Your First Reload.

[Jason30-30]

What Cartridge Did Yo First Run Up Your Sizing Die? And For What Gun?

Ill Start Off-

30-06 For A Remington 700 I Bought New The Same Day I Turned 18.

[hk33ka1]

.45-70 I shot it out of my Pedersoli rolling block, and that piece is still in circulation in my .45-70 brass.

[DeanWinchester]

.303 British for a No4 SMLE

Funny, I bought it the day I turned 18 too!

[frankenfab]

.444 Marlin for my first 444SS, which was a Micro-Groove, and the only .444 I have ever sold.

[josper]

.270 Win. for a model 700Rem. and I was 18 at the time. I was loading shotshells at 14.

[Janoosh]

357 mag, 125 jaxkated, Win 296, Ruger GP100
45/70 Govt, 500 grn Boolit, 70 grns FFG (the Holy black), Springfield Trapdoor.
1st copper and 1st lead. Seems ages ago, but just 25yrs.

[Reload3006]

44 mag for ruger super black hawk

[adkpete]

44 Mag for super blackhawk also
in 1968 at 13 years old with my dad.

[Jim]

1978, started with a mallet driven Lee Loader. 357 magnum, 158 gr. JHPs for a S&W model 28.

[bigjason6]

Technically my first reload was a 12Ga shell for a mossberg 500. But since we're talking about metallic reloading, my first load was a .40S&W using a 175gr TC boolit for a Springfield XD service pistol.

[Reload3006]

after thinking more about it I lied. My first reload was 12ga shotgun shells. it was about 1968 or so not entirely sure my first metallic was 44

[sundog]

Okay, I'll play, remember it like yesterday, but it was very early 70s with a buddy. Not only home cast 358311 on the kitchen stove, but loaded in 38 Spl over 3 gr of Bullseye. I'm pretty sure we used NRA Alox lube in an old Ly 45 loobsizer (his). His mould, too. My buddy Larry and I would shoot at lunch time at the indoor range at the Air Force Academy. Thanks, Larry. Been downhill since then....

edit to add: Mdl 15 S&W. What a fine piece of equipment!

[plus1hdcp]

A 9mm for a Taurus PT92 around 1990

[rockrat]

Mallet driven Lee loader. 45 Colt for a converted 455colt New Service revolver (wish I had left it 455 colt). Decided reloading was too much work. Got a press a few years later. Much easier

[wb_carpenter]

9mm for shooting competitions. I bought casting equip and a lee turret setup at the same time.

Some free WW and I was off and running.

I still only reload 9mm but I am thinking of broadening out a bit.

[P.K.]

Mine? .280 Rem for a 700 Mountain Rifle. 160 gr. Nosler Balistic tip. The tip was green IIRC. over 52 gr of IMR 4831.

Bought when I hit 18. Loaded alot of 8X57, .30-30, .32 WS, 30-06, and .45ACP with Da prior to that. But that was MY(.280) rifle. ;-)

[mac60]

.38 spl. for an Astra .357 mag. revolver.

[41 mag fan]

500 Smith sized to .501

[3006guns]

.38 special in a Lee Loader back about 1971. After the first box I decided that wasn't the way to go and bought a used press for $9.95.....been getting worse ever since.

[tward]

30-06 with a Lee Loader for my new to me 1903 in 1964.
Tim

[adrians]

9mm, for my sp101 :twisted::Fire::evil:

anyone know when Ruger discontinued the sp101 in 9, just curious ?.

[thx997303]

9mm for my SA XD9

[50-170-700 sharps]

30-06 for a Savage bolt action.

[Mk42gunner]

3" .410 in 1976 or so with the infamous Lee Loader; dipping Herco out of a paper bag, sitting on the kitchen floor with my dad.

Brass cartridge was the .22-250 about 1980. 53 grain match hollow points (I want to say Sierra) in front of 3031 did in quite a few coyotes and kept my buddy and I in gas money in the wintertime.

Robert

[midnight]

My first was a 38 special with bullets I cast myself (358156) I had a used set of Redding dies and the decapping pin was on the expanding die. I hadn't read anything like that so I had to call Redding to find out how to use the set. Hard to believe I was so dumb back then (well maybe not so hard). I forgot powder in one case and the primer was enough to lodge the bullet in the cone and tie up the Colt. At least it wasn't a semi-auto. Learned a lot from that first session and havn't made that mistake again.

Bob

[Harter66]

Yep just like yesterday, my 1st duck season as a shooter.
12ga 2 3/4 , 1 1/4 , Remington RXP12 , 27.0 Unique, Rem 157/Fed 209 in their respective cases. Loaded them on a MEC 500jr , for a couple of 50s vintage Model 12s that happily reside in my Dads arsenal today. Must have been about 76 or7. The next was a 7x57 the next year.

[Dark Horse]

.357 for a Ruger Blackhawk

[tonyjones]

It was 1965 and I was 14. The cartridge was .30-06 and the rifle was my dad's 1903A4 Springfield sporter; Lake City brass, CCI primer, H4895 & 150 grain Sierra spitzer/flat base.

My dad (83) still uses that rifle and load although the component lot numbers have changed. About 3 weeks ago he shot a very nice Axis buck near Mountain Home,TX.

[swheeler]

1964 in the basement with a paper bag of Ball C, Lee handloder for the meat guns in the house then, a Winchester 94 and a Springfield 840 thutty-thutty EDITED- I would like to clarify that these were not reloads but were PRECISION HANDLOADS!!:)

[Beagler]

7mm mag. for a ruger bolt rifle

[geargnasher]

Hooboy. I really don't remember which was first. Pretty sure it was after Christmas of 1991, sophomore year of high school, when I talked my parents and step-parents into all pitching in to get me just one gift: An RCBS Ammomaster single-stage press with full accessory kit. Forgot to ask for dies, but I directed other gift money for a set of RCBS .38/357 and Lee .30-30 Winchester, so the first pull would have been on one of those two for Dad's JP Saur K-38 copy or my .30-30 Marlin.

