Just bought a set up and I am as green as grass lol, advice?!

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Brappp306

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Hey guys! So I have been shooting for a long time now, but finally got into the reloading aspect as factory ammo would not do it for long range anymore. I am not in it for money saving process, I simply want the most precise/accurate loads possible. I spent $1800 on a full set up today, didn't cheap out. I need the reloading steps for dummies lol. Have VERY little experience, does some one have a video or info page that shows the steps from first to last(I have a ton of used dirty brass)? I don't really have any friends that I can learn from. Thanks! Reloading .308 only for now
 
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Buy a good reloading book, I like Lyman as they cover multiple manufacturers.

READ IT, then read it again!

Reloading is NOT something to take lightly.

Cheers
Jay
 
Sort the brass by headstamp. Then clean the brass before sizing, so as to not scratch your dies.

There are lots of ways to lube cases, but if you have a bunch of clean brass, this is a fest way to do it that put on just enough lube to make cases size easily with just a tiny bit around the mouth of the case to lube the expander button.

I lube 100 or so cases (rifle) at a time. Takes about 30 seconds.

I use Lee case lube. It is a water soluble cream that is easy to clean off.

Dump brass in a plastic pail that has a lid.

lubebrass1.jpg


Then take a 1" worm of lube and smear it around the top inside wall of the pail.

lubebrass.jpg


Put lid on and swirl and shake for 15 seconds. This will lube all the cases and deposit a tiny dab on the case mouth, to lube the expander.

Once you have buckets of sized clean brass, you can prime them. I use a Lee Autoprime and always prime the cases before trying to load them. I do not prime on the press.
 
I hope that out of that $1800 you spent a couple of hundred on reloading manuals. Sierra, Lyman, Hornady, Lee, Speer, all come to mind. Read ALL the stuff up to the caliber specific recipe listings. It will all be obvious right up to the point you actually try to do something when the clarity turns to mud, so go slow and read it again while looking at the different parts. Get on you tube and watch a pile of reloading videos about the goodies that you bought, how they work, how to set them up, and how to use them. Read all the manuals and bits of paper that came with the stuff you bought while you look at it closely, put it together, take all the pieces apart, then put it all together, then read the loading manuals or the parts of the loading manuals that don't quite make sense once again. Yes, you can DO IT.
I'm self taught and still learning. I have only been reloading for 15 years or so now. Tens of thousands of various rounds later and yes, still learning. I have read all the aforementioned books and a few others as well. I have read some of them a few times and I have re-read certain parts multiple times. This isn't like learning to ride a bike or a horse. You fall down, or off the saddle doing this stuff and you could end up missing significant parts - of yourself, or even worse, yourself and someone else.
 
when you start loading start at the minimum powder charge - a load that works in one gun may not work in yours in term of accuracy. I have been reloading for a couple years - and start at minimum powder charge - if I get the accuracy I want out of that then I write the load down and not bother with trying to improve it. Also, not sure if you already have one but a bullet puller (hammer or die) is a must.
 
In addition to the above, keep reading threads here. Learn to use the somewhat limited search function.

After a while, it will begin to make sense.

Welcome aboard.
 
Take your time, charge 1 case at a time, then seat the bullet 1 at a time.
Start low with the charge and move up in small increments.
I have even weighed the case, tare the scale, and charge the case. Then re weighed to make sure the charge is good.
 
One place where we can help you get started is with the powder choice.

I have helped a number of newbies get started and have found they have already bought the powder, and it is not a good choice.

If you objective is accurate 308 ammo, then a good powder choice is Varget. We could write a book on why that is a good choice, but that would be a good place to start. If you can't source Varget, try 4895 or RL15. I have used all three for match grade 308 ammo.
 
IvoB said:
when you start loading start at the minimum powder charge - a load that works in one gun may not work in yours in term of accuracy. I have been reloading for a couple years - and start at minimum powder charge - if I get the accuracy I want out of that then I write the load down and not bother with trying to improve it. Also, not sure if you already have one but a bullet puller (hammer or die) is a must.
Click to expand...

