i shoulda done this along time ago

[luna butte]

i am brannew to casting and reloading, i got my lee loader (3030) and a mold and i have never shot this much in my life! i am loven the whackamole loader and the ascast bullets. the whole experiance is just fun, i have loaded the same 20 cases 5 times already (in 10 days) and i havent had a bit of lead to deal with. i can't wait to get started reloading for my pistols.

before now i would think to myself "well i hope that dollar bill finds its mark" now i think "where is the next squirrel hiding"

in short, this is the most fun i have had shooting ever. oh, and waaay less expensive than boughten stuff.

[Dean D.]

Welcome Justin! You've come to the right place for any info you might need. Not to mention the greatest website on the net in my humble opinion! ;)

[stubshaft]

Welcome to the madness Justin. I started my reloading career with a 30/30 Lee loader back when Richard Lee still had black hair

[Smoke-um if you got-um]

Its been about 35 yrs ago I got a Rem. 788 22-250, a Lee Loader(complete with a homemade wooden whacking "device") , 1 pound of 4895, a box of Sierra 55 gr soft points,primers and 30 cases of various head-stamps in a trade for a camera of mine that a man wanted very badly. I wore the barrel out on that rifle and I loaded every one with the "whack-a-mole". I have no idea how many rounds went down range and how many Groundhogs bit the dust before the barrel finally gave out. When I went hunting or target shooting with it I loaded what I needed on the tailgate of my pick-up. The "makin's" than went in a tackle box behind the truck seat until needed again. I poured the powder in a Dixie cup and "scooped" every
load. I had other reloading equipment I could have used but chose to do it that way because it was fun for me and the guys I hunted with would hoot and howl when the occasional primer would go off. They would rib me unmercifully. I had a blast during those years.
My bet is, you will too !

Mike

[Bret4207]

Good for you Justin! You'll ha e a better appreciation for things starting that way than with the best high dollar equipment money can buy.

[steg]

Probably most of us started humbly that way, my first was a .357 besides the RCBS jr that took forever to save for, a beam scale and a powder trickler, I sprinkled powder on the beam scale with a spoon till it got close, finished it with the powder trickler until the load was right and funneled it into the case, at first I was buying cast boolits, I helped a gunsmith move his equipment into a new shop, machinery and all and he paid me with a H&G 10 cavity mold and a 6 cavity Ideal mold, and believe me I earned them, then things just kept progressing, I was really glad when I could afford a powder measure................................steg

[Wayne Smith]

Welcome, Justin! I too started with two Lee Loaders, back when Richard was a teenager I think. One in 30-30 and one in 16ga. Been loading ever since. You know, of course, that there is no hope, you are completely lost and will be forever adding to your collection!

[Swede44mag]

I went into the gun shop to buy reloading equipment. The gun shop owner asked me if I had ever reloaded I said only to help my dad stack shotgun shells into their boxes. He handed me a Hornady reloading manual and told me when I could explain to him how to reload for the 357 I had he would sell me everything I needed but not untill then. It took me a week to get the basics in my head and buy my first RCBS press, powder charger & scale.

I have had a couple of the Lee Load all sets I took them with me incase I ran out of cartridges.

Welcome to the forum

[songdog53]

I think most of us had humble beginnings to loading and casting but have become addicted and love every step of it. It is all part of the experince of taking a piece of lead we found and turning into reloaded ammo and then we shoot it and so goes the circle. Time and patience will find you later in life learning something new everyday. Enjoy and welcome to the madness.

[RobS]

There is just something about doing it yourself......................

Welcome to the forum!!!

[cajun shooter]

Got my start in 1970 by going to work in a gun store that sold all the supplies. The owner loved to cast and did so he could sell the bullets to the customers. I asked if he could teach me so that I could make extra funds for my family. Best thing I ever did as I opened my world up past reloading the J bullets to the fun bullets. Welcome to the crazy fun you will have.

[Jim]

Same here. First caliber I loaded for was a S&W model 28 .357 mag. I bought a "pounder press", a can of Unique, a tray of primers and a box of 158 gr. JHPs. I remember thinkin' "Ha! You got the last of my money for your factory made stuff now!"
I have no clue what happened to that Lee kit. That was 30 years ago. I do, however, still have a "pounder press" in 45 Colt in the bottom of my cabinet. I bought it about 10 years ago to put in a BOB kit. The box still has the factory seal tape on it.

Welcome, Justin! Glad to have you with us, man! Hope you'll drop anchor and hang out with us. Come in chat some time and shoot the breeze a bit. We'd love to hear from you.

There's a wealth of knowledge and experience here, so don't be shy on asking questions. And answers are free, too! Correct ones are a dollar.:mrgreen:

[luna butte]

i had always assummed that reloading your own ammo was more cost effective than purchasing factory ammo, but when i went and did a bit of research i found that the price per round was almost the same (factory loaded or home loaded) unless you began shooting cast bullets, so being the cheap SOB that i am, i began to search the pawn shops and antique stores for some equipment to pour/load my own. i have invested very little chang so far and am having an absolute blast.

when my wife lets me of course.

[Hamish]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA,, ,,,,,,,,,,,HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH,,,,,,,HHAHAHAH,,, HA,,, UM, You poor deluded nubbin, you,,,, "Saving money",,, "I'm just having fun",,,, IT'S TOO LATE FOOL, YOU'RE ONE OF US NOW! hahahahahahHAHAHAHAHAHHhahahahhahahahahahha,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

@(:^]#>::: And remember: the second most fun you can have turning a solid into a liquid!