Did it! First .308 Reloading Session

[HuckleberryFun]

I've never reloaded anything and I'm tired of factory ammo prices.
I took advantage of the triple digit heatwave to reload 50 once fired FC .308 cases with 43 grains of Accurate 2520 powder, Winchester large rifle primers, and Sierra Match King 168gr HPBT.
OAL is 2.775 This mimics a load I've already been using for my Springfield Armory M1A Loaded that I already know it likes. I'll be testing these loads out at Douglas Ridge when the weather cools off.


I had been accumulating the equipment and components I needed, and used the day off from work to finally take the plunge. Reloading is kind of relaxing once you get a rhythm going.

Read More

 

[GOG]

Nice.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Now that's a scale!
Good going, man. Let us know how they shoot.

 

[Tully Mars]

Major congrats Bro!! I hope you enjoy this new aspect of shooting as much as I do.

Bad@ss scale BTW

 

[3MTA3]

Major congrats Bro!! I hope you enjoy this new aspect of shooting as much as I do.

Bad@ss scale BTW

I feel far more connected to my rifle when I shoot my own loads.

 

[Crohnos01]

You will find that reloading is like eating potato chips.... you can't just reload one! It's highly addictive and yes I also find it very relaxing. I love experimenting with various powders, bullets and primers.

By the way... don't eat potato chips WHILE reloading

Good job!

 

[3MTA3]

By the way... don't eat potato chips WHILE reloading

great way to eff up your dies and brass - not necessarily obvious to a new reloader

 

[etrain16]

Cool .308 will be the caliber I start with when I try loading for rifle. I've only done pistol so far, but it's fun to load your own. Let us know how those rounds worked out for you.

 

[Tully Mars]

I still load using the rules I was taught all those years ago. No food/drink/flame anywhere near the loading bench. You need to focus on what yer doin. For me, I turn on the radio have my drink on the table behind me.

 

[3MTA3]

I still load using the rules I was taught all those years ago. No food/drink/flame anywhere near the loading bench. You need to focus on what yer doin. For me, I turn on the radio have my drink on the table behind me.

Agreed - No distractions except maybe a radio. I also take notes & put the date, components, load on the box. I also do QC every so many rounds to recheck the powder charge if I'm reloading progressive (My Dillon uses manual indexing so I can use it as a progressive or a single stage for precision loads).

 

[HuckleberryFun]

I feel far more connected to my rifle when I shoot my own loads.

Mess up the reloads bad enough and you and your rifle really will be connected. I've heard the stories.

 

[3MTA3]

Mess up the reloads bad enough and you and your rifle really will be connected. I've heard the stories.

I made my first reloads at the age of 12, 45 years later and never had a single failure. I always start at the low end of the recommended, and then work my way up to the max looking for the best accuracy while checking the brass and primers for excessive pressure. For a bolt action the most accurate load wins even if its the lowest velocity. For an autoloader the most accurate that reliably cycles wins.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

looks good!

ive had more than excellent results with Blc-2 and H4895 in my .308 loads

 

[ron]

Nice job. 2520 and 168 SMK are great choices for the 308. IMHO
M1A reloading common first timer mistake is not sizing the case shoulder
enough. To check this you should be able to chamber the reload AND remove
from the chamber with ease?
Wow what's next? Actually practicing for a match?

 

[3MTA3]

looks good!

ive had more than excellent results with Blc-2 and H4895 in my .308 loads

IIRC H4895 is very temperature stable, so if you develop your load in the winter it should still have the same velocity and consistency in the Summer.

EDIT: I was thinking about IMR 4064 for temperature stability, which is why it's use in Mark316 match ammo. H4895 is still pretty stable.

 

[HuckleberryFun]

Wow what's next? Actually practicing for a match?

I practice. Kinda.

 

[Mygrainman]

Now that's a scale!
Good going, man. Let us know how they shoot.

Have you seen the Prometheus? Cool but not 5G's cool



Something wrong when you have a lease option for reloading equiptment. Pricing :: Prometheus Tool Corp

Been wanting to upgrade from my 502... I do like that 304 a lot.

 

[ron]

I practice. Kinda.

Practice is overrated.

 

[ageingstudent]

I've never reloaded anything and I'm tired of factory ammo prices.
I took advantage of the triple digit heatwave to reload 50 once fired FC .308 cases with 43 grains of Accurate 2520 powder, Winchester large rifle primers, and Sierra Match King 168gr HPBT.
OAL is 2.775 This mimics a load I've already been using for my Springfield Armory M1A Loaded that I already know it likes. I'll be testing these loads out at Douglas Ridge when the weather cools off.
View attachment 381036

I had been accumulating the equipment and components I needed, and used the day off from work to finally take the plunge. Reloading is kind of relaxing once you get a rhythm going.

View attachment 381037

Those look pretty good for a huckleberry

Edit==>When you get around to doing .38 spec maybe you can help me figure out why my noses come out flat? Maybe a new seating plug

 

[DizzyJ]

Excellent! Congrats on taking the plunge!