Legionnaire
Contributing Member
Reading this thread makes me think I should order a Lee Loader in .357 magnum just for the experience!
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Toprudder
Member
I was thinking the same thing.
LOL. I tried Unique. It worked well. But for the calibers I tried, I had better luck with BE86 and it meters better, so...All those handgun powders and not a bottle of Unique. I had to look at the pic 3 times to make sure wasn't missing it. I thought everyone had some Unique!
Oh you haven't lived until you seat a primer with a hammer.
A FEW!!??!!
You started out with more flavors than Baskin-Robbins!!!
As far as the OT,,,
223 on a Chucker, about 2 yrs ago. (Too cheap to buy 'good' ammo, and the 'good' stuff I bought wasn't really that good either,,,)
denton
Member
Some of the early stuff makes me laugh, now.
I was 24, and in college, 1967. A couple of my roomies were ex-military, and one had an M1 Garand. It was just before hunting season and we had a little production line set up, with all of us doing our part to create some hunting ammo. The only bullets that they had were FMJ, and they were sure that hollow points would be just the ticket. So we were drilling a small hole at the tip of each bullet to convert it for hunting purposes..... no report on how that worked out for them.
The next round of reloading was in about 1982. I bought a Savage 30-06 from J. C. Penney Outlet in Sparks, NV, and a Lee Loader and scale. My neighbor knew all about reloading and assured me that Sierra boat tail hollow points were by far the best deer bullet. Well, I did some reading and got past that. Funny, but he also related how once upon a time, he had shot a deer and the bullet practically blew up on contact, removing a large chunk of deer hide. He had no idea why.
Not knowing much, I was fiddling with making reduced loads using rifle powder. I was lucky. I also found that about 1 round in 10 wouldn't light, so was protected from my ignorance by the fact that I quickly gave up on that experiment.
I was 24, and in college, 1967. A couple of my roomies were ex-military, and one had an M1 Garand. It was just before hunting season and we had a little production line set up, with all of us doing our part to create some hunting ammo. The only bullets that they had were FMJ, and they were sure that hollow points would be just the ticket. So we were drilling a small hole at the tip of each bullet to convert it for hunting purposes..... no report on how that worked out for them.
The next round of reloading was in about 1982. I bought a Savage 30-06 from J. C. Penney Outlet in Sparks, NV, and a Lee Loader and scale. My neighbor knew all about reloading and assured me that Sierra boat tail hollow points were by far the best deer bullet. Well, I did some reading and got past that. Funny, but he also related how once upon a time, he had shot a deer and the bullet practically blew up on contact, removing a large chunk of deer hide. He had no idea why.
Not knowing much, I was fiddling with making reduced loads using rifle powder. I was lucky. I also found that about 1 round in 10 wouldn't light, so was protected from my ignorance by the fact that I quickly gave up on that experiment.
CoalTrain49
Member
There's another side to it also. I've been thinking about doing something with 300 BLK. I have all this .223 brass, 5lbs of unused 2400 powder and thousands of 110 gr 30 cal bullets that I'll never use. I don't even own a 300 BLK rifle but I've got everything to reload for one except dies.
CoalTrain49
Member
Yep, it's a bit loud at times.
the Black Spot
Member
1991 - lee loader in 444 marlin(handloading and a hammer just didnt seem right lol)
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OP
Olon
Member
I, too started with a lee load all 16 ga. Learned very quickly how crappy win super x hulls are. Those things will NOT hold a crimp... Started placing a small piece of paper over the shot to hold it in just in case the hull begins to uncrimp. Now when I shoot clays I have little nickel sized pieces of paper peacefully fluttering down about 15" in front of me.
I have done that, just not with a whack a mole.
Decapped some live ones, but have also seated a couple with the hammer I made 40 years ago.
