Help with shopping list for new loader

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zulu31

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Hi all ,Ive been debating when to start reloading for a few weeks now and decided it might as well be from the very start. I currently have the great guys at Alberta Tactical Rifle Supply working on my Remington 700 R5 .308 bedded into an adjustable HS precision stock with some other fine tuning of the rifle .I don't have it in my hands yet but I'm in no rush and it will be a few more overtime cheaque's till I can get the optics I want . What I'm trying to do right now is fine tune my reloading equipment and start buying the different pieces .I'm looking to push the limits of how far and accurate I can shoot , would like to get 1000 yard hits consecutively .I was debating buying a kit but after reading a ton of review's on various parts that are inside I decided to buy them separately .This is the list I'm currently thinking about .

Lyman T Mag II Press
Redding Type S Match Die Set
Digital Caliper
Lyman EZee powder funnel
Lyman 1500xp Scale
A dental sonic cleaner ( thanks to my dad working in the field fixing them )
Lyman universal case prep tool kit
Primer tray
RCBS case tube lube kit
Hornady Manual #8
and .308 shell holder

as for the components ill be using for the build it will be :
.308 Lapua Brass
Varget powder
CCI BR-2 primers
Sierra 168 gr MK

If anyone could take a look over this and give any opinion that would be great . Sorry if this post bugs people but Ive spent hours and searched quite a few posts but guess I just need that final reassurance before I throw down +- $600 on another amazing hobby . Thanks for taking a look at this.
 
Add "The ABC's of Reloading" to your list. Step by step pics and some good, worthwhile reading. Completely worth the $25-30.
Clint
 
There are other powders than Varget. It is a very good powder but that doesn't mean your rifle will like it. Keep an open mind to others. ie 4895 either H or IMR w 748 or 760 to name but a few. Have fun.
 
yea not stuck on Varget ,just thought I'd use it for a starting point as well as the Sierra .Thanks iceman for the other options.
 
Hi Zulu,

I am in the same boat, just have started reloading, and one comment / question?

I don't have friends who roload so my data for reloads is limited to published loads. Ie Hornaby 8th, Sierra 5th, Lyman 49th, Nosler 6th, and Speers 14th.

Within all, especially as a newbie, they strongly suggest to use only proven loads, which includes the combination primers, powders, and bullets.

I am assuming your firearm uses 308 winchester vs 308 norma magnum, and in quick review of hornaby and sierra manuals your combination of loads aren't listed within. Has someone you know proven these.

To me it seems a bit odd that you have the hornaby manual in your "to get list" but are using sierra Match Kings. Personally I would refer to Sierra loads vs Hornaby.

Just want to make sure you will be safe.
 
When you are ready to order, please give me a chance to quote on the list for you. All those items are available to me. I also have lots of them in stock. Please check out my website too.
Regards, Henry
 
+1 on both the ABCs. It's one of the best general introductions to reloading. WRT reloading manuals, frankly, none of the ones put out by the major ammo component firms are bad. You can depend on the data in them, which is more than you can say about stuff off the internet. Some people like one, some another - I tend to buy a new one every few years and make a point of getting one from a company I haven't bought from lately; different way of looking at things, I guess you'd say.

Ditto on the Imperial wax. Far less messy than the normal lube kit.


Asides from the stuff you have listed:

Must Haves

• a workbench of some sort. It can be custom built, a folding work-mate or even a way to use your kitchen counter, but you must have something reasonably solid.

• a reloading block - a tray to hold your cases as you work through the process. You can buy them or make them with a piece of 2x6 and a drill press.

• a legal way to store primers and powder. Lockable box with EXPLOSIVES written on the outside is the starting point.

• a book of some sort to record your efforts so you can tell what works and what doesn't. You can buy specially-printed ones but a school notebook works just as well

• good lighting. If your reloading place isn't bright, buy a cheap gooseneck lamp. I got mine (a floor model) at Ikea - it's flex neck allows me to put the light where it is needed

• often overlooked - safety googles and a fire extinguisher. Cheap insurance.


