What's your favorite type of loading on the bench?

I don't find reloading "fun". I do find the way I've been doing it relaxing and enjoyable.

I currently load 9mm and 223. I'm adding 45 soon and as spring comes I'll be working on changing things to do more volume and less precise loads. So it'll become more of a chore, but that's ok as even that is a chore I enjoy (for now).

My favorite round to load for is .45 ACP on my Hornady ProJector; it's not much different than loading anything else, but it's not dirty (like loading .41 with cast bullets,) or tedious (with tiny 9mm or .380 bullets is.)

I don't have 'fun' loading on the single-stage with rifle cartridges, but it's a more drawn out process, and usually involves my biggest Hate of Reloading... trimming. It is satisfying nonetheless.

My favorite so far has been load development for my .270 on my Dillon 550 but I'd say that's relaxing for me, not necessarily fun. I don't load progressively for that; I measure the powder by hand and just use the press for resizing, priming and seating.

When I'm meticulously doing case prep or measuring powder out of a dixie cup it's easy to get lost in the process and it's relaxing.

The fun stuff for me is progressively loading .223. I like the sound of a finished cartridge falling into the box and the rhythm of cranking em out. And it's always cool to have a big box o' ammo at the end of the session.

I prefer loading large caliber rounds over small caliber rounds. Pistol or rifle. I don't know why. I do all my reloading on a single stage press. I have time and find the process enjoyable.

Jack B. said:

I prefer loading large caliber rounds over small caliber rounds. Pistol or rifle. I don't know why. I do all my reloading on a single stage press. I have time and find the process enjoyable.

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I agree with you there. I'm more satisfied holding 50 large rifle reloads than 100 dinky .223

460Shooter said:

Hmmm. I find it relaxing and enjoyable too, and my mind translates relaxing + enjoyable = fun , since most aspects of my life are not.

I do enjoy tinkering on a simple machine also, and where I used to find hiccups a little frustrating, I not find it a fun challenge to figure out.

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Same with me on the tinkering, and woodworking too. I used to hate the tedium of all the chiseling and sanding, just like I used to hate case prep. Now I view it as a time to really focus and get into it. And when something goes wrong it's like a puzzle to figure out how I can fix it. Unless it involves starting over. Then I'm just plain ticked off.

Sadly, I find none of it "fun". I got into it thinking it would be a hobby that I enjoyed which coincidentally would support another hobby I enjoy. Machining was that way - I bought a lathe & mill and actually enjoy my hobbyist machining to support my gun hobby. But reloading, once the novelty wore off, I pretty much view it as a chore which must be done in order to shoot. Maybe not quite that bad - when I find myself felling like it's a chore I stop - that's wrong mindest to be in - but I'd say I'm neutral about it in general - I wouldn't choose to spend some free time loading ammo, but am typically doing when I have nothing better to do anyway so at least it's a constructive use of time vs watching TV or something.

The only fun part I guess is seeing the results with precision ammo. I do like wringing out the tightest group possible sometimes for a few guns....but the meticulous loading process to get there, I don't really enjoy, just the end result.

I'm another that wouldn't describe it as fun. But loading the first 50 carry rounds of my new .44 mag woods load - a .430" gas checked 300gr (actually about 309gr) hardcast WFN bullet from Montana Bullet Works, over 16.8gr of 2400 - into brand spankin' new Starline brass, after carefully working it up for accuracy? Well that was very satisfying!

So I guess I could say that as part of working up a specific load for a specific gun, I find handloading fun. The only press I have is a Lee Classic Turret, and so far it's all I need. My two Ruger single actions get most of its attention these days.

I love everything about casting and reloading. I have went to the range before because all of my brass was loaded for a particular caliber, and I wanted some to load. That was early and rarely happens these days since I've built up my brass stock.

I love loading for revolvers, mostly big bores. I load for .45 Colt and .44 Spcl/mag.
I like loading them on my Lee turret press.

However, we are the proud new owners of a Dillon 550 but have yet to set it up.
I know it will save time. I just hope it doesn't take the fun out of it.