Within a couple weeks my best friend's grandfather had shown me how to cast boolits and donated a few pounds of old powder to my cause, and I only shot J-words as a "luxury" when I could afford it, which was almost never. Stepdad gave me a shoebox full of old primers and I was in hog heaven. Still have a box of cast boolit reloads from one of my early loading sessions. Those gifts of equipment, components, and knowledge were some of the best ever.

Gear

[Mooseman]

My First was .45 ACP for a Colt 1911 I aquired.
My Reloading teacher (Dick S, RIP) taught me to first cast the bullets, size and lube them , then taught me the proper reloading procedures and load development.
He taught me well and advised me which equipment would last a lifetime. I still use My Lyman Turret press and other stuff I bought in the early 70's Thanks to him.

Rich

[Hang Fire]

8mm Mauser, was with a Lee Classic, (the hammer them in with a stick one) think it was in 1963. Still have that Classic plus multitude of others from way when.

[waco]

.22-250
55 gr. Nosler BT.
H-380

Ruger M-77 tang safety
1999

[Bullwolf]

My first reload was for an old Colt 1911 service pistol, that my Grandfather brought back hidden in his duffel bag.

The boolits used were some store bought 230 grain fodder, behind an unspecified amount of Unique powder that was carefully measured out using a balance beam type scale.

The load was taken out of the book on the bench at the time. I put it all together with a RCBS RockChucker single stage press, using an RCBS Steel die set. I specifically remember lubing the cartridge brass before sizing it. I also remember reloading some of the 1950's Twin Cities Arsenal steel 45 ACP cases, as well as range pickup cartridge brass.


- Bullwolf

[Bomberman]

Started out reloading shotgun shells with my Dad at age 8. First rifle/pistol cartridge was for a S&W Model 29 .44 magnum. Now I'm doing four rifle calibers and three pistol calibers, casting for them all...and I still haven't saved any money...but I sure do shoot a lot more!

[Slogg76]

The first cartridge I ran through a sizing die was a 45-70 round for one of my Marlins. 45-70 ammo was costly (even back when all other ammo was cheap), hard to come by in my area, and reloading was necessary to realize the full potential of my 1895 Marlin. That was back in the mid 1990's. That of course opened the flood gates and I have no idea how many different cartridges or rounds I have loaded since then.

[XWrench3]

wow, that was a long time ago. i THINK it was for my 357 magnum. back in the late 70's. i used some cast bullets back then, but they were bought ones, not home made boolits. usually 148g remington hbwc's. i loaded them backward sometimes. the huge "hollow point" made some interesting results in different targets. :redneck: on steel, they would roll open and leave about an inch lead smear when they hit. i never did shoot an animal like that. they were loaded pretty mild anyway. they probably would have broken up into several pieces and really hurt something though.

[telebasher]

75 gr HPs in a 25-06, made for spectacular hits on prairie dogs as far as you could see.

[avogunner]

1981 - I bought a Pacific Multi-C Press and reloading kit with .45 ACP dies, hence my first reload was .45 ACP, 230gr FMJ hardball for my 1937 mfg Colt 1911A1. I've since expanded to multiple other calibers but I still have that press and gun and use both regularly.

[LtFrankDrebbin]

.310 cadet in a Martini Cadet, was trying to fire 100gn .312 "J words" up that .323 tube.
You live and learn...

[ku4hx]

.357 Magnum; Ruger Blackhawk 6". Circa 1970

[nicholst55]

I was loading 9mm for an AC-44 Walther P-38 with a Lee (Classic) Loader in 1976. That was a chore, but it got me hooked. I bought an RCBS JR press shortly afterwards, and I have yet to stop buying equipment!

Sadly, I no longer own either the gun or the press.

[dale2242]

308 for my Winchester Model 88.
43 gr 4895 behind Sierra 150 Spitzer.
1961.....dale

[El Gato]

8x50R Austrian for my Steyr 95 Rifle....

Found out that it was a 8x56R Hungarian that was not "S" marked. The case was blown out to 8x56R Dimentions. Luckily nothing bad happened

35 grn of IMR 3031 behind a Hornady 170 grn RN

2005 CMS

[jonk]

7.5X54 French for a MAS 36.

[45-70 Chevroner]

1971. 357 Mag for a Ruger Black Hawk. I loaded it with my first cast boolits from a Lyman 155 gr. round flat nose backed up with 7 gr. of Unique. I never could get that gun to shoot that boolit. It turned out that the diameter was too small. My next mold was a Lyman 155 gr. Keith SWC and it shot great with same load of Unique.

[Shuz]

.44 mag for my then new Ruger flat top in 1963. I used Herter's "model perfect" dies and a Lyman 429360 boolit cast under the supervision of TSgt John Mong USAF. (We weren't able to buy a 429421 mould in those days.) I still have the old flat top, but have lost track of ol John.
I owe my whole reloading interest to John. Thanks, buddy!

[Pb2au]

45/70 for rolling block creedmore I bought myself when I graduated high school. Then in 1998 some foul creature broke into my home and relieved me of it, plus most of my other firearms and camera gear. Grrrrrrrrrr!
Still have the dies and brass for the 45/70. Soon, they will have purpose in life again!

[Potsy]

.25-06, 100 grain Barnes X and an unremembered charge of H-4831 in a friend's basement on his press, back about 1998. I bought dies, bullets, and powder. I don't remember the velocity it was supposed to make, but I do remember being disappointed when I bought a chrony.

[Aunegl]

In the early 80s, I used a 44 mag. Lee Loader for a 14" TC Contender. When I got bit with handgun mettalic silhouettes, I upgraded to a Lee turret press and carbide dies. A few months later, I got lead casting gear. What an insidious hobby.

[thegreatdane]

200gn Lee FP .45 for my XD.

