Wanting to Start getting into reloading .308

[TBJ]

Hi,
With the purchase of a new deer rifle imminent, I am wanting to start getting into reloading the .308 for Sambar and other hunting as well, but all the different types of powder, primers, brass, etc. I'm completely out of my depth, I'm just wondering what things I need to start getting into reloading, and also what sort of loads I should start with for Sambar specifically but I kind of want to try making loads specific for different game such as goats and other smaller deer?
also my local gun store carries ADI powder so that's what I will be using unless everyone thinks it cr*p
also what sort of projectiles and size are you guys using successfully for Sambar?
thanks
jez

[Osty]

G'day Jezza,

I've recently gotten into reloading and would suggest you get your hands on a manual and read it front to back (Nick Harvey's Practical Reloading Manual is a good one). As far as equipment goes, I got started with this reloading kit and have no complaints.

Youtubers like JIUJITSU2000 are also a good source of information on techniques/tricks for reloading.

Can't comment on loads for 308, others will I'm sure.

[bigfellascott]

I'd be looking at 2208 and 2206H Powder for the 308, projectile wise, something that is stoutly made would be the go for sambar (weight wise probably 150-180gn range) would be where I would be looking, I run a 130gn Speer HP for pigs and goats etc which works fine on them.

[Barrettmr]

I am using 2208 with tbf 150gr pro and the same with 150gr hornady interlocks. Mind you, I don't see many deer here, just pigs goats and dogs.

[Oldbloke]

Yep, those Lee kits are great value. There is also an Anniversary kit, with just a few differences to the challenger kit. Both about $250. I don't have one but all reports say they are good.
For a 308 I would settle on a "General Purpose load first" say a 150 to 170 gn projectile. This will take care of goats, pigs & sambar if placement is good and range sensible. (up to 200 mtrs) The 308 will struggle with a 180 gn projectile. Hornady interlocks or similar are OK. If you want to pay more.

AR 2208 is about as flexible a propellant that you can get. I load my 223 & 3006 using it. It can be used for 338 too. May not get the very best result but always pretty good and saves on wastage or the possibility of getting confused with loads resulting in a huge fack up. Get on line and down load the ADI loading manual.

PS this is not rocket science.

This link to another topic will provide links to a couple of free manuals off the www

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=7963

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Hornady Interlock.jpg (83.73 KiB) Viewed 6380 times

[juststarting]

Ok, this is going to sounds a little odd, but, if you're just after deer hunting, you are not going to get any benefit from reloading. Buy 2 packs of premium ammo. Use one for sighting in and fun, the other will last you for years...

[TBJ]

Ok, this is going to sounds a little odd, but, if you're just after deer hunting, you are not going to get any benefit from reloading. Buy 2 packs of premium ammo. Use one for sighting in and fun, the other will last you for years...

I'm buying my new .308 as a deer rifle but also plan on shooting at the range to improve my shooting and for fun, I'm also thinking that getting my rifles more accurate would be a fun hobby for rainy days.

Thanks for all your suggestions, what is the difference between 2208 and 2206H? what are the benefits of each, how many times should I reload a case before throwing it, I keep hearing about resizing but should I resize the whole case every time or just the neck? also what primers should I be using, CCI, Federal, Winchester? Also what other things should I know before getting into this?

[juststarting]

If that's the case, you want...

ADI AR2208
Any large rifle primers

Bunch of projectiles in any configuration, to play with

[Oldbloke]

Suggest you down load a manual and read it. All your answers are in them. Then search this forum.

Otherwise you will ask 100 questions

[TBJ]

Any large rifle primers

So no difference between different primers?

[Tom Foolery]

I'm also thinking that getting my rifles more accurate would be a fun hobby for rainy days

This will require more than just rolling your own ammo. Nathan Foster'a Practical Guide to Bolt Action Rifle Accurising and Maintenance is a good place to start. Plenty of reading in there to fill in a rainy day.

[happyhunter]

I'm using the Lee reloading gear and have been for many years. For the 308 I'm loading Federal cases with 40 grains of AR2206H and 180 grain Sierra Pro Hunters and and Remington 9 1/2 large rifle primers. Reference data comes from the ADI and Sierra manuals.

