308 Reloading Venture

[lts1ow]

Got a RCBS entry kit for Xmas, so rabbit hole fallen down..




Got 40.5, 41.5, and 42.5grs of 4064, gonna work up one more batch of 43.5grs and then wait for spring.

[Twoboxer]

Well, you picked a good rabbit hole to go down lol. And very good company as well with IMR4064. Dunno what bullet you are using . . . looks bigger than my own tests with Sierra 168s. 43.5gr & 2.800" gave 2750fps out of a 26" CZ barrel. Eventually I went with Lapua 167gr, N140, and a longer COL closer to the lands but it was a close call.

Have fun! Spring can't come soon enough lol.

[762xIan]

Welcome to the club.

Highly recommend getting one of these. Saves me a lot of time and gives comfort knowing your sizing is good.
le-wilson-308-winchester-case-gage-04029.jpg

[GeneCC]

Welcome to the club.

Highly recommend getting one of these. Saves me a lot of time and gives comfort knowing your sizing is good.
le-wilson-308-winchester-case-gage-04029.jpg

A Case Gage is cheap and convenient. Cheaper than case ruptures and more convenient than being unable to close the action.

[lts1ow]

So, bought moar crap


Measure a batch of fired brass and got .002 under what headspace min should be for a 308. Any issue or just deal with a tight chamber?

[jake1191]

I'll toss my 2cents in here. From years of speaking with other shooters on much higher levels(Nationals) than me I have been told time and time again that neck sizing should have died long ago. The reasoning being for precision shooting you want one thing....Consistency. When you neck size only every time the brass is fired it changes and becomes more expanded and at different rates per peice vs when you full length resize with a small shoulder bump you get that consistency every time. Redding FL bushing dies and micrometer seating dies from my experience are where its at.

As for a case gauge I've been looking to toss my wilson .308 gauge I've been using for a while and getting one that is actually cut with a chamber reamer like a Sheridan. Yes the price is higher but knowing what I know now its worth it to me, especially for use with a gas gun.

On the scale front I have tried a few different options from the cheap $25ish Hornady 1500 to the $150 GemPro300 I use now. I have nothing but praise for the GemPro but the RCBS Chargemaster scale comes in a close second. I use the Chargemaster Combo unit for anything I want added accuracy in. Once setup properly you can get an exact drop every time.

Brass wise I reload all of it. Even the cheapest brass with a good reload is better than it came from the factory. I have found Lapua to be the most consistent and praised by those folks at higher levels of shooting than me.

Other than all that lovely stuff brass prep can make or break your loadings. Deburr those flash holes, clean those primer pockets, trimming, annealing(when needed) all goes a long way to get those groups that oh so tiny bit smaller

[762xIan]

Holy crap that picture came out huge....

[lts1ow]

Yea, something to measure shoulder size is def on my list. As is a digital scale or chargemaster, cause this beam scale is getting old damn fast. Had to adjust the throw almost for every charge on the thrower.

Projectiles are 168gr Sierra matchkings, HPBT. Wanted to start basic basic and replicate the federal match grade rounds that my 700 loves.

[Twoboxer]

Yea, something to measure shoulder size is def on my list. As is a digital scale or chargemaster, cause this beam scale is getting old damn fast. Had to adjust the throw almost for every charge on the thrower.

Projectiles are 168gr Sierra matchkings, HPBT. Wanted to start basic basic and replicate the federal match grade rounds that my 700 loves.

So they are 168 SMKs! When I got my 308, I shot a box of Norma, Lapua. and FGM natch ammo. Lapua and FGMM shot best with a slight edge to Lapua.

But I figured I now had Federal Match brass, so why not try to match FGMM . . . which also uses (IIRC) 42.75gr of IMR 4064 with the 168s. As mentioned, it worked OK but getting a supply of Lapua brass that would last longer was easier than having to shoot FGMM to get theirs. (ETA: for kicks, measure some FGMM rounds and marvel at how close each cartridge's weight is one to the next.) And Lapua match ammo shot best for me. So after testing I went all Scandinavian , , , 167gr Scenar, N140, and Lapua brass.

The scale issue is a REAL rabbit hole and should be treated as a whole separate issue. I have gone through 7, including an RCBS Chargemaster and a Pact Dispenser/Scale combo based on internet "reviews".

My bottom line advice - stay with the beam scale and manual trickler for now, as painful as it seems. If you know that your accuracy node can tolerate +/- 0.15gr (a 0.3gr spread) with the occasional outlier, a Chargemaster may work OK for you.

[Bang]

If you settle on a powder and charge, make a dipper that puts a little under into the pan, and trickle the rest. Goes pretty fast. I have a rotating drum charger. Never came to like it. They can chew up propellants. Rather dip.

I have a six-die turret press out in the shop attached to the garage. I found a LEE single at a gun show for $20. I clamp it to my desk here in the house and love it.
Went thru several low-priced electronic scales and gave up on them. My 1970 vintage Lyman M5 is reliable and preferred.

Welcome to the wonderful world of custom cartridge fun.