New to rifle loading

[steelholder]

Hey all, I've been doing some reading and tutorial watching for loading 308. I will be shooting it from a bolt gun and had some general questions on how to get started. I know loading for a rifle may require more steps than hand gun loading so I wanted to get those details straightened out. Please correct me if I'm wrong in my process. - First you deprime and clean the case, you then swage/clean the case if needed and proceed to trim the case. Then you prime, resize, add powder, seat your bullet and crimp it. Did I miss anything? Do we crimp projectiles for bolt guns? Thanks!

[Divernhunter]

I clean before deprime/sizing. Better for the dies. I run them back into the corn cob media with a cut up old dryer sheet to remove the lube. Then use a O-Ring pick to clean out any media from the flash hole or primer pocket. Then I trim and I chamfer all cases inside and out. I also chamfer the inside neck of new brass. Trim AFTER sizing. This will keep the bullet from shaving off the sides. I swage the primer pockets if needed and I have used many but the Dillon super swager is the one to get. I then HAND PRIME the brass. Better for accuracy and you can short out any with loose primer pockets due to more feel than on a press. Then powder(I use an electronic measure/dispenser RCBS Lite). Then seat the bullet. I do NOT crimp any of my rifle loads and have never had problems. I have been doing this awhile ----since the 1960's.

[Sir Toast]

Read a manual, twice, before you do anything. Seriously. Do not skip that first step.

I clean brass with buckwheat and Nu Finish car wax. Then LUBE, deprime/resize. Know when to neck size versus full length size and the difference. Check case length to determine if you need to trim. If trim, then do it and champher and debur. If shooting precision, clean out the flash hole for uniform ignition. All the while, inspect each case for cracked necks or case separation. Re-prime, powder, and seat bullet. Know when to crimp and when not to and why. Check for overall cartridge length.

No drinking alcohol and minimize interruptions during process. Label everything, always. Post it notes in everything you're reloading.

[divingin]

I shortcut DivernHunters process (sort of):

My general procedure for bulk rifle brass:

Dry tumble for 20 min to an hour to get loose grit and stuff off.
Lube, size, decap.
Dry tumble to remove lube (usually about an hour give or take.) If I'm not loading right away, I'll wet tumble it and store it until needed.
Visually inspect flash holes, remove any tumbling media.
Swage if needed.
Spot check batch to see if it needs trimming; Trim if necessary.
If new (to me) brass, or it it was trimmed, debur case mouth inside and out.
Hand prime (I never did set my single stage press up for on-press priming; I use the later model RCBS hand primer.)
Charge cases (I'll use a CM or a Lee classic measure, but usually verify and adjust charges on a scientific balance; if it's blasting ammo, I'll go straight from the measure into the case), seat bullets. No crimp.

Process for precision bolt ammo skips the cleaning, as I wipe soot off with 0000 steel wool after each string, and neck size until I get chambering stiffness. That stuff all gets charges tweaked on the balance. Brass gets wet tumbled only if I get tired of looking at it all splotchy (5-10 firings, usually.)

[pheerLes]

Before you get started with purchasing all your equipment, ask yourself what is your goal for hand loading. If it's for precision rifle shooting, you'll have different ballistics requirements than if you're just loading for economic reasons, and may be completely different from hunting reasons.

I started hand loading for 308Win for hunting reasons myself, but for certain bullet requirements (lead-free). Ballistics played a huge part in determining what I could and couldn't do with this cartridge. Ultimately, I developed a load for my application, but my options were limited due to barrel twist rate, length, and magazine length. I would advise you to take a look at your rifle platform (if you have one already), and research bullets accordingly. If it turns out that a factory load is available that meets your needs, you might not want to go down this rabbit hole.

I only say this, because I no longer develop my 308Win loads. I'm onto a different cartridge that more aptly meets my needs.

Just something to think about, hope this helps.

[Divernhunter]

Correction to my 1st post.
Yes lube after tumbling and before sizing. I tried others but RCBS or Dillon pump spray lube have been the best. That is why I said tumble to remove the lube after sizing. 20min or so in treated corn cob with used dryer sheet cut into 1/4's.
Only trim if needed or you feel better doing it each time or for new brass. I do new hunting brass just because.
something I forgot is to deburr flash holes after trimming if you choose to. I found Win brass is the worse for needing it. I have a Lyman hand tool for this.
Yes 1st thing to do is get the Lyman #50 reloading manual and read it. That will answer 90% of your questions.

If you are loading for hunting in Ca you will need a non-lead bullet. I prefer the Barnes TTSX or LRX depending on the cartridge. get Barnes 130gr TTSX for the 308win and load to max loads with the top relief groove just showing. You must use Barnes data for Barnes bullets. Get the Barnes book or data off their website or sometimes the Hodgdons website has data for the Barnes bullets. The TSX and TTSX data is the same.

[Dave626]

Learn how to measure your brass with the caliper first.

[HKmongoose]

Following

[steelholder]

Thanks for all the replies guys, I am loading for precision only. Keep the responses coming please.