If you gonna run 180 grain bullets from the 308 for hunting deer it's best to push them fast as you safely can.

[in2anity]

+1 for AR2206H, look at the ADI website for load data, IMO don't get super hung up on F-class level reloading intricacies if you're only hunting with it. KISS principle for a light sporter rifle - it'll get the job done if you do your part.

[TBJ]

This will require more than just rolling your own ammo. Nathan Foster'a Practical Guide to Bolt Action Rifle Accurising and Maintenance is a good place to start. Plenty of reading in there to fill in a rainy day.

In personal experience you always think of another thing to make your gun more accurate this is just one of many plans and ideas to get a more accurate rifle, I will get that book for a bit of reading however.

also a question on Powder, Primer and other parts storage is there any specific storage requirements like live ammo in Victoria?

[Supaduke]

Just store it as you would ammo. Locked cupboard is sufficient.

[juststarting]

Any large rifle primers

So no difference between different primers?

I haven't found a difference yet...

[Supaduke]

2206H is a faster burning powder. It generally works better with lighter pills and/or shorter barrels.

2208 being a slower burning powder generally works better with heavier pills and/or longer barrels.

Ideally a powder will complete its burn just as the projectile leaves the barrel. This way all it's useful energy is transferred to the bullet efficiently.

Too slow a powder and the powder is still burning after the bullet has left , resulting in excessive muzzle flash and/or unburnt powder. That's wasted energy.

Too quick a powder and you can get excessive pressure build up at the breech end, worst case resulting in a catastrophic failure. Other problems can be the powder completing its burn before the bullet has left the muzzle, friction then robs the bullet of velocity, worse case, it can get stuck in the barrel.

As a safety measure , factory ammo is loaded on the slow side to allow a full range of barrel lengths.

Rifle powders are designed with a fairly large safety margin but you still need to be careful you are using the correct powder.

Shotgun and pistol powders are very quick burners.

Rifle powders by comparison are much slower.

[Gwion]

Some primers are harder and some softer, which can make a difference when the loads or pressures are getting hotter. Accuracy wise, you will only notice a difference if you are chasing that last poofteenth of accuracy from a load.

[superdave]

G'day Jezza,

I've recently gotten into reloading and would suggest you get your hands on a manual and read it front to back (Nick Harvey's Practical Reloading Manual is a good one). As far as equipment goes, I got started with this reloading kit and have no complaints.

If youre gonna load a relatively low volume ie less than300- 400 rounds per year then the above setup will work ok.
It will be time consuming, but you'll get there.
I started with this kit too, but with one exception: I didn't use the lee balance beam scales in the kit.
I bought a set of digital scales( Hornady GS1500) that were accurate to 1/10th of a grain.
(A little more peace of mind knowing I hadn't overloaded my rounds)

[Oldbloke]

Both Richard Lee and 48th edition of Lyman's in PDF can be found for free if you google them.


http://www.adi-powders.com.au/handloade ... ifle%2Easp

[Oldbloke]

Jazz,
You seem to have disappeared?

How did you go?

[bladeracer]

If youre gonna load a relatively low volume ie less than 300- 400 rounds per year then the above setup will work ok. It will be time consuming, but you'll get there.

Less than 300-400 per year?
I did 350-odd 6.5x52mm, .303 and 7.62x54R over two evenings last week with the Breech Lock Press. The 6.5 and 7.62 had to be lubed as well as I don't have collet dies for those.

I also did some .243, .204 and some more .303 and 6.5x52mm earlier in the week.

I used the pile of milsurp ammo to test the Lee powder thrower and came away impressed.
I threw loads of 28.5gn, 36.0gn and 40.5gn of AR2206H and regularly dumped them on the scale before seating the bullet.
Variation was within about 0.3gn at worst, and usually were within about 0.15gn. I'm certainly going to be using the powder thrower for all my milsurp loads from now on. I'm yet to try Trailboss in the thrower but I expect it will require dumping to a pan first and then funnel it into the brass.