[1Shirt]

222 in a 340 Sav, w/Bl-C2, and 50 gr. Hor.
1Shirt!:coffee:

[wvmedic]

.45 ACP

Jeff

[mpmarty]

I was fifteen yrs old and it was 1954 I had just traded in my Remington 721T for an 1889 Schmidt Rubin and was following the load data for 300 savage using Hi-vel#2 and Toyo brass from Japan. The cartridge was a 7.5X54 not 55 as the 1911 and later SR used and the bore was like .305 or so and so pressures had to be kept low. That long barrel would shoot from mountain top to mountain top as I recall using Sierra 150gr spitzers.

I was using the LEE Loader with a brass hammer.

[LabGuy]

45 Colt, for a Ruger Blackhawk convertible.

[Shedhunter]

.308 Winchester for my Remington 700 VTR, used my reloads that fall to take a antelope and mule deer.

[missionary5155]

Greetings
Caliber .32 Winchester Special into a Lee Reloader in 1968. I was 17 and looking forward to popping some fox around the Paw Paw River area of Riverside , Mich.
Mike in Peru

[izzyjoe]

mine was a 30-30, for my marlin. that was in 2009, hey i'm new!

[blackpowder man]

.44 mag for a Ruger Super Blackhawk followed closely by .30-06 for Ruger M77 tang safety. Still load a lot of .44 and .30-06. Good topic.

[high standard 40]

My first attempt at reloading was with a Lee hand loader and the cartridge was a 22-250. I had won the used rifle, a scoped Mossberg bolt action along with the reloading package, on a football board. It did not take me long to decide I would prefer a bench mounted, O-frame press. That was more years ago than I care to admit to.

[TCFAN]

1961....... A 222Mag and a 6.5X55 Sweed.With money from my first job while in high school I ordered A pacific super C press,Lyman 55 powder measure and redding scales.Also RCBS dies and 2 Lyman molds for the sweed.It has been down hill ever since...................Terry

[GaryN]

.270 Win. In a Winchester Model A. About 1974. Shortly thereafter I started on the 44mag. Super Blackhawk. I bought a 20lb. box of H110. I wish I would have bought two or three.

[MT Gianni]

12 gauge in a Lee loadall for a sears pump about 1977.

[zardoz]

Just a little over three years ago now. 11-25-08.

45 ACP. Lee TL-230-2R cast from wheel weights, over 4.5 grains Unique. Lubed them with straight JPW.

I feel like I have come very far, very fast, thanks to this forum.

Now have three dozen moulds, cast for and load pistol, rifle, and shotgun. Two dozen different powders. Quite a stash of lead. 6 different reloading presses, two tumblers, three scales, and on and on. Just today, got two more shipments of goodies from Midway and Grafs.

A hopeless case now. The hooks are in solid.

[bgokk]

My first was .303 British for a econo. Lee Enfield sporter loaded on a CH C press. This was in the last half of the 1950's. Still have the C&H press. The brass would last for a max of 7 reloads then separate just forward of the head.

[rintinglen]

1969? My friends dad had us learning reloading. I made a 12 gauge shell on a MEC press and beat a 30-30 into being using a Lee Classic reloader. Those Lee's were a lot of work. I later used one to load for my first 30-30 until a $5.00 bill got me an old pacific single stage. Cerca 1974. Many happy hours of reloading since.

[gabe123]

First time on my own was 1971 for a 38 Super Auto in a Colt 1911. I was 12 years old and had been assisting my uncle for about 2 years under close supervision.

[Mumblypeg]

.45 Colt, Ruger Old Model Blackhawk 4and5/8 inch, still have it. 1972 IIRC, I think I paid about $75 for that gun,new. A friend and neighbor of mine showed me on his Rockchucker. He stopped handloading later and I took off like a rocket. He's gone now but never forgotten. I bought the gun and one box of Remington ammo and soon knew that if that gun was gona be fed any decent diet I would have to reload. I still have many of those Remington cases from that first box also. I have no idea how many times they have been fired.

[Alan in Vermont]

.243 Win. using a Lee Loader. I loaded a handfull then headed for a local shooting spot to unload them. That was in 1968. Loaded with the Lee for almost two years before I found a gun shop that had a loading bench in the store, if you bought your components and dies you could use his equipment. Did that for about a year, then bought a RCBS Jr. outfit so I could do it at home.

[Mohillbilly]

I bought a Lee load kit with dies , ram-prime , and a hand press . to do 30-06 for my 03A3 in the late 70s . used it for 3-4 years. back them I could crack wallnuts barehanded.

[bob v]

.45 ACP for a Giles bullseye gun.... about '78-'79?

[AggieEE]

Mine was a 12ga. for my dad's Rem Model 10. Dad had everything set up so I was just a handle puller but let me go at it by myself. I think I was about 8. 1st metallic was prob. a .45 acp. 1st bullet I cast was the 190gr cast heel base for a .41LC. Where has the time gone???

[trixter]

Many moons ago I started with 300 savage, the old Lee Loader, with a hammer, then some 30-06, in the early 70's. Then I sold everything. In March I got the bug again and started off with 45ACP. I have been severely infected again.

Let me tell you, (not anything new) there is no cure!

[Ickisrulz]

.44 mag for S&W 629...back in 1989.

[jandbn]

Back in '83 when I was young and dumb and full of... hormones, I thought velocity was King. First reload was Sierra 150 gr BTSP in 300 Win Mag for a Ruger 77 to be used in the woods for deer hunting where a max shot was 60-70 yards! Now a days, I'm trying to do some decent hand loading of boolits rather than just reloading.

[canyon-ghost]

.22 Hornet for Contender

[daschnoz]

9mm for my EAA Witness. Spring of 2000.

[Kraschenbirn]

Learned reloading from the fellow who coached my Boy Scout Troop's rifle team. Started out helping him load for his guns - .222 Rem, .257 Roberts, 8mm-06 that I recall - then began loading .270 Win. for an M70 Featherweight (that I wish I still owned!) for myself in 1961.

