Remembering first reload shot

[Neutron]

I know some of you have been reloading a long time. Do you remember that first time you pulled the trigger on your first reloaded cartridge? I do, and it's probably the main reason I still reload. My neighbor gave me a single stage press and everything I needed to load 30-30. Bullets, powder, primers, dies, etc. It sat in my basement for quite a while until I decided to give it a try. After reading up on the process I loaded up a few rounds with the Hornady bullets and IMR 3031 powder. The next range trip I took the Marlin 336 and my reloads. I was half expecting them not to work. The powder and primers were over 30 years old, but from what I had read were safe to load and shoot and would be fine. First trigger pull and it went bang! Not only that but it was an accurate shot! My reloads were as good as if not better than the factory ammo I had been using. I think that hooked me on reloading. Of course that first experience led to other calibers, new press, dies and all the rest. Anyway, I've enjoyed the hobby for a number of years now and learned a lot along the way, including information from a lot of you on this forum. I'll bet some of you got that same rush when your first reload cartridge went bang.

 

[Lafayette]

I only got into reloading about 2 years ago (yes, worst possible time. I’m still trying to find components that don’t cost an arm and a leg, lol)

I remember being so frightened at first. I read so many manuals, followed so many posts, and watched so many YouTube tutorials… Loading my first cartridges I triple measured, triple weighed, and inspected COL’s until my eyes crossed.

First time I pulled the trigger on a 223 reload I half-expected my rifle to explode, to lose my hands, and to be blinded for life. When it anticlimactically went *bang* with no fuss and no muss I was ecstatic and hooked!

I still have the first cartridge to ever come off my press; I’m thinking of framing it. (With a little hammer chained to it and a “break glass in case of emergency” label!)

 

[pre64hunter]

LOL, over 50 years ago! Yes I remember, it was like yesterday. A Lee loader in 12ga.
I bought for $5 from a cousin. Searched the yellow pages for a sporting good store that sold reloading supplies. A little bait shop in Edgemere had a few things, I bought a can of Red Dot, some 1-1/4 oz. wads and 100 primers, bag of shot, I was set for life! I didn't have any written instructions and didn't know anybody who new anything. A scoop of powder is a scoop of powder, right? I didn't know different powders weighed different. The scoop in the Lee loader was about 23 grains of Red Dot! My new Mossberg bolt action, closed my eyes and bang. No problems and I was hooked for life.
Shortly there after I found Ponento's, Tom, on Loch Raven Blvd. and Baldwin's on Harford RD, Mr. George, Valley Gun was on York Rd. then moved to Harford and Taylor. I bought a Lee Loader paperback manual for $1 and a set of scoops for $4.95 and never looked back. Yup, lots of memories.

 

[Trigger Time]

I did my first reloads, 30-30 , with the Lee Classic loader. I liked it so much I went and got a press the next day.
They are still available in a variety of calibers. Rather primitive, but they do work well.

https://www.brownells.com/reloading...&utm_term=16761280181930926286110080302008005

 

[85MikeTPI]

I was "given" a Dirty Harry 44mag when I was 10yo, and the factory 240g loads just rocked my world. Dad bought me a lee loader, a box of new brass, 200gr bullets, powder and primers and I loaded my own (44 special spec) rounds and shot them into Sears Catalogs .. I still have a dozen of them in the orig Rem brass box..

 

[trickg]

I don't think I remember shooting my first reload, and probably because I grew up with a reloader, so shooting reloads was nothing new - it was just a matter-of-fact thing.

The first thing I reloaded was 45 ACP - 5.0 gr Bullseye under a 200 gr lead semi-wadcutter.

I reloaded with a Lee Challenger press kit at that point - I didn't have any of my Dad's reloading stuff, and unfortunately, I never got any of his reloading stuff. Unfortunate because there was so much there. He ran a business for a while reloading for other people, so he had dies for guns he didn't even own.

In any case, I think he'd be proud of the fact that I did it all under my own steam, and my reloading setup, while modest compared to some, is fairly robust with a Dillon 550 as my centerpiece.

 

[Doctor_M]

I believe my mantra was, "don'tblowupdon'tblowupdon'tblowupdon'tblowup...."

 

[4g64loser]

TBH I don't remember what the first thing I reloaded was. I'd guess probably 9 or 45. Either way, the rounds went out of a submachine gun. Not memorable. I started reloading with a guy I worked for (07sot).

Handloading, slightly different objectives, I started with 22-250. I was cranking out 40gr varmint loads because the factory stuff didn't shoot as well. I don't have specific memory of shooting my first test loads but it was nothing special as I was already prepping and loading large volumes of pistol ammo. I just was manually trickling powder for the rifle ammo and using a single stage instead of a Dillon.

 

[Uncle Duke]

I believe my mantra was, "don'tblowupdon'tblowupdon'tblowupdon'tblowup...."

Mine as well. What I wanted between myself and my first reload was a tree.

