An Anniversary

[Nick_C_S]

Looked at the calendar and realized today is June 4th. I loaded my first round on June 4th 1984 - 32 years ago today. (I'm really good remembering dates - have no idea why - I'm just wired that way, I guess.)

I remember that it was 38 Special; Speer 158 swaged lead round nose. I'm not 100% sure, but I believe it was with 4.0gn Bullseye. May have been Red Dot.

I remember my first powder purchase was a # each of Bullseye, Red Dot, Green Dot, Blue Dot, and Unique. All Hurcules powders in the tall cardboard (?) can with the weird pull-up top. Remember those?

Anyway, I'm curious how many of the "regulars" here in TFL would consider me just a whippersnapper at only 32 years. Who's got me beat? I wanna hear from you and how/why you got started loading.

 

[Chaz88]

I got you beat but by only five or six years. I remember the cardboard cans. I still have some of them. A couple still have powder in them. I have no logical reason why but I like them better than the plastic ones.

 

[g.willikers]

My reloading began due to the unaffordable prices of the ammo for my trusty sixguns, sometime around 1968.
The press was a used Lyman manual turret from the shop just down the street from where I worked.
It got plenty of use until buying a new progressive press in 1986 and someone in our club talked me out of it.
Shoulda' kept it.

 

[condor bravo]

I started sometime during 1952 at Edwards AFB Flight Test Center and at the time you could bring your guns onto the base and even keep them stashed in your car. Mine included a .270 Husqvarna, a 30-06 Model 70, a 1911 .45 acquired through DCM, and a Colt .38 revolver. A friend working in communications also had a .38 so reloading was the way to get things underway. For the .38s we acquired a Lyman orange press complete with 3/4" dies and the necessary scale, bullseye powder, and some cast bullets and probably the Lyman manual. Where to set up was the next question. The friend was working nights in the radio room so that seemed to be the available, but less than ideal, place to set up. We did just that and all went well except for a scare one night when the Captain in charge of the section came in and of course caught us in the act. But to our relief he seemed interested in what we were doing, didn't think we would blow the place up, and allowed us to continue. Back in the good old days I guess.

 

[GWS]

Happy reloading birthday, Nick!

Lets see, I started in the summer of 1973....My Reloading Birthday comes in August...will be number 43. I started with this:

For this:

 

[Nick_C_S]

Ahh, the summer of '73. I do remember it. It was a good summer. Turned 11 in August that year.

Neat story condor bravo. 1952 - geeze, that'll be tough to beat. I did not know Husqvarna made guns; learn something every day. I knew they made motocycles, and the more commonly known chain saws; but not guns. You acquired your 45 through the DCM? What's a DCM? Love the story about the captain catching you in the act. Those must have been 'the days' indeed. I'm thinking AFB's would be a lot better off if you could still bring guns onto them - but that's a whole 'nuther thread.

 

[condor bravo]

DCM--Division of Civilian Marksmanship program. Acquired 1911 .45, 03 Springfield, .30 carbine and 1917 Enfield all less than $20 each. As I recall, all came still in cosmoline. The Husqvarna is a very nice semi lightweight rifle utilizing a 98 Mauser action.

 

[BigJimP]

My grandpa started my reloading education in 1959..when I was 9 yrs old - because I was going to start hunting with him a little that fall......and i've been at it, off and on, now for the last 57 yrs....

He started me on shotshells in .410 and later on 20ga ...16ga...and 12ga....and we did some .30-30, .30-40 Krag, .30-06....and some .38 spl and .45acp...as yrs went on.

In those years it became part of the gun & hunting hobby for me.. ....hunting ammo mostly..../ now today I don't hunt much ...but I shoot clay targets ...and still do a lot of tactical handgun shooting ( and I reload 12ga, 20ga, 28ga and .410....and .380, 9mm, .40s&w , .45acp, .38 spl, .357 mag and .44 mag ).....and I essentially reload 100% of my 25,000 handgun rounds or so a year...and about 7,500 shotshells a year....

And today ...i'm happy to say i've taught my kids - and now many of the grandkids as well how to shoot & reload as well, in my shop.../ reloading to me, remains a big part of my hobby....with 4 progressive shotshells presses and one progressive for metallic.....permanently set up in my shop/ reloading room in my home.