How long you been reloading and What brand reloading gear?

[longwinters]

So what brand of reloading equipment are you using and how long have you been addicted to reloading? I have only gotten into reloading 2 years ago (for rifle only) and went with RCBS (love their Turret press).

Long

 

[JD338]

I use a RCBS press and dies, also have a few sets of Hornady dies.

I have been reloading for 30 years, right out of preschool!

Regards,

JD338

 

[Eagleye]

I started reloading in 1965, so I'm coming up on 40 years. How things have changed!! Back then I bought a "Bair" C press for $15.00, and new RCBS dies for $12.50. A pound of H4831 surplus powder [in a brown paper bag] was 95 cents. The price of bullets was ridiculously low [as were wages!!] Downside was the selection was also sparse. Nosler had the old style Partitions available, but we did not have a lot of choices, unlike today, with all the specialty bullets available. The same applies to powders. Nevertheless, we were able to assemble loads that suited our firearms, and we shot game with them, much to our delight. Today I have two presses set up on my reloading bench, a Bonanza [pre Forster] Co-Ax, and an older RCBS Rockchucker. I use an RCBS 10-10 scale and have two measures, RCBS and Lee. Also have an electronic scale used mostly for weighing brass and bullets. I have accumulated about 45 diesets over the years, and 35 of them are RCBS. I have been using Redding more lately, and a couple of Forster as well as CH-4D offerings are in the cabinet. I have some gadgets that I use regularly, others that I keep around simply because I need them once in a while. But most importantly, I still love spending time at the bench, and then at the range, testing and learning. The more I learn, the more I realize how little I really know!! One thing I would like to know, is how many rounds I have actually loaded over the past 4 decades.... :lol: Regards, Eagleye.

 

[DLJ]

Ive been at it off and on since '76 but most steady for the last 10 years.
I have a Redding press and a lot of Lee components. I like Redding dies.
Would like to upgrade my measure to either one of the new Lyman automated ones or a Herrels.....

 

[BigBlue]

I've been at for about 25 years. I started with .357 mag, and .45 ACP a Rockchucker press, and RCBS dies. In the past 15 years I've gotten into reloading rifles, and Lee dies.
Don

 

[squirrelsniper]

Right now I'm using an RCBS press and scale. As for dies, various tools, etc, I have a mix of just about everything, but RCBS and Lee make up the majority.

I've been loading for 7yrs.

A lot of people on the net are kind of surprised to find out that I'm just 23, so I haven't had time to be loading all that long :grin:. It was kind of funny that for the first couple years I couldn't even buy the loading supplies I needed without taking one of my parents with me :lol:

I have been an accuracy fanatic since I was a little kid, and of course I eventually wanted to get into reloading my own ammo. At the time I started, my father had been loading for around 20yrs, so he's the one that actually got me started. Now, he's pretty much lost interest in the aspect of sitting down and loading ammo (he just likes to shoot 'em :grin: ), so now I load some of his ammo too.

 

[JD338]

It was kind of funny that for the first couple years I couldn't even buy the loading supplies I needed without taking one of my parents with me :lol:


squirrelsniper,

Whats funny is that I was in a similar situation, I started loading when I was 15. I would ride my bicycle 5 miles to the gunshop. The owner started selling me powder and primers at that age after he spoke with my father.
I had a small business loading and selling 30-06 ammo for my friends at school. This even included two teachers. All deliveries were done at school. I made enough to cover the cost of my own shooting habits.
How times have changed!

Regards,

JD338

 

[Lou270]

I've been reloading for about 15 years. Still using my old RCBS RockChucker press. Most of my reloading gear is RCBS, but have been buying more Redding dies recently. Moved from an apartment to a house a couple of years ago, so with more room, my reloading has gotten more "serious" (and more expensive :grin: ). Been adding accessories from Sinclair, Stoney Point, etc... I could still get by with most of my original gear, but a couple of upgrades I wouldn't be without are digital calipers, a digital scale, and the stoney point OAL gauge. I have the original RCBS electronic dispenser and like it, but it's slow. May upgrade to a newer model or bite the bullet and buy a more accurate (i.e. high dollar) powder dispenser such as a Harrell that my high volume varmit shooting buddies love.

