What do I need to start loading 308?

[jcaoloveshine]

So I have a 308 Savage 10FP 20" Tactical DROSing soon, and I realized it's finally time to start reloading.

I have reloaded ammo before at a friend's house (around 25 rounds of GP11 Swiss 7.5mm), so I am somewhat familiar with the process.

Only issue is I want to start loading on a Dillon 650 but I'm not sure what a complete list of components might look like price wise, any ideas?

I know I'll need dies, scale, etc but just not sure what a complete list might look like.

All you guys who load 308, could you maybe help list out what components you use so I could get a similar setup going?

[Low-Pressure]

Things you will need:
1. Reloading manual (read it from front to back)
2. Press: I recommend a single stage for rifle cartridges
If you do not buy a press that comes with a kit:
3. scale
4. die
5. calipers
6. loading tray
7. case trimmer
8. de-burring/ chamfer tool
9. tumbler
10.lube
11. powder measure
12. powder funnel
13. bullet puller

I might have missed some.....

here are some kits (but you might still need to add some stuff)

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=749997

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=423081

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=646599

[Whiterabbit]

Bare essentials IMO:

Press (integrated priming tool)
Dies
Scale
Calipers
Manual
Lube (rifle)
Done.

You have this, you are loading. Won't be the most fun experience (plastic spoon pouring powder into the case for example), but you will be loading.

There's stuff that'll make it much easier:
powder funnel
bullet puller

Then there's stuff that'll make it much faster:
tumbler
powder drop

But these items are not ESSENTIAL. If they broke, I'd still be reloading tomorrow. Not so with my press or dies.

Beyond these, the sky is the limit. Everything else makes reloading easier and easier, and faster and faster.

[popeye4]

In my experience, loading .308 (or any bottleneck rifle cartridge) on a Dillon XL650 doesn't really save much time. You have to do your case prep off the press (clean, lube, resize/deprime, clean again, trim/chamfer), so about all you'd do on the press would be prime, charge and seat a bullet. I do my priming off the press as well, as I want to make sure each primer is properly seated (I shoot an M14). I can charge and seat just about as fast with my powder throw/seater steps done at the same time for each case. So save some money and get a good single stage press with all the appropriate accessories.

If you were loading up a bunch of .45 ACP or 9mm, it might be a different story.... And don't waste your money on carbide dies for bottleneck cartridges, they are made for longevity. You still need to lube.

My list of equipment:

RCBS Rock Chucker press (though I'm lusting after a Harrell's)
RCBS bench mounted primer seater
Redding Type S match dies (full length bushing sizer and competition seater)
Giraud trimmer
Harrell's Culver-style powder measure
RCBS digital scale
RCBS balance scale (I can't remember which one)
Hornady cam-lock bullet puller
Imperial sizing die wax
Sinclair primer pocket uniformer
Starrett calipers
Ancient micrometer (my dad's)
Sinclair comparator/bump gauge
Hornady LNL cartridge OAL gauge
Dillon CV-500 case vibrator and media separator

I think that's it.....