Do you remember your first handload firing?

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Yep it was a 120gr 6.5x55 with IMR4350. Shot good first time out and gave me alot of confidence in my handloading.
 
My very first was a pretty standard 223 load with Varget and a 62 grain FMJ.

About a year later i started loading pistol calibers. The first of those was a 9mm load with 124 grain XTP and HP38. For some reason this seemed more dangerous to me so I wore a welding glove and overkill safety glasses. All has went well since round 1.

Been loading for about 4 years now and cant really imagine how I made it buying factory ammo!
 
It was only 5 years ago so, yes!

What I remember most was the first time I weighed out 4.x grains of 700X for .45 ACP. I remember thinking "there's no way that's enough powder." I actually went out and bought another reloading book so I could have another batch of load data for comparison.

My first range trip I wasn't expecting a KB, I was expecting a squib.
 
Yes, I got kicked off my lane on an indoor range. The manager came running out and said he thought I was going to catch the sound proofing material on the wall on fire as the fire ball coming out of the muzzle was so big.

I think I was using 700X, but that was almost 25 years ago so I may be mistaken.
 
I remember mine, but then again I have seen it a few times.

I was just showing a short video to my visiting family this weekend. I recorded the firing of my first 10 handloads back in November. It ended with some kind of elated call similar to a "yeeeehaw" and a weird dance step.
 
Yes I remember my first time shooting my reloads and yes I was a little nervous :D 38s outfall my 357
 
My first reloads were shot from my .308... I was honestly pretty scared before I pulled the trigger that first time. But, all was well afterwards, and I have been nothing short of addicted since then :D
 
45 ACP with 200gr lead semi wadcutters and 4 grains of red dot. Low powered and smoky. I started off very conservatively.
 
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I'm sure I will remember my first handloads :D. I'll be able to tell you by the end of this week. I plan on having everything set up (reloading table, press, dies, etc...) this evening or tomorrow morning. Then I'll have to fiddle a little bit to get used to my Classic Cast Turret and I'll start producing a few dummies so as to make sure I get a consistent COL, proper priming, bullet seating and powder charges. The first actual 9 mm round that I produce, I'll keep it as a kind of souvenir, and will do the same with any other caliber I handload in the future. With the rest, I'll head straight away to the range and get them through the chrony.

Feel free to make suggestions, please. I'm eager to learn and actually grateful from all the advice I've received so far.

Can't wait :D
 
Yep absolutely remember, of course it was only April of last year.

It was Unique starting load for 9mm 115gr FMJ. I loaded them up, then went to the indoor range nearby because I was excited to shoot my first ones. I set up my rest, steadied my pistol and fired away. I went exactly by the book, by didn't have a mentor yet at that point and was a bit nervous. Everything went great though. I still hand weigh every charge.

I felt the same way when I loaded for my daughters .223. I had went by the book, but was still nervous of my daughter pulling the trigger the first time on something I made, of course it didn't phase her at all, she stepped up and pulled the trigger quickly without hesitation.
 
I was about 12. Won't say what the round was, I was chastised about it before. But we loaded recovered bullets. My mentor was my math teacher and rifle range instructor. It was great to be able to shoot something I made.
 
Absolutely! .38 Specials loaded in my brand new Lee Reloader Anniversary press, shot out of my 6" S&W 686 at an indoor range back in 1990. Like everyone else, I've been hooked ever since.
 
I don't remember my first reload. It could have been a shot shell or metallic round. I started reloading at about 15 years old which was 30 years ago.
 
Yes, June of 1974. Remington 700 in .30/06. I aimed the gun at a dirt bank, ducked my head and covered my privates. Nothing happened and billions of rounds later I'm still at it.
 
Yeah right!:rolleyes: Back about 1965 or so, one summer day gramps said "if you are going to shoot up that much you have to load them your self". So I went into his reloading room and reloaded those rounds (30-30 or 308?) as he had taught me and then shot them. Repeat a few times that afternoon and I was good with it all. No I did not ever think that I was going to blow up something, but you do have to have confidence in your process to work with anything that could be dangerous. Just the way I approach life.:)
 
I remember my first batch of reloads. I was a little unsure and flinched when I touched off the first one. Then I got over it. Now it doesn't even phase me because it's the only stuff I shoot.
 
I think the first round was a 45 Colt. However the very first round of 45 ACP I loaded got fired at a coyote. I had stepped outside the garage to test the loads when a coyote came trotting through the yard towards my dog. He was probably a good 75 yards away when I fired................and missed. Scared the hell out of the yote, my dog, and me a little since I hadn't put my muffs on yet.
 
It was a round for a 30-06 back in the early 80's. I was scared to death and closed my eyes and held my breath when I pulled the trigger. It actually fired and I thought "Hey, that's not too bad." I've been happily pumping them out ever since.
 
Good reads ... I just finished my first batch of 30-06 reloads and I'm afraid to takt them to the range and fire them LOL
 
Mine was 9mm, just last year. Nice light load, fired well through my 5906 so I loaded up 200 more and they shot just fine. Hooked ever since!

Posted from my car phone.
 
I remember, 15yd pistol range outside. I have an old Model 10 38spl, cant remember the bullet / powder combo though. Looked left then right then forward, cocked the hammer, let out a small breath, and squeezed the trigger.... bullseye. I was instantly hooked and pretty darn proud of myself. Although I will say about 20 shots later I was loading up the cylinder and went to close it and it wouldnt, uh-oh?! Turns out I didnt seat a primer completely flush and it was sticking out enough to prevent the cylinder from closing all the way
 
My first is not hard to remember, it was only 2 months ago.... But I do remember being very nervous, I had done tons of research, Youtube, etc. and read a lot of posts so I was reasonably comfortable until I sighted down the barrel. In my mind I had that last moment of apprehension but I pulled the trigger and it went bang, what a relief! The remaining groups of 10 rounds of slightly different loads went very well, now I am a lot more comfortable. But that comfort does not lead to sloppy, I pay a great deal of attention when loading and check every 5 to 10 round for the proper powder drop.

Damn, I love reloading and shooting....
 
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