What's Your Reloading Story?

[ojisan]

Late 80's.
Got a 10mm.
Boy was ammo for that caliber expensive back then.
I had to reload to afford to shoot it.
I started with a Lee Hand Press, a Lee hand primer, calipers and a powder scoop.



Snapped the handle off the press on a tough re-size one day.
Snapped the handle off the primer tool on a tight pocket.

Got a Dillon.

[67Cuda]

I bought everything I needed to reload 4 years ago. Looks like I need to get started.

[JagerDog]

I was dad's slave labor from about age 10 (early 1970's).

[Shootinginca]

Started loading around 05 when I got an ar but there was no .223 available at all. Started loading .223 on a lee ct, then went to pro 1000. Now have 2 dillons

[RestrictedColt]

I started WAYYYY back in 2015. My first cartridge popped out of the Hornady LNL AP on 3/14 at 4:03 PM and that 125gr LRN .38 Special sits on a shelf above the bench. It's a .38 extra special to me. Since then the only center fire ammo I've bought is when I find a smoking deal to resell (usually to help friends restock cheaply), or for testing, or for keeping in the guns just in case I need to use one defensively as I feel safer with the legal system using factory ammo for that. I've loaded many thousands of rounds including .25acp, .38, 9mm, .44mag, .223, .308. 338WM, and 12ga. I have the stuff to do a few others and will as the need arrises.

[RestrictedColt]

I bought everything I needed to reload 4 years ago. Looks like I need to get started.

Get to gettin already!

[17+1]

[Waldog]

Started loading with my Dad in 1960 when I was 8. When he was loading he would let me prime rifle cases on his RCBS A2 press. Still have the press. The first thing I loaded by myself when I was 12, after a little supervision and coaching, was 12ga paper shot shells on the same A2 press with, I think, Hollywood shotgun dies. You had to use a round hot iron to smooth out the mouth of the hulls for reloading and used fiber wads. Still have those as well. I've been loading ever since, rifle, pistol and shotshell.

I never understood people that like to shoot that did not want to learn to reload. I guess I learned early that to shoot, you had to reload!

[Kwikvette]

Never got into reloading up until 3 months ago, and I dove right in head first...the rabbit hole is deep.

Been fortunate enough that my dad always had ammunition growing up, so he never got into reloading.

[RestrictedColt]

I never understood people that like to shoot that did not want to learn to reload. I guess I learned early that to shoot, you had to reload!

It just aint for everyone, it's natural to you because you started off that way. It's no different than some people will call an electrician to replace a light switch where others wouldn't even consider it, I'm in the second camp and do everything myself.

I went in with 3 friends on the press & initial required stuff to make it more affordable. We're coming up on 3 years of having it and they've done didly squat. One made a few rounds one time, after I set everything up for him, the other 2 haven't even touched the handle. I've enjoyed thousands of inexpensive and precision rounds. When we talk about having ammo on hand they all say "yea, I don't have squat and need to get on that" but don't. They'll buy some, then we shoot, and they're back to near empty. They won't even bother to pick up their once fired brass so I take it all.

[One in the pipe]

California made a law against buying ammo.

Bought a Dillon 550 about 6 months ago. Also got C&R + COE to cover my bases.

Loading 45 and 308. Need to get dies for .223.

[Waldog]

It just aint for everyone, it's natural to you because you started off that way. It's no different than some people will call an electrician to replace a light switch where others wouldn't even consider it, I'm in the second camp and do everything myself.

I never thought of that! Your RIGHT ON! My brother and I were raised in the same household and he never really took a shine to shooting. He's in your first category; needs directions and supervision for changing a light bulb!
I have talked to a couple people that damaged their firearms by careless loading. One guy even admitted to blowing up his $12,000 Perazzi shotgun.

It's too bad though, reloading is the only way to avoid the extortion by Sacramento.

[the86d]

1st rounds that I reloaded in a neighbor's garage under his direction, on an RCBS, OR Redding green as I recall... I must have been 7-10. Didn't own any guns until the saleman Obama gave me reason to, and watching Egypt and riots here blow up.

More word from Ignorant Democrat politicians, and I knew retail was a bad thing, and so it starts next year... been reloading my own for a few years now.

[nukeandjuke]

I love tool equipments. I bought a press when a friend of mine suggested reloading because we complained about prices of ammos. I got hooked on a Hornady LNL. Then I met some die hard Dillon people. So then I had to try out a Dillon. 4 presses later, I would say...Dillon people...you arent that special. Hornady people...neither are you.

I like reloading no matter which press it is on. Currently, I run a Dillon 650 side by side with a Hornady LNL with a Dillon Square deal between the two.

Love them all

[DueceMcGurk]

Late life reloader. Made my super shooter/reloader neighbor mad and he said "hey I've got something to show you". Hooked. Damn you, evil neighbor! LOL Great hobby. Practical if you shoot a bunch -- or like expensive oddball rounds like 38 Super.