Hand loads-30.06 What all do I need?

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PoorRichRichard

New member
Okay. Let me start out by saying that I'm super broke, and cannot afford a good solid bench press at this time. Please help me out with a few questions about reloading 30.06 rounds.

1. First and foremost, can anyone give me a comprehensive list of reloading equipment at the lowest possible cost for my 30.06?

2. Can I use a simple small hand press to produce these rounds?

3. If I can use a hand press, is there a particular model the would allow me to load more than one caliber (possibly pistol round loading as well)? Or is each hand press meant only for a single caliber?

Being that I am unfortunately unemployed at the moment, time is really not an issue. Even if I can only load 3 to 5 rounds an hour, I would real like to spend the time to learn to load correctly. It's not much, but here is what I currently have in the way of equipment:

1. Barry's tumbler in good shape(I have not purchased and media yet).
2. About 100 pieces of 30.06 once fired Federal brass.
3. About half a pound if Winchester 231 Ball Powder. I don't think I can use this for rifle cartridges- am I wrong?
4. 14 ounces of 700-x smokeless powder. I think this stuff is only for shotguns and pistol rounds- again, am I wrong?

Any and all help would be appreciated.
 
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1Hobie

New member
Greetings,

I'd seriously consider holding off reloading your own just for the time being. You're needing a lot more than just a press. I'm not being mean but re-loading is much much more than just sticking components together.

I'm really worried about your well being. 30-06 is a pretty strong load to begin loading by a novice.

Use the search function, go to different bullet and powder websites, and read and read some more. You need a whole bunch more info. than you've asked for.

Sorry, but that's the way I see it.

Hobie
 
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Ethan.G

New member
Lee Reloading Kit

Me and my buddy just went halfers on this press for 30-06. We are poor students and got it Because of the savings you can get reloading rifle ammo
That kit has ALMOST Everything you need, im really liking the quality/price of it.
Along with that kit you only need dies (i got lee dies there working just fine for me ~35$ for 3 die kit) you also need the case length gauge and shell holder for the cutter and a shell holder for the press. (Optional; we got a white graphite kit to lube the inside of the neck to prevent stuck cases works like a dream but another 20$)
All in All we paid about 175$ and got an Awesome kit

You are correct on the powders, they are for shot shell and pistol only. iv used winchester 760 and liked it fine but DO NOT Let the guy at what ever shop you go to convince you to buy varget it is terrible in the 30-06 and i hated it , learn from my mistakes buddy. iv also heard Really good things about H414
 
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1Hobie

New member
BTW using 231 will create a bomb in what ever '06 you're planning on using it in.

To ramble on further, you also need to know what .30 bullets to use and the appropriate primers. You need to re-size the brass. You need accurate ways to measure powder and other things. There is so many variables involved that being able to screw up outweighs being able to get it right the first time.

I know, a buzzkill but with extremely limited finances, you're going to have to re-evaluate what you want to accomplish.

I do, however, hope that you can eventually figure it out.

Hobie
 
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PoorRichRichard

New member
I've been loading handgun rounds with 2 different buddies for a few months now, but they both have nice big expensive muti-stage presses, and neither have ever attemted hand loading before, so they have not been much help in the are of loading rifle rounds. I've found this at Midway, and it has me interested.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/508946/lee-classic-loader-30-06-springfield

Just not sure what else I might need (again at the lost possible cost). I have been doing quite a bit of reading, but in all honesty, I'm a VERY tactile/visual learner. I wish I had some individuals near me to view the entire hand loading process of a rifle round from start to finish, but I just don't. I'm confident that I won't blow my face off if I have all the proper case prep/reloading components in front of me. I generally take all things guns slow and methodically. I DO however very much appreciate the concern Hobie.

Ethan- that kit looks to be what I'm looking for. Gonna do more research, and thank you.
 
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1Hobie

New member
Thank you.

I don't want anyone to get themselves in a bad situation if I can help.

Have a good one and I wish you well.

Hobie
 
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hk33ka1

New member
Lee Classic Loader in .30-06 $21.98
Lee Dipper set $7.78
Lee Modern Reloading 2nd ed. Manual $17.98

Check out FS Reloading in WI.

