How Did You Get Started Become Interested In Reloading

[Ernie Shipman]

I am 57. I started when I was 20 or 21. I got interested in shooting (mainly handguns, 38 & 357) and a friend at church got me hooked. I would go over to his house, visit with his family(he was @ 25-30 with a young family) & he would show me how to load. I loaded quite a bit on an RCBS Rockchucker for quite a few years. Then marriage & kids & I stopped for a long while. I started a gun shop 14 years ago & got re-interested. Now I mainly load 243, 30-06 & 375 H&H. Mostly so I can practice more off season. I fond it relaxing after a long day; a good time to unwind for a1/2 hour or so after supper...Plus, it's FUN!

 

[Newboomer]

I'm just getting into it. I used to shoot with a guy who reloaded for me but he's gone on to other things now. We had a deal where I furnished the components and he loaded. We'd go through 200+ rounds a session a couple times a week. Now I have all this brass laying around so I figured I might as well learn to stuff my own. What really got me thinking was when I started reading the threads here and planning my safari. Also, .375 fodder ain't cheap and I don't want to practice with the premium stuff. I can build some light rounds to do that and familiarize myself with my new .375.

I am also taking my .308 to Africa and am working up some good loads for PG. With both guns and good ammo, I should be prepared for most eventualities. In all, I have 9mm, 357, 38 spl, 41 mag, 44 spl, 44mag, 45acp, 45 colt, 30 carbine, 308, 375 and 12 guage to load for. I'm set up for 9mm, 45acp, 308 and 375 right now but undoubtedly more will follow.

Set up is costing me an arm and two legs but I think it will save me a bunch in the long run. Components are much cheaper and the selection is much better. I have the time and so far it's rather enjoyable to crank out a pretty brass cartridge and say that I did it myself the way I wanted to.

I have to either thank or blame you guys for getting me hooked on this. Anyway, thanks for all the suggestions, loads, tips and other good stuff.

 

[Shootist43]

I'm a competitive pistol shooter and go through more 45 ACP than anything else. I bought a Dillon 450 and then later upgraded it to a 550. That was over 30 years ago. I still use that same press for my recently acquired toys including one in 416 Rigby. I like this press because once I set up the "Tool Head" for any given caliber it is set for life. My equipment cost per round is fractions of a penny per round and getting cheaper all the time.

 

[Clayton]

Never considered the cost of it all. True the equipment cost does diminish with every round I load. But I've always just thought of it as the price for doing what I do. Just for hunting alone, factoring in the costs of clothing, guns, ammo, vehicles, license, fees, annual lease (or safari) and whatever other incidentals crop up makes the price per pound of that game animal quite high. Now the cost of reloading doesn't look so high. Not to me anyway.

 

[Newboomer]

That's the beauty of reloading. The more you shoot and reload, the cheaper it gets. Kind of like diminishing returns in reverse. But like anything, you always find some new gadget you just can't live without so maybe the margin is a little slimmer. A good part of it is the satisfaction of doing it yourself the way you want to.

 

[D.M.V]

That's the beauty of reloading. The more you shoot and reload, the cheaper it gets. Kind of like diminishing returns in reverse. But like anything, you always find some new gadget you just can't live without so maybe the margin is a little slimmer. A good part of it is the satisfaction of doing it yourself the way you want to.

After you start rolling your own. It's hard to buy commercial again. I saw your comments on the price of gear. I'd check craigslist or back page ect. i bought most of my equipment used and was pretty reasonable. i have a rcbs rock chucker kit, most everything rcbs. my brass trimmer is a Lyman a 200+$ trimmer i got for 60$ brand new still in the box. so just do a little looking around and be patient and you should be able to find what you need at player's price