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

[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.

[God's Country]

Holy crap that picture came out huge....

Is that a go, no go gauge?

[JoshIronshaft]

Just toss a Dillon XL650 on the credit card. Come on, ya know you want to.

Just kidding, enjoy the ride, it tends to escalate quickly as you outgrow equipment, but at least the items you have you will continue to use forever (beam scale to check your digital scale, single stage for that special operation you're not going to do on your progressive press tool head, and so on)

I see you have a lap top set up. I like listening to the We Like Shooting podcast or something else on the Firearms Radio Network while reloading.

[lts1ow]

I just turn on youtube or something that doesn't require thinking.

Really don't wanna distract myself when I am new to reloading. (This was my first thirty rounds I ever did)

Any reviews of the RCBS chargemaster lite?

[wanneroo]

Nothing wrong with starting on a single stage. I did 4 years with one learning the slow way and only now am moving up to a progressive for pistol rounds.

A case gauge to me is essential and it's a fast way to check your work. All a part of quality control for me.

[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.