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Posted: 11/5/2010 5:20:34 AM EDT
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I am really wanting to get into reloading, but have no idea what to expect or why to start. Midway USA is where I have been looking for reloading equipment supplies online, but I don't know what is required to reload.
What equipment should I be looking for to start reloading? Are any of the "packages" available for sale worth while, or would I be better off buying each piece individually? Does any one have any links to good starter sets or equipment? I am looking at reloading precision rounds for my .308 and .223, as well as .223 and 9mm pistol plinking rounds. Also, what size primers do .308 and .223 round use? Small rifle, Correct? |
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Get the ABC's of reloading book and read it......cover to cover.
RCBS and LEE make good starter kits. These are a cheaper way to find out if youll like reloading, if you do you can replace what you want with better equipment. ETA: Look at the top of the page for resources on reloading equipment and tutorials. |
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Equipment list is here http://www.ar15.com/content/page.html?id=486 Read the Tutorials Get the ABC's book Get a mentor if possible Ask questions here! |
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Quoted:
I am really wanting to get into reloading, but have no idea what to expect or why to start. Midway USA is where I have been looking for reloading equipment supplies online, but I don't know what is required to reload. What equipment should I be looking for to start reloading? Are any of the "packages" available for sale worth while, or would I be better off buying each piece individually? Does any one have any links to good starter sets or equipment? I am looking at reloading precision rounds for my .308 and .223, as well as .223 and 9mm pistol plinking rounds. Also, what size primers do .308 and .223 round use? Small rifle, Correct? Sir, in answer to your last question, .308 Winchester cartridges use large rifle primers and .223 Rem. use small rifle primers. I'll second everything that has already been posted in response to your other questions, but will add that I don't really like kits. The problem is that most beginners like yourself you don't know what equipment you really need (and what you don't need) and why some features of a given tool are better than others. Check out the Sinclair Int. web site. They offer a wide range of reloading equipment including some high end equipment that you simply won't find on the Midway site. Just browsing through their site will be an education for you as it offers a perspective most beginners havn't even considered. HTH, 7zero1. |
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Do what everyone else has said. Look at the RCBS supreme Rock Chucker kit. Lee offers a good one as well. Like 7zero1 said, you may want to forego a kit though and piece together your own setup after reading up on each piece.
Try not to overload yourself. It can be overwhelming with all the options, and that goes across the board. Projectiles, powder, primers, brass, tools, I mean everything. There are so many options that you need to consider. Here is the RCBS kit from Sinclair's site. I bought this kit and I haven't even used some of the stuff from the kit. I went with a RCBS digital scale with powder hopper/ auger kit. That was just one thing I felt I wanted over the basic scale / powder measure that came with the set. I probably could have saved a little cash had I went this route in the first place and not bought the complete kit. RCBS kit and Sinclair |
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Thanks for the info so far, looks like I have a lot of reading in my future.
One last question I have on my mind at the moment, Is it possible to expect my setup to load both precision and plinking rounds? I have done a little reading on this, and it seems like people reload for one of those goals, not both together. |
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Another option is the Hornady kit, which is just a little bit less expensive, but has the Lock N Load system.
Hornady kit @ Sinclair |
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Quoted:
Thanks for the info so far, looks like I have a lot of reading in my future. One last question I have on my mind at the moment, Is it possible to expect my setup to load both precision and plinking rounds? I have done a little reading on this, and it seems like people reload for one of those goals, not both together. Yes. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Thanks for the info so far, looks like I have a lot of reading in my future. One last question I have on my mind at the moment, Is it possible to expect my setup to load both precision and plinking rounds? I have done a little reading on this, and it seems like people reload for one of those goals, not both together. Yes. +4 that is a good book and when you are ready look at the lee classic turret press |
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Quoted:
Thanks for the info so far, looks like I have a lot of reading in my future. One last question I have on my mind at the moment, Is it possible to expect my setup to load both precision and plinking rounds? I have done a little reading on this, and it seems like people reload for one of those goals, not both together. Relax, you can do both. Precision loads require better/more brass prep, better bullets (match), and more care in loading. but can use the same equipment. |
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Hornady at Sinclair
In addition to this kit from sinclair, what else do I need to start reloading? I will also be buying the abc's of reloading book. |
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Quoted:
Hornady at Sinclair In addition to this kit from sinclair, what else do I need to start reloading? I will also be buying the abc's of reloading book. Read the post linked by AssaultRifler above. |
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I am looking at dies now, will these dies work for what I am trying to do?
.308- hornady dies .223- Hornady dies Will these lee dies work in the press from the hornady kit? midway dies |
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I am looking at dies now, will these dies work for what I am trying to do? .308- Hornady dies .223- Hornady dies Will these lee dies work in the press from the Hornady kit? midway dies IMHO the Hornady dies are much better than the Lee. I have both. Dies all use standard threads, so brand L will fit in brand H press. The only place you would run into dies not being interchangeable is with a Dillon SD or some old obsolete press. Had to add this for the nit pickers. |
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I have been reading some on neck tensioning for auto loaders like the ar. Will those hornady dies set the correct neck tension for use in ar's in both .223 and .308?
