# Reloading info needed



## Elkoholic8 (Jan 15, 2008)

I am going to start getting into reloading and I have a few questions. I will mainly be loading .243, 7mm-08, and .300 win. Is there a powder that will work good for all these calibers or do I need to have different powder for each caliber? I have a buddy who is going to show me the do's and don'ts, I just need to go purchase the components. 
Do I need to have the same brand of dies as the reloader? Will Lee's fit with RCBS and so forth?

Thanks.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Normally smaller calibers use faster powders, larger calibers slow powders. You can find some powders to share between the .243 and the 7mm-08 (4831 springs to mind), but the .300 will benefit with a specific slower burning mag powder.

-DallanC


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

I like IMR4350. A little bulky but good and safe and gives good results for most modern cartridges.


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## sagebrush (Sep 8, 2007)

For the 300 win mag rl-22 is a very powder to use.


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## sagebrush (Sep 8, 2007)

All the dies use a standard. 7/8" thread


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## kailey29us (May 26, 2011)

Elkoholic8 said:


> I have a buddy who is going to show me the do's and don'ts,


I would not trust those do's and dont's to be gospel, get yourself a good/current reloading manual and read it, then read it again.

As for the powder I would read the info from the powder maker and see what would work, probably pretty hard to find one powder that will give you good performance in that broad range of cartridges. Many may "work" but not as well as several different types in the several different calibers you are going to reload.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Elkoholic8 said:


> Do I need to have the same brand of dies as the reloader? Will Lee's fit with RCBS and so forth?
> 
> Thanks.





sagebrush said:


> All the dies use a standard. 7/8" thread


What sagebrush is saying is that you do not need the same brand of dies as the press. So if you have access to a RCBS press, you can use Redding, Hornady, Lyman, etc brand dies in that press. Which is a big relief to me because there have been times that I couldnt find the exact die set I was looking for and then happened to stumble upon another brand in that caliber.

Hope you dont get too addicted too fast. Reloading is like ******* crack for some of us :mrgreen:


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## waspocrew (Nov 26, 2011)

There has been some great advice offered already... I'm pretty new to reloading as well and in my limited experience, I've found the Hornady dies to be very easy to operate. I've tried RCBS and had a hard time adjusting them compared to the Hornady's. Plus, Hornady has a promo where they will send you a "free" (you pay $6 bucks shipping) box of bullets when you purchase a set of their dies. The bullet selection isn't the greatest, but the interlock bullets are pretty good and only cost you 6 cents a piece! I think that's a great way to start into it. Like others have said, be careful and have fun!


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## Elkoholic8 (Jan 15, 2008)

Bax, you mentioned that sometime you have not been able to find the exact dies you were looking for. Is there a difference in what each brand will do or not do? Are they not all the same per caliber? What makes one set better than the other?


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## sagebrush (Sep 8, 2007)

Travis most of your dies will get the job done. It’s just that some are better than others in that they will have a more precise adjustment i.e. in seating the bullets. Then others will only resize the neck vs. the full length die. Neck sizing is supposed to save the case life, to last longer. The 300 win because of the belt on the case would make a good choice for neck sizing. It’s more of a personnel preference. Redding makes dies for this purpose, a lot of bench rest shooters will only neck size. Most hunters will f/l size because it’s easier and your cases will fit most rifles that you come across.

Rcbs also makes an x-sizer die which is not supposed to stretch the cases when f/l sizing. I like to use the dies for bench rest shooting, for the more precise adjustments they have. I guess you would have to be pretty anal about your shooting to use them. As for presses forester makes an excellent press you do not have to thread the dies into the press all the time and you don’t have to use the shell case holders. It utilizes a clamping jaw, its pretty slick for someone that reloads for various calibers.


The dies are slide into the press from the front adjustments are easy to do, the primers are collected into a small jar under the press. I never have and any primers fall on the floor when using this press, unlike other presses that I have used.



i'll add redding makes an excellent powder dispenser get the benchrest competition it will throw charges real precise, much better than the rcbs uniflow. i have been using one for pistols


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Elkoholic8 said:


> Bax, you mentioned that sometime you have not been able to find the exact dies you were looking for. Is there a difference in what each brand will do or not do? Are they not all the same per caliber? What makes one set better than the other?


I should have phrased that a little differently. Sometimes you will be looking at RCBS dies and realize the caliber you need is out of stock, so you end up looking at another brand and they do have the caliber that you need.

There are competition die sets out there for very serious shooters / reloaders with precise adjustments, but they can get a bit spendy.


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