help with choosing reloading gear .308 >1000 yards

[john_1182]

currently i hvae a a lee aniversory single stage press wich is doing me fine and some cheap lee dies (not sure what they are or is they are neck or full sizing) all i know is they have have a sizing die, a seating die and a crimping die and are in a red round plastic case but the main issue i have is with the sizing die and it is stripping a portion of brass off all my cases at the base (its like they are not exactly round or somthing at the base) even my new lapua brass

... anywho

info on the rifle and what i plan to do, i am a self tought shotter shooting out to 1000 yards here one the farm in australia and on a good day can shoot 3/4 of my shots into 3/4 MOA sized area at 520 yards so i am after what will deliver the best accuracy with in reason (rile is a tikka T3 super varmint with muzzle brake with winchester brass, sierra game king 165gr + 45 varget (ADI 2208) wich is .25" shooter @ 100 yards when i shoot straight just for reference...



1) what i would like to know is what dies should i get ? (i currently find the lee press to be fine) i am looking at getting the "RCBS Gold Medal Match Series Bushing 2-Die Set 308 Winchester" dies for $275 australian ( http://www.shooters.com.au/product.asp?pID=97344&cID=5245 )

2) should i get neck or full sizing dies ?

3) will they work in a lee press (i asume so) ?
4) i assume i wont need new seating dies am im keeping the current press ?

5) the dies use " precision-machined neck bushings (sold separately) " huh ? this is where i get lost, any info on this would be apreciated ..

 

[Winchester 69]

Re: help with choosing reloading gear .308 >1000 y

Are you chamfering the inside of your case necks? I won't say that a Lee die can't shave brass, but most dies don't. If you can shoot 1/4 MOA at 100 yds. and 3/4 MOA at 500 yds. with a factory gun, I would expect that most will tell you not to touch a thing.

 

[john_1182]

Re: help with choosing reloading gear .308 >1000 y

im not touching the brass in any special way just



shooting

tumbling

sizing, trimming deburring

tumbling

loading to mag length..


what has me concerned as said above is the outside of the necks are getting scraped in vertical lines and a small layer of brass a 1/8 diameter piece of the case is getting shaved off the case at the 0 degree and 180 degree point on the cases for each and every of the cases, sorry dont have any pics for a better explanation

i am only concerned because im thing that this will diminish case life and the lip of brass that is left on the bottom of the brass above then neck is big enough to interfere when chambering the round and i dont want to root the action sence the rifle is a shooter


p.s. i have only noticed this with the new lapaua brass and for the lase 2X reloads with my rem brass (50 cases a relaod) (i think i said it was Winchester before)

 

[john_1182]

Re: help with choosing reloading gear .308 >1000 y

sorry for the double post, but i assume it is possible for the sizing die to be gummed up with crap, is so what si the best way to clean it up is its a possible problem ?

 

[LoneWolfUSMC]

Re: help with choosing reloading gear .308 >1000 y

Call Lee.

I have both the full .308 set with the factory crimp die and a seater/neck die set.

They make great ammo. I do plan on picking up a redding competition seating die, but the Lees work great.

 

[Victor N TN]

Re: help with choosing reloading gear .308 >1000 y

Check here: http://www.sinclairintl.com/product/7130/308-Win-307-Win-Reloading-Dies You need to email these people : http://www.sinclairintl.com/ And check on their export rules to your country. I don't know them all but I have shot with several. Steve They [(?) that's the way it sounds.] is a pretty good guy. The difference between price is HUGE.

I would get the full length sizing dies.

MOST not all handloading dies are 7/8"-14 tpi. This is also what MOST presses are threaded.

A NEW seating die isn't required.

If you choose to use an "S" or bushing type die you will need to measure one of your loads on the neck to see what that outside diameter is. Subtract .002" for neck tension and your good to go. The bushing type dies are mainly for experimenters who change the neck tension or turn the case necks. If I were you I might try a standard set of RCBS or Redding dies. The price is no where near as much.

Good luck in your choices.

 

[Victor N TN]

Re: help with choosing reloading gear .308 >1000 y

Cleaning dies with lighter fluid and a stiff paint brush with long bristles works for me. Then I dry it using a bore mop or blow it out with an air hose.

 

[john_1182]

Re: help with choosing reloading gear .308 >1000 y

thanks for the claening tips, as for the dies i have found them in OZ for $180AU (welcome to AU pricing) http://www.shooters.com.au/product.asp?pID=51756&cID=5245 no doubt i will get the dies in the coming days.. even if i manage to "clean up" the lee dies

i wont try and import as i have been stung by customes b4 for fire arms parts and had to go thought 6 inches of paperwork just to sent the parts back for a refund after they were refused



bed for me up for work in 7 hrs (gee i love night shift)

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: help with choosing reloading gear .308 >1000 y

G David Tubb's video on Highpower Reloading will answer most question you have, and some others as well. It features the Dillon RL550B Progessive press.

 

[Downzero]

Re: help with choosing reloading gear .308 >1000 y

Just get a Lee collet neck sizing die and keep the rest. The box you currently have is a full length sizing die. Switch to neck sizing after you've fired full length sized cases in your chamber.

This die set is less than $30.

 

[Sig685]

Re: help with choosing reloading gear .308 >1000 y

I think the first thing you need to do is cut the barrel down to 16 inches. We have been told they shoot best at 1200yards.

 

[sobrbiker883]

Re: help with choosing reloading gear .308 >1000 y

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Sig685</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I think the first thing you need to do is cut the barrel down to 16 inches. We have been told they shoot best at 1200yards. </div></div>

What, no taste for koolaid?

 

[desertHK]

Re: help with choosing reloading gear .308 >1000 yards

That's quite impressive for out of the box Tikka. I have one in 223 so I know that they are accurate. 1/4 MOA at 100 yards is impressive so is 0.75 MOA at 500 yards. You picked Sierra 165 grains as your bullet for the 1000 yards. I am not saying that such bullet can't reach 1K. However, there are other bullets that are far better to reach 1 K, or 1.2 K. Just saying...