list of supplies

[kentuckyshiner85]

Ok I'm looking to get into hand loading for my 300 win mag. And .308 nato .I need a list of the supplies that I would need to get the job done. Also can you recommend any good books. I know that I will be getting a rcbs press,but what else do I need?

[monet861]

Hey KS85, I load both of those. You have your press in mind so that is a start. First thing is a good reloading manual, there is a wealth of knowledge and many good hints. Also I would say try handloads.com, I have printed off pages and pages of everything I load. Find a die set you like, RCBS makes a good set, but everyone has their different preferences. From the load data, my suggestion is to find a powder that works well for both, I like IMR4198(I can also use it for .45/70 and 458SOCOM.) Again, from the load data get so common bullet weights and primers.

Now for beginning reloading you will need:
a way to measure powder (dippers, scale)
a way to measure case length and overall round length(digital caliper)
a way to prime your brass
a way to clean your brass (tumbler)
something to store your reloaded bullets in(plastic bag, old boxes, new boxes)
a way to trim your shot brass
maybe a loading block or two
maybe a crimp die
a good quiet, clean place to do your reloading

I am sure I have missed a few items, but a manual and the time to read through it is an excellent start.

[Echo2]

#1....reloading manual (as stated above)

after you read up on that....everything else will dictate itself.

there are a few nice starter kits out there......just buy the correct dies.

once you get into it though....there are a lot of bells and whistles that make it easier.

good luck

[Globalwarmer]

I like me some Lee dies!

[longrangehuntr]

I req at least 2 manuals since one might not have the loads that you are looking for such as the 125 grain 30 cal, the lee manual has the lighter bullet loads that the lyman and hornady do not.

an electronic scale is a bit more but saves time when you weigh out powder

single stage press has a primer arm that works great

a tumbler or a pot with a pasta strainer that you can put your brass in and soak in hot water and a little simple green. throw into a laundry bag and then let air dry. it works better if you deprime them first before you soak them.

get a good shell case lube so your shells don't get stuck in your dies when resizing them.

I also suggest a log book so you can track your loads

[gaLadhon]

Reloading 101

Ok I'm looking to get into hand loading for my 300 win mag. And .308 nato .I need a list of the supplies that I would need to get the job done. Also can you recommend any good books. I know that I will be getting a rcbs press,but what else do I need?

To start off, get a reloading manual that explains not only the procedure but how things work and what to watch out for. I recommend the Hornady® Handbook of Cartridge Reloading, 8th Edition. Read the first section VERY THOROUGHLY. Your safety depends on your attention to details. Next, go to youtube.com and watch whatever video clips you can find that show you the process step by step.

Next, get another manual, Preferably, one published by the brand of reloading equipment you intend to buy. RCBS is the most popular, but pricey. Dillon, Lyman, and Redding even moreso. I Like Lee because you get the best bang (pardon the pun) for your buck, especially if your primary use is target practice and hunting. The more costly brans are not really better for you unless you plan to do competition shooting. You can always upgrade later, and you'll be glad to have the extra gear.

For my "second opinion" manual, I got the Sierra® 5th Edition Reloading Manual, since this was my first choice in bullet brands (Hornaday is my second btw). In looking for "recipes" I wanted to go to the horse's mouth, which would be the bullet manufacturer.

I also got a "third option" from my first choice in powder manufacturer, which was hodgdon. But I didn't have to buy it, you can go online to their website and look up any recipes by caliber, bullet size, and brand. Find the charts you want and print them out.

I also did the same with my second choice in powder manufacturer, finding the Accurate Arms website, finding the charts, downloading and printing.

Now that you've got a very good idea of what you will be doing, the best way to get equipped is to buy a single stage kit. The RCBS Rock Chucker Deluxe Reloading Kit is a bit pricey, so I would recommend the Lee Breech Lock Challenger Reloading Kit. It comes with the Breech Lock Challenger Press, Auto Prime XR Priming Tool (the hand operated one is better than the one that mounts on the press) with a set of 11 Auto Prime Shell Holders, Perfect Powder Measure with stand, Safety Powder Scale, powder funnel, case cutter with lock stud to trim cases, an inside/outside case neck chamfer/deburring tool, primer pocket cleaner and a tube of premium resizing lube. You'll need to also get a set of dies and a specific case-length gauge for each caliber to be trimmed.

Learn the process with the single stage. Later, you'll probably want to get a digital caliper, a digital powder measuring scale, and a tumbler to clean the used cases. After some time, if you feel you need a higher production or higher precision setup, you can step up to a progressive turrent press, a case prep station, and/or high precision dies.

[Mangler]

This site, and the people on it, are the best. Thank you for the info.

[Legion489]

I've posted this to so many sites I should have it so I can drop it in.

FIRST, before doing ANYTHING, get the following books:

Lee MODERN RELOADING 2nd ed - read it cover to cover, but forget all the lies about how great Lee stuff is, some is (such as the dies), the pot metal presses are, IMHO, and I've owned or used them all, JUNK! LOW quality junk at that! Lee also does NOT stand behind their stuff either, although I have had a few small items replaced. The HOW to reload, WHAT to reload, WHY to reload is all good! Just remember that Lee pot metal presses are junk and Lee customer (dis)service is the worst in the industry!

Next get the Lyman #49 (new) or #48 (old and I like better) and read it cover to cover.

Then get DBI METALLIC CARTRIDGE RELOADING 3ed ed and read it cover to cover. MCR doesn't sell anything, so they tell you what is good and what is junk (like Lee pot metal presses).

Then buy a GOOD single stage press (RCBS ROCKCHUCKER. Mine is as good as the day I bought it 30+ years ago. Lyman, Redding, etc. are all excellent too! Did I mention to AVOID POT METAL Lee presses?! I should have!). RCBS, Redding, Forster, Dillon WILL stand behind their stuff, for life! Lee does NOT stand behind their stuff AT ALL, as it is junk!

Then buy the best dies you can. Dillon, Redding, Forster, RCBS, Lyman, Lee. I have A LOT of Lee dies and they ARE good, the others (Dillon, Forster, Redding) are amazing! RCBS and Lyman are very good. Lee is the cheapest and how they make them for the money they sell them for is beyond me! A Yugo and Rolls will both get you there, the Rolls just gets you there in style and comfort.

Lee shell holders are good, buy a set of them.

Buy decent bullets for plinking. If your bullets won't shoot a decent group at 100 yards, then get better bullets. Some surplus ammo/bullets are very good, some are not worth pulling down for salvage.

I try to standardize on one or two powders for each cartridge. Sure there are a few dozen powders that will be ideal for each bullet weight, and so on, but DO NOT MIX THEM UP! Pulling down a container you THINK is one sort of rifle powder and finding it is another is NOT fun and could blow your rifle up!

When you decide on a brand of bullet and/or powder, buy that makers reloading manual(s) and read it/them cover to cover too!

Lee dippers will work as well as any powder measure out there (the Lee Perfect Powder Measure is junk), but powder measures are much faster and easier.

I like Winchester cases and primers, but any brand will, realistically, be fine. I do tend to avoid Remington brass/primers due to problems I have had, but if that is what I can get cheap, then that is what I get if nothing else is available.

Lee hand held case trimmers work fine, Forster trimmers were the first and still are, IMHO, the best.

Other people will tell you I'm full of horse dropping, and that may well be true, but then I can only tell you what I have experienced and what works for me. YMMV. Hope this helps.

[kentuckyshiner85]

thanks to everyone for your input. I see alot of reading in my near future. LOL.