Before you jump into this you need to do A LOT of research on some of the reloading websites. Different people tell you different things regarding individual company quality and what to buy. Read a lot before you spend any $$$, or at least some of your $$ will be wasted.
The only suggestion I have at this point for you is to pick a good quality company (like RCBS) and confine most of your stuff to that one company so everything is compatable. Hold off on the gizmos until you've loaded a few hundred shells. By then you'll have figured out that you don't need all of the automated garbage to get teh job done.
Since you are reloading a rimmed magnum (300 win mag), you'll need to make sure your press can accomodate that size brass and loaded cartridge. My RCBS rockcrusher will handle up to a 50 BMG, but some don't accomodate a taller shell very easily. I still use a singlestage press, and reload about 1,000 .45s and 200-300 .308s and/or 6.5x284s every 6-8 weeks. I could go progressive, but would still do my match rifles loads on the Rockcrusher - so why spend the extra $$$.
I do not recommend first-timers venturing into the realm of 300 win mag without gaining lots of experience reloading something small first, like the the .223. Reloading is NOT the time to try to multitask - when you reload that's all you should be doing - no B.S.ing around with your buddies or shooting the breeze with your girl on the phone. Dealing with flamables (powder) and explosives (primers) can be VERY dangerous is you're not paying close attention to what you're doing and have someone available to ask some basic questions of when you start out. I've pulled my share of bone-headed reloading mistakes, because I was trying to gab on the phone or BS with my father-in-law while loading ammo. I've had to take apart more shells than I care to admit simply because I was not paying attention.
I suggest a single stage reloader for a starting point, you can consider upgrading to a progressive when you get the hang of everything.
Get the best equipment you can afford, you only want to spend your $$$ once.
Get the best dies you can find - I like Redding, but everyone is different . Forster seems to have a strong following. If you have equipment-related questions call the company and ask. They all have hotlines and are used to answering the "dumb" quesitons - I've sure asked my share of them.
I'll step off my soap box now. Welcome to the reloading community - just be careful and pay attention to what you're doing and everything should go fine.
JeffVN
The only suggestion I have at this point for you is to pick a good quality company (like RCBS) and confine most of your stuff to that one company so everything is compatable. Hold off on the gizmos until you've loaded a few hundred shells. By then you'll have figured out that you don't need all of the automated garbage to get teh job done.
Since you are reloading a rimmed magnum (300 win mag), you'll need to make sure your press can accomodate that size brass and loaded cartridge. My RCBS rockcrusher will handle up to a 50 BMG, but some don't accomodate a taller shell very easily. I still use a singlestage press, and reload about 1,000 .45s and 200-300 .308s and/or 6.5x284s every 6-8 weeks. I could go progressive, but would still do my match rifles loads on the Rockcrusher - so why spend the extra $$$.
I do not recommend first-timers venturing into the realm of 300 win mag without gaining lots of experience reloading something small first, like the the .223. Reloading is NOT the time to try to multitask - when you reload that's all you should be doing - no B.S.ing around with your buddies or shooting the breeze with your girl on the phone. Dealing with flamables (powder) and explosives (primers) can be VERY dangerous is you're not paying close attention to what you're doing and have someone available to ask some basic questions of when you start out. I've pulled my share of bone-headed reloading mistakes, because I was trying to gab on the phone or BS with my father-in-law while loading ammo. I've had to take apart more shells than I care to admit simply because I was not paying attention.
I suggest a single stage reloader for a starting point, you can consider upgrading to a progressive when you get the hang of everything.
Get the best equipment you can afford, you only want to spend your $$$ once.
Get the best dies you can find - I like Redding, but everyone is different . Forster seems to have a strong following. If you have equipment-related questions call the company and ask. They all have hotlines and are used to answering the "dumb" quesitons - I've sure asked my share of them.
I'll step off my soap box now. Welcome to the reloading community - just be careful and pay attention to what you're doing and everything should go fine.
JeffVN