Agreed, start at the minimum and work up, but stopping at that one node doesn't always work out in the long term. If you want the best possible ammo for a specific distance which is all you will ever be shooting, then the minimum load that gets the accuracy you want is fine. That minimum charge node might be ok at 100 to 150 yards but turn out to be terrible at 300 yards with excessive bullet drop and stability issues. If you want the best possible accuracy for variable distances, you have to find the bullet/powder/charge combination along with the best seating depth, crimping/neck tension, primer, etc, that works the best overall. Most of us try to get the velocity up as far as possible while searching for the best accuracy without seeing signs of excessive pressure. The bullet will fly with a trajectory as flat and far as possible with the highest possible energy in a consistently reliable manner.
 
When I started, I never lost sight of how important my fingers were to me, or what loosing them would mean to my life, or how easily one mistake could cost me them... After those thoughts, the diligence and double, triple and quadruple checking came naturally.

Work slow, buy a caliper and a good scale. make your first batch, checking each step along the way, then take a bunch of them apart and spot check for accuracy or charge, etc.


ITB
 
Ganderite said:
Sort the brass by headstamp. Then clean the brass before sizing, so as to not scratch your dies.

There are lots of ways to lube cases, but if you have a bunch of clean brass, this is a fest way to do it that put on just enough lube to make cases size easily with just a tiny bit around the mouth of the case to lube the expander button.

I lube 100 or so cases (rifle) at a time. Takes about 30 seconds.

I use Lee case lube. It is a water soluble cream that is easy to clean off.

Dump brass in a plastic pail that has a lid.

lubebrass1.jpg


Then take a 1" worm of lube and smear it around the top inside wall of the pail.

lubebrass.jpg


Put lid on and swirl and shake for 15 seconds. This will lube all the cases and deposit a tiny dab on the case mouth, to lube the expander.

Once you have buckets of sized clean brass, you can prime them. I use a Lee Autoprime and always prime the cases before trying to load them. I do not prime on the press.
Click to expand...

I liked the Lee, it works great, but recently bought a can of the RCBS (I think) spray lube. Much easier.
 
The only other piece of advice that i can add to everything else that has been said...is this....DON'T reload a 100 pcs.....reload 10 or 20 and take them out and shoot them and then tweak the numbers to where you want...No sense in having 100 reloads that aren't quite performing in accuracy, velocity etc...
 
Jay said:
Buy a good reloading book, I like Lyman as they cover multiple manufacturers.

READ IT, then read it again!

Reloading is NOT something to take lightly.

Cheers
Jay
Click to expand...
+1^. Him speakum much truth!
A couple of other items that you may find useful added to ones reloading equipment inventory:
Stuck case remover. Finally used it after 30+yrs of reloading
Kinetic bullet puller, or collet depending on preference
Magnifying glass
Fine grit sanding block - After deburring the case mouth I roll the case mouth over it to get it smooth.
Nylon case neck brushes L, M, S
Primer Pocket cleaner L & S
Primer Pocket Reamer to remove Military Crimp if you happen to end up using this type of brass L & S
Spare parts for your press (s)
Additional Reloading Manuals if you so choose
Tumbler of some kind
Digital scale
 
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I am curious as to which press that you bought.

For precision loading of rifle cartridges, the Forster Co-ax press is frequently recommended, because the die holder and universal shell holder allow the die to self-align with the case, allowing more concentric resizing.

Something to research on You-Tube.
 
The ABC's Of Reloading is a good book to start with.

Papaclaude said:
I liked the Lee, it works great, but recently bought a can of the RCBS (I think) spray lube. Much easier.
Click to expand...

Do you find it goes on thinner? I use the technique Ganderite reccomends with the Lee but even with a coat so thin the cases are hard to get out of the sizer I still get a few dents on and below the shoulder with it.
 
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I shot this group Saturday at Silverdale
Savage Axis 308HB




My COAL is 2.800 using Varget my other groups the largest was about 1.40 inches having that one shot open up the group - these were fed into the chamber one at a time since the magazine broke at 450 ish rounds.

Is this a great load? If I am able to duplicate these groups in a couple of weeks perhaps this is what works BEST in my rifle your results may vary.

Ivo
 
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