I enjoy reloading in general but I get the most satisfaction out of loading rifle rounds on my single stage press. After doing all the prep on the cases, and the measuring of each charge individually, I feel like I have a handcrafted product. I work all day long at a keyboard and I don't seem to have much talent with my hands so that is a really good and unique feeling for me.

I reload because I am cheap; but as far as the topic goes, I prefer to reload shotgun ammo on my MEC; it's a lot easier and faster than any metallic, and close enough is good enough as far as powder and shot drops go.

It's very satisfying to take a chunk of lead, cast bullets, and use them successfully either on game or paper.
I really enjoy loading mild .45colt for my single actions.

....but my first and favorite will always be making shotgun shells.
Mec leaders for 12, 20, 28, .410.

I guess I am easily entertained because I too find hand loading fun. I am still using my single stage Rockchucker and it works fine for my needs. I do all the brass work and have my ready to load brass separate from the final loading so when the mood hits, I am pretty much ready to get after it. I mostly load pistol with a little 5.56 thrown in. I guess because it takes me so long to get a finished round that adds value to me. I don't think I would enjoy it as much if I stared with fired brass and had to take it all the way to a finished round in one sitting. Yeah, it is fun for me.

As far as which press, I would have to say my Lee Classic Turret. I have a Dillon 550 on the other end of the bench, that I use for semi-auto pistol rounds, but I much prefer sitting at my LCT. I even enjoy decapping large amounts of brass with it, I get in a rhythm and find it relaxing.

As for which caliber, I have more fun with the large bore straight-wall revolver rounds, either 44mag or 460 S&W. I find the brass prep for bottleneck rifle rounds to be tedious, but once I start actually dropping powder and seating bullets then it becomes satisfying.

I'd say 12 gauge is my favorite. Maybe because it brings back the days of reloading a few boxes on Friday evening with my Dad, then up super early Saturday morning to bring home a couple limits of mallards! That was back in the 70's when we still shot ducks with lead.

I find reloading 9mm or 45acp on the Lee classic cast turret to be relaxing. Get the most satisfaction from doing the rifle rounds. Everything is done one step at a time. The satisfaction is knowing that I am reloading for a round that shoots well from the rifles and each will be identical.

I can not answer. I find all of my handloading to be extraordinarily enjoyable.
To pick a single one would be to have a favorite child. Impossible.

From the intricate nuances of precision rifle loading of the diminutive Two Twenty Three, to the wonderfully easy, nearly no way to mess up Fourty Five Auto, all the way to the powder gulping and lead hungry Four Fifty Bushmaster.

From cleaning and inspection to charging and seating. ALL of it, even the trimming, is my FUN time!

The only thing I find more fun than shooting is reloading, I use my Lee turret press without indexing rod, favorite would be .270, play a good audio book and just let time slip away, what a good way to spend a day

I like loading straight walled large caliber cartridges best. 454 casull, 45 colt, 45-70, 357 mag, just simple and less to watch. The smallest caliber projectiles ill mess with is 30, im not into messing with tiny projectiles. Ill do it if i need to, but i only handload to save money and 5.56 is pretty cheap and i rarely shoot it recreationally. The best is 45-70 case full of trailboss, hard to mess it up.

My hobby used to be shooting. Then I started reloading, and reloading became my hobby. Then I started wet tumbling, and making dirty brass shine is my hobby - shooting and reloading is now just a means to that end.

Shooting up what we hand load is the Fun Part. Hand loading can be a chore if your not setup for high volume. The fun part of hand loading is trying to get the most accurate round I can out of my rifles. I do all the precision work on a Redding Boss II. My mass produced ammo comes off the LNL-AP, which is mainly handgun ammo, 45acp with a little 223R at times.

LCT for pistol rounds for me. I don’t compete, but I really enjoy the reloading process for multiple calibers. I guess my favorite (for ease) is .45acp. My favorite for fun is .22TCM where I reload better quality than factory ammo. And I do like shooting that little fireball of a round.

Not to be crass, but when I read the subject title, “what’s your favorite loading,” I didn’t think of a type of cartridge... what immediately came to mind was a Saturday afternoon several years ago when my wife had a few glasses of wine while were doing annealing, necking down, trimming, and turning some 6.5-284 match brass... the view in my reloading room was the best it has ever been...