Thread: Where to start

Hi all
I have done a fair amount of hunting over the last 15 odd years with my main focus being on deer. Reloading is something I’ve always wanted to do but never taken the plunge. I now have a room and table set up time to start getting a bit more serious about it.
I will be reloading 308 to start with and then see where I end up from there.
My question is do I start by buying a few bits and peices here and there to build up enough kit to get me started or do I fork out and buy a full kit. I don’t have massive amounts of dollars to crack into it and not likely to be reloading mass amounts of bullets just enough to keep me ticking and shoot a few deer.
Thanks in advance
Matt

Best place to start...is at mates place who already has the gear.or fellow forum member...... dip your toes in,work out a load your rifle likes....you buy components and learn how to reload...THEN and only then go and buy your own stuff.
you can start with as little as a LEE whackamole loader,projectiles powder and primers and still produce ammunition better than average factory fodder....
set of scales is next...
a press n dies
MANUAL is good...the paper book type so you can read up on the how n why as well as look up loads.

Pick up pieces here and there as you need them.
Hell, you could even start with a Lee Classic loader really.
Welcome to the addiction


D’oh, Mickey beat me to it.

I bought full kit off guy who decided it wasnt for him,so have been spoiled...it was basically a LEE aniversery kit..... looking at whats in them now its still a good way to go....

Agree with @Micky Duck . I was in the same situation 12 months ago. Find someone that reloads. I was lucky and @andyanimal31 let me use his gear and answer my dumb questions while I figured out what to do. You may have to buy your own dies but it gives you a chance to figure out what gear you do/Don't need.Don't be afraid to ask dumb questions, most guys are happy to share there knowledge.

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I have been hiring books from the library and going through them. Cheers Mickie I have a mate that has done a lot of reloading and that’s exactly where the load development would start. I figure once that’s sorted I atleast then can replicate that load before I start experimenting. The lee kit was what I was looking at but have seen quite a few bits and bobs coming up on trademe ect but was feeling a bit overwhelmed as there’s such a wide variety or tools ect that can be purchased.

I am in Napier. As a retired person I am very happy to let you use my gear and componants - powder , primers , projectiles etc and show you how to do it. Cheers, Gary.

Go back through the threads in this section and you'll find heaps of good stuff for someone just starting. If you're the person who doesn't want to muck around just go and buy one of the kits that has most of what you need. Then you can just rip in to it

Originally Posted by garyp

I am in Napier. As a retired person I am very happy to let you use my gear and componants - powder , primers , projectiles etc and show you how to do it. Cheers, Gary.

there you go bud.......job sorted..... good on you Gary.

Hi Garry what an awesome offer. That’s sounds way to good to turn down and would be very much appreciated. I will send you a pm and tee something up.
Matt.

@garyp

There's a reason reloading and other things keep moving forward.

It's due to people like you. You legend.

@mattstr
I got into reloading 8 years ago for the same reasons as yourself. At the time I had a similar offer from a very experienced reloader which I took up, a bottle of Glenfiddich may have changed hands and looking back I got exponentially more than the value of it.


If you really want to keep your operation simple you could just buy a cheap press, a set of dies and a good set of scales. Do all of you re-sizing, cleaning, trimming etc on a mates bench with a solid press and the extra gear. Do it in batches of at least 100 cases. You would want around 200 cases so you can rotate each 100 through the process

Then at home you can just prime, powder and seat projectiles. Choose your loads and choose times distractions and your not in a rush etc. You will only have to drop around to see old mate for a big brass prep effort once in a blue moon and you can't go too far wrong with the brass prep part once you know what your doing.


One Reloading warning before I sign off. Something no one warned me about reloading is how far down the rabbit hole you can go. I managed to pick up a second hand RCBS rock chucker kit with a few extras to start out with. I have to admit I have bought a bit of gear in addition to what I started with. Like hunting gear, there is no real limit to what you can spend on reloading gear.

Classic lee loader is how I got started. Produced some of my best loads with the lee loader.

First ammo I ever made was with @Micky Duck s Classic Lee loader. Beated together some 140g interlocks for the 270 and shot my first South Island red deer with them a couple of months ago. Simple but it works.

Thanks a lot for all your replies.
@longshot some good information there to take in. Il certainly make sure I give something in return. I have been warned mutilple times that it’s a long hole to venture down and a lot of time and money can be consumed haha. I have a range on site so could be very tempting to get carried away.