 

[lazarus]

Sure. It was some 38spc reloaded on a friend and neighbor's star press. Went bang. It was enjoyable. I loaded up some of my own 38spc not long afterward on my Lyman T-mag press. It went bang, but didn't fit in my Colt very well and figured out the chambers were a little tight and a lee FCD fixed that. Then it slipped into the chambers and went bang, rather than needing to press them into the chambers. I don't really remember what I reloaded after that. Probably 45acp. I was nervous at first. Not so much anymore. I still work pretty carefully and ensure I don't skip steps to verify and if I am ever in doubt on something, I pull apart the round and usually I pull apart the round and go walk away for awhile because I've gotten too tired, or zoned out too much loading and I'll just make more mistakes (most of the time I pull something apart, there was no mistake made, but just like construction if you start making mistakes, stop).

 

[trickg]

I believe my mantra was, "don'tblowupdon'tblowupdon'tblowupdon'tblowup...."

I think that for anyone being the least bit careful, you'd almost have to try to screw it up, although there are some exceptions. I find Titegroup to be a very dense powder - it's completely feasible to accidentally double and maybe even triple charge a 45 Auto case with Titegroup, so I'm pretty careful when I'm using it.

Otherwise, I tend to load in the middle of a particular powder's range so I have some latitude both up and down so if a powder throw if off by a tenth or two of a grain, it's not a big deal.

 

[Rockzilla]

does pulling the handle on 12ga press long ago? paper federal hulls
oh..that smell.. 38 spec I do believe 148 gr. WC.

-Rock

 

[Harrys]

Yep, it was 1976 at Curtis Bay MD, I was in the USCG stationed at the Group. The was an indoor range in the basement of Building 70. A Gunners mate had his office in the basement and taught me how to reload 45 APC. Have been reloading ever since.

 

[Blacksmith101]

Don't rember the first time I pulled the trigger on one of my reloads it would have been 40 or 50 years ago. But what I do remember was I was reloading .222 Remington with a classic Lee Loader and it would have been within the first few boxes I used them in a club match with Monumental at AGC and I won the match with ammo I made! That was a rush and I have been hooked ever since. I still have that Lee Loader and I have bought Lee Loaders for every caliber available for what I shoot, I reload with a press and dies, but have lee loaders on the shelf just in case because with a Lee Loader and a hammer I can make something that will go bang just about anywhere.

 

[emerald]

I can't say I remember what my first reload was. Either 9mm or .38 special. Either way, I was immediately hooked. I used a basic Lee single stage press for quite awhile, and then I visited a friend who had a Hornady AP Progressive press. That was it. Bought one. I've been happily using it for over 10 years now.

 

[Triggerfinger]

I was "given" a Dirty Harry 44mag when I was 10yo, and the factory 240g loads just rocked my world. Dad bought me a lee loader, a box of new brass, 200gr bullets, powder and primers and I loaded my own (44 special spec) rounds and shot them into Sears Catalogs .. I still have a dozen of them in the orig Rem brass box..

Yep, my first reloaded shot was with a Ruger Super Blackhawk 44 mag. I had taught myself reloading and on that first shot I looked away when I pulled the trigger hoping the gun wouldn't explode.

 

[steves1911]

It's been 11 years since I fired my first. It was a 308 loaded with imr 4064 and a 168 amax loaded on a Lee single stage and fired through a rem 700. Pretty sure I closed my eyes as I touched it off.

 

[dbledoc]

Mine was in 1989. Just turned 21 and purchased my first Glock. I was shooting 500-1000 rounds a week at a local range. Looking for ammo I walked into a gun store in Roanoke, Va and saw a Lee progressive press on the shelf. Had no idea what it was or what it was used for. Left with the press, dies, scale, tumbler, CCI primers, Unique powder, a reloading manual and 115 gr bullets. It has been a stop and go obsession (legal addiction) ever since.

 

[Sticky]

Rockchucker, loading 25-06 for accuracy since factory ammo was only so-so. Then moved on to 357 loads to feed my Dan Wesson. Still have that pistol (and the Rem 700) and it is a shooter! That was about 40yrs ago. We also had a MEC to load dove ammo as we shot a ton of that back then and my B80 didn't like light loads, had to load them up to 1 1/4 oz to get good function out of it.. man a load of 9's would smother a dove! lol

Still shoot that B80, the only shotgun I have ever owned, but I did upgrade the action spring and tube so it will handle anything now.

 

[BFMIN]

Yep, back when dinosaurs ruled the Earth some time in 1968.
In England.
Oh the joys of accounting for spent primers to allow you to buy more. Presenting the mangled scrap from the German "claw" Berdan de-priming tool helped.
Neck sized some .303 Brit (what else) with a Tong tool.
By round #5 I wasn't ever so gently tapping the primer seater 4 or 5 times to get it all the way in.
5 was all I loaded because I wanted to see how my ammo grouped.