Choosing a projectile/powder to start with?

[Potshot21]

Howdy folks,

Beginner in the reloading game, building my bench next week and setting up my gear as soon as it is done. So now I'm seriously looking at ordering components to get rolling once everything is set up. This leaves me at a bit of a loss as I don't really know where to start!

The 3 calibers I have dies for are .30-06, .308, and .284 win. All three calibers will be used for hunting deer and moose. Have been looking at accubonds as I've used factory loaded accubonds with great success, but they seem pretty pricey for my first go around. Hornady SSTs are much cheaper but have never used them on deer or moose, so not sure if I can count on terminal performance. Any other options out there for my intended purpose? Can't seem to find much info on what projectiles are good for what kinds of game animals.

As for powders, any ideas on where to start for those 3 calibres? Is there one type of powder that would be decent between all 3 for now? I'm also sourcing a reloading manual as the one I had was damaged in a flood.

Thanks for any insight!

 

[safehunter]

I use a variety of online sources - http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/ , nosler, reloaders nest etc etc
You can find Lyman's 48th through torrents. Give me a pm if you need help
Top of my head powders I think would be 4895 and/or varget.
accubonds are awesome and expensive - equal to hornady's interbonds IMHO - also awesome and expensive. SST's are great, although I haven't shot anything living with them so I can't talk about terminal performance. I can say that interbonds and ssts have the same POA/POI so I sight in with ssts and then make 10 interbonds and fire 5 to confirm POA/POI and save 5 for hunting.
My advice for bullet selection is don't cheap out on game. Go with a premium bonded bullet like an accubond or interbond. Punch paper - use ssts or fmjs

 

[BCRider]

It would be nice to find a powder which is listed in all three data tables. At least as a start.

Bullets are a bit of black magic and personal trust all rolled into one. What you COULD do is select a cheaper bullet for plinking and practice at the range and buy the Accubond bullets you already trust for sighting in and actual hunting.

Or make a decision to dedicate one or two of your rifles to hunting and load the cheaper bullets in the other(s) for range fun. Or some other option?

And of course whatever you choose now is hardly cast in reinforced concrete. You can always change things along the way.

 

[Ganderite]

If you load a 180 in the 3006 and 308 (which is a good choice for a deer/moose load) then you could use 4350 in all 3 calibers and get good velocities. A 284 uses a slower powder than is often used in 308, but 308 with a heavier bullet can work well with a slower powder.

Similar speed powders to 4350 are H414, WW760, RL17

 

[yomomma]

I used 4895 and 3031 for 90% of my reloading.

Common powders, easy to find.

 

[Kingofalderwood]

Like you, I'm starting out too. Loading 30/30 for deer and having fun also 300 win mag for the serious stuff like moose and elk and ruffed grouse. Partly for saving money but mostly to increase accuracy not to mention that its just fun.
Your question to 12 reloaders will get you 50 different answers.
One good thing is you know what you want and the results you expect.
What I've noticed is the lack of good supplies. What I mean is the choices seem pretty limited. Some bullets I want to try I can't seem to find. For my 300 win mag, I like anything by Barnes. TSX is supposedly available to 200g in .30cal. Yet to find. Nosler makes Accubond long range. Yet to find. Swift makes Scirocco. Yet to find. Hornady is everywhere but the one bullet I want doesn't come in 200g. Powder is another issue. What range will I shoot? For midrange velocity I'm thing 4350. For hi range I'm thinking 4831 or IMR 7828.
This is where I'm getting excited. The fact that you can tailor make ammo for just about any given scenario.
Anyhow, hope I didn't hijack the thread. Just my observations.
So far, I load Hornady FTX 160g with about 34.5 grains of Hodgdons Leverevolution powder for a very accurate 30/30 cartridge. Cost is about .75 a bullet vs. over $2 retail. Do I save money? Not really because I shoot twice as much.
For the 300 WM Ive started playing around with Barnes TSX 180g and use 70 grains of IMR 4350. The 300 WM is probably the most fun because the the range of bullets out there and the various powders available.
One fellow I met has made a 300 WM cartridge that he uses on ruffed grouse when out moose hunting. Now that's a versatile rifle!