Newbie to Reloading

[estes640]

So I am absolutely new to reloading/handloading, and I am looking to start very soon. I have picked up a 260 remington and I'm pretty tired of paying 35 bucks a box. I have a single stage press that I have picked up, but I have no idea what dies I need to get me started. Will a 2 die set work, or do i need a 3 die set? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Ryan

 

[257ackleyhunter]

In most cases you can do just fine with only getting a 2 die box as long as your only planning to load for one rifle where the chamber never changes. if you go to load for another rifle with a different chamber then the third die would come in handy for reseting the case to the normal specifications. I would recommend getting the 3 die set because in some cases the rifle may not like ammo that hasnt been full length resized. some people do it anyways some dont. theres several ways to do things and still get good results and thats most of the fun with reloading is you get to tailor the round to your rifle. one thing i HIGHLY recommend is getting Redding Imperial die wax, one little can will last you a long time.

 

[rcoody]

In most cases you can do just fine with only getting a 2 die box as long as your only planning to load for one rifle where the chamber never changes. if you go to load for another rifle with a different chamber then the third die would come in handy for reseting the case to the normal specifications. I would recommend getting the 3 die set because in some cases the rifle may not like ammo that hasnt been full length resized. some people do it anyways some dont. theres several ways to do things and still get good results and thats most of the fun with reloading is you get to tailor the round to your rifle. one thing i HIGHLY recommend is getting Redding Imperial die wax, one little can will last you a long time.

just get started. Buy good dies to start with. Either forster or redding. I am assuming that this is a bolt gun. If it were me I would buy a lee collet neck sizer and not use the full length die until the brass gets tight in the chamber. That die is really cheap and turns out great ammo.

you still need a bunch of stuff though. powder scale, primer tool, brass tumbler, calilpers, Look at the rcbs rockchucker combo. you can make a list of stuff from that.

Personally if you are getting into reloading to save money. That is the wrong reason. If you are getting into reloading because you want to make the best ammo possible for your rifle the you will enjoy reloading.

 

[MudRunner2005]

So I am absolutely new to reloading/handloading, and I am looking to start very soon. I have picked up a 260 remington and I'm pretty tired of paying 35 bucks a box. I have a single stage press that I have picked up, but I have no idea what dies I need to get me started. Will a 2 die set work, or do i need a 3 die set? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Ryan

I would recommend getting a 3-die set, because it gives you a FL, Neck, and Seater die. Neck-sizing keeps the case body and shoulder fire-formed to your chamber, and only resizes the neck of the case that holds the bullet, therefore, I have found that my rifles shoot more accurately with formed brass, so I generally neck-size only, unless I buy used once-fired brass or pickup once-fired brass at the range, then I FL (full-length) resize them back to factory SAAMI specs, then I load them and shoot them to form them to my rifle's chamber.

Or, the other reason I FL resize my cases, is if I get resistance when chambering a loaded round, then I know the base of the brass has swollen, and needs to be resized back to spec, so I FL resize them that one time, then I go back to neck-sizing until I get resistance chambering them again. Then repeat the process.

Redding makes some of the better dies that I've used, and RCBS is also good dies. Those are both the 2 main brands of dies that I use. I have mostly RCBS, but a year or so ago, I started buying only Redding dies for any new chamberings that I build a rifle in. So, for any new dies I have to buy, I buy Redding.

Here's my recommendation for die sets.

Redding Deluxe 3-Die Set 260 Remington

You'll also need the proper shell holder...

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/47...ter-30-06-springfield-45-acp?cm_vc=sugv479187

Also, some good new brass to start with will help with producing good handloads... Might seem a bit expensive, but if you bought 2 boxes of this brass, it should last you a really long time. I use it in my .308 Win, and it is the best brass I've ever used for .308. If Lapua made brass for my belted magnum calibers, I'd buy Lapua for them, too...But unfortunately they do not.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/42...260-remington-box-of-100?cm_vc=ProductFinding

 

[FEENIX]

Personally if you are getting into reloading to save money. That is the wrong reason. If you are getting into reloading because you want to make the best ammo possible for your rifle the you will enjoy reloading.

lightbulbYEP!lightbulb

 

[estes640]

I am getting into it to beat the crap out of my friends with 308's. But has anybody ever necked up a 243 or necked down a 7mm-08?

 

[rcoody]

I am getting into it to beat the crap out of my friends with 308's. But has anybody ever necked up a 243 or necked down a 7mm-08?

260 can do it. Competition is good

this is the only brass to use Lapua Reloading Brass 260 Remington Box of 100

 

[roninflag]

I am getting into it to beat the crap out of my friends with 308's. But has anybody ever necked up a 243 or necked down a 7mm-08?

a two die set is fine. is your .260 , a remington 700 with a krieger barrel? a savage lrpv?

 

[estes640]

a two die set is fine. is your .260 , a remington 700 with a krieger barrel? a savage lrpv?

Really im trying to decide between a savage lrp or a savage model 10 fcp-hs in 308. I was sold on the 260 and was ttying to decide what else I would need for it. I'm still not 100% convinced though

 

[MudRunner2005]

Really im trying to decide between a savage lrp or a savage model 10 fcp-hs in 308. I was sold on the 260 and was ttying to decide what else I would need for it. I'm still not 100% convinced though

If you want one of the most accurate .308's on the market, the Remington 700 5R Milspec 24" .308 Win is a VERY hard rifle to beat. Had mine since around 2010, and after barrel break-in, it regularly shoots .25" or better, with handloads. Might need a trigger swap and a bedding job, but almost all factory rifles will need that.

 

[estes640]

Thanks for the info mudrunner. Where at in alabama are you? I'm in the birmingham area.

 

[FEENIX]

Really im trying to decide between a savage lrp or a savage model 10 fcp-hs in 308. I was sold on the 260 and was ttying to decide what else I would need for it. I'm still not 100% convinced though

Excellent choices!

I am getting into it to beat the crap out of my friends with 308's. But has anybody ever necked up a 243 or necked down a 7mm-08?

Check out this video in 6.5 CM ...