Can I reload bullets that have a cannelure? Like some 77gr smk's for .223. Is a case trimmer necessary? Will I have to trim every case I reload if it was fired out of the same rifle it will be fired from again and ran through the sizing die? With the hornady lock and load setup can I deprime and reprime military brass with primer crimps? I am also a little confused on powder, is varget or IMR 4895 good to go in both the .308 and .223? |
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Quoted: I have been reading some on neck tensioning for auto loaders like the ar. Will those hornady dies set the correct neck tension for use in ar's in both .223 and .308? Yes, that's the function of the expander ball part of the sizing die, the die over squished the case mouth, then when you yank the press handle back up the expander ball expands the case mouth to diameter of the expander ball, typically 0.001" smaller than the projectile Can I reload bullets that have a cannelure? Like some 77gr smk's for .223. Yes Is a case trimmer necessary? Will I have to trim every case I reload if it was fired out of the same rifle it will be fired from again and ran through the sizing die? It's necessary. You'll have to trim when the brass is over max length. Doesnt mean you have to trim every time you reload that case, only if it's over max length. But those with power trimmers just go ahead and trim the case every time anyway because it's faster to just trim a case then to check it for length and then trim if necessary. With the hornady lock and load setup can I deprime and reprime military brass with primer crimps? It'll deprime, then you'll have to decrimp the primer pockets, then prime as usual. See http://www.ar15.com/content/page.html?id=452 I am also a little confused on powder, is varget or IMR 4895 good to go in both the .308 and .223? Check Hodgon's website to see if same powder can be used for both. I use Accurate Arms powder. AA2460 can be used for both 223 and 308 |
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Quoted:
Another question I just thought of is what about cases where the mouth has been dented when hitting the shell deflector on my ar? Can I just resize them like nothing was wrong or is there an extra step that needs to be done to round the mouth out again? Sir, as long as the expander ball will pass through the case mouth there should be no problem or extra step required to round out a dented case mouth. Only in extreme cases would you want to pry out the dented side of the case mouth to ease the start of the expander ball into the case mouth. Most of the instances when I have encountered a badly dented case mouth I just toss it into the recycle bin, it's not worth trying to salvage. Along the lines Mr. AssaultRifler has mentioned I believe if you were to take some actual measurements regarding neck tension, you would find that the finished inside diameter (ID) the resized case is significantly greater than .001" less than bullet outside diameter (OD). My rule of thumb for "correct neck tension" for each of the cartridges you mention is between .002" and .003" less than bullet OD. More than that is too much and will result in erratic ignition pressures and less than that will allow the bullet to move inside the case mouth as it is seated into the rifle chamber. Bullets with crimping grooves are intended to be crimped but that doesn't mean you have to crimp them. Bullets that don't have crimping grooves were never intended to be crimped and I make it a habit to not do so. In the case of match cartridges that I intend to use in competition I never crimp a match bullet. Originally Sierra made their 77gr. SMK without the crimping groove. Only recently since our military decided this was a good bullet with a bit more reach than lighter ones did Sierra add the crimp groove because our military thinks that due to the extreme conditions their ammo is possibly subjected to that the bullets need to be crimped. Just because the bullet has a crimping groove doesn't mean the reloader has to crimp. If case neck tension is consistant and adequate crimping is not needed IMHO. Most bottle neck rifle cartridges will stretch in length once they are resized subsequent to firing. Trimming becomes a requirement due to the fixed length of the rifle chamber, you don't want the case mouth to protrude into the rifle throat. I prefer to trim just under max case OAL after every resizing, but some reloaders like to trim to the minimum OAL. Others use the RCBS "X" die which is intended to eliminate the need for trimming after the first trim. Varget is OK for use in both the cartridges you suggest as is IMR 4895. There are other choices, I suggest you try some of them. Varget would not be my first choice for either, but I do prefer IMR 4895 for .308 Win. HTH, 7zero1. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Another question I just thought of is what about cases where the mouth has been dented when hitting the shell deflector on my ar? Can I just resize them like nothing was wrong or is there an extra step that needs to be done to round the mouth out again? Sir, as long as the expander ball will pass through the case mouth there should be no problem or extra step required to round out a dented case mouth. Only in extreme cases would you want to pry out the dented side of the case mouth to ease the start of the expander ball into the case mouth. Most of the instances when I have encountered a badly dented case mouth I just toss it into the recycle bin, it's not worth trying to salvage. Along the lines Mr. AssaultRifler has mentioned I believe if you were to take some actual measurements regarding neck tension, you would find that the finished inside diameter (ID) the resized case is significantly greater than .001" less than bullet outside diameter (OD). My rule of thumb for "correct neck tension" for each of the cartridges you mention is between .002" and .003" less than bullet OD. More than that is too much and will result in erratic ignition pressures and less than that will allow the bullet to move inside the case mouth as it is seated into the rifle chamber. Bullets with crimping grooves are intended to be crimped but that doesn't mean you have to crimp them. Bullets that don't have crimping grooves were never intended to be crimped and I make it a habit to not do so. In the case of match cartridges that I intend to use in competition I never crimp a match bullet. Originally Sierra made their 77gr. SMK without the crimping groove. Only recently since our military decided this was a good bullet with a bit more reach than lighter ones did Sierra add the crimp groove because our military thinks that due to the extreme conditions their ammo is possibly subjected to that the bullets need to be crimped. Just because the bullet has a crimping groove doesn't mean the reloader has to crimp. If case neck tension is consistant and adequate crimping is not needed IMHO. Most bottle neck rifle cartridges will stretch in length once they are resized subsequent to firing. Trimming becomes a requirement due to the fixed length of the rifle chamber, you don't want the case mouth to protrude into the rifle throat. I prefer to trim just under max case OAL after every resizing, but some reloaders like to trim to the minimum OAL. Others use the RCBS "X" die which is intended to eliminate the need for trimming after the first trim. Varget is OK for use in both the cartridges you suggest as is IMR 4895. There are other choices, I suggest you try some of them. Varget would not be my first choice for either, but I do prefer IMR 4895 for .308 Win. HTH, 7zero1. Thanks. Some very helpful info for me in this thread. |
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