Bill

[Stephen Cohen]

115gr hollow base lead conical over 3.5gr Bullseye, For 9mm CZ 75

[MtGun44]

7x57 in my 1895 Mauser in mint condition that I mail ordered at age 15, for $35 plus shipping.
I used a Lyman 310 tong tool.

Bill

[jimkim]

38 Special, Hornady 158gr LSWC, Unique 4.5gr, Grandpa's S&W M&P

[fcvan]

At 11, I started loading 12ga for quail and pidgeon. Dad figured if I was old enough to shoot them I was old enough to load them. When Dad got a S&W M57 41 Mag we got into casting and reloading. Years later I didn't have any reloading equipment of my own and found a simple solution. I bought a CVA 1858 Remington copy and 'reloaded' round balls with percussion caps and Pyrodex. I eventually got my own reloading gear, boolit molds, and much assorted gear. First dies were for 9mm to feed my S&W 459. I really liked that Smith but it started collecting dust after I got a Springfield .45 Govt. which became my american express gun - never left home without it. I have many interesting handguns and rifles and cast for each of them. I just can't bring myself to buy bullets when I can make my own boolits. Frank

[Southern Son]

19 years old in my dads shed, loading IMR4198 into .222 cases for my Brno Fox. Cannot remember the amount of powder, but I do remember that on the indoor shooting range it was a good accurate load (about 1 grain under max), but when I went out shooting in summer, it burst 2 primers (only just).

[Bomberman]

Does this count as my first reload? If so I guess I started handloading around the age of four or five.

Mattel Fanner 50 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8qXLxHi9_8)

PB

Can you imagine what the reaction would be today if you bought your kids one of these and told them to "Go outside and play"? Awwwww....the good ol' days!

[Crawdaddy]

44 mag with a lee loader- 35 years ago.

[Pertsev]

30-30 hunting ammo for Winchester 94 carbine,age 14. Dad bought the rifle for me but no ammo !
Said if I wanted to shoot it,we would reload. Bought a box of Speer 170gr FP,some IMR 4895. Got a couple hundred once fired cases from somewhere.Dad gave me a few 180 gr FP bullets cast up in the early 50's. He showed me what to do.
Felt really good a week later at range when I managed a pretty good group with the ammo I loaded.
That was 40 years ago.
Thanks Dad !

[ItZaLLgooD]

38 special, 4.0 grains of Unique according to the Lee dipper I was using, 158 grain TL SWC that I cast earlier.

[220swiftfn]

7.65 Argentine for an 1891 (Back when it was either Berdan surplus, Norma, or nothin', and Norma's expensive!!!!!) So not only did I learn about reloading, I learned about case conversions too!!!! (30-06 parent case.)


Dan

[nwellons]

Only a year ago. .42 Berdan black powder cartridge for my 1885 Berdan II Russian single shot. I bought a box of custom reloads for around $70 and half wouldn't completely chamber. I figured I could do better. I did. I've shot it about 200 times with my reloads and have, like most, branched into many other cartridges - even smokeless.

[tuckerdog]

38spcl foruger security six

[chemteach]

My first reload was .40 S&W. Also, was my first cast bullet.

[Loony44]

First reloaded cartridge was a .270 using a Lee Hand Loader 39 years ago. First reloaded cartridge with a RCBS Rockchucker was a 44 magnum 31 years ago, and lost count since. (my wife could probably tell me)
Everyone take care and happy reloading/casting.

Loony44

[n4qwf]

38 sp. The year I went to work for Sheriff's department. 1976

[stubshaft]

30/30 in a Lee Loader for my Win. model 64 around 1966.

[Texantothecore]

.45-70, 405 grain, flat point plain base. Still using it.

[Love Life]

45 ACP. I checked and rechecked that powder charge about 6 times before I seated and crimped. I remember telling my wife to stand back in case the gun blew. Turned out all right.

[rak1]

12 ga 2 3/4 in the late sixtys. 30-30 last year.

[Mavrick]

Lemme see now...on a brand new Pacific C-type press in a kit. RCBS dies (I STILL have and use them, even if I sold the press) using Federal (round-bottom) primers in WW cases, Sierra flat-point 150gr .308" bullets, over 28gr HiVel#2, in a WW M94 .30/30 carbine. It was shortly after Christmas...1959. I was 12 years old.
Lotta rounds downrange since!
Have fun,
Gene

[joejr]

12 gauge 2 3/4" on a versamec 700,still have it. That was in 1975,i was 14.It's still fun.
joejr

[Loki610]

My first handload would have been paraffin wax slugs in a 20guage for getting deer out of the garden! maybe 10 years ago. This year I got started doing it properly with .270win made up in a Lee Loader (slow but works great) and a few weeks ago I started loading .38 special in a Dillon progressive.

[ghh3rd]

First was .38 special a few years ago - I was excited about receiving the mold and managed to set my hand on fire when the coleman stove pump blew fuel all over as I was pumping more air into the tank while it was running. I've added a few other calibers, up to 45-70 since then. I wish I hadn't waited so long (in my mid 50's) to try this hobby!

[Noffsinger]

1978, LEE Loader .30-30, LEE 150gr GC single cavity mould, (casted and sized the night before at my off-post apartment), IMR 3031 using the scoop that came with the kit.
Loaded and fired at the Panzer Kasserne pistol range in Boeblingen, West Germany.
Pistol was a TC Contender 14". Group was .33" at 25 yds for 5-shots.

[LabGuy]

Does this count as my first reload? If so I guess I started handloading around the age of four or five.

Mattel Fanner 50 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8qXLxHi9_8)

PB

Well now this brings back some memories, I'm changing my answer to Mattel Shooten Shells. I only wish I could remember which Mattel gun I had. I guess I'll have to look at the old family Christmas slides. I wonder who has the projector.

[btroj]

Must have been around 1984. 270 Winchester, IMR 4350, and a 140 Soerra Gameking.
Learned to reload at 1shirts house back when I was dating his daughter.
Both turned out well!