Win 231 or 700-X will not work for this calibre.

Try IMR 4895, H-4895 or IMR 4064 among others.
Large Rifle Primers
.308" diameter bullets, Hornady .308" 180gr soft point for example
 
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Jim Watson

New member
The old Lee Loader will do the job if you don't want to do it fast.
It will have a load chart tailored to its powder dipper.
Get a powder that it shows for the weight of bullets you buy. 150 grain is the most common and least expensive.
You will also need Large RIFLE primers.

The basic Lee Loader seats primers with a mallet which occasionally causes loud noises.
I would spring for the hand priming tool.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/413473/lee-auto-prime-xr-hand-priming-tool
and shellholder
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/47...der-2-308-winchester-30-06-springfield-45-acp

It will remain useful to you even after you graduate to a bench press.
I have not primed a case on the single stage press in decades.
 
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Ethan.G

New member
No problem man, if you have any questions about the kit you can PM me. i really like it with the exception of the scale, its Super sensitive and there for kind of hard to work with, but iv always wanted a digi scale so im not bothered at all.
 
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oldpapps

New member
Mr. Richard,

If I may offer this as an option.

http://leeprecision.com/lee-loader-30-06-spring.html

This little unit will make passable loads. You will need a plastic or hard rubber or leather mallet to do the pounding and some sizing lub/grease. With the addition of a powder measure (scales), in my opinion, some find loads can be had.

You MUST have a good loading manual, or 2 or 3. Check the used book stores in your area and on line. Used is good.

I would hope that you are going to be loading for only one bolt action rifle. That will make for much easier sizing.

As for the powders you have on hand. The '700X' can be used with very light (115 grain) lead bullets. 12.0 to 14.0 grains by my loading book.
Honestly, I don't think light lead is your best bet. I would go with something like IMR4895/H4985/IMR 3031. And stay on the low end of the power curve.

For bullets, I use GI 147 grain FMJ pulls for my play loads. Converting to hunting quality bullets would be painless if not more expensive. An internet search will come up with a number of sources with lower prices. There are many vendors and surly someone still has some.

Hope things look up of you, soon.

Always error on the side of safety, enjoy.

OSOK
 
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tom234

New member
IMHO I think buying a "hand" press will is a waste of money. Save your pennies and buy at least a traditional single stage press. Get Lee RGB dies [<$20], a beam powder scale, and a powder funnel.
 
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dmazur

New member
Another $0.02 on the Lee Classic Loader -

I used one of these a few years ago. Well, maybe more than a few years ago. It worked. It created ammunition that was fairly accurate. And it took a long time to load a round. But, at that stage in my life I had time and not very much money.

You should be aware that the Lee Classic Loader does not do FL resizing. I'm not sure this can be done with a mallet. It does neck sizing.

The difference is that, eventually, you are going to need to bump the shoulder back, and the Lee Classic Loader can't do it.

It also can't trim the case back to minimum length, to keep the case mouth from being crimped by the rifling.

So, the Lee Classic Loaders are kind of a "tease". They will let you get your feet wet, but they just aren't the whole story.

So, even though I had several of these when I was just getting started, I wouldn't recommend them now.

Get the "Hand Press", a set of dies, calipers, a scale, something to trim cases (Lee makes a gadget for this), lube pad, a hand priming tool, and a reloading manual. It will probably cost $180.

Powder, primers and bullets are going to add to that, if you get

5 lb H4895 for around $125
1000 CCI 200 LR primers for around $32
500 bullets (blemished) for around $100

So, to get started you are really looking at $450.

IMO, this is the minimum. You'll be set to reload 500 rounds, and have primers and a little powder left over.
 
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Unclenick

Staff
The Lee loader will start you out just fine. I used their no-longer-made target version for a long time. The loader comes with a powder scoop and you need to use it with the powders and bullet weights recommended for it in the instructions. It will be the wrong size for other powders or bullets than those recommended in the instructions.

