Curious about reloading my own 223, 308 and 9mm

[thorborg]

1st: .

And, don't believe somebody if they say "you have to get xyz equipment". It's a lie.

Isn't that the truth. For nearly 20 years I pounded cartridges for .270 and 45colts together with a home made mallet and lee hand loaders until the kids wandered off and I felt I could afford to splurge. Believe me I shot plenty in those days and brought home the venison too!
Still haven't felt the need to wander past single stage but carbide full size dies and a few other bells and whistles (some home made) sure are nice but unnecessary accoutrements to have.

 

[robertvarner]

If you are new to reloading, like I am, and even if you have been reloading for many years, this video is useful to remind you to be cautious about the reloading hobby. This should not necessarily discourage a person from starting the hobby, but has been said before, start slow with a single stage press like RCBS so you get the steps down pat.

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I also abide by the famous saying from Dirty Harry; "a good man's got to know his limitations".

 

[American123]

Although a in person tutorial may be desired, watching videos of volunteers on the internet showing you what and how to do are definitely out there, and although they individually might give a little misinformation accidentally, or even bad information, collectively, it should average out to a decent understanding oh reloading. At the end of the day it's far less complicated than it is made out to be, and the inherent fear in the task is the unknown. After dispelling that through a bit of research it's far less intimidating.

 

[HighlandLofts]

I use to reload about forty years ago and just got back into it a year & a half ago.
I couldn't remember all the small stuff. Before I bought any reloading equipment I bought a bunch of used reloading manuals on Ebay and read them. I watched stuff on youtube. One thing I looked at on youtube was how secure their reloading bunch was.i figured if their reloading bench was garbage, they obviously are not that good at what they are doing.
I seen a lot of unsecure reloading benches. One guy had a small reloading bench and was setting on his bed showing how to do something on his press and when he pushed the handle down the back of the bench lifted up.

I bought a Dillion 600 super swagger, i looked on youtube on this unit. The one video the guy monted his vertical. When he pushed the handle down on the swagger the back of his bench raised up.
Rule number ONE, have a secure reloading bench.
I am going to use a used RCBS single stage press to remove the primers with a Lee Universal decapping die. I pick a lot of range brass up and it is gritty and dirty. On my Hornady Lock n Load press I get a lot of carbon & grit on my ram so I will use this RCBS press just for decapping primers.
It will be mounted on a piece of 2X6 that I can bolt to my reloading benchn my picnic table of the bench out in the shed.
I also made a bracket out of 2X6 that will hold my Dillion 600 swagger virtical that has the same mounting pattern so that to can be bolted to my reloading bench, picnic table of bench in the shed depending on where I want to preform the operation.

 

[762x39]

I am in Newberg as well. I've been reloading since standing next to my father in the 60;s. I have loaded over 300 different calibers in my years, exotic, commercial, wildcat, special purpose. All with a manufacturing FFL I have since let expire when Obama was looking too deep into many lives. I would be willing to entertain a "beginner", We were all one once. Not sure on the scheduling. Let's discuss.

 

[gmerkt]

After several decades I'm finally about to invest in a progressive press so up to now my reloading has been on a single stage press.

After 35 years of reloading, I just graduated to a progressive press.

OP, you don't need to buy equipment that is all "one color." You will find things that work better than others and they won't necessarily all be the same brand.

One thing about reloading equipment and supplies, you can always get some money back out of them if you quit or change your mind. Expenditures aren't necessarily wasted. I've bought and resold a couple of presses over the years that I thought I might like but didn't cotton to.

Maybe we should start a thread about "Reloading equipment I bought and didn't like." Might be a source of education for others. I think I'll do that right now.

 

[zenbreath]

No offense, but some people can learn just fine on their own. That's how I did it.... Now, if the op is not one of those people, then yes a sensai is a great step in learning...

If someone hadn't walked me through my first few rounds, I would've been terrified to pull the trigger.

 

[WillametteWill]

If someone hadn't walked me through my first few rounds, I would've been terrified to pull the trigger

I had the "advantage" of being young so I didn't know enough to be terrified.

 

[Tilos]

This website is everything reloading, and has how to vids of every press available as well as all reloading related equipment.
Ultimate Reloader – Reloading Explained
Watch the vids that apply to what you are interested in doing relative to reloading
.
Some members here at NWF, as well a some local Gun Shops, have reloading classes that might be posted in the vendor section.

 

[Cj10488]

I wanted to say thanks for all the advice. I was able to get an RCBS setup from arakboss and got dies for both 223 and 308. After reading the manual and book I got to work. Went out to the Range today. After a bit of nervousness and not trusting my work I got to testing. Everything went just great and I was surprised as to how accurate handloads are compared to commercial rounds. My 9yr old found helping me out reloading is as he says "freaking awesome".

