Very Satisfying

[Yellowtail]

Well Just getting into reloading, and cant tell you how satisfying it was to fire of my first rounds. But I guess you all would already know.

Starting off with 38/357 for fun. Will be doing 45acp for a little bullseye shooting.

They say single stage gets old fast, but I think it is great for beginners, really makes me focus on each step during the learning process.

 

[c.r.]

yellowtail,

I have only been loading for ~10 months.........I aggree with you 100%, I find if very rewarding to have a finished product in hand at the end of the day. And then shooting good groups on paper with it. Lot's of fun.

IMO....If you want to add one more bit of fun/reward........try to get your hands on a chronagraph so that you can see what that bullet is traveling at. I get a kick out of the numbers.

Good luck,
c.r.

 

[contender]

I still enjoy it after 30 years of reloading,,,,! Welcome to the fun!

 

[gregs45auto]

I still use a single stage for reloading!! I go thru and do everything except powder-bullet. Put in plastic until needed. Then finish. Not as slow as you think and I can be sure of the powder charge in each. But thats me. BESIDES I'm CHEAP!! greg

 

[Landric]

There is always a use for a single stage. I started handloading in 1994 with a Rockchucker and I haven't been without one since. I have two single stages in addition to a turret and a progressive, and I use them all for different tasks.

I enjoy handloading as much as shooting, and shooting my own ammunition is very satisfying. Having 3000+ rounds of .38 Special in ammo cans when folks are talking about not being able to find .38 range ammo is also very satisfying.

 

[the fatman]

Welcome. I have a dillon and I still do some things seperately. I size and prime. Then expand and powder. Eye the powder then finish from there.

 

[Rclark]

Welcome to the world of reloading! I started back in the late 70's when my dad and I got a Hornady single stage press. It is same one I use today. Have felt no need to go to 'more rounds per hour' . Resize and expand on press, hand prime with RCBS hand primer, and finish off back on the press. A way for me to 'relax' and put my mind on 'something' else for a few minutes .

 

[volshooter]

Rclark we must be kindered spirits. I too started reloading about 75.
I started reloading to get better ammo.
(even back then I knew I could increase the performance of the 30-30 with chambered loaded pointed rounds. As well I loaded .38 with HBWC backwards and with 2 #000 Buck pellets.)
I still use single stage.
I find reloading very relaxing.
Other than .223, 12ga 00buck, 12ga #7 and .22LR I have no factory ammo. I cannot load these rounds cheaper than buying.

 

[glockmutt]

Got my RCBS Rockchucker back in 1976, currently has a Piggy-Back II mounted on it and still going strong.

 

[Rifleman]

I love to spend some time loading up ammo in the basement. I have a nice Dillon Square Deal, but seldom use it. I like working with a single stage press to load either handgun or rifle ammo. That process just suits my personality better.

 

[BowenBuilt]

When I started reloading it was with a loading set that didn't include a press. You had to hammer everything into place with a wooden or fiber hammer. I will never forget the scolding I received from my Mother when trying to hammer a primer into a .38 special case and the primer went off at the kitchen table. My Great Grandfather had given me an old model Smith & Wesson .38 special and the loading set for my 10th birthday after I took an interest in shooting with him on the weekends.
After she was through waving her finger at me for scaring the crap out of her she sat down to watch the operation. After about 30 minutes she asked me if there was not a better way. I told her if I only had a reloading press she would not have to listen to me hammering away until bedtime every night. She told me that she didn't have the money to buy a press but she would help me obtain one as soon as she could. She sat down that night and wrote a letter to a prominent gun writer she found in one of my gun magazines explaining to him that we were very poor and could not afford to buy unimportant things like reloading equipment. She asked him if he knew anyone who had a used press and dies that they could sell her on time payments.
About 3 weeks later an old Lachmiller press and a set of well used Lyman dies showed up at the post office, a week later an old Redding powder measure and a set of powder scales showed up.
That was in September of 1968, I recieved all of this in December of that year for Christmas. I could not get my breath for 10 minutes after opening the gifts, I could not believe the lengths that my Mom had gone through to make it the best Christmas ever for a 10 year old kid.
She told me how she managed to obtain all that stuff about 10 years ago. I had always wondered how she manged to buy all that stuff realizing our financial condition at the time.
She could not remember who the gun writer was who helped us way back then or the magazine that she found his name and address in. I am sure that he has probably passed on by now but I remember him and that great Christmas eveytime I sit at my loading bench now.

 

[glockmutt]

Cool story! Banged many a round out of my Lee Loaders with a mallet back in the day. Popped a primer or two myself....LOL!

 

[Tommy Kelly]

I started reloading in 1968 on a rockchucker press and am still using the same press I started on. I got a new one about 4 years later but gave it to my son and kept the older one. I use a old powder measure and set it low and trickle every load up to the line on my 510 scale.I then look into every hull after putting the powder in. I like the old slow way and get some great accuracy out of my reloads they are as perfect as I can make them and it shows at the range or in the field. I see no need in changing.

 

[Yellowtail]

Yeah, I got a good buddy. Let me borrow everything except components and dies. Little instruction and wound me up and let me go.
Spend most every night dinking in the garage for a couple hours, very relaxing as well.

 

[bisleyfan41]

Awesome story BB!!