spanking fresh: need help

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deebix

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I decided this afternoon that I am going to quit buying commercial ammo (with exception for .22lr) and would like to be guided in the art of reloading / loading.
The calibers I want to deal with are .223 / 25-06 to start. I've seen all the dillon 550 stuff etc but have no idea what I'm looking at. What do I need to get in entirety to load / reload from the two mentioned calibers above in a quality but cost effective manner? ~cheers
 
I understand what all of that is now. Last few questions, where do I buy the actual cartridge stuff to make a complete round? (primer, bullet, brass, powder).

How can I learn what powder is best for those two calibers?
 
The "easy" stuff takes the longest to accumulate

Second: Start collecting brass

Third: Start collecting plastic pails, buckets, and anything with a lid... unless you like the idea of being unable to navigate your reloading area due to mounds of ammo in the floor. :D

Fourth: Start collecting new and good (post-2000) used reloading manuals. Also those free powder company brochures from your local gun shop. And read them all twice.
 
1. You need to do some research about what components to consider buying.

I load mostly handgun--so I cannot speak authoritatively on both your cartridges--but I did start learning .223 about a year ago.

To learn what others have done, google is your friend--i.e., use search terms such as "loading .223" or "loading 25-06" in google to search a specific forum, not the internet.

I'd also look at more than one forum--for example, google on the net to find a rifle reloading site, besides this one.

That will get you some basic information.

In my case, my LGS owner is a .223 reloader--so I simply followed his advice and bought 100 pcs of new .223 brass, some WSRs, and some H-335. (I already had some 55-gr. FMJs).

Keep in mind that the internet resources are good for reading, but not for new loader use, necessarily. So, plan on buying at least one manufacturer's manual, and also order / pick up the "free" recipe handouts from powder or bullet manufacturers.

2. As for buying resources--start with your LGS, if they are reloaders, not salesmen. If that isn't a reliable source, then for on-line buying I would recommend 1) Powder Valley, or 2) Graf & Sons.

There are scads of other component suppliers; search the threads here for those discussions.

Finally, if I were in your shoes I would also post a list here of your proposed equipment purchases and let others critique it. The "general information" about reloading--the comments that don't track for rifle-versus-handguns--can be confusing. The workflows are sufficiently different that you may not need some items, but definitely need others.

You can get good honest feedback here, in this forum--so make use of it and, as nicholst55 said, ask detailed questions.

The only dumb question is the unasked one, and if you have no questions because you think you have these fundamental issues sorted out, then you might reconsider....

Jim H.
 
deebix
Welcome to the THR Reloading Forum!

Read the stickies, read a few books. Let us know types and the numbers of cartridges you will want to shoot per week/month/year, so we have a better idea of your needs.

Where to get components and tools?????:evil::D:p

http://www.beast-enterprises.com/slugs.html
http://www.bonusbullets.com/
http://www.brunoshooters.com/catalo...g_frameset.html
http://www.grafs.com/
http://www.gunstop.com/
http://www.lockstock.com/
http://www.leeprecision.com/
http://www.tntreloading.com/
http://www.tntreloading.com/index2.ivnu
http://www.fmreloading.com/
http://www.kinneman.com/catalog/whole_catalog.html
http://www.midwayusa.com/
http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/
http://www.natchezss.com/
http://www.neconos.com/
http://www.wideners.com/
http://www.atozreloading.com/indexns.html
http://www.sinclairintl.com/
http://www.snowcrest.net/oldwest/
http://www.clarkcustomguns.com/linksammo.htm
http://www.forsterproducts.com/Pages/main.htm
http://www.wholesalehunter.com/product/search.htm
http://www.starlinebrass.com/
http://www.blue-star-inc.com/
http://www.bhshooters.com/
http://www.gibrass.com/
http://www.southernbellebrass.com/contact.htm
http://ammunition-reloading.virtualave.net/products.htm
http://www.reloadingcentral.com/
http://www.georgiaprecision.com/order.htm
http://www.customreloads.com/
http://www.tyko.com/
http://www.huntingtons.com/
http://www.ballisticproducts.com/
http://www.precisionreloading.com/
http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/
https://www.midwayusa.com/prodsearch.dll/category
http://www.midwayusa.com/
http://www.midwayusa.com/home.html
http://www.cabelas.com/texis/script...bFALL1998AAAnAA
http://www.gamaliel.com/
http://www.rmss.com/
http://www.championshooters.com/
http://www.pla-net.net/~rcomer/ammo.htm
http://www.buffaloarms.com/baco2.htm#39
http://www.z-hat.com/Cylinder.htm
Bullet manufacturer
http://www.barnesbullets.com/
http://www.bearcreeksupply.com/
http://www.beartoothbullets.com/index.htm
http://benchrest.com/bib/proven.html
http://www.bergerbullets.com/
http://www.berrysmfg.com
http://www.brassmanbrass.com/monthlyspecials.html
http://www.brassmansales.com
http://www.bulletcaster.net/
http://www.bulletworks.com/
http://www.castperformance.com/
http://www.cheycast.com/
http://www.champchoice.com/index.html
http://www.fmreloading.com/
http://gardnerscache.com/index.html
http://www.goldenwestbrass.com/
http://www.grandmasterbullets.com/index.html
http://www.hawkbullets.com
http://www.hornady.com/
http://www.jdcomponents.com/prices/prices.html
www.keadbullets.com/
http://www.lapua.com
http://www.laser-cast.com/
Leadhead Bullet http://www.proshootpro.com/
http://www.libertyshootingsupplies.com/
http://www.maadigriffin.com/
http://www.magnusbullets.com/index.html
www.mastercastbullets.com
http://www.meisterbullets.com/index.asp
http://www.montanagoldbullet.com/
http://www.missouribullet.com/
http://www.nosler.com/
http://www.NWARMS.com/
http://pennbullets.com/
http://www.precisionbullets.com/products.html
http://www.precisiondelta.com/
www.primereloading.com
http://www.rainierballistics.com/
http://www.remington.com/
www.rimrockbullets.net
http://www.scharch.com/
http://www.sierrabullets.com/
http://www.shilen.com/bullets.htm
http://www.speer-bullets.com/
http://www.swiftbullets.com
http://www.thebulletbarn.com/
http://www.winchester.com/
http://www.wolfbullets.com
http://www.xtremebullets.com
http://www.zerobullets.com/

