First rifle cartridges

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Dunkelheit

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I am planning to start reloading .308 Win rifle ammo for my Rem 700. I´m already reloading some .357 Mag and .45 Auto on my Redding Big Boss.

What additional useful gear do i need to manufacture fine rifle ammo?

I dont have any empty brass, should i buy some new brass or should i buy ammo and use the brass later?
 
If you've got the press, I'd assume you have a powder scale and some type of powder measure? In that case, all you need is a set of dies and a shell holder in .308, and a case length gauge and trimmer to make sure the fired brass is the right length. I'd start out using brass you've already fired through your rifle, instead of buying new, at least in the beginning. Don't forget to get some case lube for resizing, too; pistol brass with carbide dies usually doesn't require lubricating, but rifle brass does.
 
#1 Case Lube.
#2 .308 dies.
#3 .308 shell holder = The same one you use for .45 ACP.
#4 Case Trimmer.
#5 Chamfer & Deburring tool.
#6 Case Lube.

That's about it.

Oh!
Did I mention you have to use case lube when sizing all rifle calibers?

I don't know what the brass & ammo price situation is in Germany, so I can't advise you there.
I would think there might be some surplus 7.62 NATO brass floating around Germany at pretty attractive prices though?

If you go that route, you will need a primer pocket reamer or swaging tool to remove the GI primer crimps.

rc
 
I thought about adding that.
But he has a bolt-action rifle.
That right there is a better headspace gage then a headspace gage.

If he ask about a semi-auto, I would say he needs one.

rc
 
Regarding reloading NATO 7.62mm brass, make sure it's Boxer primed stuff. The German DAG and MEN that the O.P. is likely to find the most of there in Germany is Berdan primed, and takes special tools to deprime for reloading. Since he's there in Europe, Berdan primers and depriming tools might be more common than they are here in the US, though.
 
Thanks for your advice.

Brass is not the problem, there are many manufactures avaible here.

Actually im not sure about the right die. Do i only need a neck sizing die or a full length sizing die?
 
You need to size full length any case that is unfired or fired in a different gun than yours. Once a case has been fired in your bolt-action gun, neck size that case (and trim if needed) for all future rounds intended for that same bolt-gun. As for acquiring brass, often the best deal on brass is factory ammo, which when fired leaves you important data and brass that you can just neck size. Just make sure it's quality ammo in real brass cases.
 
Dunkelheit, How tough was your "reloading" test to receive your permit/license to purchase propellants? I left Germany just before the law supposedly passed, and I remember them calling it something like 'pulver schein' (powder permit/certificate?). I used to buy propellants at the Army Rod and Gun clubs, but even they were to fall under the new law as I remember.

Had a lot of good times shooting with Germans at various ranges, and reloading was very much alive and well in the Schweinfurt area, at least before I left (early 90's). Good luck!
 
Galil5.56, the test for the "Pulverschein" was very easy. You got all the answers dictated before the test. Everything you wrote down yourself you were allowed to use during the test. I think the only important thing is that you pay all the fees :)
 
Galil5.56, the test for the "Pulverschein" was very easy. You got all the answers dictated before the test. Everything you wrote down yourself you were allowed to use during the test. I think the only important thing is that you pay all the fees
Click to expand...

Thanks. Do any "samples" of your reloads have to be sent to Ulm for analysis/pressure testing? Sounds like the reloading test was a lot easier than the German drivers test; 140 page 8"x11" manual, law questions, 150-200 road signs to remember, no notes allowed, even mentioned it was a felony to perform a "U" turn on the autobahn, and that running out of gas on the autobahn was a ticketable offense (can't a car deemed too dirty get you a violation too?)... Majority of the takers failed their first attempt.

One last question, is it still required to perform a marksman test in order to obtain a big game license? If so, do you remember how stringent it was? Thanks.
 
No, you dont have to send samples to them. You can if you want but then you have to pay for it. The drivers license is a real challenge compared to the Pulverschein.

If you want to go hunting you have to do far more than just a marksman test. Regardless of what you are planning to hunt, even if it is just a rabbit or a duck u have to pass the "Jagdschein" test which is a real challenge too. You have to learn alot about plants, trees, animals etc. the shooting test is the smallest part of the whole test.

Total costs for the Jagdschein can reach $3000. For the Pulverschein you can expect $300 for combined NC and SP test.
 
Thanks, I remember it being very expensive to hunt (as you document), and I'm sure one of many reasons why I did not while there... I remember seeing lots of nice game specimens during military rotations to Grafenwöhr and Hohenfels, especially beautiful Rot Stag, and LOTS of Boar!!!

Fishing was difficult too, and as I recall you had to receive permission for every stretch of stream you wanted to fish, and in order to receive the license, you had to take a class as well, which I think had a part you had to pass, demonstrating that you were capable of cleaning fish correctly, biology, fishing laws...
 
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