What Got You Into Reloading?

I got introduced to reloading by a co-worker back in the late 1970's. We used to ride dirt bikes together, and often took our guns along to shoot. He always shot ammo he built, and I shot new ammo. I asked him about reloading, and he showed me his setup. He bought all his bullets, and didn't cast, but still quoted me extremely big savings over even 1970's new ammo prices!
I began to collect all the tools needed to do basic reloading, and loved it. Then as I got deeper into loading I took the step to buying a furnace and molds, and began casting also. I had access in my job to huge amounts of sheet lead for free, so it made sense to also cast for some guns. I've been doing both for over 40 years, and reloading for over 45 years now. When I look back at how much money I've saved it's mind boggling. But the biggest benefit is being able to make ammo for my old 1800's single shot rifles in obsolete cartridges so I can shoot them regularly! I would just have a bunch of safe queens had I not taken up reloading, and casting.
 
I started helping my dad reload 12 ga. for Skeet when I was 9. Bought my aunt's 742 when I was 14, and started loading rifle. Dad had been loading rifle and pistol a couple years by then. Dad 'gave' me his Trooper MkIII when I was 15, so I started loading wad cutters, then super hot compressed Blue Dot loads for it, as was the rage back then. Backed them off a bit after some of my hit loads broke the hammer on my dad's Python.
Dad gave the loaders to me when he moved to Texas, but I didn't use them for about 5 years after that. I mostly shot surplus 7.62x54R or 7.62x39 then. I had sold most of my guns when I lived in TX. I soon acquired some more, and started loading for them, and have since. I started loading 12 ga. again when I started shooting league trap again about six years ago.
 
It was in the mid 60's when I got my 1st shotgun (Steven 20ga), 12-13 yrs old back then. I found out if I wanted to shoot it more on my allowance I needed to find a way to shoot cheaper. I bought my 1st Lee Wack-a-mole and supplies and learned how. Spent some time in library's reading up on how-to's. It did not take long to master it. My dad noticed what I was doing and ran the number on cost savings and he bought a Mec 600 in 12ga. Did not help me. He always had problem with crimp containing the shot, jamming up his 1100. I kept telling him he does not have the correct wad stack, but what does a young teenager know. Then once I got my first rifle it was a natural for me to load for it. Almost 60 yrs later I'm still at it. I did upgrade to a Mec 600 Jr once out got out of school and started working. I ended up loading my dad's shot shells for him so I did not have to tare the 1100 down clearing out the shot that got into the action jamming it up. I had to get a different wad to correct the problem. First metallic press was a RCBS Jr. Added a LNL-AP when I started shooting simi-auto pistol. Taught a neighbor to load (38spl) and gave him my RCBS Jr, dies, sclaes, manual and upgraded to Redding Big Boss.
 
I helped my dad a little when I was a kid so was aware of reloading. Didn't shoot much as an adult until I got interested again in my late 40s. Started to shoot SASS and if you want to shoot 44 Special, 44-40 and 45 Colt you pretty much need to reload. Then to shoot real blackpowder, you absolutely have to reload. Now I reload 9mm, 40S&W, 45acp along with the cowboy ammo plus othe cartridges.
 

What Got You Into Reloading?​

First rifle I was age 8 in 1958 and that began my love of the shooting sports. When I came home from Vietnam in 1972 I had this fixation with snipers which was strange since I had no connection with them, heck, never even came to know one. Anyway snipers and very, very accurate ammunition was my newfound interest. I began hand loading .308 Winchester and then more cartridges. I wasn't hand loading to save money as much as developing very accurate ammunition for my growing rifle collection and then along came handgun ammunition. My very best loads come off my old RockChucker press one round at a time. :) I also load on an old Lee "O" press and always have hand primed. I have a few progressive presses but haven't used them in years. Time I have since retiring 10 years ago. :)

Ron
 
Like OP, I was curious. Still am. When I started shooting centerfire I started saving brass against that "maybe some day I'll try reloading" day.
I've never considered it a cost saving venture, even though my customized ammo shoots better and usually costs less than store bought. But mostly I enjoy the learning and the Zen of the hobby. It's hard to be mad at the world when you have to focus on precise details.
 
I originally started reloading just as an extension of the gun hobby. I always sort of felt like if you were a casual gun guy, you bought factory ammo, but a serious gun guy reloaded. I started reloading and casting almost at the same time, just after I purchased a used Lyman Spartan for $25 from the local gunsmith. That plus a set of 357/38 dies and I was making ammo.

A friend on a forum sent me a couple hundred Lee 358-158-RF bullets to try, and I requested the second batch to be unlubed and unsized. I bought a whack-a-mole sizer and pan lubed them. About a month and I started casting in a cast iron pan over a coleman stove. Then I got a Lee bottom drip pot.

I became fascinated by the process and read everything I could on the subject. I've always had an interest in cartridges and love Cartridges of The World. Reloading was a natural extension of my interest in guns and cartridges.

I didn't have a mentor except for some gun forum threads and the Lyman manual, the 48th Edition. No one in my family was into guns, much less reloading.