'Should-have-but-not-critical'

• powder trickler (the 'throw low and trickle up' concept is useful for high accuracy loads) - good even with hi-tech scales, IMO

• small flashlight

• if you've the inclination, a micrometer.

• automatic primer feed, strip or tube, to avoid having to handle individual primers


'Nice-to-have's

• magnifying glass

• bullet puller. Everybody makes mistakes. Most people use a kinetic one, shaped like a hammer.


Some things you won't need until you really need them:

• a couple of spare depriming pins for your dies

• a stuck case remover.

You can get both for under $10 and they'll save you a lot of grief.


As to your selection of components, looks good to me. Be aware however that individual rifles have individual tastes - what works well in one rifle will not in another. Be prepared to experiment as needed with different components if those don't work as well as you would like.
 
Hi Zulu,

I am in the same boat, just have started reloading, and one comment / question?

I don't have friends who roload so my data for reloads is limited to published loads. Ie Hornaby 8th, Sierra 5th, Lyman 49th, Nosler 6th, and Speers 14th.

Within all, especially as a newbie, they strongly suggest to use only proven loads, which includes primers, powders, and bullets.

I am assuming your firearm uses 308 winchester vs 308 norma magnum, and in quick review of hornaby and sierra manuals your combination of loads aren't listed within. Has someone you know proven these.

To me it seems a bit odd that you have the hornaby manual in your "to get list" but are using sierra Match Kings. Personally I would refer to Sierra loads vs Hornaby.

Just want to make sure you will be safe.
 
Is there a priming tool on your press or list? You'll need one.

I have most of the popular manuals and I found the Hornady and Nosler to be the least useful for the load data unless using their bullets. I would recommend Lyman 49th, Lee 2nd, or Speer #14 over those for a starter book, then buy all of them later.

Kinetic bullet puller like the RCBS is very handy too.
 
Hey explorin2 ,yea we are in the same boat 98% of my friends don't even own a gun let alone reload haha. Yea my rifles going to be .308 Winchester . I'm not dead set on the sierra bullets , I actually just did a search on Google and read a couple posts and people claimed they were the best for long range . I still need to do a lot more research before I pick a final recipe . I definitely need to grab another reload book to cross reference everything before I start . Hk33ka1 there is a priming tool on the press and ill definitely grab another manual . As for the bullet puller ,ive thrown that on the list after reading some replies.
 
fleguel said:
I think the "bullet puller" is a must have. It is cheap and quick for the odd mistake, I mean correction. :)
Click to expand...

X2 "Murphy's Law" = if you don't have it, you will need it :D .

I'd suggest the RCBS press type puller with the collet for .338 LM. Its civilized compared to the :HR: type pullers.

You may also already have both tools and ingenuity sufficient to properly remove a stuck case, if not, I'd suggest you get the tackle RCBS makes for this task too. "Those dies you're buying aren't cheap" ! The RCBS stuck case removal kit is. "Murphy"
 
zulu31 said:
I still need to do a lot more research before I pick a final recipe .
Click to expand...

If I might, the best research you can do is to load a bunch of ammo in gradually-increasing powder charges, then try them out on the range. One or two will stand out as more accurate. Tweak those some more, then start playing with seating depth and such.

It may even be that the first powder/bullet combo you experiment with will not produce decent results. At that point, you generally have to try different bullets or different propellant.

The load that makes one ragged hole with my rifle - however much I boast about how good my load is - may not allow you to hit the broad side of a barn with your rifle. You're going to have to do a lot of shooting. (As if that's a downside...)

Good luck.
 
Work your loads up from minimum in the books. Don't just pick a load to start with. Pick a load from these work-up loads that is accurate and does not exhibit pressure signs. Become familiar with the signs of excessive pressure. Read my thread "Early Pressure Signs" to see why if you break this rule you may break something else too.
Everyone usually says to get 2-3 reloading books and read them twice before you start reloading. The other key is to be organized, document things, recheck things constantly, load without distractions, never have more than one type of powder on the bench, never mix powders, handle primers with care, wear safety glasses, etc, etc. Form these good habits from the get go. Have fun.
 
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