Basic Reloading equipment

[Dstevens]

I'm hopefully getting a .300 win mag here shortly and I am not paying $2 a round. I've never reloaded ammuntion before and i need a list of equipment to get to do everthing from start to finish. it doesnt need to be the nicest stuff on the market just something that will get the job done for maybe 50-60 rounds a year.
Thanks!

 

[Kevin Thomas]

Dstevens,

At 50-60 rounds a year, you need to stick to the factory stuff. Seriously, handloading isn't worth your time. You'll have a fairly hefty outlay of cash for even the most basic set-up, compared to what you'd spend on three boxes of shells. At that rate, you'd NEVER amortize the expense, and wouldn't be doing it enough to get proficient with the process.

Sorry, just trying to be blunt with the facts here.

 

[CogburnR]

https://fsreloading.com/lee-precision-breech-lock-challenger-kit-90030.html

I have a Buddy that has loaded around 40,000 rounds with the kit before this which wasn't as good.

 

[Dstevens]

Thanks!

 

[dogdinger]

i had a housefire and lost all my reloading equipment in 05'. I started back with this very kit from lee and it did a great job. the press is a little flimsy for bigger magnum stuff, but i still use the powder measure and scale. it is a good way to start and get the basics figured out so dont be afraid to try it. AJ

 

[Sully2]

I'm hopefully getting a .300 win mag here shortly and I am not paying $2 a round. I've never reloaded ammuntion before and i need a list of equipment to get to do everthing from start to finish. it doesnt need to be the nicest stuff on the market just something that will get the job done for maybe 50-60 rounds a year.
Thanks!

Once you get the hang of reloading you'll be shooting MORE than 50-60 rounds a year!!!

1) RCBS Reloader Special press
2) RCBS 505 scale ( or 10-10 if you feel rich)
3) Powder drop tube ( I prefer the RCBS but any will do actually)
4) Dies for your caliber. Lee dies are as good as anyones and its not like your going to wear them out!
5) Lube...I prefer either the Hornady "wax" or "Imperial"
6) Loading block ( buy from Midway and get a Franklin. Good as anyones and lots cheaper than some
7) Vernier...Definately needed
8) Reloading manual
9) Reloading components ( bullets; powder; primers...etc
10) A place to setup and quiet so you arent bothered.
11) I forgot a tool for chamfering the inside and outside of case mouths

If you cant do it with that...you aint gonna do it!!

P.S. Cheap E-BAY. You can get used presses...etc...etc that are CLEAN and havent been used much at all for less than 1/2 price of new. Dont buy some old rusty S*** because new looking stuff comes online all the time.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

Kevin has a point; BUT it'll get you shooting a lot more working with your rifle if you are serious about reloading for it at all.
If three boxes a year is really all you'll use, I'd buy my stuff as factory as Kevin mentioned.

 

[Kevin Thomas]

Kevin has a point; BUT it'll get you shooting a lot more working with your rifle if you are serious about reloading for it at all.
If three boxes a year is really all you'll use, I'd buy my stuff as factory as Kevin mentioned.

I mentioned this from a bad memory; sitting in on the civil trial of a guy who'd blown a 270 Wby Mag to shreds. No small feat, either. When I was originally sent to do the deposition, I'd been informed that the guy was and experienced reloader, and has been doing his own ammo for nearly 20 years. When I got up there and started doing the deposition, it quickly turned out that the guy had what I would have called a few months (at best) experience, spread out over 20 years. He loaded two or three boxes of ammo, each and every year, no more. He'd also had ammo (reloaded ammo) gun problems, with sticky bolts, including one time the previous year when he actually had to take the gun to a local 'smith to get the bolt open and the fired case extracted. No real knowledge of what he was doing, a reloading manual that was at least 20 years outdated, no knowledge of powders, etc.. The guy was a poster child for factory ammo . . . or maybe golf. Anyway, he probably shouldn't have been shooting, and he sure as hell shouldn't have been reloading his own ammo. Ever since then, yeah, if you're only going to load two or three boxes a year, buy the factory stuff and be done with it.

 

[Sully2]

Kevin has a point; BUT it'll get you shooting a lot more working with your rifle if you are serious about reloading for it at all.
If three boxes a year is really all you'll use, I'd buy my stuff as factory as Kevin mentioned.

Very true. If after the rifle / scope is sighted in....the amount of yearly shots is 3 boxes or less....buy factory ammo. I see Rem and Win 180 gr loads for $26.xx a box. Cant begin to get your $$ back buying even the cheapest, low priced crap equipment on the market at those prices

 

[lever-hed]

Kevin,
Sage advise. I will second that.. even loading a handful of times a month, it can be mundane, and you can loose focus of what you're doing (oh , so easy).. you begin to just go through the motions, and that can lead anyone into trouble, even some of the more experienced.. I digress but this subject brings out all kinds of bad juju (at least IMHO)..


Lever.

 

[CogburnR]

One thing about loading a 300 magnum, you probably aren't going to double charge it . That means it is fairly safe to reload, even being a couple grains of powder off won't kill you. Lets face it-if you blow up a 300 magnum with reloads you are pretty stupid. Warning signs come well before you get in serious trouble, keep the pressures low and it is pretty straightforward to load.

Another is your return on investment is high.

If he has plenty of brass available his first 100 rounds of loaded ammo will probably save a third of the cost of the equipment after paying for components.

A 300 win uses about 70 grains of your typical powder and with decent normal cup and core bullets it will cost less than 60$ for 100 rounds not counting brass.

25$ a pound for powder(7000 grains or 100 loads) and 25$ a hundred for bullets and 3$ for primers. Lee kit for 150$ with dies. Free guides on the internet at Hodgdon, etc.

First hundred cost 210$ if he loads 200 then he'll have 260-270$ into 10 boxes so that is the break even point. Anything after that is 10-12$ a box. Then he can sell his loader for 100$ when he gets done and has had the pleasure of loading his own cartridges to take game with.