Popped my reloading cherry!

[xmulisha101]

So I got into reloading about a month ago. Stayed in top of websites day in and day out to get all the components. After it was all said and done I reloaded my very first 308 rounds. 5 to be exact. LC brass, CCI large rifle primers, 40 grains of RL-15, Hornady 168 gr hpbt. Went out to Banning BLM yesterday morning and shot at the gong at 430 yards . I was shooting a Savage 10fp Sr Le . I nailed it 4 of 5 times. Now I know that 430 really is nothing special, but there is a certain kind of weight that was lifted off my shoulders. I was not trying to group this trip, i just wanted them to function properly. This forum really helped me out ! Thanks calgunners!

[Ferrum]

Awesome! Glad to hear things went well for your first reloads.

[bruceflinch]

Congrats!

[JohnnyMtn]

What kind of press did you get and how did it work for you? Did the whole process go as you expected it to be or was it easier or more difficult?

I've been wanting to start reloading for about a year (mainly for 30.06) but haven't gotten into it yet. I'm curious to hear about your learning process.

[Bill Steele]

Congrats, welcome to the club.

[shooterbill]

I know the spot you're talking about. Congrats on joining the club.

[Jeymz]

Congrats and enjoy the obsession.

[xmulisha101]

What kind of press did you get and how did it work for you? Did the whole process go as you expected it to be or was it easier or more difficult?

I've been wanting to start reloading for about a year (mainly for 30.06) but haven't gotten into it yet. I'm curious to hear about your learning process.

I purchased the lee breech lock single stage press. It works great. My biggest help was reading forums from others and google questions and youtube. My buddy reloads and gave me a lot of advice , more about what i shouldnt do rather than what i should do. Not to mention my Lyman and lee books that I bought. The process was just like I expected it to be. But then again the unknown was the hardest part. Now that I know fuction was good I can actually start working up a load. My first loads were at minimum . It is a very time consuming hobby. A lot of checking and rechecking for me since I'm still new. Only problem I ran into was I purchase 165 gr Gameking Sierra bullets . I would load them at the proper over all length , but once I chambered the dummy round , the bullet would get pushed into the case more than I seated it originally. Still not sure what that's about, but the Hornady bullets worked great. Aa2460 is coming in Monday. I will be loading up some 223. I am still learning everyday.

[xmulisha101]

Also to whoever left all the golden nuggets (223 rem cases) all over the ground, around 150-200 of them. Thanks. ! I really needed them.

[stevec223]

coal

the hornady book lists coal for 168 gr. bthp as 2.800..... the sierra book lists 165 gr. sbt at 2.750.... two different bullets and two different lenghts...not much difference in weight.....thats why your gameking set-back.... glad you used a dummy to ck it first.... always ck with book or online to get coal for the bullet your using..... it will save you time and add safety factor...cheers...

[xmulisha101]

the hornady book lists coal for 168 gr. bthp as 2.800..... the sierra book lists 165 gr. sbt at 2.750.... two different bullets and two different lenghts...not much difference in weight.....thats why your gameking set-back.... glad you used a dummy to ck it first.... always ck with book or online to get coal for the bullet your using..... it will save you time and add safety factor...cheers...

Agree with you on the coal . I did set them at 2.750 when I chambered the round it set it to 2.697 ever single time. Was not sure if it was safe to load and fire at 2.697. I could not find any info on it except for the 2.750. Thanks for looking into that. That's why you guys here are the best!

[uhlan1]

I doubt I would have been able to continue shooting much at all if it weren't for folks here.

[stevec223]

wow

was your 168 gr. hornady bullet at 2.800 to long and also set back on your dummy ?

[chasjr1]

Congrats and enjoy

[xmulisha101]

was your 168 gr. hornady bullet at 2.800 to long and also set back on your dummy ?

I set the hornady 168 at 2.800 . The bullet does not move once chambered .
From left to right,
hrn 168 hpbt
Hrn 150 bt
Game king 165 gr hpbt
Hrn 168 hpbt in the case.

The only thing I can see is the thickness of the top of the game king is thicker toward the top than the hrn 168. My chamber may just not like that bullet.