Tell me about the first time you reloaded...

[Richard Coody]

That was.over 50 years ago. Sure could.have benefited from all the information available at your fingertips now.

Still have that rcbs rockchucker. It's on my brother-in-law's loading bench. I got a reloading manual and dies and components and went at it. Learned by trial and.error. Of course I was too dumb to be afraid. Loaded rifle, pistol and shotgun. Did some crazy stuff back then. Don't really remember my first loads but I do remember some experiments I won't repeat. Let's just say black powder is fun and smokeless is kind of disappointing.

Anyway I am still here all in one.piece.

 

[john 800]

I was probably 10 when dad let me cousin and i shoot some clays with his 870. He was shooting local trap league at the time and loading on a mec 650 if I remember correctly. He would often come home on his luch break and load a few boxes for league that night (he is a last minute kind of guy to this day lol) when he got sick of me shooting all his ammo i had to load for both of us after he showed me how it worked. I thought it was cool to use the press and would have done it anyway, he was happy to have labor for the cost of the components i used. Worked out for both of us I guess. I started loading rifle ammo much later in life probably late 20s. 22-250 with 64 grain win power points and varget. That was a little more nerve racking but it turned out well

 

[Retired Grunt]

I crushed a few cases before I figured it out, now when I shot the first reload, I packed up and told my wife to wish me luck, she kissed me while reading my insurance policy and ask about any others I had. The bad part was when I got to range and said I am shooting my first handloads and squeezed the trigger they all laughed, I had my eyes closed.

 

[wkdickinson]

My first venture into reloading was for 12 ga. shotgun using a "Lee Loader" and a bathroom scale. That venture was short lived. I started reloading metallic cases about 1981 with a "Lee Auto Indexing Turret Press" for 44 magnums. I had a TC Contender back then and ultimately bought a 30 Herritt barrel for it. Lots and lots of calibers and rounds since then.

I think the most valuable piece of advice I could give you is to find a mentor. I didn't have one, so I had to learn it all on my own. Today, that is much easier with the internet and YouTube, but back then it was just a few books and manuals. You can certainly teach yourself, but if you can find a mentor you can shorted the learning curve exponentially.

As has been said several times already, work at a time and in a setting where you will have no distractions. Do processes in batches (i.e., size all your cases, then move on to clean all of the primer pockets, etc.). One other thing I always did when I was using a powder measure, was after charging my cases, while they were standing in the trays, I would take a flashlight and look in the mouth of each case. I wanted first to make sure they were all charged with powder and I hadn't missed any and secondly to visually make sure the powder level appeared correct.

Most importantly - never work with more than one type of powder at a time!

Have fun!

 

[jackson1]

Started reloading on a MEC 600 jr in the mid 70's, for trap and skeet loads. As a hunter quickly realized how much I enjoyed pulling the trigger on a rifle. Reading the magazines of the day gave me the idea to start handloading. Based on my shot shell loading experience I mistakenly believed that once my powder measure was set it would throw accurate charges. Got to the range with my newly loaded ammo, only to pierce a primer on my 4th shot. Sometimes you don't know what you don't know. A lot of years later I punched one on my 17 Remington. Two in almost 50 years. Still searching and learning to improve my craft. The only handloader that has not made a mistake, has not loaded anything or much yet. Pushing the envelope is second nature for reloaders. Please be careful, would rather not hear about anyone getting hurt. Made a few other boo boo's like dumping shot into the powder bottle on my loader, but it has been a pretty good run for me so far. Currently knocking on my desk, and trying to be constantly vigilant..

 

[EOD Rob]

I’ve got just about everything I need to start loading. I can’t help but be a little nervous about screwing up. Tell me about your first time reloading. What cartridge? What were your thoughts? Fears? How long before it became second nature? Put my mind at ease, I’ve got too much invested to turn around now!

