Need help / info / recommendations.

[Clamber]

Ill be getting a Savage 10 PC this winter and Ive been advised to reload my own ammo.

Ive never reloaded before so I need a good online resource to read up on it and learn how to properly do it.

I also need recommendations for .308 reloading equipment. Ill have about $500 for it, but if I didnt have to spend all that it would be nice.

What all do I need, and where should I get it?

Oh and one random question, would it be a bad idea to set up the reloading station in a garage? Its not a enclosed garage though unfortunately, it has 3 walls and a roof. Im just asking because Im wondering what conditions the components have to be stored in.

 

[kd185]

Re: Need help / info / recommendations.

pick your self up a cheap used lee or rcbs single stage reloader
no need to spend a mountain of money on something you might not find enjoyable and lose interest in
again some used clean dies will work
get a trust worth scale, a tumbler, deburing tool and a manual (doesn't matter the age of the manual as the 308 has been out for decades)
start with some basic reloads no need reinventing the wheel
get a pound of surplus powder and some basic heads
you will get great satisfaction in shooting your own ammo
then you can start tweaking your reloads

crawl, walk, jog then run

 

[Clamber]

Re: Need help / info / recommendations.

Thanks for the reply.

Id honestly just rather buy new. Ive been recommended this:
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productnumber=423081
And then I found these dies just looking on the site:
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productnumber=148525

Would that be a good starting point? Would I need to get anything else besides a tumbler, scale, deburing tool and manual?

And while just looking at the components on there, I found these while just trying to get an average price for everything. Would they work for a basic load?

Brass: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=1601114068

Bullets: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=1165127340

Primers: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=287757

Powder: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=132834

Also, since Im new to reloading and bolt-action/precision shooting, I have no clue how much of each component to get.

I wouldn't shoot more that 100 rounds at a time I don't think Id need to get much brass. So maybe ~200? And then possible enough primers, bullets and powder for maybe 1000?

Then order more as I need it.

Does that sound like a good plan, or am I thinking about this the wrong way.

Thanks again.

 

[madd0c]

Re: Need help / info / recommendations.

Sounds like the best idea currently while you are still looking is to buy a good reloading manual and read it to see what you will need and to understand the process.

You might also want to get the book ABCs of reloading as I have heard it is a great book to get you started, though I have no personal experience with it.

Do a search for beginning reloading on here and do alot of reading. Your question has been answered dozens if not hundreds of times on this and other sites.

Read a bunch before you buy. When you buy components, don;t get a truckload because when you are getting started, you will find you need to change things most likely, and having 100 of a bullet you are trying and find you don't like or doesn;t work in your gun is better than having 5000 of them.

Of the equipment you listed, the Lee kit will be fine to test the waters, and I am sure the press will be fine long after that if you get more into reloading. The dies will work, but I would bet if you get into reloading and like it you will replace them with something better.
As for the components you list, All would be fine for starting to work up a load for your rifle. 4064 is an all around good powder, but you will find alot of people use other powders for bolt action .308s. Once again, just get 1 pound and see if you can work up a good load with 4064 buying local will be MUCH cheaper for getting a small amount of components to start with because hazmat adds $25 to shipping whether you buy 1 primer and a pound of powder or (I think) 25 pounds.
The primers are top notch, and should work well for most loads in a 308.


Good luck, and hope that helps some.
madd0c

 

[CK_32]

Re: Need help / info / recommendations.

Honestly best way to go.

Get a RCBS suprime reloading kit. Get a some decent dies for it a digital caliper and a case trimmer (trimmer isnt a must right off the bat) And your good to go.


I was againstready to go kits but I really caved in and looking into one and really liked it. I bought one and I love it. Its a great way to get started with out having to shop around for 5 months to get everything..

ITs not all top of the line stuff but its still really great reloading stuff.

Tehn all you'll need is components brass bullets powder primers and your ready to start reloading.



BUT!!!!.... Trust me on this.. READ READ and READ some more. Reloading is a very safe process but if you dont read and google everything and you tube everything and read again about everything you can seriously get hurt or hurt someone else.

What I did was read and google and youtube for about a month on each step or just the basics of reloading and then I studied again and read one step tried it. Made sure I did it right.. Then the same for the next step.


Now I can and am comfertable enough to reload on my own. You will never know everything about reloading but you just need to be sure and confadent in your loads and what your doing.. But once you make a good set of hand loads your in the game.. It just gets easier from there.

 

[Clamber]

Re: Need help / info / recommendations.

Im about to order a book and then read for the next month or so and learn before I jump it. But I just put this together to get a ballpark idea of how much Id need to spend:

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Reloading Kit: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productnumber=121744

Dies: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productnumber=148525

Case Gage: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productnumber=271467

Bullet Puller: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productnumber=215517

Reloading Book: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productnumber=484416

Reloading Tray: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productnumber=536734

Tumbler: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productnumber=587176

Caliper: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productnumber=604242

Media: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productnumber=730107

Powder: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productnumber=132834

Primers: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productnumber=151578

Brass: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productnumber=176376

Bullets: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productnumber=713601

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[Iamironman]

Re: Need help / info / recommendations.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Clamber</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Im about to order a book and then read for the next month or so and learn before I jump it. But I just put this together to get a ballpark idea of how much Id need to spend:

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Reloading Kit: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productnumber=121744

Dies: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productnumber=148525

Case Gage: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productnumber=271467

Bullet Puller: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productnumber=215517

Reloading Book: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productnumber=484416

Reloading Tray: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productnumber=536734

Tumbler: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productnumber=587176

Caliper: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productnumber=604242

Media: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productnumber=730107

Powder: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productnumber=132834

Primers: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productnumber=151578

Brass: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productnumber=176376

Bullets: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productnumber=713601

------ </div></div>

Don't waste your money on the LEE kit. I'd highly recommend the RCBS kit over that one (or Hornady, or Redding). Same goes for the dies.
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=646599

Like mentioned above READ, READ, and READ some more, and that doesn't mean go on every gun forum and ask, what should I buy. This book is also highly recommended
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0896896...BYWY6D38V80KRPT

Again, you would be better off buying the powder and primers locally if you can, you'll be saving the $25 hazmat fee. As a beginner, ANY brand of primers you buy will be satisfactory, and there is probably over a dozen powders for the 308.