The rest is not a worry. Most case length growth occurs when you full-length resize cases. The Lee Loader neck-sizes, so you'll probably never have to trim cases you load with it. The limitation is that the cases do eventually fatten up and get too tight to chamber. That might take a half dozen reloadings or more with Winchester or Remington brass, but Federal tends to be soft and may tighten up faster or their primer pockets may get loose faster. Just watch out for that. At the point the cases get too big to chamber well, if the Lee loader is still all you have, you'll need new cases. If you get a press and a sizing die and a trimmer, you can then set them back to normal size and either load in the press and trim them, or start the neck sizing loading over again if you want to.

The Lee loader is a one-chambering tool because the body is its neck sizing die and it will not do calibers other than the one you buy it for. A hand press or a bench press, either one, will work with separate dies, and you buy the dies for the chamberings you want to reload and they screw into the press.

The hand press Lee makes is a useful tool. It takes some work to resize a .30-06 case in one, but it can be done. The value of these small presses is in their portability for doing load workups at the range. They are not suitable for large volumes, but for a few rounds at a time they work.
 
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m&p45acp10+1

New member
Well as Unclenick stated the Lee Loader will work for you. You will need to sart with factory loaded ammo. Since you have once fired brass I will guess you have saved the brass you fired in your rifle. The Lee loader will limit you to loading for the rifle that the brass was fired in. A dial caliper, or case length guage will be needed to assure that the brass is not too long.

Now that said. What is your absolute maximum you can afford to spend? Also how much space can you spare for a reloading area? The awnsers to those questions will dictate more than anything.

A kit that will give you most of what you need to get started will run around $110 for a Lee Aniversary Kit. I am still using mine over two years later. Other than that you will need dies that if you purchase the Lee Dies then a Deluxe set can be had for under $40 The upgrades I have made are a better scale, and purchase of a trimmer, and case length guage to trim brass. I built a bench from scratch for under $50 with stuff I purchased at Lowe's. If you go to a Home Depot. They will cut the wood for you. If it is more than a ceartain number of cuts I think they charge $5 which is well worth it, and cheaper than a saw. (A friend of mine started reloading, and had no tolls other than a drill. He purchased the lumber, and they cut it for him in the store.) Also I saw a workable bech that was pre-fab there for $69, you would need to attach the press to a square of plywood, and either bolt it, or clamp it to the bech. So that would add about maybee $10. I now have a better more solid bench that I got from work. Along with a cabinet that rescued from a Salavation Army dumpster. For loading 30-06 It will pay for itself in savings quiclkly.

The Lee BreechLock Hand Press cost around $49 or so you will still need dies, a dial caliper, and a case trimmer. Full lenght resizing will take some hand strenght if you use one, though it is doavble.A manual is a very necessary purchase, that can be had for $20 or so. At full retail they can be had for under $35.

Remember that eauipment is a one time cost. After that cost are supplies, and any upgrades you chose.

Find a way to either save up funds. Or find some odd jobs you can do for people. I do auto detailing on the side, as well as I used to do blood plasma donations as well.

My kit came from a trade. I spent months picking up brass at the range. I took it home, sorted it by caliber, and trimmed it. I think monetarily speaking he got the better of me. Though the cost was my time, and my reloading has paid any differance many times over.
 
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hagar

New member
I load 340 Weatherby on my Lee hand press, 30/06 is not an issue. At a minimum, get the handpress, Hornady dies, Lee powder measure, Lee priming tool, calipers, case length trimmer, any lube but Lee, chamfering tool and a good scale. Scale will be your biggest expense. You can add other things later, like a better trimmer, case gauge, tumbler, bullet puller etc.
 
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dmazur

New member
Yes, the Lee Classic Loader will work. I used to have quite a few of them.

But the cost is just about the same as a set of dies. So the only real thing that is "more" is some kind of press. And the Hand Press is supposed to be capable, according to its fans. And it costs around $35 or so?

Part of the reason why I'm in favor of this is that I want to do it myself, so I have a "traveling reloading setup" that fits in a small box. Then I can reload a box or two when the demands of my job mean I can't get back to my normal digs.

And, fond as my memories of the Whack-A-Mole are, I just can't see going down that road again. :)
 
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