Thread: Reloading

Greetings Countryside,
Welcome to the vast array of handloaders. Rather than just watch someone handloading it is better to have a mentor watch you handloading and explain the steps along the way. If you don't belong to a hunting club go along to your local NZDA branch and join up. There will be someone there with the knowledge and the time (often they will have grey hair and not much of it either) to mentor you as you are stating out. I qualify on most of the above but you need someone local. Next buy yourself a loading manual. You can get these in hard copy and digital format and they have a section on all the steps you need to go through. Utube has some good stuff, some average and some downright shite so I would steer clear of anything not put out by the handloading equipment manufacturers. A mentor will be able to sift out the must haves from the nice to have and probably would hardly ever use kit.
For a start I would stick to the hunting ammo. There is plenty of data for this, all pressure tested. I have loaded for a couple of 7mm-08 rifles and found that AR2208 or IMR4064 are good options for projectiles in the 120 to 150 grain range. Getting primers, projectile and powder is difficult at the moment but should improve. I would leave the subsonic loads until you have well mastered the basics. This is a whole seperate rabbit warren. A quick check turned up sub loads for the .308W using projectiles that we likely can't at the moment. Your best option here is probably cast lead, another warren in itself.
Take it slowly making sure you understand the why as well as the how and with the help of a mentor you will be fine. Handloading is an enjoyable and rewarding pastime that never stops giving. Happy to answer questions.
Regards Grandpamac.