NeverAgain26
Member
My last .308 buy of S.African Surplus was 1000 rounds and ran me 18 cents a round including shipping. I see pricing now for European Surplus running upwards of 50 cents a round not including shipping. I imagine the demand for .308 has dried up the surplus market because it's being used in Afghanistan and Iraq for it's longer range and because it's more powerful than the .223 round.
I guess it's time for me to begin reloading. It didn't make sense when I could buy all I wanted at 18 cents a round shipped to my door. It makes a lot of sense now when it costs upwards of 50 cents a round. Also, I assume I can wring more accuracy out of my own loads than surplus rounds, so I would use my reloads for longer range work and use my remaining surplus for having fun plinking.
As you can see from the price of my last buy, it was some time ago and it is lasting me awhile. I use anywhere between 20 and 30 rounds per 2 hour range session at 200 yards when I am target shooting and let my barrel cool between shots. I use maybe 60-80 rounds per session if I am shooting closer up and just want to shoot quick and dirty at 50-100 yards.
I imagine I would want to reload about 100-200 rounds per 2-3 hour reloading session so I could make do with a simple, inexpensive press. I would like a solid, quality press, however.
Is there any company that sells a kit that has pretty much everything I would need for reloading for a few hundred dollars? Who makes it and what model would it be?
I would need a bunch of accessories and a scale. I can do all that research and find out what I need, but what kit might have the most comprehensive set-up that would not have me running around and buying everything piece-meal?
Also, I understand about tumblers and tumbling media, but is tumbling an absolute necessity when reloading? What function does it practically serve?
I can collect a nice lot of my own once-fired brass so all I need is bullets, primers and powder on the supply side.
Thanks in advance for your help and guidance.
NA26
I guess it's time for me to begin reloading. It didn't make sense when I could buy all I wanted at 18 cents a round shipped to my door. It makes a lot of sense now when it costs upwards of 50 cents a round. Also, I assume I can wring more accuracy out of my own loads than surplus rounds, so I would use my reloads for longer range work and use my remaining surplus for having fun plinking.
As you can see from the price of my last buy, it was some time ago and it is lasting me awhile. I use anywhere between 20 and 30 rounds per 2 hour range session at 200 yards when I am target shooting and let my barrel cool between shots. I use maybe 60-80 rounds per session if I am shooting closer up and just want to shoot quick and dirty at 50-100 yards.
I imagine I would want to reload about 100-200 rounds per 2-3 hour reloading session so I could make do with a simple, inexpensive press. I would like a solid, quality press, however.
Is there any company that sells a kit that has pretty much everything I would need for reloading for a few hundred dollars? Who makes it and what model would it be?
I would need a bunch of accessories and a scale. I can do all that research and find out what I need, but what kit might have the most comprehensive set-up that would not have me running around and buying everything piece-meal?
Also, I understand about tumblers and tumbling media, but is tumbling an absolute necessity when reloading? What function does it practically serve?
I can collect a nice lot of my own once-fired brass so all I need is bullets, primers and powder on the supply side.
Thanks in advance for your help and guidance.
NA26