on the fence with reloading and where to go with my 308

[Mozella]

DON'T DO IT !!!!!. Reloading is a great hobby, but getting into reloading is the single most expensive thing you can do in the sport of shooting. If you only shoot 4 times a year, reloading is insane. If you're get involved in mid/long range match shooting, you MUST reload, but you'll also be going to the range a couple of times a week for testing/practice. Match shooting and reloading is addictive, time consuming, and expensive. But hunters don't have to be nutty to find sufficient precision to satisfy their needs.

In other words, if you're a hunter, especially if you're shooting at a few hundred yards, reloading doesn't make any sense at all. There are many factory loads that will give you sub MOA performance at 100 yards in most any kind of descent bolt rifle. If you do a couple of inexpensive and easy DIY mods, like bedding, getting a good scope, etc., you can expect to deliver a good percentage of 5 shot groups around 1/2 MOA at 100yards shooting from a bench with good factory ammo. That's MORE than enough precision to kill God's little furry creatures. It's cheap and easy too. Hand loading is expensive and, all things considered, is not easy at all.

[thatguyshm]

The big thing I enjoy about reloading is buying the components, testing, making notes, searching for the best combo. It's great, it let's me shoot wildcats, older cartridges, cutting edge stuff and is a family tradition. That being said, I am terrible about finding the perfect fit, rifle bullet and powder, and rather than mass produce, do it all over again with another bullet. For me, it's a constant challenge to get small groups with a good rifle and move on to the next. I know what works but I'm also always trying the latest bullet, newest powder. So I don't know how cost effective that is, but it involves more than just a few trips to the range a year...

SHM

[psharon97]

I enjoy the experimentation of reloading. Switching from one bullet to another, just to see if it works better in your system, and give my systems variety. If I cannot get this particular bullet, then I have something else to go to. Reloading does make sense if your shooting a wide variety of calibers. If, like me, I shoot a 45, 44 magnum, 44 special, 308 winchester, 260, 7mm remington magnum, and a 223, and I also shoot just about every weekend. It may be only 10 to 15 rounds a shooting session, but it is fun.

For your application, I would continue to buy ammo off the shelf. You're not shooting enough to justify the cost to reload. I find reloading doesn't save me any money. It just allows me to shoot more. You will go to gun shows, buy brass, for the sole application of necking the brass up or down for experimentation, and buy different bullets and powders to see if they shoot any better. I wouldn't risk going down this path.

[m12lrs]

For my hunting rifles I work up a load and stick with it.

Now my range rifles I am constantly trying new combinations of.powder, bullet and seating.depth. for me that constant search for.the perfect combination is as much fun as shooting. That said.I have.thousands.of.dollars.in reloading equipment. Not to mention powder, primers and bullets. Nothing about it will save you money. It is an addicting hobby that I enjoy immensely.

[RC20]

1.5 Inch MOA is plenty good at 100 yds. That was what my 7mm did when I hunted, couple of shots out to 250 no problem.

You can try 168 or 175s or heavier, but 150s should be good. I have seen as low as 125 shoot very good.

Longest shot I took was at 500 yds I would have been fine if I had trusted the load and aimed at the animal and not above it (broke the skin just above its back bone you could see the bare bone - one we chased it down and a whole story there).

So with that and 4 times a year, don't bother reloading. I got into it for hunting and pistol, it never paid off for hunting.

Actually one year loading truck up to go hunting, and no ammo, I could have sworn I had 20 rounds. Big panic, to load up, head out, or dig the stuff up to make ammo? waste the day.

I went to the store, bought 2 boxes of Federal Premium (on sale) and off to the range for a few sighters. ****ed if it wasn't as good as my best hand load.

Never reloaded for hunting again.

It maybe broke even for pistol, but I now find there is a lot more to good ammo making than what the books tell you.

So its a lot more money for a good setup and things like trimmers that work right, scales (digital the only way to go)

Frankly reloading does nothing for me. I like to shoot and its an ends to the means as I shoot quite a bit. Mine are better than their but it take a fair amount of work.


I am always short of time and reloading up to the last minute.

I will get ahead but........

[The Old Coach]

Nobody's answered the question so I will: A 10 inch twist is usual for almost all military .30 calibers. It will stabilize even 220 grain bullets, but nobody uses them anymore. Target shooters seem to dwell on 12 inch twist for their specialty. I do not know of any .30 caliber rifle that uses a faster twist, but somebody will point one out if I mention it.