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Blue68f100
Member
I started out with the Lee Wack-a-mole for 20 ga shotgun when I was 12 yrs old in 1967. I received my first shotgun (Stevens Single Shot 20 ga full choke) for Christmas of 66. I used my allowance and money I earned mowing yards to fund it. Back then we could buy supplies from the local Gibson and K-Mart. Used paper hulls and wads, for the plastic was too expensive. My dad did not handload but watched me as I learned to do it. He bought a Mec 600 Jr several yrs later for his 12ga. I then bought a 308 wack-a-mole to feed my rifle several yrs later. That proved to me I needed to upgrade to a press and bought a RCBS Jr and dies to load 308W, 7mm Mag, 30 carbine, and 357 Mag. Still have them, the shotgun press got upgraded to Mec 600 Jr.
Sistema1927
Member
Banging out .38 Specials one by one with a Lee Loader. That got old real fast.
IWAC
Member
Oh, my yes! 1976... Bought my first revolver, a S&W model 19...357 Magnum, Unique powder. I borrowed my brother-in law's Lee classic loader...the one you had to pound on, his Lyman #4 reloading manual, and away I went. That didn't last long; he wanted them back! Sooo, I bought a Speer #8 manual...the one with the nuclear loads in it ...a Lee powder dipper set, an RCBS JR press, and some Lyman non-carbide dies. They didn't last very long, either! Carbide dies are a GOODNESS!
Carbide dies are a GOODNESS!
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mstreddy
Member
When I was in NC in the Corps, one of the Sgts was into reloading. I went by his house, he showed me the press, the equipment, the process. How ammo could be customized. He had these wild Spitzer pointed 30-30 rounds for his single shot Encore pistol and he could load them in the chamber of his lever, or the first round loaded in the tube.
I found it all very interesting, and it held a place in the back of my brain.
A few years later, late 80's early 90's, I was shooting a few times a week, going through some serious ammo in 9MM pistols. I decided to get a press, dies, manual, and get started loading for my 9MM. I bought the RCBS Rock Chucker, read the manuals, and started loading. I picked up a few other dies and even a Hornady ProJector progressive. But, due to some home remodeling, and subsequent move courtesy of Andrew in '92, I put all the reloading gear away in storage.
Fast forward, 2005, I decided to pull out the gear and get started again. Well, January 2006, Uncle Sugar had one of those All-Expense paid vacations for me. So put everything away again. Got back, put the bench and gear back together, loaded a little, but not much. Got married in 08. Moved in to Wife's house. Took a little to get everything back in place, but the Obama election and the (small) shortage prompted me to get cracking on loading. Well, late 2009 and my Rich Uncle had another of those wonderful vacations for me.
The rest of 2010 and 2011 were catching up with my son that was born right before I left. Loaded a little, learned my way around the ProJector. IIRC I picked up the used LNL around March/April 2012. Got the hang of it. started loading in earnest.
Then, of course the Banic hit! Boy, I was glad I was loading and had components. I still had to scramble to find powder, primers, but that was to ensure I didn't run out. Bullets had a long lead time, but they were available.
With the exception of 22LR and a couple of really good deals, I have not bought nor fired much factory ammo since October 2012.
And, earlier this year I started casting my own. But, that's another story.
I found it all very interesting, and it held a place in the back of my brain.
A few years later, late 80's early 90's, I was shooting a few times a week, going through some serious ammo in 9MM pistols. I decided to get a press, dies, manual, and get started loading for my 9MM. I bought the RCBS Rock Chucker, read the manuals, and started loading. I picked up a few other dies and even a Hornady ProJector progressive. But, due to some home remodeling, and subsequent move courtesy of Andrew in '92, I put all the reloading gear away in storage.
Fast forward, 2005, I decided to pull out the gear and get started again. Well, January 2006, Uncle Sugar had one of those All-Expense paid vacations for me. So put everything away again. Got back, put the bench and gear back together, loaded a little, but not much. Got married in 08. Moved in to Wife's house. Took a little to get everything back in place, but the Obama election and the (small) shortage prompted me to get cracking on loading. Well, late 2009 and my Rich Uncle had another of those wonderful vacations for me.
The rest of 2010 and 2011 were catching up with my son that was born right before I left. Loaded a little, learned my way around the ProJector. IIRC I picked up the used LNL around March/April 2012. Got the hang of it. started loading in earnest.