[lead-1]

In the early 90's I loaded my first round in the form of a .308 Winchester for my 700 Remington PSS.
LEE Challenger press, safety scale and RCBS FL dies that I still have and used IMR-4064, Speer 130 HP and CCI primers in a recipe that I still use.

[94Doug]

Loaded 45ACP for a 1911 I built. That was back in the day when Midway sold everything with shipping included, and it seemed I would load 500 everytime the bullets were on sale.

Doug

[trk]

1964 - .357 Mag for S&W Highway Partrolman. Bought a press and taught myself - was still in H.S. Learned to cast bullets too that summer.

[357maximum]

I loaded alot of shotshells before my first "all mine" metallic reload. I started doing non-powder related tasks for Dad very very early in life like 6 years old or so.


My first 100% all me metallic handload was for the 32/40 loaded with BP on handmade lee whack it type dies. Boolits were cast by my Great Uncle in bulk at some point as he had many sanka cans full of em. Shot in a homemade fallingblock that was built on GM's dime out of things meant for GM machinery:p. The stuff was my Great Uncles and I sure wish I had inherited that stuff when he passed. I borrowed it and killed a few deer with the combo before my Dad made me give it back. :-( Back then I did not even realize HOW the castboolits came into being. [smilie=l: They were just there for the taking.

[Bob D]

1982, .38 Spl, 148 gr wadcutter, Win 231

[Grapeshot]

37 years ago My friend in Alaska showed my how to reload ammo on a RCBS Rockchucker. After he instructed me on how to size, decap, reprime, bell the case mouth, seat and crimp, I was told to load up 50 rds of .44 Mag.

Got my own RCBS Rock Chucker and dies for my .45-70; ,45ACP; .45 Colt; and .38 Spl./.357 Mag. a month later and still have most of the dies and the R/C is still going strong. Great device for relaxing.

[gwpercle]

1967,purchased K11 Schmidt-Ruben and 4 boxes ammo. Shot ammo and decided to reload for the 7.5 Swiss to save money. After breaking several decapping pins the man at gun shop explained berdan primed and boxer primed to me and informed me all the ammo for 7.5 swiss was berdan primed. Since I had bought reloading equiptment I was going to reload something. Next to the rack of Schmidt-Rubins @ $19.95 was a rack of 1903 - A3 Springfields @ $59.95 although I thought the price was outrageous I knew the 30-06 was American and boxer primed. And the 30-06 was my first reloaded cartridge. I still have it and still reload for it. Now that $59.95 price tag seems to be a real bargin.

[BarryinIN]

.357 Magnum.
Loaded for the only centerfire gun I owned at the time, a S&W 19.

Components were the only bullets the shop had- Hornady 158 JSP, and the only powder the shop had- Bullseye, primed by the only primers the shop had - CCI. I did have the choice of Federal and Winchester brass I had shot up.

[MikeS]

Well, the VERY first reload was a 22-250 back in the 70's, but since I got back into reloading the first was a 45ACP loaded in a Lee Loader. It's funny, when I first started reloading I did it with an RCBS press, when I got back into reloading it was with a couple of Lee Loaders, one in 45ACP, the other in 30-30. I've since moved on to more normal reloading presses, and have passed on the 45ACP Lee Loader to a neighbor that's getting interested in reloading. He also has a 30-30, so if he starts using the 45 loader I might give him the 30-30 one as well, as I have no use for it anymore.

[woody1]

The question was............[QUOTE=Jason30-30;1482353]What Cartridge Did Yo First Run Up Your Sizing Die? And For What Gun?QUOTE]

And the answer is...... 38/55 in a Lyman tong tool, loaded with a Lyman 375248 boolit cast with lead melted over a fireplace in the living room. Rifle was an octagon barrel Winchester 1894. I don't remember exactly what year but was 1957 or '58. Regards, Woody

[Alchemist]

Started with an ancient 12 ga loader, but first metallic reload was a .38 Special done up with a Lyman 310 tool, a D7 scale and Lee dippers. I was loading for my first S&W, a Model 28 with a 6" barrel.

[Hip's Ax]

30-06 for my 03 sporter.

[MBTcustom]

When I was 14 dad taught me how to use the progressive shotshell press to reload 12gauge. peters low brass hull, bullseye powder, #8 shot and a red plastic wad.
My first metallic cartridge was 30-30 with Lyman 311466 and unique powder, again under the supervision of my father.

[Valley Forge]

Although I pulled the handle for my Dad and Uncle loading 12GA shotgun shells in the mid 1960's I'll never forget the first brass round on my own press was for .45ACP. It was 1979, I inherited Dad's 1943 Remington Rand 1911A1 and I decided to buy a rockchucker and try rolling my own. I still have the press, the pistol and the habit.

[BossHoss]

WWII Vet uncle taught me how to reload his 12ga shotshells on a Texan, I was 12. He watched and cleaned guns as I was the monkey pulling the lever.

I made my first 45ACP , 230gn RN w/ 4.5gns of 700x at 19yrs old, after learning from and watching him for years.

I have never stopped, and never stopped and never intend to.

[Newtire]

12 gauge. Had 2- loads to try out from the Lee loading info that came with the hand loader. We tied up a nice old Iver Johnson (what we thought was junky back then) to a tree and stood back with a string on the trigger.

Red Dot load worked great and then the AL-5 load went next. Worked perfect-we were surprised.

Metallic loads came later in 1985 with .30-06 and a box of Lyman 311413 that someone had hollow-pointed and gave to me. The addiction has gotten increasingly out of hand ever since.

[Jal5]

38spl and 357mag for my S&W M66

[dragonrider]

45 ACP for a *** Llama 1911.

[SlippShodd]

Still have the mallet-driven Lee tool that started this madness. Had to feed a new Dan Wesson .357 and had to find out if reloading was for me. Loaded maybe 2 boxes with it and started buying bench-mounted tools.
Shortly after that I had to start feeding a .44 Magnum and discovered casting on the cheap as well: Lee 2-cav 240gr. SWC, Lyman 1-hole 429421, Coleman stove, RCBS lead pot, dipper and, wait for it, a Lee pan lubing kit with a mallet-driven sizer. Still have the Lee kit and use the pan occasionally, use the lead pot frequently for small smelts. Traded off my original moulds somewhere along the line...
These symptoms of the malady started in the late '70s and show no signs of subsiding. If loving this hobby is wrong, I don't wanna be right.



