I am just curious as to how many people just started reloading since the shortage of ammo. I have always wanted a reloading press but the shortage of ammo kicked me in the a_ _ I now have a Lee press ( that was back ordered ) 9mm and 40 s&w dies ( that were on back order ) brass ( that was back ordered ) and small pistol primers ( that were back ordered ) even powder was slightly hard to find. I still don't have any FMJ bullets ( they are on back order still ) and I sometimes wonder if it's going to be worth it or not. Ammo seems to be easier to find, now that most places put a limit on boxes to keep the HORDERS from buying cases at a time.
I have yet to reload my first round but semi patiently waiting

Many years ago I started reloading, my dad introduced me to it in the late 60s or early 70s. But I did not really get into reloading my own till after his death and I received many of his firearms and tools.


The Lee press is a fine press and will give you years of service. Hope you enjoy reloading as much as I do.

I started at age 14 in 1959 or 60. Bought a book, a press and scale from Herter's, some fixings from the local gun shop and had at it with the -06. Dad neveer had an interest in the reloading though he helped himself to my ammo.

I've been loading ammo since I was in high school. First shotgun and now rifle and handgun as well.

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Lynnie, Professional Pest

The last time I counted it was for 135 different calibers.

Shotshell -- 1966
Metallic cartridges -- 1969

Noah

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Nicht mehr als 30 Zeichen

In the late 60's my father,brother and I started loading 12ga on a Mec 600 jr. Shortly after that I bought a Win. Mdl 70 in 7mm Rem Mag. Even then I thought $5.00 a box-25 cents a shot was a lot of money. A friend in school got me started loading for the 7mm,bought an RCBS jr. press with all the fixings( dies,bullets,powder,shell holder,scale etc.)
From there it mushroomed for all 3 of us.

Shotshells since I was about 12 years old, so 43 years. Metallic cartridges a few years less.

1990. I was 20.

1971. I still use that old RCBS press.

I started in 1964 with a Lyman 310 tool loading .44-40 for a Winchester 1892 carbine.

1973 or 74.

About to start.

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Fast is fine;accurate is final

Started in 1975 though for a variety of reasons-many because I have discovered the 22LR-I don't reload at present.

Started reloading in 1968, bullet casting in about 1969.

Started reloading in around 1976. A friend and I cast our own bullets, used a stove top to melt the lube (smelly operation) and then sized them. Then onto the Rockchucker loader for the finished product. 38's and 357's mostly. Took a lot of time, but was still enjoyable as it became a weekly ritual.
Then on to shotshell loading a few years later.
I really enjoy loading as it does nothing but enhance my shooting experience. I don't believe that I would give it up no matter how inexpensive factory becomes.
I am passionate about shooting, therefore loading is a perfect fit!

Shotshells with a LEE hand tool in 1962.

Metallic's I started in 1968 with an RCBS A-2 press for .38's and .44 mags. Also started casting at the same time.

Currently I'm running a SPOLAR for shotshells; 12,20, 28 and .410 .

And have three Dillon presses and three std single stage presses as well.

FN in MT

So long that I can't remember if I reload to shoot or shoot to reload

I've reloaded rifle, pistol and shot shells for about 35 years.

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G.P. Charlie

Since 1976.

Since 1975, while in college. I bought my first good firearm, a Remington 700 in .30-06, to hunt with friends and soon became fascinated with smacking things way out there with it, and I needed to feed it. Then I got into handguns and bought a casting outfit to feed them. I never could have become even a passible shot if I was always thinking "25 cents! 25 cents! 25 cents!" with each press on the trigger.

It's a very interesting hobby in and of itself.

Since 1979. I started reloading in college. I couldn't afford to shoot factory ammunition back then. Things haven't gotten any cheaper since.

Of course I can't buy my rifle loads at ANY price. I load the 200gr. Sierra Matchking for my Savage .30-06. NOBODY loads that bullet commercially. That I know of, nobody commercially loads the 175gr. Matchking in the .308. My load is a close analogue of the M118LR sniper load.

33yrs now & some 22 diff calibers right now, including several wildcats.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

Well,
Son #1 was born in 1978, couldn't afford to get any firearms until he was about 7, I made about $4/hr, by the time our youngest son was born, 1987, I was reloading.

38spl with 158gr LSWC/LRN and 3.5gr of Bullseye was the starting load. Still use it today.

Got into casting just a few years ago and really enjoy that too.

I started loading for High Power rifle in 1973 and Center Fire Handgun in 1975. I started with an RCBS Junior then upgraded to a Rock Chucker, used a LEE Turret for handgun for a while. Now I load everything on Ponsness Warren presses. I shot trap for a while in college and borrowed a friends MEC to load Winchester AA's. I cast bullets while in college from lead recycled from the LE range. I've owned a few wildcat rifles over the years, so my experience as a reloader is pretty broad. I hunt and all the deer that I've harvested have been taken with handloaded cartridges. The only ammo I buy now is .22's and shotgun slugs.

Started with .38 Special and .30/06 when I was 19. 40 now, honestly have no idea how many thousands of rounds I have loaded.

Started in the mid 80s but have periods of inactivity.