If someone has the hornady manual and can take a few photos of the 165/168gr 308 pages for me that would be extremely helpful until I can get myself the digital copy

Thanks again everyone,
James

 

[DizzyJ]

I wanted to say thanks for all the advice. I was able to get an RCBS setup from arakboss and got dies for both 223 and 308. After reading the manual and book I got to work. Went out to the Range today. After a bit of nervousness and not trusting my work I got to testing. Everything went just great and I was surprised as to how accurate handloads are compared to commercial rounds. My 9yr old found helping me out reloading is as he says "freaking awesome".

Thanks again everyone,
James

Outstanding!
Yeah, the first time shooting your own loads can be a little nerve wracking.

I don't even give it a second thought nowadays.

 

[zenbreath]

Speer manual.

 

[Xaevian]

I wanted to say thanks for all the advice. I was able to get an RCBS setup from arakboss and got dies for both 223 and 308. After reading the manual and book I got to work. Went out to the Range today. After a bit of nervousness and not trusting my work I got to testing. Everything went just great and I was surprised as to how accurate handloads are compared to commercial rounds. My 9yr old found helping me out reloading is as he says "freaking awesome".

If someone has the hornady manual and can take a few photos of the 165/168gr 308 pages for me that would be extremely helpful until I can get myself the digital copy

Thanks again everyone,
James

View attachment 606528

Hornady 9th Edition. There is only 1 page for that weight.

 

[Xaevian]

My .308 hunting handloads use 165 grain Speer HotCor, 45 grains IMR 4064, CCI primers and Winchester brass. 2650 FPS average. I don't load .223 nor any handgun cartridge (unless you consider .458 Socom a handgun round due to the parent cartridge). I do also load for .25-06, 7mm-08, 7x57mm, and 8mm. I haven't tested my .458 loads, yet. I hope you enjoy your new hobby!

 

[bsa1917hunter]

If someone hadn't walked me through my first few rounds, I would've been terrified to pull the trigger.

Trust me, at times when I was first learning, I wished I would have had a string tied to the trigger and been hiding behind a big rock...

 

[bsa1917hunter]

I wanted to say thanks for all the advice. I was able to get an RCBS setup from arakboss and got dies for both 223 and 308. After reading the manual and book I got to work. Went out to the Range today. After a bit of nervousness and not trusting my work I got to testing. Everything went just great and I was surprised as to how accurate handloads are compared to commercial rounds. My 9yr old found helping me out reloading is as he says "freaking awesome".

If someone has the hornady manual and can take a few photos of the 165/168gr 308 pages for me that would be extremely helpful until I can get myself the digital copy

Thanks again everyone,
James

"Freaking awesome" ha ha. I like that...

 

[Cj10488]

It was pretty awesome walking him thru the process making a couple 308 rounds then after making sure things were safe at the Range letting him shoot the for the very first time 308 with his very own rounds. Until making his own rounds he was a bit hesitant shooting such a big gun.

 

[Mikej]

"Freaking awesome" ha ha. I like that...

That got me too. Pretty much spot on. I still think that to myself when I'm putting fresh self made rounds in the box.

 

[Cj10488]

I've got my little helper. Wasn't planning on reloading any yesterday and was playing around with ways to remove the 762 military crimps and he comes down and says let's finish up that box red tips (amax). I want to try out the A-tips but way too rich for my blood. We got another 120ish loaded up yesterday. Just picked up a box of 175gr nosler RDFs to play around with next. Added benefit is that for all that time his phone isn't in sight. Would be loading more but I need to start stockpiling some more 308 brass.. Prob just enlist my 16yr old son to go to the Range every morning before he goes to work and collect brass for me.

 

[Pops1911]

Welcome OP to the wonderfully addicting world of reloading. Sounds like you are off to a good start and have a promising helper in your 9 year old. I first got into reloading way back in the early 70's making .25-06 when it was not yet commercially available. Did great with the prairie dogs on the plains. For some forgotten reason I gave away my Rockchucker and everything with it sometime back when. About 5 years ago I got the bug again and started off with the Lee basic reloader and the brass hammer. Next move was to a Lee hand press and made many more rounds. Still have the hammer though. Next graduated myself to the Lee Classic turret press then to a Lee progressive. Disclaimer ... this is really not a sales pitch for Lee products LOL. Now I am waiting to get started with a Dillon 650XL progressive. At each step of my newly rediscovered hobby I had to take it slow, be willing to learn, practice safety always and don't force anything. Appears to me you have already got this figured out. Have fun now and enjoy the fruits of your labor.