Been reloading for over 25 yrs and have no regrets. Yes, it will be slow at first, but you will get the hang of things after a while. Take it slow and understand that you ARE going to screw something up. Reloading is not something you just start out being great at. The one piece of advise I will give you is to be very vigilant when it comes to powder charges and the loading of the powder into each case. That is the one thing you do not want to mess up on. A no charge case is just a bad as a double charged case. One will get the bullet stuck in the barrel and the other will blow you gun up in your face. Also, dont be afraid to ask questions. Even after 25 plus yrs, I still dont have all the answer! This forum has 1000s of yrs of reloading experience and never once have I seen someone on here make fun of somebody for not knowing! Everyone has to start somewhere and none of use got to where we are by ourselves. I am glad to see that you have joined our community and hope you enjoy what will turn into an addiction. Please, do not be a stranger and keep us posted on your progress!

 

[Ranger007]

I started reloading in 2011. Prior to that I probably spent at least a solid year watching every You Tube video I could, purchased and read 3 reloading manuals(Lyman, Lee and Hornady). I also took some classes from a very reputable person in my area certified by the NRA for Metallic Reloading. Of course I was surrounded by a plethora of friends who were loaders and casters so asking a billion questions is what I did. Also during this time I decided which calibers I wanted to load for. I made a list of all the equipment I wanted researched the pro and cons and made the best educated purchases I could, I am a believer in buy once cry once but that’s just me. It was about this point I solidified that I was not doing this to “save money” doing it to save money was not my intent from the beginning so I was good with it. I started with 2 simple pistol calibers(9mm and .45 ACP). Shortly after that I dived into 2 simple rifle calibers(223 REM and 308 WIN). About late 2013/2014 I got bit by the “reloading for precision” bug for both long range and ultra long range shooting. In about 2017 I stumble up this awesome forum, I lurked and read a ton. Now mind you, I was nearly broke trying to keep up with my addictions(precision shooting and precision reloading). In 2019 I decided to help support this forum by becoming a paid member. I quickly learned that the fine folks here certainly help spend my money to support my addictions and now I am just broke. Now I am not saying everyone should do it the way I did but that’s my story and I have no regrets. Learn something new everyday and I love it!

 

[K22]

I began in the late in the 1969 to 1970 time frame - memory a little fuzzy on exact date. I lived a remote rural area so access to resources was limited - of course this was before the internet.

I started reloading pistol to save money - I was an avid bullseye shooter and handgun hunter in those days. I started with a Lyman Manual. I did fairly well - didn't blow myself up and manage to produce reliable, safe and accurate ammunition. Reloading pistol was fairly straight forward.

Soon after I started loading for the 243 Win, my first center fire rifle. This was more complicated but I joined a gun club a little while later and bench rest shooter took me under his wing so to speak and taught me the finer points.

I'm still loading 50 years later and have learned a lot since those early days through experience and other shooters I trust. Sorting out the meaningful information from the garbage is the most difficult task these days of social media and a preponderance of "experts" on the internet.

There is nothing to fear in reloading if you follow established procedures and adhere to the safety rules. Get a copy of the Lyman Reloading Handbook and read then studied it. Follow book data.

Not essential but helpful to join a gun club and try to find an experienced reloader - most are willing to help. You'll know who they are by the equipment they use and the tiny groups they shoot.

 

[bobm]

I have been hand loading about every day since 1962. I was fortunate to be born into a shooting family. My uncles would come to our place where they could shoot high power rifles at distance. Dad and Uncles had a loading set up in a spare room. I was given a old relic 6.5 Jap Arisaka rifle that was as tall as me. We pulled apart 6.5 Italian Carcano surplus ammo and reloaded once fired Norma Jap brass with the salvaged powder and bullets. Good times, great memories.

 

[Downhill]

My first time was replicating 30 cal M2 ball. Test fired out of a 1903A1 Springfield. You couldn't have drove a needle up my rear with a sledge hammer. Done everything right, checked and double checked. Still was nerve racking. But now, 28 years later, I enjoy it almost as much as shooting.

 

[whatsupdoc]

I was 15 years old living in NYC, I had a new 12ga 1100 that my father bought that I paid
for. Well for most of it I was short $35.