I started at around 5, pulling the handle of Dad's press. Loading for myself, It's been well over 35 years.

Since 1973 - just handgun and rifle!

Started loading for 300H&H Magnum in 1957.
First started with a Lyman 310 tool and dies.



Advanced to a RCBS Rock Chucker in 1970. That's as far as I have progressed, and I'm still "chucking them out.

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Eccentric old coot

I started from scratch in 1999 with a Dillon 550B. I wanted to produce a quantity of ammo so I could shoot more so I skipped messing around with single stage loading. Glad I did.

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- Change it back -

I started in 1964 loading .38's and .45's for bullseye on a friends Star progressive. My first press was an RCBS Junior which I still use on occasion but I mostly use a Dillon RL550 or a Rockchucker. I reload about 35 different calibers.

About 41 years ago started with a Lee hand tool used too wake up people in the apartment next to me when the occasional primer would go off while trying too seat it still have that tool.

Len

I started on an old Herters press back in 1974 or 75. So a little over 30 years.

1962 - 12 years old with my Uncle showing me how to do it for the first 6 months before he trusted me to reload on my own.

Smitty

I have only been reloading for 4 months. The ammunition shortage inspired me to start.

Twenty-five years. Started on a Rock Chucker (didn't we all?) and moved up to a progressive about a decade ago.

I seem to be among the less experienced handloaders here, and I started in 1994. I just started casting this year, so I'm completely new at that and still learning.

I am also one of those people who can't decide if he shoots to handload or handloads to shoot.

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Hello Cleveland, Rock and Roll

Started in 1955 or 56 with a Lyman Tru-Line Junior in .222 Rem. that I bought at MW. Learned the hardway to weigh my loads. Popped a few primers. That gun would sure make red mist on woodchucks. Gosh that is over 50 years!

Since 1958 or thereabouts and learning something new every day!

I started reloading in 1970, the prior 10 years before that USMC provide all the ammo I wanted or needed,

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Semper FI

Do I get to count sitting on my daddy's lap when I was a toddler? I helped any way I could (that he would let me.) At first it was just turning primers the same way, or lining up empty cases and bullets. Lets just call it early 1950s. By the late 1950s I was reloading as we shot a .32 in the basement, using OO buck and about 1 gr of Bullseye for propellant. You do what you need to do to keep shooting.

There have been hard times (poor), then children (poorer still), but the avid shooter learns to scrounge as best he can.

I'm a changed man. There are some calibers I have that I just feel no reason to reload these days. Shotgun shells are one of them. If I shot more of them, I might feel different. Handgun shot shells were my most disgusting failure. We won't go there.

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Dick Burg

Since found out I could manufacture more accurate ammo myself than I could buy, about 1980. Now I buy no factory ammo other than 22 RF. Load for 14 different calibers, plus 12 Ga. I utilize an old Texan 7 hole turret press for all rifle and low volume handgun, and Dillon 550 for .38, .357, & .45acp. A Mec 9000G for my 12 Ga.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Started around 1981 loading 38 Special and 357 Mag. I was 17 and my Dad bought me a used Rockchucker and all the accesories. I'm still using the Rockchucker today. Took a long time off then set everything back up a little over a year ago and remembered how much I enjoyed loading. Now I've added 380 ACP, 9x18 Mak, 25-06, 30-30 Win and 270 Win to the calibers I can load. Also bought a chrono to test my loads. Still load mostly 38/357 and I'm hoping to start casting my own bullets soon.

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Andy

1959. My favorite hobby.

I've been reloading for about 20 years.I bought a new RCBS Rockchucker at the time and it's never let me down.I've never felt the need to move up to a progressive.I reload about 12 handgun calibers and maybe 15 rifle.Current primer, bullet and powder shortages are a pain but luckily I put a quantity away so my reserves are decent.It's a great hobby and one that I've enjoyed a lot over the years.
rfo1

My uncle started me into reloading in 57 or 58, I can't remember for sure now. I bought my first reloading equipment in 62 when I got out of the Navy. A Lee Loader in 30-06 for my first new rifle, a then just released Model 700 with a 20" barrel. With this set up and an extremely good set of eyes, I could cut holes at 100 yards with a rest. Believe it or not, I could see .30 caliber holes at 100 yards back then if the background was clear. I still have the old press my uncle used back then, a C-H "C" press and it still will load excellent ammo. I have his load manual, a Speer, and his RCBS .308 Winchester dies, and his Redding powder measure(which still throws most charges right on the button). My cousin, who was not a reloader, gave some of his equipment to me when his dad died. I was only making a $1.52 in 62' so could not afford much in the way of equipment but have acquired a ton of it since. Good memories. James

I started reloading in 1959. Still have 3 Square Deal 2 machines mounted on the bench.

Started in 1979 with a RockChucker and haven't looked back. Never graduated to a progressive because, for me, handloading is a therapy and not another task to be done so I can continue shooting and I don't use ammo in bulk quantities.



Bruce

Started in 1957 with tong (Lyman 310, which seems to be lost) and a single cavity Lyman 358156 mould, 3.2grs of Bullseye.
What happened to the tongs & dies, and the old powder measure? I found the mould and old scales.

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Ipsis Rebus Dictantitbus