As far as saving money, I save a ton. At one time, before I was married, I spent $200 on ammo a month. After I got married, maybe $100-$150. Ammo prices started going way up during the Obama years, and it just made sense to reload. I was able to stock back a couple years worth of components for the some as a few months worth of ammo. I picked up gear a piece at a time along the way.

The real cost savings is in calibers other than 9mm. Reloading opens the door to a world of guns that you otherwise would never consider because of ammo availability or price. I have a friend that's never had a revolver in anything other than 38 Special/357 Magnum or 22 LR. He doesn't reload and wouldn't hardly take a 45 Colt if you gave it to him, since he couldn't afford to shoot it.
 
I was raised reloading to produce hunting ammunition, I was tasked with decapping, tumbling, and resizing brass as early as 5yrs old. But I didn't really enjoy the process - it was a means to an end - until I got to be about 10yrs old and I was reading first the legend of, then the works of Elmer Keith, and I started saving money I earned from training colts in our quarter horse and registered paint horse operation to buy 1) a Ruger Super Blackhawk and 2) a reloading kit to feed it. I started shooting long range shortly thereafter with my hunting rifle, only because I was able to do so, and remaining to this day, magnum revolvers and long range rifles are my favorite genres. I've loaded a lot of "blasting ammo" for various action shooting sports, both modern tactical action 2 gun and 3 gun, as well as cowboy action, I've loaded shotshells, I've cast my own bullets, I've swaged my own jackets, I've formed wildcat cases, I've reloaded rimfire, I've chased the Holy Black, and virtually every other genre of handloading about which I've ever heard even a whisper, and I even had my own Type 6 operation where I was doing custom load development and selling ammo, both precision and bulk, but I still find the most satisfaction when the die slides away and reveals either a heavy magnum revolver slug seated in a stout proportioned case or a slender, sleek long range rocket.
 
When I got my Colt Model .357, purchased a box of factory ammo for it. Did NOT enjoy shooting it and knew there had to be a better way...

Reloading lets me match the powder, bullet weight and charge to my gun. Now I have loads that shoot exactly the way "I" want them too.
 
dcarr said:
yep, late 60's , dove hunting, 12 gauge, only way i could afford was to reload. When you hit a dove close with a 12 gauge there is nothing left to clean. Just thought i would throw that last comment in :)
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True story. Our quail species is scaled, commonly know as blue quail, here. A friend and I were hunting around 75 miles north during priairechicken season years ago. Hunt chickens early in the morning and late in the afternoon. After the chickens retreated to the sand dunes we would go quail hunting and there were some bobwhites along with the blues to be found in that area. We both used 12 guage guns. We flushed a covey of bobs and one flew directly over us and my friend got him. He picked him up and brought the remains back to clean. I asked if he intended to keep it and he replied that the legs were good. Except for some skin with a few feathers that was all that was left. 12 guage guns are rough on little birds up close.
 
OP[CavalierLief] and mm93 got me to thinking about this. My first CF rifle was a 1895 Chileano Mauser in 7x57, semi sporterized, this in '75 and as mm93 mentioned, a couple of dirt bike riders/racers like myself, sort of pushed me towards handloading. Rcbs Rock Chukar[still use it today], all the gadgets I needed to load and here I am, 47+ years later, loading for everything I shoot safe for .22lr and shotguns. Sure do miss those dirt bike days tho. Quess thats why I take a short drive to the desert to shoot!
 
Pottimus said:
I had a .280 Remington to feed. Calling it 7mm Express didn't make it any more available.
Click to expand...
Ain't that the truth. I bought a Ruger 280 back in the 90s. I've only seen it on store shelf a few times. I reloaded a little back in the 70s. 99% of my shooting(hunting) until 2007 was shotguns and 22 LR. Retired in 2007 started shooting more and acquiring more rifles and pistols. I had time and space in the basement to set up a reloading room. Seemed like a win win. Now that I'm the primary caregiver of my beautiful bride of 44 years, it's a great stress reliever.
 
A Friend got me into reloading, however:
  • The ability to shoot more often
    • I really noticed this during the plandemic as there seemed to be a shortage during that time period, I'd often had the range to myself
  • Not worrying about ammo shortages
  • Tailoring accurate loads to your firearms
  • Zen-like at times to help keep me grounded i.e. attention to detail
  • Lately it's passing on the knowledge to others so they can do for themselves
 
For me it was a little 5 shot .44 wheel gun. Always been a 1911 guy. Back then there was only one producer making small, easy to carry version and they were both pricey and VERY hit and miss. So I ended up buying a alloy frame, 5 shooter .44sp. At that time us peons were not allowed to order ammo. All you could find in stores was one load and it was not what I wanted for what I was doing. So mail ordered a Lee kit. Read the book, off to the store, tried it and it was shockingly easy and even fun. This was back in the 70's. I now seldom still roll as its just too cheap to buy most stuff by the case. I do keep supplies in case we have a panic that lasts long enough I run out. ALL shooters should learn how to roll and have the basics for what they own for just this reason. Some calibers price to buy new vs roll is so close hardly worth it. Others? You almost have to roll to enjoy playing with as price of factory is so high.
 
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