Poll: How long have you been reloading?

[irving]

I started reloading in January of this year with a Dillon 550 press and Lee dies. I only load .38 special and .357 magnum.
No "years under my belt", but I'm gaining experience. This year I've made over 3000 rounds using the following components:
Powders: W231, A2400, W244
Primers: CCI, Fiocchi, Ginex, SyA
Bullets: Accura, Hoosier, Berry's, T&B

Reloading is pretty enjoyable as well as challenging - I can see why some here have been doing it for so long.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

6 years or so smokeless powders. I forget when i started shooting black powder. I was always afraid of reloading. It dawned on me one day. Shooting smoke polls is reloading. I been enjoying it ever since. I wish i started long ago.

 

[mdi]

I started reloading in 1969, out of curiosity (as I emptied the cylinder of my 38 I thought "can I reuse these?"). Waaay pre web and I didn't know any reloaders so I did a lot of reading (library) and bought a Lee Loader, one pound of Bullseye, 100 CCI primers and some generic cast 158 gr RNFP bullets. Took about 5 years off in the late '70s early '80s and restarted "full bore" in '86. Now cast 15 different bullets and reload 6 rifle calibers and 9 handgun calibers...

 

[Houser52]

I started around 1976 with a single 45 ACP die Lee loader and used the Lee powder dippers. Later I upgraded to a RCBS Jr. I still have it and use it occasionally. Still works great.

 

[41 Mag]

Started out sitting on pop's knee sizing cases as a tot around '68. I got to put in and remove cases from the shell holder.

When I was 8 was loading cases myself with him looking intently over my shoulder and by 12, I was loading 12g shells as fast as I could shoot them.

I've been at it all these years and now have brought one of three grandsons into it and teachingthe other two. It is rewarding to know they will be able to feed the vintage rifles that will get passed along.

 

[gunmechanic]

I started helping my dad and uncles when i was 8 or 9.I was fascinated with the process and the tools ,plus you got to shoot afterwords.I started reloading on my own in 1990 after my uncle passed and my aunt gave me all my uncles equipment dies presses etc.I have been reloading on and off for years .I am currently going to build a proper reloading /gun room in my home for a permanent comfortable place for my hobby .

 

[tightgroup tiger]

I started loading for myself and Dad in 1972, full time. I was 12. So I'm in the 50 and older. Yikes!

 

[Roc_my_tims]

Since 2011

 

[35 Whelen]

I started loading when I was about 13 when I got on the 4-H trap shooting team. At the time my dad bought me a Texan single stage press, some primers, powder, wads, a bag of shot,(I scrounged hulls) and gave me one of those Hercules paperback manuals and said: "If you're going to shoot trap, you're going to have to load your own shells." It would take quite some time to load a case of shells for a trap meet! That was 46 years ago.

35W

 

[cornfused]

I started in 1972. Bought a RCBS JR. press, Ohaus scale, .270 dies and a Hodgdon manual. Read the manual front to back then bought powder, bullets, primers and got started, been loading ever since. Still have and use the press, scale, dies and manual. Now all my loading gear barley fit in a 12' by 16' room!!

 

[trekker73]

Over 20 years, but not continously. I left the shooting sports for a while, returned to it a few years ago.

 

[entropy]

I'll be 50 years sometime next summer. I can't remember exactly when, I was 9 at the time.....
Started with 12 ga., as my Dad had taken up Skeet shooting, and I wanted to help, even though I didn't shoot shotgun yet. 5 years later, I started loading .30-06, to develop an accurate deer round for the 742 Carbine I had just bought from my aunt. The year after that, I started loading .38 Spl.
Presses were a MEC 600jr. and an RCBS Jr. 3, both of which I still use.

 

[Hooda Thunkit]

Started in 1987-ish, long before Algore invented the internet. Nothing but a Lee hand press, Lee die set, and the single sheet of instructions that came with it.
Loaded up thousands of rounds on that hand press.

 

[King Medallion]

I started at 15, 1978. Bought a full lyman kit from Gander Mountain catalog. Still use alot of that old equipment. 45acp.

 

[CQB45ACP]

Started in September 2019 when Walmart stopped selling handgun ammo here in northern Virginia.

Had been interested for years prior, even bought the ABCs book from a long gone place in Annandale called the Reloading Bench.

Early in my career I was armed, shot for “qualifying” & practice, but did zero recreational shooting so didn’t even need ammo much less load it myself.

 

[drband]

9 years on a LCT.

Upgraded to a ABLP in September’22

 

[KandBA]

I started reloading 20 gauge on a MEC 600 with my father around 1970. Got away from shooting in my young adult years. Once my wife showed an interest in handguns, that renewed my enthusiasm! We handload 380, 9mm, 38 Special and 40s on an RCBS single stage. She laughs because I spend so much time in "Ammo Land".

 

[Blue68f100]

I started loading 20 ga in 1965-1966, when I was 12-13 yrs old. I did not get into metallic loading (rifle) till the early 70's. Since I had a break from loading in the 80's I selected 40+ yrs. It could have been 50+ depending on how you want to look at it.

 

[dgod]

I started in ‘85, loading 44Mag in a Dan Wesson. I sold it years later and have regretted it ever since.

Now I load 9 calibers, and enjoy every minute…

 

[38wcf]

I started reloading in 1950 when I was 13. My Dad told me that if I was going to keep shooting his old Colt DA 38 Spl, I would have to learn to reload.
Next after that came casting my own bullets. Here I am, 85 yrs old and still at it. Lucky, I guess.

 

[rdnktrkr]

I watched my uncles reload 30-06, 30 carbine, 38sp and 12ga while growing up in the 70s, they helped me with a 45-70 and black powder I have and around 2000 I picked it back up but now I load that 45-70 with a downloaded smokeless load and a BUNCH (according to my wife) of other calibers.

 

[Ru4real]

My Dad’s dad was a reloader. Started in the 1930’s. Early adopter 357 Mag. Loaded 30-30, 30-06, 357, 38.

My Dad is a reloader. Started in 1960’s. Early adopter Dan Wesson. Loads 38, 357, 25-06, 30-06, 308, 30-30.

I started mid 1990’s. Load 380 ACP, 38, 357, 10mm, 45 ACP, 45 Colt, 223, 30-30, 7mm Mag, 358 Win.

My son started in 2015. Loads 30-30.

One load has been handed down 4 generations. 30 grains of IMR3031 in 30-30.

 

[CQB45ACP]

My Dad’s dad was a reloader. Started in the 1930’s. Early adopter 357 Mag. Loaded 30-30, 30-06, 357, 38.

My Dad is a reloader. Started in 1960’s. Early adopter Dan Wesson. Loads 38, 357, 25-06, 30-06, 308, 30-30.

I started mid 1990’s. Load 380 ACP, 38, 357, 10mm, 45 ACP, 45 Colt, 223, 30-30, 7mm Mag, 358 Win

My son started in 2015. Loads 30-30.

One load has been handed down 4 generations. 30 grains of IMR3031 in 30-30.

That’s amazing! You should get a customer loyalty discount on primers and everything else for that matter.

On another thread a newish fellow asked if reloading was still worth it. I think this answers it perfectly.

 

[mavracer]

I'm not exactly sure but it's at least 40, dad n brother were reloading as far back as I remember and I started as a young teen.

 

[Bob Willman]

Started in 1964 with 30-30. Tried shot shells for a while. Started cast bullets 50 years ago. Did muzzle loaders. Never tried bullet swaging.

NRA Benefactor Golden Eagle