We tied up a nice old Iver Johnson (what we thought was junky back then) to a tree and stood back with a string on the trigger.
Red Dot load worked great and then the AL-5 load went next. Worked perfect-we were surprised.

LOL. Must be an Idaho thing. My old man tied every test-fire trigger to a string (even .22s) and seemed surprised when nothing ever blew up. I just hold them at arm's length and cover my eyes...:brokenima

mike

[MikeS]

The very first reload I ever made was a 22-250 using Sierra bullets using 3031 powder weighed on an RCBS scale, and reloaded on an RCBS (I don't remember what model, possibly a Jr) press. That was when I was either 12 or 13. Then after a long pause in reloading my first reload in 'modern' times was a 45ACP using a Lee Loader.

[wch]

First weapon I reloaded for was a S&W model 57 41 magnum; I loaded it with one of the first cast lead bullets I ever made; 210 gr over 8.0 gr of Unique.

[digger44]

12 gauge and 9mm

[kir_kenix]

My dad has always been a reloader so I remember sitting in the basement when I was very little and he would let me work the press. First ammo I ever remember reloading specifically for me was a .45 acp 200 gr swc from hornady over some BE. Shot great in various 1911's.

[OnHoPr]

1975, 20ga 7/8 oz loads with Unique and 1 1/8 oz loads with 4756. 1977, .357 mag with 15.5gr of 2400 behind a sierra 150gr hollow cavity (mallet Lee Loader), .357 158gr cast with green dot and a rcbs press, .30-06 with 220gr with a mallet Lee Loader.

[I'll Make Mine]

My first reload, in 1979, was for a .32 ACP Tanfoglio (Excam) pistol, using a Lee Loader (what they now call the Classic -- mallet drive, on the kitchen table) and (for lack of availability of anything better in those long pre-Internet days) Speer 100 grain half-jacket "Plinker" bullets. That didn't last long; out of my first box of 50 rounds, I think I managed to pick up ten or twelve cases, and of those, I got none back.

Didn't do it again until I had a .357 (revolvers don't throw your brass away!) and bought a press and set of RCBS dies for it -- still have both the press and the dies, bought in 1981, though I sold the revolver for parts after it was damaged by thieves (got it back, but the crane was bent and it spit lead and ran pressure way high).

[MtGun44]

Lyman 310 tong tool for my mint 1895 Chilean Mauser in 7x57 that I bought for
$35 mail order at the age of 17, (and I still have).

I got Remington primers - the old ones that were ONLY numbered - did NOT say rifle or
pistol. Verified that a Mauser firing pin will punch right through a large pistol primer,
and the vented gas will recock the rifle and smack the heck out of your thumb. . . . .

Started learning right off the bat. :oops:

Bill

[Czech_too]

My first reload, that had to be in the mid 70's for a O3A3, my 2nd mil-surp. First was a 1898 dated Krag in full military trim. Used a Lee Loader back in the day and 'graduated' to a RockChucker sometime afterwards. Still have & use the RC and the A3.

[HighHook]

38spl and 45acp in 1979 both on stars. Then bought Dillons soon after. Wish i still had the stars. Still have the star lube sizers. I really used to burn up the lead way back then. Now i seem to conserve quantity for quality...

[bruce drake]

Lee Hand Press and 303 British in 1997. Reloader 17 and 150gr jacketed bullets. I didn't know about cast bullets until I went to a gunshow to buy more bullets and bought some cast bullets from an older fellow who had setup a table of his at the show because no dealer there was carrying .312 anything at the time.

The rest is history....Now I shoot cast out of preference and occasionally shoot a jacketed round.

Bruce

[wolf3006]

3006 742 woodmaster

[captaint]

It was in 1978. Got some RCBS dies and a Rockchucker and off we went. It was .357 mag for my brand new Dan Wesson Mod 15 with a 6" heavy barrel. Still love that gun. enjoy Mike

[rbuck351]

.38 SPL for a Colt Officers Model .38 SPL using unique and my own cast 158gr wad cutters. I didn't know you needed to size them after casting so I just wiped a stick of Lyman lube on the boolits and loaded them. They wouldn't go in the cylinders so I ran them back through the sizer die and they worked just fine. This was back when the sizer die didn't have the primer punch in it. About 1968. I remember RCBS had what they called a reloader special. A RCBS Jr press and a set of dies of your choice for $29.95 If I remember right the mold and handles cost as much as the press and dies. Oh and BTW a soup can solder joint melts as the lead is melting on moms kitchen stove.

[avogunner]

45 ACP for me. I bought a Pacific Multi-C Press Kit in 1981 (still my primary press) with four die sets. I shot my 1911 mostly so 45 ACP was first. My load was 4.7 gr Bullseye with 230 FMJ. It was a few years before I started casting. Now, reloading is about 90% lead.

[Smitty's Retired]

Mine was also for .45 ACP. 6.5gr unique over 230 gr roundnose.

[felix]

Don't remember, prolly 6th grade, 1953 or such. Earlier times were in combo with my dad, so that cannot be counted as me entirely alone. First total reload was prolly an '06, 760 pump, or was it the military Johnson auto, or even a 300 savage 760? No, could have been custom 257R, german 98 set-triggered sniper action, monte-carlo stock. Nope, maybe a model 99 in 250-3000. I remember all those guns in the house during the early 50s. Not to mention a whole slew of shotguns. ... felix

[Von Dingo]

10MM with a 155 gr plated slug, for a Glock M-29 and a S&W 1076. Shortly followed by .44 Mag.

