I have a 30-30 Lee Classic Loader. That should give you an idea about my budgetary constraints with reloading. Sure, I could save and spend but I really just want to build my own ammunition for a .358 Winchester. I will probably do some load development for this rifle and once I get it figured out I might load a hundred rounds a year for this gun.

Like all things, there is a rabbit hole I am trying to avoid. I went all the way down it with archery and I don’t regret it but I can’t afford to just dive down another one. I would rather spend it on some hunts. There is no Lee Classic Loader in .358 Winchester, and rather than buy one for a .308 and pay somebody to convert it I guess I ought to go ahead and get something I can buy dies for.

So I have the 30-30 Lee Classic Loader and a grain scale. I am looking at the lee breech lock hand press kit, probably the required dies, and a set of Lee powder measures.

So what is the minimum of equipment I can add to this to make some quality .358 Winchester ammo?

That press will do just fine. I think I have a couple of them around somewhere still. You will have to buy the appropriate dies. Lee will do just fine.



Good ammo on a budget

Lee breechlock, Lee balance beam, brass prep hand tools, powder drop and trickler. I haven’t priced them lately but I bet that will come in around $150.

Once you have that you can buy dies for everything you shoot. Lee Pacesetter runs around $35 for a set of rifle dies. Ah little higher for pistol.

These tools are slower than a more expensive set up but have served me well.

I started loading 30-30 a few weeks ago. I started with once fired brass. Only tools I have used are a press dies hand primer champhur deburr tool, loading block and a beam scale. With the factory crimp die that came with the lee dies I haven’t worried about trimming yet.

I may ruffle feathers but for my use the 30-30 is going to be a sub 100 yard deer killer I am not treating it quite the same as precision long range capable bolt gun ammo. Part of it is also due to my vision not being good enough with the irons and the 3MOA dot in my red dot optic. It’s just not set up for precision.

You can flare the mouth with needle nose pliers, just a tad to make seating easier. Forget the Lee powder measures ( those little plastic jiggers), use an old pistol shell case with glued on wire handle. Note: that case is based on 308W and is a lot tougher than 30/30. I know 50-60$ a box isn't cheap but for a hundred loaded a year, is it worth it?

You know this guy is trying to learn right? He may not know if you’re [censored] with him.

Bryan please seek more information before you take a pair of needle nose pliers to your brass.

I also believe that the reloading section is one place someone should get banned for crazy advice. Somebody could get hurt.

If your budget allows, get an RCBS Rock Chucker kit. It will make exceptional ammo, as is.

Lee loading equipment has no place on my bench.

I've had some of their products be so bad, I just threw them in the trash. No time to deal with returns and emails, blah, blah, blah.

Generally speaking RCBS is like Honda. They make good stuff.

And in the event I had a broken part (my fault) they took good care of me.

100% agree

I appreciate it ya’ll. I know who i can trust on here

It seems like there is an endless supply of equipment and dies, even some on sale, but almost no components. Especially primers. Could i neck size primed .308 brass to .358?

I was thinking about starting with factory loaded .308 ammo, using a bullet puller to remove projectile/powder, and reloading it with my own .358 bullets and W-748

You can neck up .308 brass to .358, and I say this because I have necked .30-06 up to .35 Whelen with zero complications---even though that's a fairly drastic step. I think you'd be better off buying new Starline .358 brass, but I also understand that you're wanting to hold costs down---and .308 brass can be had for next to nothing. Or even nothing.

I am no promoter of Lee equipment in general, but if you're on a budget it can get you by just fine. If you load only a hundred rounds a year, I don't see upgrading to Forster, Redding, Hornady, or RCBS as being worth it. The difference in your loaded ammo won't be that great. I'll add that some of Lee's stuff is excellent in concept and has no analog from other manufacturers, such as the Lee Collet Neck die. Then again, there are Lee products I'd advise against because it's just too cheap (IMO).

Large rifle primers are a pretty serious challenge these days. You could probably get someone who has plenty to turn loose of a few hundred to get you by for a while. I don't believe anyone knows when availbility will improve, or even if it WILL ever improve.

Personally, I would not mess around with the loaded .308 factory ammo unless you had absolutely NO choice.

Not sure where you are located but someone local to you may be willing to help.

