Couple questions - VERY new to reloading

Nuggs

Nuggs

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1. I seem to be having issues locating .308 WIN neck sizing dies, might just be a time of year thing or I'm looking in the wrong places. That being said are dies and presses for the most part interchangeable (IE Lee dies on RCBS press)?

2. If this can be done then what is everyone recommending for .308 (IE assuming bolt / gun chamber formed brass / accuracy loads)
 
Mystic and budget shooter supply are good resources. Personally I like the Lee collet neck sizing dies although they are slightly more challenging to tune neck tension. Dies are a standard thread and unless you buy a fancy "system" they interchange.

For components- pick a bullet appropriate for your use (and compatible with your barrel), find some brass and away you go! Reloading goes from "cheap and dirty" loads for plinking to guys trying to shoot zero groups at ridiculous distances. Think about where you are on the spectrum- it will help people help you.
 
Nuggs said:
1. I seem to be having issues locating .308 WIN neck sizing dies, might just be a time of year thing or I'm looking in the wrong places. That being said are dies and presses for the most part interchangeable (IE Lee dies on RCBS press)?

2. If this can be done then what is everyone recommending for .308 (IE assuming bolt / gun chamber formed brass / accuracy loads)
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Dies are interchangeable, I rarely neck size, just full length size and my brass lasts a long time, I usually get over 10 reloads per case but it does depend on powder charge. I full length resize with Redding dies, I find they work best for me. I find best accuracy for me is Sierra Match King bullets but Hornady SST's and AMAX have done well for me too. Brass makes a difference as well (doesn't everything in Reloading) I can certainly get sub moa with my reloads and find Varget and 4064 are good powders for me. I have also found best accuracy with mid range powder loads, not max loads.
 
150 grain 30 cal fmj in bulk are good to start with. For reloading if you are going to do more later on start with RCBS or similar, Lee is great for occasional use but stay away from their plastic powder measure.
168 gr hpbt bullets are quite accurate in a .308.
 
All modern dies and presses have the same 7/8"-14 threads, except for the proprietary ones for the Dillon Square Deal B.

Neck sizing can also be done with a regular full-length sizing die by backing it off slightly. That said, my inclination would be to just FL resize every time for the following reasons:

1. I'm not convinced that there is any significant gain in accuracy, assuming your rifle has fairly normal chamber dimensions.
2. You can size your brass the same way every time instead of figuring out after how many firings to bump back the shoulder. I don't even track number of firings for cases; I just cull the defective ones.

The one situation where neck or partial sizing might be useful is with a rifle that has a lot of headspace, so as to minimize working the brass to prevent head separations. This a pretty common practice with Lee Enfields.
 
Thanks for the help folks.

I had already picked up an RCBS Rockchucker kit (The Supreme deluxe I think its called), and a 2 die set of RCBS A small base .308 WIN.

Just everything I had read up till now stated that it was best just to neck size and maybe tap the shoulder back vs FL resize on a bolt gun.

Its not a big deal ATM as I have a ton of once fired brass kicking around from either my own use or range pickups so this will all have to be FL resized anyway. Was just looking down the road.
 
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