[DRNurse1]

.452 x185gr SWC (H&G #68?) over 3.6gr Bullseye, taper and roll crimped (Don't ask, I followed my mentor's direction who had shot this way for 40 years. In 1977. I am still using it).

Neat thread.

[Char-Gar]

First reloads were for the 30-30 Winchester.

Bullet: Hornaday 170 gr. FN
Powder: Dupont 3031
Charge: 30 grains
Pimer: CCI 200
Case: Super-X
Date: 2/15/1958

Rifle: Winchester 94 rifle (1904 vintage) Purchased at Whitman's Army Store, Brownsville, Texas Spring of 1957 for $25.00.
Press: Pacific Super C
Dies: Pacific

ALWAYS KEEP RECORDS!! I have a record of every rounded loaded from February 15, 1958 to date.

[rollmyown]

.270 Win. for a model 700Rem. and I was 18 at the time. I was loading shotshells at 14.

Exactly the same, only my rifle was a Browning bolt rifle. About 30 years ago

More recently my first cast by me load was with A Mihec mold in 45 Colt About 3 years ago. It's nice to learn how to drive in a Rolls Royce :-)

[craig61a]

I think it was a 7.5x55 Swiss...

[Tazman1602]

.44 Magnum and Ruger Redhawk.

Stupid kid. Never should have traded that one. It was also the first gun I cast a bullet for. Just stupid!

Art

[flipajig]

First was a 12 ga I was around 14. First metallic was for a SBH 44 mag with a J soft point not long after that I was loading a 240 grn cast for it.
Now I load for every thing that I shoot and cast for most of them.

[kmag]

38SPL 3gr. Bullseye, used a homemade dipper, cut off 30 carb. case with a wire wrapped around it at the extractor grove. Still have it 54 yrs. later. Used 150 gr. swc that I had cast the night before.
Shot 50 of them and it took me two days to scrub the barrel clean. Was flying by the seat of my pants and knew nothing about sizing and lubing boolits. But, they all shot and made a lot of holes in the cans I was shooting.

[boltons75]

.300 win mag

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2

[OnHoPr]

Char-Gar, your record ROOM must be as big as the Library of Congress.:coffee:

[Texantothecore]

.45-70 with a lee Challenger press.

[LAH]

Lee hand tool, 38 Special, WC boolit, 700X powder, CCI primer, 4" Taurus sixgun.

[Hogdaddy]

.357 Mag With a Lee wack a mole, With some H110 ; ) PS set a few primers off

H/D

[popper]

40SW 180 plated for a XDm when I was 67. Started casting my own at 69.

[Bigslug]

It was either .45ACP for a 1911 or .30-06 for an 03-A3, circa 1985. Don't recall which was first. Roughly the time I started high school - maybe slightly before.

Both would have been on a Lee Loader; the beat-on-it-with-a-mallet contraption in the small red box (mallet not included). This would have been Dad's way of saving money, but we quickly learned that time IS money, and more elaborate loading set-ups soon followed. All the same, you can load good ammo on one, and I can't think of another complete loading kit that lets you generate rounds for $40 plus cost of components. Every few years, one comes across my path for free (or darn near), and I have to make a few rounds for nostalgia's sake. That wears off. . .quickly.

[FLINTNFIRE]

1979 for metallic cartridge a 30-06 at 18 on a rcbs rockchucker , 12 gauge shotgun at 16 , and casting balls to shoot in a replica kit 44 derringer , and a 58 rem. 44 cap and ball at 14 , good times and could buy the components , funny buying pistol components to load when i could not buy the cartridges

[LAH]

I have to make a few rounds for nostalgia's sake. That wears off. . .quickly.

Very quickly. HEE HEE

[Awsar]

.45 acp just got a new dillon press and was getting into ipsc and idpa competition
i must have checked everything 20 times before loadind 1 round :)

[Awsar]

.45 acp just got a new dillon press and was getting into ipsc and idpa competition
i must have checked everything 20 times before loading 1 round :)

[marlinman80]

I was four years old and dad let me help reload a 9mm parabellum with his Lee loader in the living room. It must of kinda stuck cause last week I started letting my four year old son help me load 50 rounds with my old lee loader for30-30. 28 years 2 generations same lee loaders still going with cast boolits.:lovebooli

[xacex]

45 acp for a 1911. I was a little worried till I pulled the trigger. Come to think of it, I cant remember the last time i bought a box of factory ammunition. Oh wait! It was for a Glock 22 purchased about 5 years ago, and promptly sold. It was a challenge from a Glock-tard that got me to that point...he was wrong.
xacex

[jdgabbard]

Geared up in 2004 for 38/357. Handloaded my first in 2007 after returning from a very long deployment overseas. First load was 38spl: 158g XTP over 3.4g Bullseye with a crimp so tight the brass was stamped into the copper. CCI primers. Minute of football stadium.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

My first time was with a 30-06 about 6 months ago. I wanted to actually be able to shoot my 30-06 with out going broke. I loaded some commercial cast and had a good time for a while before I purchased a 44 mag revolver (since I knew I could reload for it). Ordered the dies for it along with another box of commercial cast and had a good time for a while, before I decided I needed a 44 mag rifle, but thanks to this forum, I knew the .430 commercial cast wouldn't cut it, and I would have to take the plunge into casting my own. Started casting back in August and it has been downhill ever since. Just cast my first .309s yesterday, and yes, I am broker than ever, but I have never hand loaded a j-word (actually pulled a few for the brass).

[Dorf]

First loaded round? .38 Spl, unsized case -- punched out the spent primer with a piece of drill rod that I had drilled the end to accept a piece of a small allen wrench and reprimed with a piece of brass rod turned to fit the inside of the spent case and threaded into a piece of junk 3/4 " aluminium for a stand. Pushed the porimed case thru a block of canning parafin and used them in a .357 Ruger Blackhawk to "plink" in my cellar. No powder, just the primer. When I could afford to tool up, went to a Pacific Super "C" press and a set of Lyman dies, a cannister of Bullseye or 5066, and some .358477's for "real" ammunition. Amazing what an apprentice machinist can come up with when he has access to a good "scrap" bucket and no money circa. 1963. BTW, I still have the old Pacific press and the Blackhawk. Both have served me well. Stan

[nwellons]

I started with .42 Berdan, neck sized only with a .44 Russian die.

