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I've started to make the plunge into reloading, and am in the process of building up the necessary kit. Some help in choosing some bits would be really helpful. I'm reloading for .308win only (TR) at ranges from 3-1000yds and will not be loading for anything else.

Some feedback on the following choices would be much appreciated

Powder: vihtavuori N140
Bullet: smk 2156, smk2155 or lapua scenar. The 2155 is the same as GGG, the Scenar is the cheapest and best on paper but seems unpopular (?) and the 2156 might be fussy.
Case: lapua large primer (?)

What dies? I've read a lot but am still massively confused and given the expense I'd rather not buy twice

Do you plan on full lentgh resizing or neck sizing. (TR) I assume means target rifle. Yes/No.
For 100 to 600 yards I quite like the 155grain Hornady Amax with N140. You can not go wrong with Lapua cases.
If you are just starting out I would just buy a set of Lee .308 dies and full lentgh size for starters.
You need a good set of beam scales not lee.
A single station press will do for starters. My choice would be a RCBS rock chucker or a Lyman Crusher or the Lee cast jobby. You can prime on the press. A powder measure the choice is yours it depends how much you can afford to spend a powder trickler and a good reloading manual and you are good to go.

A-Max are no longer made, the Lapua 167 Scenar is an excellent bullet as are either of the Sierras, for the longer distances the 2156 Palma has the edge between the two.

Get some practice in with the GGG and save the cases, they're perfectly decent, just need the primer crimp removing.

The Lee Breech Lock Cast single stage is excellent as is the cheaper non-cast version, either will last a life time.

A decent set of beam scales such as RCBS is essential for accurate weighing, the Lee Perfect Powder measure is cheap and very accurate, add a Target Master auto-trickler and you'll have a very accurate, and more importantly, very consistent powder throwing set up.

If you're going to be shooting a lot the N140 is cheaper in 3.5Kg jugs (should get about 1000 308 loads out of it), usually about £230 so £65/Kg, as you're at Bisley see Nigel Cole-Hawkins and take a look at the Reload Swiss powders, RS50 is almost identical to N140 (used to be sold as TR140) but is slightly more temperature stable. http://propellants.co.uk/where-to-buy.html

https://www.sportsmanguncentre.co.uk/ho ... eads-100pk
What makes you think A max are no longer made I have purchased them recently.
https://www.hornady.com/bullets/rifle/#!/

Scroll down to .308 155 grain. A max are still listed.
If you look on page 55 of the Hornady 2018 catalogue it lists the A max bullets for the .308 the 155 grain is listed.

proteus wrote:I've started to make the plunge into reloading, and am in the process of building up the necessary kit. Some help in choosing some bits would be really helpful. I'm reloading for .308win only (TR) at ranges from 3-1000yds and will not be loading for anything else.

Some feedback on the following choices would be much appreciated

Powder: vihtavuori N140
Bullet: smk 2156, smk2155 or lapua scenar. The 2155 is the same as GGG, the Scenar is the cheapest and best on paper but seems unpopular (?) and the 2156 might be fussy.
Case: lapua large primer (?)

What dies? I've read a lot but am still massively confused and given the expense I'd rather not buy twice

Powder - Vit 140
Bullet - Lapua Scenar 155gn (but the 2156 is just as good)
Case - Lapua Palma small primer - more expensive but will last longer.
Dies - Forster - and yes - always full-length size.

proteus wrote:.308win only (TR) at ranges from 3-1000yds and will not be loading for anything else.

If you are looking to create a training round that simulates the performance of the Imperial Meeting ammo then you should choose the 2155 or Nosler Custom Competition 155 (if you choose a more 'efficient' bullet you may find you are under-calling the wind when it comes to the Imperial meeting). Otherwise I personally use the 2156 (not a fussy bullet) but the Scenar would be just as good a choice. Also consider the HBC.

I wouldn't buy expensive new Lapua brass. Once fired brass can be had at a fraction of the price of new. I have never bought a new case, and will never need to, and my second-hand brass won me a *lot* of TR trophies last year. Properly processed it will last a long time, so why pay 5 times as much to (just maybe) get an extra one or two firings and no performance benefit? My 1st choice would be once-fired uncrimped GGG .308 if you can find it.

Consider RS50 powder. If bought in bulk it's possible to get a very competitive price; it is readily available. batches change infrequently and there is little batch-to-batch variation when they do. I used it exclusively for TR in 2017 and won a few open meetings outright and achieved top 3 placings in several others.

Dies:

Seating: Redding Competition seating die or Forster Ultra Micrometer seating die.

Sizing: I suggest 2 options for sizing dies, based on different approaches to controlling neck tension, both assuming you will not neck turn:

1: Redding Type S FL Bushing die.
2: Any good quality 1-piece FL sizing die, followed by a Sinclair expander die with PMA tool .307 carbide expander mandrel.

I use the second option, and prefer to avoid bushing dies, but either should work fine.

Other:

If you do buy fired brass then get a Redding Small Base Body die.
A universal decapping die is always useful.

..

Alpha1 wrote:What makes you think A max are no longer made

You're correct, the .30 155 and 168 are the only one's still being listed by Hornady along with the .50 750gr, the rest of the range was discontinued last year so I wouldn't say they were a long term option. They've been replaced by the more expensive ELD-M (Match) range.

A-Max are also very expensive, £49.99/100, for shooting out to 600/800yds Lapua Scenar and the Sierra's are cheaper and just as good as are the now discontinued Nosler Custom Competition, I can still get those for under £27/100. I've just had 6,000 arrive this morning with another 11,000 on the way. The standard Hornady Match bullets are even cheaper and again perfectly good out to 600/800yds.

Thanks for the info, I had looked at the rs powders bit hadn't raised I could possibly pick these up at Bisley at reasonable cost.

You've hit the may on the head about bullets rox, on one hand replicating imperial ammo seems beneficial but part of me says go with the scenar if it is both cheaper (by something like £10/100) and better

I'll have GGG brass I've fired available so could use that instead of buying new to start with.

What is the reason you don't like bushing dies rox?

proteus wrote:What is the reason you don't like bushing dies rox?

They don't size right up to the neck/shoulder junction.
They are more expensive.
They are best used with neck-turned brass.
One-piece dies can produce straighter ammo.

but, if I loaded on a single stage press I'd probably still use one, if only to save the extra step of running-in an expander mandrel to uniform & finish the ID. Naturally expander balls should be avoided at all costs!

proteus wrote:You've hit the may on the head about bullets rox, on one hand replicating imperial ammo seems beneficial but part of me says go with the scenar if it is both cheaper (by something like £10/100) and better

Prior to the Imperial I'll mostly use the Nosler CC 155 (which has near identical BC to the 2155 and, if anything, slightly better consistency), then switch to 2156 or HBC for the autumn meetings (at least for long range). Last year had the added complication of learning the Berger 155.5 for some matches in Australia. The CC can usually be found from continental suppliers considerably cheaper than the 2155 is available here (even with the current weakness of the Pound).

proteus wrote:I'll have GGG brass I've fired available so could use that instead of buying new to start with.

Bear in mind that it may have crimped primers, in which case you'll need to swage or ream the pocket (just once).

..

155gn Scenar's and Lapua small primer cases+ 1.........but also consider RS52 powder and Murom KVB-223M primers.

Extremely accurate in my Swing mk4.............(11 twist Bartlein barrel)

Pete