Then, of course the Banic hit! Boy, I was glad I was loading and had components. I still had to scramble to find powder, primers, but that was to ensure I didn't run out. Bullets had a long lead time, but they were available.
With the exception of 22LR and a couple of really good deals, I have not bought nor fired much factory ammo since October 2012.
And, earlier this year I started casting my own. But, that's another story.
Charlie98
Member
Started with my brother's RSBS Reloader Special kit in 1986, loading .45ACP and .41MAG; I still have that press and it gets used just as much as my Hornady ProJector. In fact, I still use those RCBS .45ACP dies... stamped 85 for the date code.
I do remember my first rifle loads... I loaded 20 .30-30 cartridges, and spent about 4 hours on it. At the end of the day, they were unshootable... crimp bulges, crushed shoulders... they were just a mess. Back then my motto was 'nothing exceeds like excess' and I took that to the reloading bench, too, making sure those cartridges had the patented Charlie98 Death Grip Crimp and were sized to absolute minimums.
I do remember my first rifle loads... I loaded 20 .30-30 cartridges, and spent about 4 hours on it. At the end of the day, they were unshootable... crimp bulges, crushed shoulders... they were just a mess. Back then my motto was 'nothing exceeds like excess' and I took that to the reloading bench, too, making sure those cartridges had the patented Charlie98 Death Grip Crimp and were sized to absolute minimums.
Costs less than 20K boat also. I have some friends who are hard core salmon fishermen. Those guys are going down when they retire.
$20k boat? That's cheap. My buddy in Portland just dropped $95k on a new Duckworth river boat. My center console striper boat was $65k in 2014, only because I got a great deal on the boat/motor/trailer. Add in $41k for a new truck to tow it.
Boats are a hole in the water surrounded by wood, metal, or fiberglass, into which one shovels money.
Bayourambler
Member
How bad did you flinch when you shot your very first reload!!? I watched a friend shoot his first reloads earlier this year for his 308, he jerked the trigger so hard, he missed a 24" target! He looked at me with a relieved smile on his face and said " yea that one is me, I don't think my reloads are going to be THAT bad"! I'm new to it also, started last year on a Lyman press that was in dads shed still "new" in the box. The receipt was still in it, from Gander Mountain , 1993. Brought it home and made rounds for my 30-06. I was hooked when I shot my first 1/2" group!
Bandit67
Member
Started reloading shotgun shells with my Dad when I was 10 years old. That was 1974. Loaded my first metallic cartridges about a year ago. Started with .243 then .30-06 and .30-30. Added .45 auto not too long after. Now I'm addicted to reloading. I've also made 4-5 nice scores at estate sales and auctions so now I have components and dies for calibers that I don't even own. I'm gonna need to buy more guns.
First reloads were back in the mid 80's when we were in college. A friend and I bought a Lee Loadall in 20gauge. Started with that. Then a MEC 900 in 12 gauge. The progressives for shotshells 28 through 12. Until a few years ago when a friend of mine offered me a Mauser 25-06AI that his dad had built years ago. Long story, but I was and am honored to have the rifle. That meant that I needed to jump into reloading so now here I am. Loading for multiple calibers. And, we will bury my friend this coming Monday. So RIP JBO. Thanks for everything!
Started reloading about 10-12 years ago when I got the opportunity to shoot prairie dogs..lots of them and needed lots of accurate ammo. My older brother taught me some of the basics, but he had some old equipment that badly needed an upgrade. He had a really crappy powder dispenser that required weighing and tweaking every load. My first reloads, 204 and .223, were very slow. So I started to research options and discovered the RCBS Chargemaster and a Lyman Power Trimmer along with numerous other improvements. Eventually, my brother started learning from me. Now my brother and I load .22 Hornet, .223, .204, .243, 270, 25-06, 257 Weatherby Mag, 300 Weatherby Mag, 30-30, 30-06 and my brother also loads 12ga and 20ga. We turned them out by the 100s. Since that fateful beginning I no longer have access to large numbers of dogs. On the good side though is that I don't have so many to reload. That said, I just this week trimmed and primed about 400 rounds of .223 and .204. Good hobby.
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