It's possible to throw more accurately than that using the Lee Powder Dippers, but it takes longer and requires a funnel. The dippers get less accurate as they get bigger. Up to 1cc, the dippers will throw very accurately with AR2206H and AR2209, but Trailboss varies up to one-tenth. I can only throw totally consistent Trailboss loads with the 0.3cc dipper. From 1.3cc to 3.4cc they throw within 0.3gn accuracy, but bigger than that the accuracy is poor - as much as one grain variation. The larger mouth area allows greater variation in the level of the powder so I think a better design would be bottle-necked dippers so all have the same mouth area. If I want to throw 28.5gn of AR2206H then two 1cc dippers will throw 27.8gn consistently, which is easily topped off with the trickler. A single 1.9cc dipper though will throw between 27.1gn and 27.4gn.
I've found best accuracy with the dippers is achieved by several smaller dippers rather than one bigger one. But there is the risk of miscounting when using multiple dips.

Also, Lee states that you need to card the top off for accuracy, but I find better accuracy by swamping the dipper and allowing the powder to find its natural slump.

[bladeracer]

I prefer the 2206H over 2208 in the 308 as I find it to be a little more versatile across the range of projectiles.

I love the AR2206H for its versatility.

[superdave]

If youre gonna load a relatively low volume ie less than 300- 400 rounds per year then the above setup will work ok. It will be time consuming, but you'll get there.

Less than 300-400 per year?
I did 350-odd 6.5x52mm, .303 and 7.62x54R over two evenings last week with the Breech Lock Press. The 6.5 and 7.62 had to be lubed as well as I don't have collet dies for those.

I also did some .243, .204 and some more .303 and 6.5x52mm earlier in the week..

Fair comment, my figure was on the low side. Maybe 1000 per year.

My point is that it will be slow, compared to a turret or progressive press. If you're happy sitting in a shed doing that, then why not. I did to begin with, but after a while began to look for a faster way,so as to free up time for other things.

[bladeracer]

Fair comment, my figure was on the low side. Maybe 1000 per year.

My point is that it will be slow, compared to a turret or progressive press. If you're happy sitting in a shed doing that, then why not. I did to begin with, but after a while began to look for a faster way,so as to free up time for other things.

I think you're still being way too conservative, several thousand rifle rounds a year would be fairly comfortable for most people. I don't really see any need for progressives unless you're loading handgun ammo for competition where you're shooting a few hundred every weekend. It probably took me about four to five hours to load those 350rds for three milsurps - including having to lube and full-length size three-quarters of them.

I don't sit in a shed though, I do my reloading right here beside my computer.

[bladeracer]

I have to really agree with bladeracer. I just cant see where or how a progressive press would speed the process up. I normally only do 50 or 100 at a time mind you. The best number of cases in my rotary tumbler i think is 40 although 50 works fine. I tend to check for length and do any case trimming first. Then resize mostly only neck I do this while cases are still dirty and I give them either a squirt with one shot oil or a lee lubricant then they go in the cleaner. Then primed and filled and bullet seated. So only two dies used and a clean in between which takes at least overnight to dry. No swapping of dies repeatedly to slow things down. Some may not like the idea of resizing while dirty. I sometimes trim clean, size, clean and then fill. All depends.

I can see the benefit if you were to do a factory crimp on the projectile after seating it.

I use three dies as I do the trimming on the press.
I don't clean my brass.
First die deprimes and neck sizes (or FLS with lube if I don't have collet dies).
Then I clean the pockets and prime by hand (or in the press if I don't have a hand prime shell holder) and wipe off lube if I used it.
Second die trims them all to the same length.
The I deburr the mouths and charge the cases.
Third die seats the bullets. I only need to crimp 6.5x52mm which is done automatically by the bullet seating die at the top of the stroke.
Then I shake every round by my ear to ensure it's charged before it gets boxed.

[Sdposs]

I use 2208 with 150gr Hornady sst's works a treat

[rustypic]

Hi Jezz,
I am certainly no expert but I would make sure you have some Sierra projectiles in your kit, I find the 165 gr Gameking SBT are very accurate. Be careful with Federal cases as I believe the brass is a bit harder and some resizer's struggle. I use Hornady brass, Remington LR primers and my reloading manual is Nick Harvey's, this manual is great for beginners as he gives excellent advice on how to set up your reloader and dies correctly.

[Oldbloke]

The OP hasn't been back.

[Supaduke]

I feel used.....