I wanted ammo for my Black powder cartridge Russian rifle and custom cartridges was far too expensive.

Of course, I needed boolits so I started casting then too.

I posted asking for help starting and, thanks to the internet, found an experienced Berdan reloader who was really helpful.

[Moonie]

My first load was at the age of 19 or 20, dad had purchased a handgun for self defense and one of his employees talked him into getting reloading equipment, he then taught us both how to use it.

115gr FMJ 9mm with Unique powder, I do not remember the load. The press was a Lee turret press. I have never had a reloading bench without one.

That would have been around 1987.

[Wayne Smith]

1969, I was 16 and got a single shot 16ga. Had been reading Guns and Ammo and learned about reloading, so got the Lee reloading kit for it. Dad had a 30-30 Marlin and my brother got one also, so I got the Lee kit for the 30-30. Loaded for my dad's rifle and brother's rifle and my shotgun. Was using 3031 then for the 30-30 and still do.

Years later I was an undergraduate at WVU, Dad was living outside of Front Royal, VA. I had upgraded to an RCBS Jr 2 and RCBS dies and still reloaded for him. He called me once and complained that my reloads weren't up to snuff, was it my new equipment? We were going to be home for Thanksgiving so I told him I would check it out then.

Thanksgiving afternoon Dad took a grocery bag and black magic marker and put a 2"black circle on the bag as a target. We took his 336 with a Kolmorgan Bear Cub 4 power scope on it, set the target about 70yds away. He sets the rifle over the top of the car, looks through that scope, looks some more, looks up at me and asks

"Wayne, did we put a bullseye on that bag?"

I allowed as to how, yes, we had.

"Did we put it in the middle?" he asks.

I told him that he had drawn an X from corner to corner and it was centered. He proceeds to fire two shots.

We walked to the target - two bullet holes about a quarter inch apart 1 1/2" above the bull.

I looked at him and said "Dad, it's not my reloads. You need new glasses!

[Swede44mag]

At 18 years old I started loading .38spc for my Hawes Western Marshal in .357 I had until some jerk stole it.
I did help Dad load a lot of shot shells when I was a lot younger.

[375RUGER]

First Shotshell, 12ga, 3", #3 steel shot, blue dot, Win 209, technically not a reload since all components were new, 1992

First Cartridge, 44 mag, 240g SWC, 700-X powder, CCI primer, Dillon SDB, for my Redhawk 5.5" stainless, 1993

[flint45]

first ever reload was a 12ga. shotshell my friend and i were aloud to reload our shells at the little gun shop in town. That was in eagle rock Ca. about 1971 we were 13 years old. A differnt time and a differnt world that little shop is long gone and i moved from that area long ago. Next was the .44 mag. same age 13 in a marlin micro groove carbine also i still have that carbine it shoots cast boolits just fine i am now 55.

[Bagdadjoe]

45 acp around 1980 with a Co-ax press that I've loaded every bullet in a wide variety of calibers since with.

[maglvr]

45-70 for a H&R Shikari

[xringshutr]

.270 Win in about 1987 or so. For a Weatherby Vanguard VGX. My first deer rifle...........instantly hooked. Really started heavy in the mid 90's on all calibers. Started saving spent primers around 2003 or so, just to see how many I could accumulate and how much I really shot. I have about a 50 cal can full of spent primers now. :lol: How many primers is that?

[44man]

Been watching this. I had dies for every single gun before I got the gun. I had to shoot some factory loads to get brass because I could not buy the stuff. The .44 mag was one and the .300 Weatherby needed H&H brass to start.
Brass was cheap when it became available.

[MattOrgan]

1973 or 74 .243 Winchester with a Lee Loader for my Remington 788, IMR 4350, Speer 105 gr. Spitzers, CCI primers. ( in secret because my mother wasn't happy that I had guns in the first place) Loading was at least as much fun as shooting. Next purchase was a set of Lee powder dippers, which was just the beginning of acquiring a huge pile of stuff. Sadly I only have the dipper set left from that time.

[429421Cowboy]

My first reload was just after i turned 18 and my dad bought me a Ruger Super Blackhawk for me with money i had saved and 3 things became apparent very quickly: 1. Magnum pistol ammo is REALLY expensive. 2. There are only two choices in .44 mag ammo around here, cowboy action, and heavy hunting loads. 3. You have to be 21 to buy pistol ammo!

We had reloaded before with friends and i had read everthing i could get my hands on since i started reading, so we had a place to start, bought an RCBS kit and took off like a house-afire and now i think i like loading a tiny bit more than shooting! It is an addictive hobby for sure.
Come to think of it, that means i have been loading for just at two years since i turned 20 last week.

[alrighty]

.243 Winchester when I was 15 or 16 sorry , but can't remember for sure.The rifle was a Remington model 700ADL that I got for Christmas when I was 12.Killed my first whitetail with it when I was 13 in the youth hunt they had at Land Between the Lakes(LBL) or between the rivers as we call it.I will never forget the looks on the check station game wardens face when we pulled that spike buck out of the trunk of Dad's 72 Lincoln Continental.I need to dig out that picture of me posing with the trunk lid open with the spike's head hanging out, it is priceless!:-D The Lincoln is long gone but the Remington is still close by.:drinks:

[Willbird]

I think my very first was pulling the Ball from BB caps, adding a pinch of bullseye, then reseating the ball.

[Shiloh]

.45 ACP. In a friends basement to see how it was done. Thats what he was loading and I loaded some of his with his supervision.

.38 special in a the same RCBS press was my first one loaded for me by me. When It went BANG and hit where I was aiming, I was hooked.

Shiloh