which has a 26" heavy barrel, a 1:12 twist, and an adjustable trigger. I also have a Bushnell Elite 6500 Tactical 4.5-30x50. With that setup i was able to shoot a .43" center to center group at 100 yards with winchester hunting ammo.

Thats just a little background on me so you know what im "gunning for" lol... Pun intended...
 
We can tell you what you need, why you need it and how to use it, but it's going to be difficult to understand as we all have opinions on these 3 things. FL die, neck die, bushing neck die, seater die, comp seater die? It's very difficult to get "starting out" info from a forum when most people on here have been doing it for years, if not decades.

Before you buy any equipment....


1 Buy a reloading manual and read it.

2 Read it again.

3 Try and find someone in your area who already reloads and pick their brain for info, or better yet ask them to mentor you.

After doing 2 out of 3 of these you'll have a much better understanding of what and why you will need.

Good luck and be safe,
 
As far as kits go I'd recommend spending the extra $40 and get the RCBS Rockchucker Supreme. I say that for 2 reasons. 1, the RCBS comes with a beam scale and 2, it comes with the lube pad. The spray lube sucks.

I apologize if I offended you with my first comment, glad to see another person in the sport as we need more. It's just that I've seen people spend hundreds on equipment and then decide it's not for them, but you sound like one who is going go through with it. It's a great sport, very rewarding when you find that one load that shoots in your rifle.

Good luck,
 
No offense taken metalhead, i can understand what your saying. I have kinda tossed the idea around for a while now but never went through with buying anything. But with ammo prices the way they are its way cheaper in the long run and ill get better accuracy results with hand loading. Right now its almost $2 a shot and i can barely find anything of real quantity.

So RCBS is pretty much the top of the line press? I was just interested in the lock n load thing hornady has, but again i have no idea if its much of a benefit anyhow. They also have the hornady deluxe kit

Hornady Lock-N-Load Classic Single Stage Press Deluxe Kit

But im just throwin that out there, if everyone pretty much agrees RCBS is the way to go ill obviously go that way.

And thanks everyone for your suggestions and advice!
 
i would suggest you not buy anything just yet. Go to your local range, meet the people, talk to them and find one or two who would be willing to help you get started. place a "wanted" add at the range for used/spare equipment and i think you will be amazed at what pops up for sale. If your club/range is active in benchrest, just "hang out" at a few shoots and you will learn a LOT about reloading, as you mention 1,000 yd./F class.
 
Devestator said:
No offense taken metalhead, i can understand what your saying. I have kinda tossed the idea around for a while now but never went through with buying anything. But with ammo prices the way they are its way cheaper in the long run and ill get better accuracy results with hand loading. Right now its almost $2 a shot and i can barely find anything of real quantity.

So RCBS is pretty much the top of the line press? I was just interested in the lock n load thing hornady has, but again i have no idea if its much of a benefit anyhow. They also have the hornady deluxe kit

Hornady Lock-N-Load Classic Single Stage Press Deluxe Kit

But im just throwin that out there, if everyone pretty much agrees RCBS is the way to go ill obviously go that way.

And thanks everyone for your suggestions and advice!
Click to expand...

Top of the line would be a Forster Coax single stage or a Dillon Progressive. RCBS is more of the standard in reloading. Right now the RCBS kit is a bargain with the $50 rebate.
 
The problem is i dont have a "local" range/gun club, the nearest one is 3ish hour away... and i only have a few friends that have guns and they dont shoot long range or reload. Im kinda the lone gun nut and dont really have anyone that can show me what to do. Thats why hang around forums so much, i research whatever i need to know and then go practice on my own out at my personal range, which is a long curved valley, and if i go sit in the right place, i can reach just over 1000 yards.

My plan is to practice as much as i can out there and then go to the gun range north of madison, i forget what its called now, to do the competitions.
 
Ya that's the one lol id like to go up there but since I live in JoDaviess County Illinois it's quite a trip for me. I'd like to take a whole weekend and go up there, but I need ammo to shoot with, and I need to reload to get ammo, so im kinda stuck right now.

the only amo I can find in bulk is federal gold medal match 168gr, gm308m, but that's almost $2 a shot. and from what I've read about it, it goes subsonic at 8 or 900 yards, even though my ballistic calculator says it should go subsonic at about 1050. I've also read that the 168gr isn't very accurate at 1000. so that's why I plan to reload very soon. and start buying the stuff I need it as soon as my taxes come in.
 
Another question, i was looking at the RCBS supreme press kit that was posted on here earlier, and it says i just need a shell holder and dies, now i found a 308 shell holder for $7.99, and i was looking at dies but again i have no idea what im looking at, is this all ill need?

RCBS Competition 2-Die Set 308 Winchester

If someone could post links and make a shopping list of everything I'd need I'd greatly appreciate it. digital calipers were also mentioned, any specific ones?

I obviously wont start to mess with anything until I've read through the included book a few times

Thanks in advance!
 
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