Thread: Reloading: What to buy?

To answer the OP
Minimum gear: dies, press, scales, bullet block. I would avoid lee scales (they're tiny and finicky) but their press will do if you're on a budget. Just be smoth and consistent and you can load fine ammo.

Very nice to have is a powder throw (or auto charger-trickler) if you're doing bulk lots.

Priming tools: I don't find priming on press painful, but can see the advantage of a seperate tool.

I've never done the volume to require a progressive press.

I'm all old-skool and no need for crimping or FLS dies.
It can be as cheap and simple or as complicated/expensive as you want to make it (or can sneak past the wife)

Originally Posted by Sideshow

@kayneb run through the 1 o’clock test on your rifle.
To do this. Stand your rifle up, buttpad on table so your looking through the trigger guard. Then tilt it towards 1 o’clock push with your left hand if right handed and vis versa if left handed. Take a screw driver and slowly unscrew the top action screw and watch your barrel at the same time. If the barrel rises up out of the stock. Then it’s not sitting in the action. This could be the course of why your shots have started to go amiss.
You can go for a bedding job that will solve this problem. Look at Nathan Fosters Ballistic Studies website on how to full length bed a rifle. He also has some good utube stuff on how too.
What @stagstalker said is very true wish I’d done that

I’ll give that a go for sure but now you mention it there was something that made me slightly concerned with the barrel alignment in the stock wasn’t sure if it was an issue. I’ll try to attach a photo of it see what you guys reckon.

run a piece of paper up the barrel channel and see if it "sticks" on way up or slides up no catching.....if it goes up ok no worries....UNLESS you loading pressure onto side/base of barrel before shooting.... another to check is make sure your sling stud isnt coming up and touching barrel...paper should tell you that too. 2nd the check ALL screws...Ive been caught 4 times in last 5 years with it...twice it was the scope bases themselves loose on rifle and twice was the rings not connecting with bases properly......
Ive used LEE press for 25 years,no issues...love lee balance beam scales and by using lee dipper spoons its a quick job to make up loads. if you have lee lube however CHUCK THE SHIT AWAY NOW.....toothpaste...crap...many a fine fellow has torn hair out after having cases stuck in dies when using it "not quite right"
sure you can buy .223 cheaply buts its not as much fun as shooting roll ya own loads.
.243s are generally tack drivers so something is amiss with yours...check them screws and the barrrel channel.

Originally Posted by kayneb

I’ll give that a go for sure but now you mention it there was something that made me slightly concerned with the barrel alignment in the stock wasn’t sure if it was an issue. I’ll try to attach a photo of it see what you guys reckon.Attachment 120593

As Micky Duck says!
I’ve yet to see one that’s completely even.
But don’t believe his hype on the lee scales go the Hornady beam scales soooo much better than sitting there all day waiting for lee to stop playing seesaw

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

run a piece of paper up the barrel channel and see if it "sticks" on way up or slides up no catching.....if it goes up ok no worries....UNLESS you loading pressure onto side/base of barrel before shooting.... another to check is make sure your sling stud isnt coming up and touching barrel...paper should tell you that too. 2nd the check ALL screws...Ive been caught 4 times in last 5 years with it...twice it was the scope bases themselves loose on rifle and twice was the rings not connecting with bases properly......
Ive used LEE press for 25 years,no issues...love lee balance beam scales and by using lee dipper spoons its a quick job to make up loads. if you have lee lube however CHUCK THE SHIT AWAY NOW.....toothpaste...crap...many a fine fellow has torn hair out after having cases stuck in dies when using it "not quite right"
sure you can buy .223 cheaply buts its not as much fun as shooting roll ya own loads.
.243s are generally tack drivers so something is amiss with yours...check them screws and the barrrel channel.

I can run cleaning patches up it without issue but I’ll try the paper trick aswell, first thing I did was check the mounts as I have had the issue on other rifles .

I wanted to reload since I was a young fella, always intrigued me so I’ll be getting into it regardless of whether I can justify it or Not already given the mrs a spiel about why I need to anyway.
Was looking at the Hornady kit but I see there’s some good ones on the workshop innovation website, I don’t mind spending a bit more on Redding or something with a few more tools if it means I’ll be better off

reloading brings a whole heap more fun to the sport....you can tune load to your rifle and make up loads at both ends of spectrum that you cant buy.
you are in a great bit of the country for hunting. keep us posted on your progress and sooner or later something will click into place and will work out whats going on with your rifle.

Originally Posted by kayneb

I can run cleaning patches up it without issue but I’ll try the paper trick aswell, first thing I did was check the mounts as I have had the issue on other rifles .

I wanted to reload since I was a young fella, always intrigued me so I’ll be getting into it regardless of whether I can justify it or Not already given the mrs a spiel about why I need to anyway.
Was looking at the Hornady kit but I see there’s some good ones on the workshop innovation website, I don’t mind spending a bit more on Redding or something with a few more tools if it means I’ll be better off

Grab that Nathan Foster book! He’s not the be all.....but he dose make a load of sense on the dark art of reloading! Also helps to cut through a lot of the tug of war around X versus Y
Focusing on each bit of kit on its pros and cons.

Originally Posted by mimms

To answer the OP
Minimum gear: dies, press, scales, bullet block. I would avoid lee scales (they're tiny and finicky) but their press will do if you're on a budget. Just be smoth and consistent and you can load fine ammo.

Very nice to have is a powder throw (or auto charger-trickler) if you're doing bulk lots.

Priming tools: I don't find priming on press painful, but can see the advantage of a seperate tool.

I've never done the volume to require a progressive press.

I'm all old-skool and no need for crimping or FLS dies.
It can be as cheap and simple or as complicated/expensive as you want to make it (or can sneak past the wife)

Love the "sneaking pass wife" bit. haha...... I'm getting good at it as i'm doing it quite often. Jacinda helped a lot.