Any must haves?

[r2shooter]

I've been loading for my semi-autos .223s, .308s rifles & a few pistol calibers.
I'm just now starting to try & load for .308 bolt rifle. Trying to load the best ammo I can to shoot out to 600yds maybe farther later on.
Always have FL sized, trimmed, cleaned primer pockets, measured from ogive, measured every charge, etc...

I've got bullet comparators, l-n-l gauge, headspace gauge
I don't currently have a neck turner or a Hornady concentricity gauge which I've been told by certain people is a must & do plan on purchasing at some point.

Any other must have tools to get started.?

 

[rduckwor]

Just get started and build some experience. That experience will dictate what you need to buy to fine tune things if anything. You can shop yourself into the poor house trying to buy blind.

Good Luck,

 

[KelsonAK]

To get started? No.

To get OCD? Sure. 21st Cent turner or 'lathe' would be my first choice for neck turning but it isn't a requirement at all really. And I've become a fan of the Redding 'competition' shell holders in different increments for finding headspace bump.
Just get good dies.

 

[FN in MT]

I think I'd upgrade to Lapua brass and Match bullets #1, if you haven't already.

Any way to measure runout? Years back I had a .222 Rem that shot mediocre, despite it was a quality build. The old dies I had were sloppy and my runout was excessive. Switched to REDDING dies, started neck sizing only the .002" reqd to hold a bullet and it turned into a great shooter overnight.

FN in MT

 

[jsthntn247]

Giraud Trimmer, RCBS chargemaster, rcbs case prep center

 

[CK_32]

Honestly anything that comes in a mid range quality starter kit, caliper, dies, trimmer and tumbler is all you really NEED. Everything else is buy as you go. Cause it's just nice to haves. It's all about the beholder. IMO I'm doing ok with just those listed at the moment.


Would be nice to have but surely not needed for my self at least. Not at the moment

 

[r2shooter]

Ok thanks.
I already have/use Redding dies, match bullets, have 2 sets of calipers, Lyman digital & Redding #2 balance beam scales, & bought Lapua brass. I've been reloading for 1-1/2 to 2 years but for only semi-auto rifles/pistols.
So it looks like purchase should be a neck turner.

 

[r2shooter]

" Any other must have tools to get started.? "

Either buy or make a set of check weights.

Don't have but1 check weight that came w/digital scale. What do you recommend to make a set out of or is it just better to buy a set?

 

[Twoboxer]

IMO, you need to buy a set to start with, otherwise what are you calibrating to lol. Typically you can then calibrate closely if not exactly to your powder charge.

Once that's done, MtnCreek's suggestion of cutting/sanding pieces of wire etc to exactly match your actual powder charges is outstanding.

 

[r2shooter]

Thanks MtnCreek for the info.