[freonr22]

Any thoughts on Imperial sizing wax? Or is it passe?
Also any thoughts about weighing empty cases, or is that later on?

[baih777]

For starters.make sure your brass is all the same headstamp.
Decide if you want to start by using once fired brass or new brass.
Learn how to look for crimped primer pockets if starting with once fired brass.

[JackEllis]

I typically skip the tumbling step. Instead I wash my brass in hot water with a little Lemishine (any citric acid will do) and Dawn to get rid of the loose dirt. It doesn't get the cases looking like new but it's good enough for me.

My order of operation:

Decap

Swage if necessary

Wash & dry

Full-length size

Trim, then deburr and chamfer case mouths as necessary

Remove lube either by wiping it off or tumbling for a few minutes in your favorite stuff. If you tumble after sizing you also get rid of any brass shavings from the trimming and case mouth prep steps

Prime

I do all of the above in batches

Then:

Weigh a charge on a balance, charge the case, seat the bullet. This is done one at a time to avoid making a mess by knocking over a tray of charged cases that don't have bullets seated. I've been known to be a bit clumsy.

I'll spot check OAL and I'm happy with they're all within .01 of each other since I'm not using match bullets.

My shooting is all oriented toward hunting so I want reasonably consistent ammo but I'm not into messing with flash holes and other similar details that precision shooters worry about.

[gixxnrocket]

For precision only? There is a LOT of trial and error. The process can be as complicated as you would like to make it.
If you are just starting out, go by the book until you understand how and why a case and projectile is manlipulated.
Dont worry about neck sizing. The key to precision is consistancy.
Shoulder bump on a fireformed case, neck concentricity, neck tension, bullet seating depth, jump to the lands, case fill capacity, flash hole uniformity, temperature sensitivity of the powder, Bullet ogive, bullet weight. All these variables effect SD and ES and this is just the cartridge.

Sorry, I don't mean to overwhelm you. Get a good stable and comfortable press, you will certainly spend lots of time pulling that lever. Invest in a chronograph and find your barrel's nodes and your cartridge nodes. They will probably be different. You will not know if changes are good or bad if you cannot measure them.

You will learn the most by doing.
Starting gear:
Solid workbench
Solid press (if the press does not have a priming system get a hand primer)
Lee universal decap die
Die set (Full length and bullet seating) rcbs if fine for now. Forester or Redding make nice competition dies later when working on neck tensions
Good balance (scale) Digital is fast but not as accurate if it is not lab grade.
Case trimmer
Dial or digi calipers (cheap digitals kill batteries, analog never dies just my $.02)
Depending on your press/ priming system you will need some sort of shell holder that is caliber specific.
Lee debur tool.
Reloading Manual probably more than one. The Lyman is nice for explaining the process but the other half of the manuals is cartridge load data. Load data differs from each manual both in powders and bullets. The internet is nice too but get atleast one good manual and read every page of the process.
That'll get you started on the minimum, less consumables (lube, powder, primers, bullets).

[gixxnrocket]

Any thoughts on Imperial sizing wax? Or is it passe?
Also any thoughts about weighing empty cases, or is that later on?

1. Sizing wax is great! But the fastest and easiest way to remove it is acetone. Up to you.

2. There really is no purpose to weighing cases. It doesnt tell you anything about the case other than the mass. IMO not a value added step.

[steelholder]

For precision only? There is a LOT of trial and error. The process can be as complicated as you would like to make it.
If you are just starting out, go by the book until you understand how and why a case and projectile is manlipulated.
Dont worry about neck sizing. The key to precision is consistancy.
Shoulder bump on a fireformed case, neck concentricity, neck tension, bullet seating depth, jump to the lands, case fill capacity, flash hole uniformity, temperature sensitivity of the powder, Bullet ogive, bullet weight. All these variables effect SD and ES and this is just the cartridge.

Sorry, I don't mean to overwhelm you. Get a good stable and comfortable press, you will certainly spend lots of time pulling that lever. Invest in a chronograph and find your barrel's nodes and your cartridge nodes. They will probably be different. You will not know if changes are good or bad if you cannot measure them.

You will learn the most by doing.
Starting gear:
Solid workbench
Solid press (if the press does not have a priming system get a hand primer)
Lee universal decap die
Die set (Full length and bullet seating) rcbs if fine for now. Forester or Redding make nice competition dies later when working on neck tensions
Good balance (scale) Digital is fast but not as accurate if it is not lab grade.
Case trimmer
Dial or digi calipers (cheap digitals kill batteries, analog never dies just my $.02)
Depending on your press/ priming system you will need some sort of shell holder that is caliber specific.
Lee debur tool.
Reloading Manual probably more than one. The Lyman is nice for explaining the process but the other half of the manuals is cartridge load data. Load data differs from each manual both in powders and bullets. The internet is nice too but get atleast one good manual and read every page of the process.
That'll get you started on the minimum, less consumables (lube, powder, primers, bullets).

Thanks for all that I already have everything you've mentioned and currently reload, just not for rifle.