Please help a beginner with reloading.

[efuehrin]

Hi guy's. First post for this noob.

First, I've got a Ruger M77 300 win mag that I've upgraded with a Timney trigger. My scope is a Bushnell Elite 6500 4.5x30

I want to get into reloading my 300 shells. The loads I've been buying are fairly expensive or they don't shoot acurately.

I've been looking at the Larry Willis Belted Magnum Collet Resizing Die after reading some other threads on this forum.

If I understand correctly I will also need a regular 300 die correct?

First, I just need the dies. I will be reloading this first bunch with my buddy's press.

Sorry for the noobie questions but I've gotta start somewhere.

Thanks!

 

[jagged77]

Re: Please help a beginner with reloading.

Hiya and welcome to the Hide.

The Larry Willis die you mentioned is specifically designed to size the body of the belted mag all the way down to the belt. A typical sizing die will not size down this far and this can, in extreme cases lead to case head separation (due the brass stretching in this area above the belt).

However standard full length sizing works well and I've not seen any thinning of brass in 7+ reloads of Rem brass having cut a couple up to check. Sensible loads and careful sizing (i.e. not over sizing) will contribute greatly to case life.

If I was you I'd start by getting a good die set such as Redding or Forster and not worry about the Larry Willis die for now. Read up on the basics in the stickies too. All the best.

 

[efuehrin]

Re: Please help a beginner with reloading.

Thanks for the help. Some posts state that with magnum loads it's possible to only get 3-4 reloads out of some brass and the Larry Willis die helps get that number closer to 20 or so.

I'm working my way through the stickies to try to get my head around everything.

Thanks again.

 

[efuehrin]

Re: Please help a beginner with reloading.

Something like this?

redding die kit

 

[TexIndian]

Re: Please help a beginner with reloading.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: efuehrin</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Something like this?

redding die kit </div></div>

That ought to take care of everything you need. If you keep at it, you might eventually outgrow that set but it will be quite a while. Redding makes quality stuff.

 

[5R Milspec]

Re: Please help a beginner with reloading.

like said before brass thats been taken care of and not run hard will last a long time.even annealing will keep it running a while longer.for me I have run the same brass through my 300wm with 9 fireings.I have yet the need for the body collet die.

all I have done was to collet the neck with the Lee collet die for the first loading of the brass.after the 3rd fireing I annealed the necks then FL resized just bumping the shoulder back enough to chamber better.done this for the life of the brass thats still going.

one thing you should know is that the belt want be used again after fireing the first time.there after you can use the shoulder for head space.and the harder you run it the less life you will get.have fun and run them safe.doing so will give you lots of fun with your 300wm.mine does.

 

[efuehrin]

Re: Please help a beginner with reloading.

Thanks guy's! I think I'll start with the kit that I listed above and go from there.

I've got a lot of learning to do!

 

[driftpin]

Re: Please help a beginner with reloading.

The Stickies are good but I would suggest picking up a decent reloading manual, I would suggest either the Hornady or the Speer one. Both of them have a great walkthroughs of in the front to read and look at when you first start reloading. Just start with the basics and go from there. You will learn so much just by trying different things. Starting to anneal as a first time reloader I personally think is too much. I load a lot of 300 WM and 300 WSM and I use regular RCBS FL dies and I have never had a head separate on me, granted I'm not loading them to the max loads on every one either. I find the about on most cartridges that 400-500fps below the max often gives me the best accuracy. Good luck and remember always work your loads up. Don't start at the max. Happy Shooting'

 

[Innovative]

I have worked (full time) with thousands of handloaders. The belted magnum problems can easily be solved with a patented collet die that I designed. Read the info about what actually causes them to have problems with reloading belted calibers. The whole story on belted magnum calibers can be found on www.larrywillis.com