Thread: About to start reloading... What consumables?

So I have managed to collect all the hardware I need to reload, some new an some good deals from on here, thanks.
Which leads to a few more questions.... which consumables.....
The plan is to reload 308 and 303, the 303 for plinking.
The 308 is a Mauser action with a 1 in 10 barrel so presumably this may like slightly heavier or longer projectiles like a 168 AMAX, 175 SMK or even 155 Scenars with 2208, OAL is not a problem with the action length. As for primers Im not too sure, from what Ive read Winchester have had issues in the past so are Federal or CCI large rifle primers the go? I havent really got a specific use for this rifle but it will most likely be used to shoot at targets when I get a chance and the odd possibility of a Fallow Deer or Wallaby etc (yea I know the listed projectiles may not be the best for hunting)

Now the 303 will be more for plinking/Wallabies so I was thinking of Trailboss and trying cast projectiles, .32 XTPs and maybe even paper patched 308 cast projectiles if the sizes work out (still have to slug the barrel). Is Trailboss ok with standard primers or will I need magnum primers?

Any other suggestions also welcome

Setting up cast bullets for the .303 is a mission.
You would need to be a real enthusiast I've done some but not very successfully.

I suggest for a start get a standard .303 load going with easily available components.
I use AR2208, Sierra Pro Hunter 150gr and Federal 210 standard primers which all nothing flash but reliable.
Dont go for 125 gr projectiles, they are designed for 7.62x39 and I suspect don't stabilise that well as the twist is set for 174gr army ammo.
They group OK at 100m but tend to evaporate at 200 or 300m. Short flat base can be good in high quality barrels but not in the SMLE.
The Sierra Prohunter kill reasonably well if you want to go out for a goat.

Try and use the same powder and primers for both guns.
Use visibly different projectiles in the .308 so you don't get them mixed up.

I don't use a .308 myself but I think the 168 gr and bigger are special projectiles for longer range target shooting aren't they ? Most hunting .308 are made for around 150gr so that could be easier to get going quickly and give better kinetic energy and trajectory up to 200m, with less recoil. There are real good hunting projectiles available in .308, like Nosler Ballistic tip, Amax and even copper (Barnes). Hopefully a real .308 user will give some advice here, specially about the 1:10 twist and whether a long copper bullet would be OK in your action.

All the best

Casting or pp for the 303 as bagheera says is not for the faint hearted. If yours is a 2 groove I'd forget the idea. I disagree on the 7.62x39 point though. I have been using the barnaul ones in a long branch, a p14, and martini enfield carbine all with good accuracy to 250 metres possibly more but thats as far as ive shot out too. Outstanding as a goat culler, my preferred powder is 2206h.

In the 308 either 2206h or 2208 are good powders. Sierra gamekings in either 150 or 165 grains are good as either target or hunting rounds and using the one type keeps things simple. Out to 500 m i cant think of any advantage a heavier target type pill would give unless you want to shoot to 1000 m and like recoil.
Just saw wallabys, you can get light 110 125 gr projectiles for 308, while not much good at long range out to 200 + they are good for hares, wallabies etc and expand on little targets.

ar2208 powder is probly the best powder for 308 in my opinion
go for some good quality 150-170gn bullets
use federal or cci primers the Winchester ones have a tendency to fail damaging the rifle

for the 303 you can buy cast bullets very cheap on trademe if you want to go down that route just keep in mind that you will need to keep them under 2000fps
.303 Cast Bullets 212 grain | Trade Me

Thanks for the feedback, Ill try the 308 with some different factory loads to see what sort of accuracy and recoil it produces. The 303 is very much just for the fun of it and wanting to have a go with cast bullets, there really isnt anything that it can do that the 308 wont do better and from what I have read brass life is not a strong point with the 303 and full loads.

If you get into subsonic loading with Trail Boss use standard primers and don't drill out the primer hole like some people say is a good idea it's not,
Light bullets are not good in .303's the throat is too long the original bullet was a 215 gr RN later a 174 pointed flat base, in most of them the barrel is well worn
stay with heavier bullets even 150 gr some times don't work well, get the barrel slugged so you know what you are dealing with not many are close to the original spec
of .304"/.313" bore/ groove diameters but they can still shoot good enough for bush hunting and plinking,
start out with a 150 gr bullet in the .308 every bullet manufacturer makes a least one I have shot 150 gr bullets from Speer Hornady Sierra Norma all are accurate you don't need fancy
match bullets unless you get into serious long range competition, If you get AR2206H you can use it in both calibres and with cast bullets AR2208 is better with long barrels and heavier bullets
don't start out with to much stuff it will get cluttered enough in a very short period of time, pick a bullet that your suppler has a good stock off and learn to reload with it doesn't matter what brand
they are all good just don't run out or you have to start from scratch, Buy the Lyman reloading manual it's as good as any and has cast bullet data none of the other manuals do.

Originally Posted by shooternz

If you get into subsonic loading with Trail Boss use standard primers and don't drill out the primer hole like some people say is a good idea it's not,
Light bullets are not good in .303's the throat is too long the original bullet was a 215 gr RN later a 174 pointed flat base, in most of them the barrel is well worn
stay with heavier bullets even 150 gr some times don't work well, get the barrel slugged so you know what you are dealing with not many are close to the original spec
of .304"/.313" bore/ groove diameters but they can still shoot good enough for bush hunting and plinking,
start out with a 150 gr bullet in the .308 every bullet manufacturer makes a least one I have shot 150 gr bullets from Speer Hornady Sierra Norma all are accurate you don't need fancy
match bullets unless you get into serious long range competition, If you get AR2206H you can use it in both calibres and with cast bullets AR2208 is better with long barrels and heavier bullets
don't start out with to much stuff it will get cluttered enough in a very short period of time, pick a bullet that your suppler has a good stock off and learn to reload with it doesn't matter what brand
they are all good just don't run out or you have to start from scratch, Buy the Lyman reloading manual it's as good as any and has cast bullet data none of the other manuals do.

Thanks for that, I did manage to slug the barrel and then try and measure the slug.... not the easiest with 5 grooves, best I can tell is that it is somewhere between .311 and .314, the rifling doesnt look that flash at the chamber end but it did seem to shoot the 180gn Winchester rounds ok. Which leads to another interesting observation, it seemed that the Whincester brass was lighter than anything else I had on hand so I weighed some (and to have a play with the powder scales), with a sample size of one of each Win 166.5gn, PPU 171.1gn, S&B 181.7gn and FC 169gn, maybe thats why the Winchester brass is down the bottom of the list for reloading 303