first caliber reloaded for

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1987-88ish I started out with the 22-250 because I had wanted to get into reloading for about 10 years and finally got sick of buying factory 22-250 ammo. At the time, my employer was starting to use in-house computers for all factory production record keeping and we all needed a password to access the system. As a newbie reloader I picked 22250Rem as my first password for the in-house computer system and just kind of recycled it when the internet came along.
 
RONALD MORPHEW said:
Do ya'll remember the first caliber you reloaded for?
For me was a Marlin 1895 45-70. I was stationed in Kodiak, ALASKA, (COAST GUARD)
and ammo was hard to find. At that time was two gun stores there, and no one had ammo for 45-70, so I purchased a used RCBS rock chucker single stage press, RCBS dies, bullets, powder was 3031, was the only powder I could get locally that was even mentioned in my Speer nbr 9 reloading manual, and been loading ever since. Oh that was in 1976.
For those even older than me, Coast Guard took over the old Navy base in Kodiak, in 1971.
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Thank you for serving! The USCG is held in very high esteem in the fishing areas of the North Coast of Ca. Many people owe their lives to the choppers and the rescue craft that ply along those shores! :thumbup: (In school at Eureka, Ca., 1986-1989)

My Grandfather was a Marine stationed on Kodiak during WWII. The garrison there was awaiting the invading Japanese, who fortunately stopped at Attu and Kiska.

My first reloading set in 1996 was a Lee C press, .45 Colt dies, 255 gr swc bullets and Unique powder. The .44 Mag/Spl followed shortly thereafter.

Stay safe.
 
RONALD MORPHEW said:
Do ya'll remember the first caliber you reloaded for?
For me was a Marlin 1895 45-70. I was stationed in Kodiak, ALASKA, (COAST GUARD)
and ammo was hard to find. At that time was two gun stores there, and no one had ammo for 45-70, so I purchased a used RCBS rock chucker single stage press, RCBS dies, bullets, powder was 3031, was the only powder I could get locally that was even mentioned in my Speer nbr 9 reloading manual, and been loading ever since. Oh that was in 1976.
For those even older than me, Coast Guard took over the old Navy base in Kodiak, in 1971.
Click to expand...
.357Magnum and .38Spl. I was 10 when my uncle let me start watching him handload at his house when we visited. I started reloading on my own kit at 13 thanks to that same uncle. This was around 1977.
 
I picked up a 338-06 at a good price. My initial plan was to keep the Zeiss scope that was on it and flip the rifle. But it came with 20 rounds of loaded ammo, so I decided to shoot the ammo before selling the gun. After shooting up those 20 rounds I decided to keep it and start handloading. There are very few options for factory loaded 338-06 ammo and it was $60 for 20 rounds. And that was 20 years ago.

I had a friend who had given up hunting and shooting. I called him and asked if he was interested in selling his gear. He was glad to get rid of it and I got everything I needed except for dies at a good price. I did eventually sell the rifle and kept the scope. But that is how I got started.
 
1962 and started with 30-06. I was raised on a small farm and learned early to use a lot of tools and loved reading Jack O'Conner in my Outdoor Life magazines. Mowed yards to buy my first rifle in 1962 (I was 11). Found a used Savage model 110 for $65.00. Bought a RCBS single stage press and dies at a local gun shop and a loading manual. Powder was 4320, 150 gr bullets and primers. My dad had a good friend that was in the national guard who kept me in ball ammo when 30-06 was being phased out. I load for over 40 calibers now, both rifle, pistol, and wild cats.
 
1997, 12 years old, 7-30 waters for a contender on a lee single stage. I’d “helped” my dad since I was 6 years old, so that day he told me to load my own and he’d buy the components because he was tired of me going through everything he’d loaded for himself, lol.
 
7mm Rem Mag ,remember as if it were yesterday ; Bought it New in 1965 and within #6 months had bought a RCBS Press dies powder throw the whole enchilada . As I had .308 30-06 .44 Magnum and a couple of 9mm's ; figured I'd save some coin .

NOT sure that worked out as well as I'd hoped looking back over the 10's of K's of $'s I've spent but it sure as hell made ME a Better shot ; as I could afford to shoot when I wanted too :)
 
Ironicaintit said:
My first batch was 30-30, in 2015, on a late 70s vintage Lyman spar-t that I inherited from my dad.

wish I'd started a lot earlier, while my old man was still around!
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“Vintage” he says. :neener:
Same press I started on - in the late 70’s - when it was new.
Can’t be mine, though. Mine fell out of a trailer on US1 south of Melbourne at about 70MPH. Shattered the C-Frame. I stopped, turned around to see if it was salvageable. Darned near cried.
Enjoy that press, sir. She’s a good one.
 
Late 70's 12 gauge on a MEC 600 Jr. Still have the press but don't shoot near as much shotgun as I did back then. First bottleneck cartridge was 7mm RM on a RCBS Rockchucker. First handgun 44 mag. I was lucky to have a good friend who mentored me in metallic cartridge reloading.
 
When I was young my old man had some guns and did some casting and reloading so I grew up assuming that it was just part of having guns and didn’t know not everyone did it.
Fast forward to 2018 I bought a 12ga shotgun and wanted to shoot more slugs for less money so I got a Lee load-all and a Lee 12ga 1oz slug mold.
Shortly after that I got a press and started loading for 7mm Remington magnum and it’s just snowballed from there.
 
.22-250. 1971. Just started high school, Creekside gun shop where I got a 700 BDL and at a time where they gave you a box of shells and said go out to their range and try it out before you buy it. RCBS - Rock Chucker Jr and the rest of the necessary equipment. Still have it all today with one of my sons using it. The only help was a Speer manual, the one with the cowboy on front, my mentor.
 
Well back in 1968-69 I was helping my grandfather reload for 30-30 and 38SPL on an old Lyman single stage. Can't remember which was first but that was the first time I "made" my own rounds and we went out and shot them up shortly after. That fall I learned about reloading a 12 GA using an Ideal press and roll crimping gadget as well. Previously I had helped prep brass and such only.
 
Started in '94 with 45 acp on a 550B, shortly there after, 38/357spl., 9mm, 380 ,357 sig and recently started rifle 223 & 308.
 
Mine was early 70s.
12 ga trap loads on a 400 mec.
I thought it was great fun. I was probably 10yo sitting at a table in my parents unfinished basement with dad loading Winchester paper Super Target or Federal Champions.
He and later we....shot alot. We stomped out lots of ammo over the years listening to a transistor radio. It became my responsibility to load ammo for the weeknight leagues and practice and our weekend trapshoots. It was a chore that I didn't mind.
Our nearest gun shop was an hour away in Terre Haute, Indiana. That wasn't good for buying ammo, so I started reloading center fire .357 right after I got married 38 years ago.
Now we have a good gunshop about four miles away.
Thats not good either.....;)
 
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