What cartridge made you take the plunge into reloading?

[rp-]

7.7 Jap for a bring back from one of my uncles in 1975. Used a Lee hand loader with once fired Norma brass. Now have RCBS progressive and load for 11 calibers.

I just finished restoring a pair of old jap. rifles. I'm kinda partial to them myself. I've restored almost 30 of them now.

For me it was the 7mm TCU. From there it just took off and now I reload for 22 different rifle and pistol chamberings.

What is the 7mm tcu? I'm curious about it. Would you part with 1 round to add to my cartridge collection?

 

[OLDVET]

I started reloading back in '83 when I was shooting competitive skeet and trap. I started with a Pacific 366 in 12ga. Before long I had a 366 for all four of the standard shotgun gauges [12, 20, 28, and 410]. I then progressed into .45 ACP reloading. At the time I was shooting 300 to 500 .45 ACP rounds a weekend. A Dillion 550B handled that reloading. I now reload for every firearm I own. I even reload 7.62x54R for my Mosin Nagant.

Reloading does save you money, if you don't factor in your time. The problem is you just shoot more because your reloaded ammo is cheaper. I have a S&W M57 (no dash) in .41 mag. Factory ammo is $60 or more a box of 50. I buy my reloading components in bulk. My cost for a box of preloaded premium .41 Mag ammo is less than $10. You can do the math. At that rate you can pay for your reloading equipment in short order.

I have given up reloading for my 9mm firearms. If you shop around you can find decent bulk prices on 9mm. If I am only saving a couple of dollars per box, it doesn't seem to be worth the time and effort required for such a small bullet.
Some people play golf or do some other activity for relaxation. I enjoy sitting in my garage and cranking out my future supply of ammo. The rain this past weekend prevented me from going to the range. I sat in the garage and cranked out 500 .45 ACP bullets and 100 .308 Winchester rounds instead.

 

[craigntx]

10mm

 

[Legionnaire]

.44 and .357 mag. Both for savings and for playing across the power range.

 

[rp-]

Looking through some stuff and found some brass I've accumulated that I can't/won't use.

...... Lots of words.....


.... .257 Roberts, ....

I may have a handful of these laying around still. If you want them they're yours.

45 Colt prices. ...... Interestingly, thousands of reloads later, I still haven't loaded a single 45 Colt cartridge yet . I will one day...

Never too late to start! I have a handful each of 45 Colt and 454 casull brass. They're yours if you want them.

.... 7.7 Jap....

Just came across a few of these, too. Yours if you want them.





Also I believe I have some 270 I don't use to whoever wants it.

 

[robertc1024]

Starting on 6.5 Grendel. Only factory stuff so far. Need a die set. Had to stop by Cabelas on the way home to get some more Amax loads


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[Coop45]

25.06 in 1969. Scarce ammo.

 

[XinTX]

.357 Magnum for me. Ammo was on the pricey side, and I could load to what I wanted. Light loads for some range fun time, heavy loads for hunting or HD. Followed shortly by 45ACP. Best thing about reloading for a wheel gun is not having to chase your brass.

 

[LEP]

7.65 Argentine. Now I'm up to over 20 rifle cartridges I load for.

 

[Maverick44]

7.62x38mmR. I have a lot of odd military calibers, so reloading is pretty much a necessity for me.

 

[rp-]

I just posted a ton of brass over a m the trader incasr you guys are interested. Lots of odd stuff there.

 

[BennyS]

.308

 

[SPDGG]

.308Win

 

[Hfrog355]

44 Magnum is what got me started. Just did my first batch of 357 a month or so ago.

I like reloading the wheelgun calibers because I don't have to police brass. Of the semi-autos, I shoot probably 70% 9mm and I don't think the economics are there for reloading. The rest is 45 ACP and I'll just take the hit on that one.

 

[Shoot&Reload]

Started with 9mm luger because I wanted to shoot volumes by casting my own heads with wheel weights from local tire shops. UNTIL they changed to steel wheel weights. Then I started buying in bulk and realizing that casting bullets didn't gain me much $$$ for my efforts. What I gained from it was A LOT of reloading knowledge from the inherently sensitive characteristics of shooting lead through auto loading pistols. (resizing, lubing, sizing brass particularly for cast loads, NOT reducing loads under recommended charge weight, what bullet head types are best for accuracy... etc.)

Now I'm familiar with loading .308 win, 30-06, .223, 45 colt, 45 ACP, 40 s&w, and of course 9mm luger

 

[DubiousDan]

Many, many years ago a friend was going to take me to shoot a handgun for the first time. I met him at his house as arranged and he was in the process of reloading some 38 special cartridges we were going to shoot. He didn't even have a powder measure, he was using a Lee powder scoop. Anyway, I thought the process was pretty cool and when he told me how cheap it was (about $1.50 for 50 38s at the time) I decided that I would start reloading when I bought my first revolver.

 

[Shoot&Reload]

Many, many years ago a friend was going to take me to shoot a handgun for the first time. I met him at his house as arranged and he was in the process of reloading some 38 special cartridges we were going to shoot. He didn't even have a powder measure, he was using a Lee powder scoop. Anyway, I thought the process was pretty cool and when he told me how cheap it was (about $1.50 for 50 38s at the time) I decided that I would start reloading when I bought my first revolver.

Wow, I thought a $3.00 materials cost for a box of 50 9mm was cheap. I swear I was born in the wrong era

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[dbgun]

.243 WSSM

 

[Mastiff]

I'm new to the forum and moved to Texas about 3 years ago. I got interested in reloading more for the hobby part of it (not so much to save money), but the 9MM and 45ACP were my starters on a Dillon 650XL.

 

[DubiousDan]

Wow, I thought a $3.00 materials cost for a box of 50 9mm was cheap. I swear I was born in the wrong era

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Primers were a penny a piece, cast bullets were $10/500 and a pound of Bullseye was $10.

So for 50 38 Specials it would be:

Primers $0.50
Bullets $1.00
Powder $0.22 (using 2.8-3grains per load you can get about 2000 rounds per pound)
= $1.72

Jacketed hollow points from Speer or Hornady ran $8-$12/100.