S1, can you give a list of the reloading tools you currently recommend for someone just getting started in long range shooting?

Single stage press:
Dies:
Electronic Scale:
Powder measure:
Case prep tools:
Chronograph:
Calipers / Micrometer:
Bench / Table:

Single stage press: Hornady Lock and Load!

Dies: For a Custom Gun, have the Smith that did the chambering make the dies, for factory chambers, Redding type 'S' Full Sizer, Redding or Forster Competition Seater

Electronic Scale: Rcbs Power Pro

Powder measure: Harrels

Priming Tool: Sinclair

Case prep tools: Sinclair Carbide, Neck Turner N-1000

Chronograph: Oehler 35 or 41

Calipers / Micrometer: Mitutoyo, Starret, or Brown.

Bench / Table: Homemade, 2 sheets of Oak or Ash 3/4" plywood (stacked and glued together) affixed to the wall in back and the front legs to the floor.

Besides speed and convenience is there an advantage to the electronic scales over the beam scales that are offered by RCBS or Hornady?

Would you also recommend a primer pocket uniformed if just starting out?

What kind of brass life could I expect out of a 243 IMP or 6.5WSM shot out of an AR10 system using either Lapua (in the 243 IMP) or Norma (in the 6.5WSM) brass?

What is usually the first part of the brass to go? Neck walls, primer pockets?

Guns shoot best when loaded near maximum safe pressures, so the primer pockets are typically the first to go.

I would definitly use a primer pocket uniformer if I were just starting out.

One should get at least 7 firings out of a piece of brass, or he should go back to school on reading pressure signs, and living WITHIN SAFE MARGINS!

I could not live without a calibrateable electronic scale. My wife would be very jealous of the time I would have to spend with a balance.

S1, does the Hornady Lock-N-Load come in anything but kit form? I hate to pay for a beam scale, and powder measure if I won’t need it.

The kit seemed to run about the same price as a Foster Co-Ax press. Would I be better off just getting just the Foster press instead of the Lock-N-Load kit with a scale and powder measure I won’t use?

Strow, I've used several different presses. I now have the Co-Ax and I love it! If you're looking to spend that much money, I say get the Co-Ax.

I agree that the Co AX press is a nice unit, but I like the leverage curve of the hornady and the lock and load feature for larger cases.

Yes, I do sell the Hornady press not in kit form.

S1, what do you charge for just the press?

Do you also carry the RCBS scale, Herters powder measure, neck turning and primer pocket tools?

What dies would you recommend for a .308 AR10?

Ktg, what features do you like about the Co-Ax that other presses don’t offer?

strow, I've never used the Hornady Lock & Load so I can't comment on it. The Co-Ax eliminates screwing in the dies. Just slide 'em in the front. It is also self aligning so your ammo should have less runout. Talk about leverage. It'll pull a case in half if you forget to lube it. Oh, and no more buying shell holders for each cartidge. The Co-Ax's 'claws' grab the shells and automatically center it.

I would definitly use Redding type 'S' full bushing die and a Redding competition seater.

I sell all the items you listed, but I would buy the Sinclair Items directly from them, (neck turner and primer pocket uniformer and chamfer tool for VLD bullets). $106.00 for the Press and 3 lock and load bushings.

strow, if you're just starting out, the less expensive press may be the way to go. I agree with S1 on the redding dies.

Actually my first reloader was a Dillon 650 and the second was Dillon 1050. I have never owned a single stage though. Let me tell ya, working up loads on a 1050 is a real pain. Nothing like doing thing a little backwards.

Thanks for the advice and heads up. Decisions, decisions.

S1, my Harrels powder measure usually only varies charges by +/- 0.1-0.3 of a grain, but occasionally throws a charge up to 0.5 grains off? What might I be doing wrong or what might cause this? Should I wipe down the drop tube with an anti-static clothes dryer sheet?

I am looking into a good Mitutoyo caliper. How much resolution do I need? 0.0005 or 0.001? What maximum measurement length would you recommend? I would hate to have some nut neck down a 40mm Oerlikon round to 50cal and not have the instruments to measure the OAL on it…

I think throwing off the first couple of charges after the measure has been sitting for a while, and then getting into a rythem when using it yields the best results, fighting static is and issue, when it is .5 off, is it light or heavy?

6 inches on the caliber length is sufficient for most stuff, Mitutoyo are nice, .0005 is plenty good for reloading.

I wiped the drop tube and any moving parts I could get to with an anti-static dryer sheet and that seemed to help.

Out of 100 throws set for 47.5 grains:
64% were +/- 0.1 grain (47.4-47.6gr)
85% were +/- 0.2 grains (47.3-47.7gr)
97% were +/- 0.3 grains (47.2-47.8gr)
100% were +/- 0.4 grains (47.1-47.9gr)
None exceeded +/- 0.5grains

There was an even 50/50 spread with throws above and below the mean.

The zero on the new Hornday scale seems to climb 0.1-0.2 grains every 10 minutes or so and needs to be re-zeroed. That may have been the initial problem, along with static in the powder measure.

How much will +/- 0.3grains increase the SD of the MV?

100 throws is by no means a statistically valid sample, but these are the numbers I got.

I would turn the scale on 1 hour before I was going to use it. Once it has been on and is warm, send it through its calibration procedure.

When using the powder measure, make sure you tap it on the upstroke once only, and tap it twice on down stroke.

.3 grains with a .308 will probably net you between 12 and 18 fps depending on where you are in the pressure curve.

4 grains with a Wolf and a 253 gr. bullet will net you 120 fps.

I know this is an old thread but I thought I would add some information.

1. It is my understanding that Oehler is no longer producing the 35/35P. Are there any suitable alternatives that are as accurate? Has anyone tried the CED Millennium? http://www.cedhk.com/show.php/Object29

2. I have been very impressed with the Wilson case trimmer that I got from Sinclair. It will consistently trim cases to within 0.001”.

3. Has anyone given the Pumpkin neck turner from Nielson a try? The guys over on Benchrest Central seem to like it. http://www.benchrest.com/nielson/

4. Did anyone see that JLK Bullets is back up and running under new ownership? It is supposed to be the same equipment, jackets, and cores. http://www.swampworks.com/jlk/

S1, let me know if posting these links is verboten, or if they don’t work.

No problem with posting links from honest/legit business men or links.

Never used anything but an Oehler, except for some cheap junk Chrony's that did not work.

Glad to see Jimmy sold his dies to someone, competition is good for the soul!