Thread: Keen to start reloading.

Hi all I currently have a .308 tikka and I’m keen to get into reloading, I’ve heard that kits can be quite good but thought I’d ask the experts on there opinions.


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Get the rcbs one.

Better are they?
Is it reloading supplies that do them?


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Google is your friend. The kit in the rcbs package is good solid gear that will see you right for years.IMO. the hornady comparitors are a good investment.
The Lee stuff is pretty good for the price too.

Or do what I did and hunt through TM and on here for the individual items your after

Is it worth getting a digital scale?


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Originally Posted by SamRoche

Is it worth getting a digital scale?

The cheap ones are not a suitable replacement for a decent balance beam scale imo, as they tend to drift a fair bit.

Originally Posted by Pommy

The cheap ones are not a suitable replacement for a decent balance beam scale imo, as they tend to drift a fair bit.

this ^^^^^

It's a bad rabbit hole to fall down but satisfying when it all comes together good luck and happy reloading

Originally Posted by SamRoche

Hi all I currently have a .308 tikka and I’m keen to get into reloading, I’ve heard that kits can be quite good but thought I’d ask the experts on there opinions.


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I've not long put on the forum buy N Sell a Lyman orange crusher press in good condition as well as some dies & assorted shells etc
Have a look & see what you might need.
Phil.

Plenty of used gear about.
Get a decent "0" press.
Get decent beam balance.
Lee RGB dies are all you need. (FLS and bullet seating)
The rest, buy as required and DIY.

https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....g-tools-98589/

Oh, and start searching for reasoably priced components now. Might take a while.

This might help.

Originally Posted by SamRoche

Hi all I currently have a .308 tikka and I’m keen to get into reloading, I’ve heard that kits can be quite good but thought I’d ask the experts on there opinions.


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Greetings @SamRoche,
Before you buy anything find someone to mentor you in the process. They will be happy for you to start on their kit while you sort out what you actually need. The .308 is one of the easiest cartridges on the planet but it is a long road to managing the basics without a mentor.
Regards Grandpamac.

And just to add to the above, it all depends on if you want to go cheap or you have the funds to buy good gear.

You can get by on cheap stuff but if you are fussy and don't mind spending extra you will enjoy the experience so much more with good gear.

As GPM says try someone elses set up first.

Good luck

Depending on your budget and how far you want to get into it you could even start with a lee loader and some scales. You'll still make perfectly fine ammo and if it turns out it not your thing you haven't outlayed a lot of money yet. That's how I started and still use one from time to time..

As someone who is well into the rabbit hole, I strongly second the advice of Grandpamac and 7mm Rem Mag above. I learnt from a mentor before I started doing it myself. It cost me a bottle of Glenfiddich but if I had to put a number to the dollar value of the teaching I would estimate somewhere north of 1k.
Ask here and someone local to you will probably put up their hand to offer some help, if you take up such an offer, you will do well to reciprocate with a solid gesture of appreciation. Knowing what gear to buy is far easier once you have actually used some of the tools and you have an overall understanding of the process.

If you want to set up your own bench, ultimately best value for money will probably be buying a kit off someone who went down the rabbit hole before you and then very soon after had life changes that precludes time to do reloading, like relationship or kids or both.
It has been known to happen, so again ask in Buy Sell Swap and someone might put their hand up.

If you want to do reloading on the cheap without it taking up too much space, one way would be to just have a good set of scales, a hand press and seater die and vernier calipers. Find a tame reloader who is local to you and do the major brass prep in bulk at their bench every so often so you have a good supply of clean resized and correct length brass.
Seat primers, load powder and seat projectiles at your own home as and when you want to. This method may seem like it involves a larger investment in brass than what has previously been supposed, but if you set up your own bench, acquisition or investment in a significant amount of brass will be an inevitable outcome anyway.

Last but not least. Balance beam before digital. I run a balance beam and I also have a digital scale on my powder dispenser. Unless I am using the auto dispenser, I prefer the balance beam. Digital may seem less fool proof in the first instance, but overall the balance beam is more stable and as such, more repeatable.