__________________

powder mfg.
www.accuratepowder.com
www.alliantpowder.com
www.goexpowder.com
www.hodgdon.com
www.norma.cc
www.pyrodex.com
www.lapua.com/reloading.html
www.westernpowders.com


surplus powder
http://powdervalleyinc.com/
http://www.gibrass.com/gunpowder.html
http://www.patsreloading.com/patsrel/prices.htm
http://armsandammo.com/default.cfm
http://216.15.64.227/?sessionID=1189366942TnT11731


used brass
http://www.brassmanbrass.com/
http://www.brassmansales.com
www.championsbrand.com/
http://www.chestnutridge.com/products/brass.asp
http://www.cheyennebrass.com/
http://gibrass.com/
http://www.patsreloading.com/patsrel/prices.htm
http://www.scharch.com/
http://seminolebrassandbullet.com/shop/
http://store.tjconevera.com/oncefiredbrass.html
http://www.southernbellebrass.com/rifle.htm

die manufacturor
http://www.leeprecision.com/
http://www.hornady.com/
http://www.rcbs.com/
http://lewilson.com/About_L_E__Wils..._e__wilson.html
http://www.neiljones.com/
http://www.forsterproducts.com/Pages/main.htm
http://www.reddingreloading.com/
http://www.superiorammo.com
http://ammoguide.com/cgi-bin/ai.cgi
 
.223 is not always .223 !!

What I mean is reloading for a .223 bolt action, is not the same loads as reloading for a .223 AR, is not the same as .223 in a.... well, you get the picture. So you can't just look up any old .223 load on the web and start churning the things out. :eek:

And too, bullet selection depends upon rifling twist, since ARs vary from 9-in-1 to 14-in-1 twist. So there's far more to it than meets the eye.


Bottom line: You'll need some top notch reloading manuals to help you in your powder and bullet selections. I like the new Lyman and Sierra RLMs the best.

Hope this helps!
 
good gosh, I had no idea there was that many places on the net to buy supplies lol.

The .223 will be for a bolt varmint savage and the 25-06 will be for long range varmint'ing (with the price of ammo doing nothing but increasing to the nth power, it will give me something to do over the weekend :D .)

I dont see the price of ammo staying put or lowering any time soon, so might as well jump on the load train now heh. thanks everyone for your replies
 
"...on the net to buy supplies..." Buy components in your local gun shop. Hazmat fees and shipping costs will negate any cost savings found on-line.
Look into an RCBS Beginner's Kit. It gives you everything you need less dies and shell holder. (Comes with a Speer manual, but buy a Lyman book too. It's far more versatile than any bullet or powder maker's book. Not that those are bad. They only have data for their products. The Lyman book has more loads using more powders and bullets than any bullet or powder maker's book.)
Plus you get RCBS' lengendary customer service. Have any problems and they'll fix it with a phone call, for free. Even if you caused the damage or bought used kit(that's not a bad thing either. You really have to work at seriously damaging modern reloading kit).
 
Every guy that said, "Read the sticky and read as many manuals as you can." was giving you top advice. The physical act of loading is nothing but very easy repetition. But you need knowledge to know exactly what load you want and why. It's a facinating hobby and it'll expand your knowledge of how ballistics work so fast you'll be amazed. It really IS worth the effort of a little studying.
 
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