What got you started??

[Vaquero]

What got you started in the reloading game?
I had been interested for a while but wasn't sure it was something I could do.
After purchasing a .41 mag. BH and finding that ammo was hard to find and much more expensive than anything else I was shooting.
Liking it a lot and discouraged by the ammo situation, I decided to bite the bullet, so the 41 was my starting cal. and for the first 3 years or so I added a few other pistol calibers, before I finally bought the first rifle die set.
Now, I load for every cf cartridge I own, be it rifle or pistol.
So what got you started?

RP

[Hatchdog]

In the early 80’s I started shooting handgun silhouette and found both the volume of ammo needed plus the need for accuracy got me started reloading. I was working for a sporting goods distributor at the time and in our warehouse we had a press set up. So I self taught myself how to reload using that press. Enjoyed it so much I bought a set up for home and then started loading my hunting ammo too. I had a buddy who had a shotshell press and I got some time in on that too.

[BigAl52]

I had a Music teacher in Elementary school who moved into our neighborhood after I left elementary school. I became friends with his middle son. His older brother had very bad hearing and wore one of those old style hearing devices around his neck. The dad and sons hunted somewhat and had some land in Eastern Washington. Oldest boys name was Roy. I still remember riding around with Roy in his first car. It was 51 Nash Ambassador. Reminded me of an upside down bathtub. He bought a 243 and bought all the stuff to reload for it. The dad and middle son Ron along with myself all learned how to reload from his experience with this 243. I myself started with a Lee Handloader kit for 357. From there Ive expanded to loading what I load for now which is every caliber I own and then some. Been reloading since before I was old enough to buy my first gun.

[CT_Shooter]

Before he passed away, my Father-in-law gave me my first firearms; a Colt 38 special Official Police revolver that he got from a retired policeman, a 1908 25 acp Pocket Semi-auto pistol that belonged to his father, and a Sears/Savage Ranger Bolt Action Single Shot 22LR that he bought new as a teenager. At the time, I didn't have a permit so the handguns and the bolt from the rifle went into my safe deposit box at the bank and the rifle itself went into the back of a clothes closet.

In the Fall of 2013, I decided to get a pistol permit (I was 62 at the time). I took the required NRA pistol course and got the permit in December, 2013. The first firearm that I purchased was a Henry Classic 22, which was followed by a Henry 357 BBB. I chose it as a companion for the Colt OP revolver.

In 2012, a new President of the US was elected and I'm sure everyone remembers the panic buying that followed. Faced with bare ammunition shelves everywhere, reloading 38/357 calibers made a lot of sense.

I bought a Lee Challenger Reloading Kit, a four carbide die set and everything else I'd need from Amazon in October, 2014.

With the help of Hornady's ninth edition and several YouTube videos, I learned to reload. I'm so glad I did. It's almost as much fun as shooting and I'm not concerned about bare shelves and high prices at the LGS. I have enough brass, bullets, powder, and primers to last until I meet my Father-in-Law again on the other side.

[Headhog]

Necessity. I loved shooting and actively participating in pistol competitions, so with a young family factory ammo was too costly. Saved my pennies a bought an RCBS jr press. Still have and use that press 47 years latter. Added a few more presses since, but always rely on that press my rifle loads.

Paul

[Vaquero]

With the help of Hornady's ninth edition and several YouTube videos, I learned to reload. I'm so glad I did. It's almost as much fun as shooting and I'm not concerned about bare shelves and high prices at the LGS.

I really enjoy it myself, I've told a few people that,
I wasn't sure if, I shot to reload more, or reloaded to shoot more ...

RP

[Mags]

Looming ammo shortage. Saw it coming.

[5shot]

After an ugly divorce in 1977 I ended up in a small apartment with not much money and a few pieces of junk furniture. I bought an RCBS Rockchucker, a Redding Model 1 balance beam scale, a Speer manual and a few other basics. I drilled holes in the kitchen table and mounted the loading press. When my soon to be new wife first walked into the apartment and saw the RCBS bolted to the kitchen table she didn't make nothing of it. I knew right then and there she was the one!

[BrokenolMarine]

I first started reloaded because like Al Bundy, I was married, with children. I bought a single stage press, 38 dies, and a pound of powder. I would buy one box of 100 bullets, a box of primers, and load 100 rounds, shoot them 25 at a time.

Later, I could buy bullets and primers in bulk, but still loaded 100 at a time. It wasn't until I left the Corps and went into LE and started shooting PPC that I moved up to the progressive press. I could write off the matches, the reloading, and supplies as professional development. I was a department firearms instructor by then AND working midnight patrol.

[fortyshooter]

45 Colt got me into loading since you could not find great shooting loads and cheaper in the long run. Now I load most all I shoot.