Reloading match 308.. Looking for suggestions

[hardhead]

So I've been reloading thousands of pistol cartridges along with bulk plinking 223. I recently purchased a Rem 700 XCR and while I'm waiting to break it out of jail, I decided to start buying reloading components for it.

All of my reloads have been on a Hornady LNL while my RockChucker sits quietly next to it with a pulling collet. I'm definitely going to use the RockChucker for these 308 rounds. I use a cheap $25 digital scale for checking my powder throw and can verify with a RCBS 505 beam scale.

I know that cheap scale isn't going to cut it and the beam scale is painfully slow. I can't decide whether to go with a GemPro and trickler or RCBS Charge Master; that's one of the areas that I'm looking for advice/comments.

So far, I've purchased a few pounds of 4064 and have IMR4895 sitting on a shelf. I also purchased 1000 Sierra Matchking 168 HPBT and 1000 CCI BR primers. I'm going to start with Federal Match Brass since I have about 150 factory rounds to shoot.

I'm also looking for recommendations on what dies I should start shopping.

Thanks!!

[TKCastle]

Redding type s bushings with appropriate bushings. . Read the "Randall's match ammo" thread at top.

[Kappy]

I bought a . It's about as good as anything else, but I don't know that it's necessarily any faster than using a Uniflow Powder Measure and a decent 5-0-5 scale. I can get pretty fast with one of those. The key with the scale is that you don't have to wait until it's stopped if you can figure that the swing is even.

A few months ago I ran about 20 rounds of .308 using 168gr SMKs over some 4064. They shot beautifully (.3MOA at worst). Unfortunately, I couldn't duplicate that, even though I was shooting rounds loaded at the same reloading session. Go figure.

This will sound bad (and maybe cheap), but I like the Lee neck sizer (easier on the brass) and the RCBS competition seater.

[milotrain]

Get a charge master, especially if the 4064 you bought was IMR. That stuff throws terribly. I have a gempro and I like it but it's pretty slow as far as good scales go. Trickling into it sucks.

I'm also looking for recommendations on what dies I should start shopping.

Forster micrometer seater die
Redding S Die sizing die

[SMarquez]

This is the sticky in this thread.
Read it and see how deep you want to go.

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=158086

[JMP]

This is the sticky in this thread.
Read it and see how deep you want to go.
http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...d.php?t=158086

There's even another sticky more applicable:

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=72798

8 pages of 308 recipes.

I use 44.4gr 4046 and a 168 SMK.

[bazineta]

I find that with a Redding thrower, it pretty much doesn't matter what scale I use; the charge is always close enough that only a very small amount of trickling is needed.

I use an RCBS Rangemaster 2000 electronic scale, and I do like it; typically I just use it for pistol round sanity checking, since those are typically ball powder and can be thrown directly, but for rifle I'll often just use my 10-10 beam scale, as it seems easier to trickle up with.

I have a Lyman Gen 5 auto-dispenser, but strangely I tend to use the thrower and the 10-10 more. With stick powder, I just think it's faster.

[Dave626]

i just use the

Rockchucker Single stage
Redding competition seating dies ( less runout )
Redding Bushing Full Length die
Redding Bushing Neck die
GemPro 250
Small plastic spoon
Set of Harbor Freight Tweezers

it took me like 1 hour to load 30 rounds. i measure every round.

Just remember, case preparation is very important too. dubur flash hole, primer pocker uniforming, case trimming.

[hardhead]

Geezus.. This got expensive pretty quickly..

I ordered the Redding Type S Match die set along with Titanium Nitride bushings in 339 and 336. Since I'll be sizing for 1 rifle, should I invest in a neck sizing die or just use the FL die every time?

Bit the bullet and went with the RCBS Chargemaster and their Precision MIC. I'll be using the Trim It 2 for trimming. I also ordered 8lbs of Varget so I'll have 3 powders to play with.

I don't really want to spend much more at this point, but I'm thinking I should invest in a decent chrono and have been eyeballing the Caldwell G2. It appears to get mixed reviews, so I'm not sure if that's the best bang for the buck.

[highpower790]

keep it simple.

[milotrain]

Geezus.. This got expensive pretty quickly..

I ordered the Redding Type S Match die set along with Titanium Nitride bushings in 339 and 336. Since I'll be sizing for 1 rifle, should I invest in a neck sizing die or just use the FL die every time?

Bit the bullet and went with the RCBS Chargemaster and their Precision MIC. I'll be using the Trim It 2 for trimming. I also ordered 8lbs of Varget so I'll have 3 powders to play with.

I don't really want to spend much more at this point, but I'm thinking I should invest in a decent chrono and have been eyeballing the Caldwell G2. It appears to get mixed reviews, so I'm not sure if that's the best bang for the buck.

FL die every time. The precision mic is good, slower than bushings on a caliper but it's good and easily very consistent. All that kit was expensive but figure that you can use the Chargemaster for everything you load and it's so easy to setup a load dev program with a CM. Also the die may be expensive but it won't ever wear out. Varget works in 308 and 223 so you've covered twice your range there as well. You spent good money.

Don't bother with a Chrono yet. Once you start shooting matches you can borrow other people's and eventually you will want to buy a LabRadar but don't spend $800 if you don't have to.

[bigdawg86]

Whidden Gunworks micrometer seating die. Go big or go home.
I can seat my ammo with LESS than .001 deviation in seating depth

[TKCastle]

HH,

no need for the neck sizer use to FL sizer w/ bushing and bump back 2 thou. I trim on a trim it 2 and love it, my only suggestion is set it up to trim and chamfer with winchester or hornady brass. Fed brass is soft and you'll be chasing the correct adjustment and get frustrated.

Once its set up have at the fed brass. Im using fed match brass as well since i had like 400 cases. Gonna use them up and move on to the Lap brass I have waiting.

[TKCastle]

Developed a load using almost the same gear and components you are.

4.16 grains of IMR 4895 175 smk fed brass and CCI br-2 primers.

[Dave626]

Geezus.. This got expensive pretty quickly..

I ordered the Redding Type S Match die set along with Titanium Nitride bushings in 339 and 336. Since I'll be sizing for 1 rifle, should I invest in a neck sizing die or just use the FL die every time?

Bit the bullet and went with the RCBS Chargemaster and their Precision MIC. I'll be using the Trim It 2 for trimming. I also ordered 8lbs of Varget so I'll have 3 powders to play with.

I don't really want to spend much more at this point, but I'm thinking I should invest in a decent chrono and have been eyeballing the Caldwell G2. It appears to get mixed reviews, so I'm not sure if that's the best bang for the buck.

you better have the ball micrometer to measure your neck wall thickness before your buying the bushing. you don't want excessive neck tension