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Help on getting started on reloading

I love reloading, it’s a stress reliever for me, my advice when buddy's stop by and contemplate getting into it is you gotta like it a lot, maybe a high volume shooter could save money by reloading I have no idea I don’t shoot enough for that, I could have probably bought 2 lifetimes worth of ammo the money I have spent on reloading stuff for the amount I shoot, it doesn’t matter to me I just like it. I started with a entry level kit from LEE from 25 years ago and over time I ended up replacing stuff one by one with Redding, I go slow and use a single stage press, there is a sense of accomplishment with each load I produce. Being really organized and having a designated spot is a plus, a good solid bench is a must, a notebook, chasing sticky notes stuck under bottles of powder gets old real fast when your looking for a recipe. I think there is a never ending learning curve when going for supreme accuracy, there was no online resources when I started, I borrowed books from friends and we shared info, man how things have changed now. When I build a new load I start with minimum charges and go from there, chronograph each one until I get my fps tight and then shoot for groups, I don’t mess with COAL much because I hunt and want solid and repeatable chambering under all conditions, I would hate to have a jam in the mag well with a lifetime buck trotting away. I am sure there are better ways but it works for me. Maybe I’m late to this but I just started wet tumbling with stainless steel media and wow do I like that!
 
Newhunter1, my name is Andy Shifflett and I am a competitive benchrest shooter, before you start buying reloading equipment, email me and I can get you started before you purchase a lot of stuff you really won’t need. Shiff3@gmail.com
 
Topdog said:
300 Jarrett and 416 Hoffman
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-Some thumpers there! The only ones I'm still loading for these day are single shot pistol stuff, 7mmTCU, 7-30 improved, and 357 Herrett. 30BR too but all of those are pretty simple other than the Herrett which takes a little more work.
 
Andy S said:
Newhunter1, my name is Andy Shifflett and I am a competitive benchrest shooter, before you start buying reloading equipment, email me and I can get you started before you purchase a lot of stuff you really won’t need. Shiff3@gmail.com
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What kind of BR shooting are you doing?
 
Andy S said:
Newhunter1, my name is Andy Shifflett and I am a competitive benchrest shooter, before you start buying reloading equipment, email me and I can get you started before you purchase a lot of stuff you really won’t need. Shiff3@gmail.com
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I will take you up on that offer. PM inbound....I mean email
 
I currently have 2 Bat 3 lug actions and 2 Bat Nuevo actions. Barrels are mostly Bartlein’s and a few kriegers.
 
100 yard guys use flat based bullets is that correct? Reason I ask one of my customs (hunting rig) that I bought used was a late 1990’s made gun, 300 jarrett, long range caliber if your not familiar with it, the thing has a 1/14 twist, I have no idea why or what the deal is, according to berger‘s ballistic calculator and all my research I have to shoot a flat based bullet in order to get that bullet stabilized, eliminating most of what I had planned for this rifle, odd combination for a long range rifle to have a 1/14 twist in a fast 300 magnum gun, apparently in the 90’s there was a short trend of people ordering customs for hunting in 1/14 twist to copy the 100 yard bench guys, I’m not impressed I wanted to use 210 grain berger vlds, instead I’m using 150 grain nosler partitions as a compromise.
 
In early 2000s flat base Bullets were used more then boattails but in the last several years boattails have gained a huge following from the top shooters. Most of us make our own Bullets and we make anywhere from 65-68 grains and we make both flat base and boattails. Honestly, in a good barrel, it is very hard to say one out shoots the other.
 
I found my buddy a sweet deal on a bobby hart built rifle in 7mag, I’m a southpaw or else I would have bought it for myself, I shot it once off my bench with a lead sled at 100 yards, 3 shot group, the only 3 shots I ever put through it, he wouldn’t sell it now for anything we joke about it all the time! The best group I ever shot and I could have owned that rifle for peanuts LOL2300033B-ED9A-4764-A026-45D260E4E682.jpeg
 
I wasn't familiar with the American 30. A page about it said y'all are using 30 Herret dies with SPC brass. A while back on a forum a guy was talking about a 358 something or another using SPC brass and 357 Herrett dies. Ironic that 40 yr old single shot pistol rounds are making their resurgence in modern semi-autos :D
 
brydan said:
I wasn't familiar with the American 30. A page about it said y'all are using 30 Herret dies with SPC brass. A while back on a forum a guy was talking about a 358 something or another using SPC brass and 357 Herrett dies. Ironic that 40 yr old single shot pistol rounds are making their resurgence in modern semi-autos :D
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Yes. The case head size for the Contender is the same as the AR-15 so most cartridges will work in both with the exception of the rimmed cartridges. Larger case head sizes like 308 require a larger framed firearm for each (Encore and AR-10).
 
Get the manuals and books and read before you do or buy anything. ALWAYS resort to the manuals before taking advice from anyone on the internet. The manuals will list what you need to get started as well as other materials. As for your powder question, make sure you don’t put the cart before the horse...read the manual and follow instructions listed therein. They will tell you exactly what powder to use, what bullet to use, etc. use the manual to make a list of materials you want to buy THEN go to the internet to start purchasing materials. This will save you a LOT of money...number one takeaway? Get a reloading manual (Modern Reloading by Richard Lee, Lyman 50th Edition, any Hornady, etc.) and read. Start there!
 
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