I took the subway to Flushing Queens to a gun store and bought a Lee powder dipper set a Lee 12ga
Handloader kit some powder primers shot and wads.

I still have the Lee dipper set and Hand loader kit.

Oh yea I discovered that if you cut the fingers off the plastic wads and load them with just a primer
in a hull with the crimp cut off they shoot better than my Daisy bb gun.

 

[Newhouse]

Started loading 223 last year. Ensure that there is powder on the case that your about to seat a bullet. On the other side of this, make sure you move the funnel on a case that you have not put any powder yet, otherwise...

 

[PigButtons]

Read through this thread, lots of good advice: https://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/the-reloaders-ten-commandments.4008190/

Like others, the first time to pull the trigger on my handloads I could feel the adrenaline and was praying, "Lord, please let this go well."

 

[3Sigma]

One thing I remember, I was more nervous seating primers than shooting my first round.

On that point, if using 5.56 brass, make sure the crimp is fully removed. Otherwise you'll crush your primer seating it, wondering if this is how it is supposed to go.

 

[Webster]

I’ve got just about everything I need to start loading. I can’t help but be a little nervous about screwing up. Tell me about your first time reloading. What cartridge? What were your thoughts? Fears? How long before it became second nature? Put my mind at ease, I’ve got too much invested to turn around now!

I read many times on this website that guys think it's necessary to push the limits for speed. Go for accuracy with safe loads. Game animals and varmints don't know the difference between 2800 fps and 2900 fps. Been reloading since about 1975. Not sure what to recommend. Don't seat the bullets jammed into the lands. If you extract a round you will dump powder iside the action. Make sure there is a primer in each case before you put powder in it. My biggest problem was seating primers. Seat them to the bottom of the pocket. I put 50 primed cases in a loading block. If I walk away and come back before filling all the cases, I forget which case was the next empty. If I get distracted I look in each case with a flashlight to identify the next one to be filled with powder. You can double charge a pistol case because of the small powder charge with some powders. Impossible to double charge a rifle case because the case is filled up to the neck. Several times a year I try to dump a second charge into a case. It just dumps powder all over the bench. Make sure primers are aligned and correct side up before you push the lever. I once put a primer sideways into the pocket.

 

[Old Navy]

I remember-1966, Lee Loader for 30/06, Dupont 3031. Did not load much with that setup. After graduation, I bought a real reloading outfit RCBS Rockchucker Kit. Felt more confident in using my reloads with this outfit.

Did you ever set off any primers while seating them with that Lee Loader. I remember some mag primers going bang.

 

[Homerange]

Back in the 70's first with a 12g Lee Load All and then with a 308 Lee Target model kit.
They all went BANG !

 

[Longtrain]

Probably 1972, had a Rem 788 in 30-30 with a 4x no name scope. Used a Lee Loader to load 3031 behind a 110 Speer Varminter. A lot of chucks met their maker with that load.

 

[dgeesaman]

Make sure there is a primer in each case before you put powder in it. My biggest problem was seating primers. Seat them to the bottom of the pocket. I put 50 primed cases in a loading block. If I walk away and come back before filling all the cases, I forget which case was the next empty. If I get distracted I look in each case with a flashlight to identify the next one to be filled with powder.

Serious advice: reload where you have some direct overhead lighting. It helps immensely to have excellent light casting directly down into the cases on the loading block. You can see the powder inside the case and see the shine of a primer by looking down thru the flash hole.

Pistol loading is actually more difficult IMHO because the charge weights are not large, a double-charge is possible, etc. Loading for a bolt action rifle is the best way to get comfortable.

David

 

[Handi204]

First load for me was a Lee loader in 243 still have it IMR 4350 100 gr Remington Coreloks. Using a hammer and dipper, wish I still had that old 98 Mauser in 243 with a Douglas barrel. Probably around the mid Eighties. Still get uneasy trying a new caliber or new barrel. Stuck cases, primers upside down, charging cases with no primers. It's been a fun journey still enjoy it.