-Lou

 

[Ol` Joe]

I started learning from my father in the mid `60s, still use his old RCBS jr at times. I mostly load on a Co-Ax or Lyman Orange Crusher and have dies from all the major makers but mostly Forster BR. I don`t really have a favorite brand and the rest of my tools (scales, trimmers, ect) come from all sorts of manufactors although the majority are green.

 

[Tailgunner]

I started back in 73 on a used RCBS Jr setup. I'm still using everything I got back than, but have added a few peices to the setup (second press, trimmer, tumbler) I prefer RCBS dies, but I do have some LEE dies for pistol and low volume rifle.

 

[444marlin]

My first experience in reloading was reloading shotgun shells, I dont do that anymore. Now I reload for all of my deer rifles. I use RCBS Full Length Dies and Lee Full Length Dies. Lee is a better die because it is easier to adjust the bullet seating depth and is more consistant at seating. I use NOSLER bullets more than any other because they are better than any other brand, its as simple as that, next best would be sierra. I started reloading when I was 13 years old, I'm 18 now and when I get bored I just look for a used case and think of a load I wanna try I used to have a Remington M700 VS/Sendero in .220 Swift with a 6-18x42AO trashco scope on it that was my target rifle, I had more ammo loaded up for that gun than anything I'd ever seen. The best group I ever got with it was .371" but I have another group that looks smaller but I haven't took the caliper to it yet.

 

[Savage99]

I have been handloading since 1953. My first press was a Lyman Eze Loader which is an H type press. In the 60's I got a RCBS A2 and that's still my primary press although I now have an Rockchucker Supreme.

I got reloading instructions from Lysle Kilbourn who was the first person to make an improved chamber (K-Hornet). At the time Mr. Kilbourn was employed by Lymans.

 

[bcd]

I have only been handloading for about two years now, but I can remember as a kid in the late `70's and early `80's watching my dad load for some of his rifles and pistols. He always used rcbs rockchucker presses and rcbs dies, all of which he later sold.


In the early `90's he and I started loading 9mm and 45acp for speed pistol shooting using a dillon rl550 progressive press and all equipment was dillon from press all the way to tumbler and media sepperator, which he also sold.

Now he has got into skeet shooting and has 4 mec 9000g presses (12, 20, 28, and .410.)

And that is about the time that I regained my intrest in handloading, but I am learning that so much has changed trying to use some of his old recipies that I found in his garage, but I went back to the rcbs rockchucker with rcbs and lee dies frankford arsonal tumbler and caliper, rcbs 505 scales and powder measure and rickler. I have a coule items from stoney point and other places.

 

[RMiller]

I have been reloading over 15 years. I have mostly used RCBS dies and everything else is LEE. I have used a couple sets of REDDING dies.

 

[longwinters]

Boy! There is a lot of history here and no doubt a lot of knowledge. I will have to ask some more questions :lol:

Long

 

[FOTIS]

I have been reloading for 12 years and I yse Hornady presses and dies....along with me Lee collets.

 

[MOLDY]

I have been reloading for 7 years for myself. Before that I preped a lot of cases for Dad when I was littler (is that a word?). All of my equipement is RCBS, and I can't complain.

 

[Moose]

I've been a reloader for over 15 years, I use an RockChucker press and I prefer Redding dies.
I load for 6mmNorma BR, 7mmWSM, 300WSM, 358 Norma Magnum and 416 Rigby

 

[Gm weatherby man]

Wanted to see how things have changed if at all on the average bench, I my self mostly have lee dies, love them unless they been costom built for me, have ch4d , rcbs ,Reddin dies, not happy with the reddin pieces either. Bad luck or what , ?. But when said and done always have good ammunition . Load for about 12 differently cal. :wink: P.s. Been loading for twelve years. Still load with balance scale. And have way to much powder and still I want to see what the next one can offer , don't need it , just want to play.

 

[hardpan]

Been loading a long time, 15 years or so. Use Forster press, an RCBS press, Forster dies and lathe, RCBS station, electronic scale and dispenser, nosler bullets, IMR, Hogdon and Retumbo powder, 2 custom reloading tables with Corian tops,.... and i forget the Chrono maker.
Hardpan