I am located in Missouri. Specifically, Johnson County. Home is about a hour and a half east of Kansas City.

I have time. I am building a compact 16” .358 Winchester thumper out of a Ruger American. Probably doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to some but it’s just what I want. I have a 450 bushmaster mag coming for it, too. Should work flawlessly. I am gonna try to make it work while keeping it as factory as possible and use Ruger factory parts. Even if full length bedding a Ruger stock the right way costs more than buying a B&C with a mag kit.

I will probably end up sending a Ruger American factory take-off to JES to get the barrel I want. I can’t find. .358 Winchester pre-fit faster than a 1:12 and I want a 1:10 twist. So JES is the answer, if he is still in business. I can’t see get ahold of him. Might actually cost a little more than a top quality prefit but JES has a great reputation and is probably worth it. But I will probably start another thread about building that rifle, and beat it that poor thread to death over the next year or two lol.

For the price of a couple hundred rounds of custom hand loads I can start hand loading my own ammo. So it is well worth a couple hundred dollars and some time to learn. I plan to just take W-748 and run with it, should be suitable for a 16” .358 Winchester and I have some on hand.

I bought some large rifle primers but I have my heart set on running magnum rifle primers in the .358 Winchester. I know it is not necessary but it is just what I want!

Ah sorry too far for me

W748 should work well. Plain large rifle primers should be perfect. If you want to run magnum primers just because, then do what you like, but you may find that plain large rifle works best if you do a little experimenting.

Bryan, A used press may be a good bargain starting point for you. I have yet to see a press that was totally worn out. I'd look for a used RCBS-Jr which should sell for about $45. Just IMHO...

I was going to suggest look for a used deal on a press and perhaps scale and a few other things.

I have seen some good deals on here and other places at times.

I have worn out 3! (But, all you do is send it back in, and they put in new parts and tighten everything up for you. Both were Redding T7 presses, and an old 1950's or 60's CH Tool and Die press). But I agree, and good O press is the way to go.

All you really need is a press, dies, shell holder, priming method (could use the press also), and a scale and funnel.

The problem with being cheap on reloading is you'll buy the bare minimum stuff, then figure out the POS little scale you bought isn't cutting it, then buy a Chargemaster. Then figure out brass prep really sucks and buy something like the Frankford Arsenal prep center. So you end up spending hundreds of dollars up front on stuff you will end up not using later anyway. I'd find a used quality press and start there. Then add components as you find them.

Don't ask me how I know.....

Wp those lee scoopers are terrible, cut off a 30/30 case (he has) and use for scooper. He's loading a 308W parent case, they are tough - insert needle nose lightly and twist to just put a flare on the mouth to make seating easier. Sizing with the Lee handheld may be a chore also. Use good case lube. I started with a Champ C press and quickly got a Lee O press.
Must live near Warrensburg, buddy went to school there long time ago.

What about calipers and case trimmer? I loaded for a long time before I realized that those were really important.

I started on a Lee breech lock press. I would recommend getting the one that mounts to a bench vs the hand press. The only thing I don’t like that Lee makes are the hand priming tools. They are junk. You don’t need to spend a fortune on a single stage press. The Lee breech lock will be fine. Their Perfect Powder measure doesn’t suck with ball powder. It’s actually surprisingly decent for the price.

I will say that reloading is a money pit unless you shoot a lot. It’s really more of a hobby. If you are primarily using it for hunting, I would consider outsourcing this to Chad or Jason. You likely save money and aggravation. If you feel reloading is something you really want to do, it can be a very rewarding hobby but it takes time and money to do it right.

It for sure can be a money pit but doesn’t have to be. I started loading before I was a teen and I’m no trust fund baby.

Welp all this hemming and hawing and reload talk, penny pinching and money saving. I walked in to Bass Pro and they had the Gen II American in .308 Win on the shelf. Yep soon as I pulled the bolt back on that sucker I had to take it home. That, and the last box of .308 Superformance SST’s.

The Gen II is most definitely a better rifle than the original. But my original is going to be *custom*.

Skip the hand press unless you need it to save space. Look for a second hand Lee Classic cast press. I got mine for like $40 before the sickness and inflation.

A new Challenger breach lock is $100 on eBay and they're fine for what you're doing.