I reload about 20 different cartridges, over half of them obsolete. If all you do is hunt a few trips per year, it's very uneconomical. I don't hunt anymore, except for defending the kitchen garden, but I keep myself interested by trying new cartridges and new loads. After totting up the expenses of my typical hunting trip (gas, food, beer, clothing and accessories, etc.) I think I'm actually saving money.

[bearcatrp]

For my hunting rifles I work up a load and stick with it.

Now my range rifles I am constantly trying new combinations of.powder, bullet and seating.depth. for me that constant search for.the perfect combination is as much fun as shooting. That said.I have.thousands.of.dollars.in reloading equipment. Not to mention powder, primers and bullets. Nothing about it will save you money. It is an addicting hobby that I enjoy immensely.

Yep, same here. I usually have my pet load and then a back up powder for the same bullet in the event I cannot find my primary powder. Varget is hard to find so my backup is 4064 for my 308 Savage 10T.

[jim_k]

1:10 twist is excellent for all bullet weights. It is a fast twist rate in .308 Winchester, but it is the standard rate in .300 Win Mag and most .30-'06 rifles, since they are more likely to shoot the heavier (over 180 gr) bullets. I like 1:10 twist for all .30 cal applications. For factory ammo, I really like the accuracy of the Barnes Vor-TX TTSX in 150-168 grain bullet weights or Federal Trophy Bonded Tip 165 gr. or similar weight. These also have awesome performance on deer and other game. 150 grain is enough for any animal smaller than an elk. If you use these bullets/loads, you will question why you would consider reloading. I just read the posts prior to mine, and I concur that Federal Premium 165 gr with the Sierra GameKing is a fine box of factory ammo.

[cdhbrad]

I can only shoot on the weekends.....I can spend time on some aspect of the reloading process the other 5 days of the week and often do. For me, it is a relaxing hobby that supplements my shooting hobby.

[Bunky-Shooter]

Reloading is a great hobby and it will save you some money over the years.. I have been for rifles with 1/10 twist rate 30 cal. for quiet some time and they tend to like 165 and 168 grain much better than 150 grain. As far as powders go i will not even mention one cause there are so many that work well with the 308.. Good luck to you,..

[Iowa Fox]

In retrospect I can't imagine not reloading. You don't have to spend a bundle to get started, there is a lot of good used stuff for sale cheap locally. Find an old mentor and stick with him. Honestly anyone that doesn't reload is putting them self at a disadvantage.

[darkker]

Nobody's answered the question so I will: A 10 inch twist is usual for almost all military .30 calibers. It will stabilize even 220 grain bullets, but nobody uses them anymore. Target shooters seem to dwell on 12 inch twist for their specialty. I do not know of any .30 caliber rifle that uses a faster twist, but somebody will point one out if I mention it.
.

The Problem with this statement is it's too myopic in view. The 10 twist was common with heavy bullets fired much slower, true. But the weight is only correlated to the bullet length, and the length is what is the portion that requires stabilization. Today, with powders velocities possible are much faster, meaning a slower twist will still stabilize any given bullet. Companies stuck with the 10-twist because they had the tooling for them. As to what twist is in what, the 10 is still very common in 30-cal barrels from most factories. The standard 175gr SMK fired in sniper weapons(308 specifically) that bullet is long enough that one branch of the military won't stabilize much longer(heavier). The trick why many want a shall we call it slower twist, is that it causes less bullet upset, and potential core slippage; which is no bueno for accuracy. The side effect of a slow twist, EVEN IF the bullet is stable, is that you will lose some BC points, as the nutation will cause a "wagging" of the bullet and lose efficiency. So if you want to shoot a 178gr or the 208, you won't be happy with a 12-twist, at least in the 308.

[Wjesswheel]

168 grain fgm shoots extremely well for factory ammo in 308. But my reloads shoot considerably better by about 40 percent and my reloads are a lot cheaper if you don't count all the equipment needed. If you buy quality equipment it holds value pretty well if you don't like reloading, but I find it almost as enjoyable as the shooting. Reloading 223 and buying bulk at about 16.5 cents a round for accurate ammo. I watched a guy shoot up 500 rounds (federal) of 223 at the range was going to pitch it in the trash and I bought him and his sons 2 pepsis and they picked it up for me. At the state range I shoot at no one reloads 223 brass is everywhere.

[bearcatrp]

So if you want to shoot a 178gr or the 208, you won't be happy with a 12-twist, at least in the 308.

pretty much sums it up. As long as you shoot lighter bullets, a 1:12 will work for you. I prefer a 1:10 so I can shoot heavier bullets. 208 ELD-M shoots great for me.