What's The First Caliber You Ever Reloaded?

[marlin39a]

38 Spl back in 1977. Followed by 45 ACP in 1978. Seems like yesterday.

[brass410]

1984 Bought everything needed based on experienced advice of a small gun shop in fort Meyers( Fridays guns shop I think) . Knew nothing about reloading, he showed me all the equipment, advised me on needs and wants. Suggested strongly on the press (big max) bought it , based on his advice .Returned home with the goodie boxes and proceeded to reload, with no mentors!! ya know what? that 243 788 remy took a beatin big time (it should be a timex) probably the best money I ever spent (on both lol)

[Big Boomer]

Started out watching a level-headed teenager whose father was a fanatic reloader (like I am now) reload for a .22-250 before 1966. He showed me and some other guys that a bullet could be pushed so fast that it would disintegrate when it left the muzzle by air distortion or friction. Tacked up a newspaper at about 10' and the only holes in the newspaper were widespread in that short distance. However I was so short on money at the time that I could not even purchase a firearm, let alone reloading equipment. Then got started seriously with a Ruger Blackhawk in 1973. As someone above stated, it's all been downhill from there. Now I reload everything I shoot, rifles and handguns. Do use some bullets but mostly boolits. Big Boomer

[Duster340]

40 s&w

[MostlyLeverGuns]

30-30 1964 14years old Marlin 336 no help no supervision, just read everything available ( Lyman and Speer manuals mostly) NO INTERNET, NO COMPUTERS blue Pacific C press and dies, then a single cavity Lyman 311041 added (1965) no mishaps other than occasional heavy leading in the microgroove barrel in the EARLY YEARS, much more STUFF since then

[Bazoo]

38 special for a Smith 642. Started with cast bullets from a friend.

[15meter]

12 trap loads with a Lee whack a mole, 1975.

Since then, 16, 20, 28 gauge, 410 bore.

Then the rifle started, 204 Ruger, 22 Hornet, 221 Fireball, .222,
220 Swift, 22-250, .223, .243, .257 Roberts, 260 Remington, 6.5x55, 6.5 Carcano, 30 carbine, 30-06, 30-30, 300 Savage,
.308 Win, .303 British, 7.62x54r, 32 win spec., 8mm, 8x50r, 8x56r, .318 Westley Richards, .338 Win Mag, 35 Rem, 38-55,
.375 Flanged 2 1/2" Nitro Express, 375 H&H, 450/400 NE, 450 Nitro Express, 45/70, 50/70.

Pistols came later: 45 acp, 38 special, .357 mag, 44 special, 44 mag, 45 Colt, .45 Schofield, 7.62 Nagant.

.32, .36, .40, .45, .50 round ball in various firearms.

I see the 7.62x39, .416 Rigby, 470 Nitro Express creeping over the horizon.....

Missed 41 Mag and loaded some 480 Ruger shotshell loads last week.

Add 30-40 Krag, 8-31-17.

Missed .350 Rigby Nitro Express, loaded up some for a friend a couple of years ago.

Most of these were for myself, some for friends who had guns that I wanted to shoot. The English big bore stuff is for a friend. The big bore stuff is just fun, carry around a 450 NE and a 22 LR, set them on a table @ the gun club side by side and watch people walk by, do a double take, then just start laughing.

[Bzcraig]

12ga in 1980 then metallic for the time in 2012 for 9mm.

[smokepolehall]

.35 Rem. in 1970 RCBS Dies n Press n the needed extras

[Biggin]

38 special 25 yrs ago

[JWT]

303 British in about 1992. First handgun reloading was probably 45acp or 44mag in 1993.

[fralic76]

30-30 and 303 Savage

Sent from my mobile using Tapatalk

[L Erie Caster]

37 years ago in May 1980, 30/30 on a RCBS RS

[SARuger]

30-30, I was 16, 1982

[6bg6ga]

357 back about 40 years ago

[Ateam]

This is a great thread, would almost be a good one to have a survey poll of. I am another 45acp, 1997, 12 years old with my uncle looking on.

[jmorris]

I started with 12 ga, 38/357 was first metallic cartridge.

[lightman]

30-06 in the late 60's. I still have the first one. A Herters "C" frame press and IMR4895.

[skeet1]

The first cartridge I reloaded was the 7.62X54R with a Lee Loader in 1966 (I think). I remember using IMR4064, CCI primers and Norma brass.

Ken

[jhrosier]

12 Ga. black powder loads on a Lee whack-a-mole in about 1969.
It's been all down hill since.

Jack