Handloading - How Many and How Long?

[Calvin45]

Started in 76 loading for my Ruger M-77V Bi-Centennial edition 220 Swift. Now loading for 18
calibers from 223 to 45-70, and 12,16,20ga, shotguns..........Love this stuff!!

That's my next loading adventure. I've never got into shotshell loading but wanna give it shot.

 

[Critter Picker]

That's my next loading adventure. I've never got into shotshell loading but wanna give it shot.

Pun intended?

 

[Calvin45]

Pun intended?

Oh yes. I'm a young (well I like to think it's young, 31) father of four children and this hobby lends itself to the most delightful puns. I will do what i must do!

"Give it a shot" and try something new.

"Bite the bullet" and pay for the things i actually want

"Pull the trigger" and decide to dive headlong into another experimental rabbit hole…

 

[mongo4567]

Started in 2020. 223, 357mag, 6.5 swede, 6.5 cm, 264 win mag, 7mag, 280, 9mm, 300blk, and 308 so far. I have a bunch of dies and new ones on the short list based on dwindling ammo supplies: 25-06, 260, 30-30, 45acp. I'm also going to try my hand at a progressive reloader.

 

[LRNut]

I started reloading in 1975 when I was 16 - 12 ga using a Lee LoadAll. Moved up to 7mmRM. Now load for .204 Ruger, .222, .223, .220 Swift, .243 Win, 6mm Hagar, 28 Nosler, .308 Win, .30-06, 300 SAUM, 300 RUM, .338 WM, .338 Lapua, .338 Edge, .375 H&H, .416 RM, .45-70, .357 Mag/.38 Spec, .44 RM/.44 Spec, .45 auto, and 454 Casull.

I no longer reload shotgun; I used to do so to save money, but I don't see where you save money anymore, and my time is more valuable than it once was.

 

[memtb]

Just a simple poll on the number of cartridges you currently load for, when you began, and what was the first cartridge/shell you began loading?

If you once did but no longer load for a specific cartridge/s, tell us why you stopped.

Currently, I load for 52 cartridges, and I began in 1973 with 12ga shells then moved up to 357/38 pistol and 30-06 rifle.

I answered 16-20 on your poll. Though, I do not actively load for all of these presently…..I do have the capability!

I guess that the "survivalist" in me requires that I have the ability to reload for cartridges that I don't actually use in a worst case scenario! I even have bullet molds to cast for everything I have, with the exception of the 0.224's! memtb

 

[quigley257]

LOL...
I know, I know... I'm a "conspiracy theorist". With all the new talk about regulating and tracking smokeless powder stored in homes, I'm certainly not going to make it easier for them to "find a reason" to come looking. I'm also the kind of guy that photoshops out the serial numbers in all my gun pictures just because it's nobodies business but my own.

 

[martyj]

started in the 1970s for fun and now I have to do it if I want to shoot due to factory ammo prices

 

[mongo4567]

View attachment 493883
LOL...
I know, I know... I'm a "conspiracy theorist". With all the new talk about regulating and tracking smokeless powder stored in homes, I'm certainly not going to make it easier for them to "find a reason" to come looking. I'm also the kind of guy that photoshops out the serial numbers in all my gun pictures just because it's nobodies business but my own.

With years of collectors licenses in the past and stacks of 4473s and form 4s I imagine the helicopters are already circling my house; they'll have no trouble finding it.

 

[Allen Kitts]

Started Handloading in the Early 80's with a Redding Press for a 308, progressed up the ladder to larger cartridges and different presses and in the early 90's started loading shotgun shells as well. I Currently load for 416 Rigby, 300PRC, 300 Win Mag, 7LRM, 280AI, 6.5PRC, 6.5 x 284, 6mm Rem, 257 Bee, 243 WSSM, 22-250, 223, 17 Hornet and 12GA. Shotgun.

 

[Turpentine21]

I started loading in 1985 loading 270 Winchester and 44 magnum with an old Pacific Press and RCBS dies.
Cartridges I load for today.
308
30-06
270 win
6.5-06 A Square
6.5 Grendel
223/5.56
45 acp
45 long colt
The only factory ammunition I use is cheap 7.62 x 39 for the AK.
I run 6 progressive shot shell loaders in 410, 20, and 12. I have a few single stage shotshell presses as well.

 

[J-B welder]

A friend and I loaded shotgun shells on our Lee Load-Alls for a couple years in high school back in the early 80s. Then an almost 40-year gap until 2021 when I started loading for the new .243 I bought. Now I load the following:

.243 Winchester
.30-06 Springfield
.308 Winchester
.35 Remington
.30-40 Krag

.357 Magnum
9 mm Luger
.44 Magnum

Looking to get a .41 Remington Magnun next and load for it, and then probably 7 mm Mauser.

 

[orange1948]

I started in 1964. Bought a used 270 Winchester Model 70 (1948 vintage). I used my 4-H money to buy the rifle, reloading equipment and supplies to load for the 270. Incidentally the rifle and I are the same age - 75.
Duane

 

[QuietTexan]

I started with 30-06. Then got into AIs, then benchrest chambers, then wildcats, and now I'm s as . My next adventure is rimfire reloading, that's going to be a trip. Started with 22LR from CE because it was easy to get started, but I want to get 17WSM going soon. Figuring out re-priming might be the chemistry experiment than gets me a visit from the FBI.

I know, I know... I'm a "conspiracy theorist"

Do you have any other thoughts that you would like to share?