What was the first chambering you reloaded?

[joed49]

For me it was the .25-06 Remington and my first centerfire rifle. Didn't even have a press, used a Lee Loader and friends' scale. That little tool built a lot of ammo.

And 34 years later I still have that tool and my original rifle. It now has a new barrel and I no longer use the Lee Loader instead using an RCBS Rock Chucker.

How many of you still have the original firearm and press?

 

[1Shot]

30-06 with a Lee hammer the case in the die deal 31 years ago.

 

[C.Smith]

First one I loaded for was .270 win, with Nosler 140 BTs with IMR 7828 I believe.

Corey

 

[2ndtimer]

.38 special with my buddy after we graduated from college. Very exciting to graduate from our .22 rimfire revolvers (both el cheapos of dubious origin) to centerfire revolvers. His was nice, mine not so much. At least not back then.
Later, after acquiring a much better quality revlover (Ruger 6" stainless Security Six .357) I also bought my first centerfire rifle, a Winchester Model 70 Westerner in .243 Winchester. Bought the dies at the same time, so we could load for that, too. My buddy was already loading for his .270 Win Ruger Model 77. I was planning to buy one like his, but in 6mm Rem, but on our trip into the White Elephant in Spokane, they had the Model 70 Westerner with a cheap 4x Weaver Marksman scope mounted for $199 in several calibers. Since I thought the .270 Win kicked some, and I was more interested in shooting varmints, I went for the .243. The Westerner was their blind magazine economy model at the time, but I was ecstatic to own my first deer/varmint rifle. It really blew up ground squirrels with the 80 gr Remington HP's, as well as the Nosler 70 gr HP's.

 

[SJB358]

Do you still have your M70 Westerner? Scotty

 

[2ndtimer]

Do you still have your M70 Westerner? Scotty

No, in time I shot the barrel out and sold the action to another buddy who used it as the basis of his custom single shot 22-250 Ackley Improved. It is one sweet shooter with 24" stainless Schneider barell, McMillan stock and Leupold 6.5-20X scope. I think I bought it in like 1979 or so.

 

[SJB358]

Ah, I guess it was worth a shot. Those were some cool rifles back in the day. Scotty

 

[BK]

How many of you still have the original firearm and press?

Yes, but the Lee Loader is in a storage unit some where. Springfield is in my safe at my parent's house.

Since others have mentioned it, I guess the first shell I reloaded was a 1-1/8 oz load from a MEC 600JR., for my 870 Express.

 

[spires5d]

My first was a 7mmMauser with a RCBS Junior press which I use both today.




7mm's Forever and a 30 cal. will "Slam Dunk Um"

 

[barthowes]

I started with 20ga on a lee reload-all. Bird and rabbit hun'tn here in Vermont I go thru alot of shells in a season. After I cut my teeth I tried my 30-06, now geting 1/2 MOA and I'm hooked on reloading like it was crack. :lol: Gonna get some more dies as I own a 30-30 336w, 44mag 7 5/8" S&W w/ scope, 9mm Taururs, and a mossberg 20ga slug gun. Trading in the mossberg for a savage 220 bolt slug gun this month. Once POP introduced me to savage I gotta have more of em. They just shoot so great anmd ya can't beat the price's.

 

[6mm Remington]

6mm Remington (duh) when I was about 13 years old my dad turned me loose, with careful supervision! :shock: It snowballed from there. 30-06, 25-06, 280 Remington, buddies 270, 325WSM, another's 300 WSM. I'm addicted! Please help! :mrgreen:

 

[Guy Miner]

Somewhere around 1961 or so I was "helping" Grandpa and Dad load for their rifles. Dad had a .30-06, and Grandpa was terrorizing the local ground squirrels, coyotes and deer with a .257 Wby mag, which was pretty radical for the time, and an impressive cartridge even now.

One of those was the first I was loading... Dunno which one. I grew up loading for both of them until Grandpa passed away and the .257 went into semi-retirement for a long time.

Guy

 

[cloverleaf]

Well if I used all my weight I could run the ram on the old Herters press when Dad was reloading for the 7mm Mag. I couldnt have been much more than 10. Dad finally bought a case trimmer a few years back. Couple years ago he had to buy a new set of dies afer I got him some bad cases. Aside from that its all the original Herters stuff he bought back in '64. CL

By the way Guy, how is that 257 WBY face lift coming?

 

[C.Smith]

.38 special with my buddy after we graduated from college. Very exciting to graduate from our .22 rimfire revolvers (both el cheapos of dubious origin) to centerfire revolvers. His was nice, mine not so much. At least not back then.
Later, after acquiring a much better quality revlover (Ruger 6" stainless Security Six .357) I also bought my first centerfire rifle, a Winchester Model 70 Westerner in .243 Winchester. Bought the dies at the same time, so we could load for that, too. My buddy was already loading for his .270 Win Ruger Model 77. I was planning to buy one like his, but in 6mm Rem, but on our trip into the White Elephant in Spokane, they had the Model 70 Westerner with a cheap 4x Weaver Marksman scope mounted for $199 in several calibers. Since I thought the .270 Win kicked some, and I was more interested in shooting varmints, I went for the .243. The Westerner was their blind magazine economy model at the time, but I was ecstatic to own my first deer/varmint rifle. It really blew up ground squirrels with the 80 gr Remington HP's, as well as the Nosler 70 gr HP's.

Ah, you gotta love the White Elephant. That is one storey I miss since moving to the Tri-Cities from Spokane. Great store.

Corey

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

I helped my uncle reload some of his 300 Win Mag, and he taught me the basics when I was 12. After that, he dumped me a 100 cases and said here ya go...

Shortly after, I finally got to work with my own 7 Mag! Still remember using 160g Sierra Game Kings and IMR4831.

Dang that was long time ago, half my life already, lol.

 

[BK]

Well if I used all my weight I could run the ram on the old Herters press when Dad was reloading for the 7mm Mag. I couldnt have been much more than 10. Dad finally bought a case trimmer a few years back. Couple years ago he had to buy a new set of dies afer I got him some bad cases. Aside from that its all the original Herters stuff he bought back in '64. CL

By the way Guy, how is that 257 WBY face lift coming?

CL, my cousin bought a bunch of Herters stuff a while ago, including a press. That thing is mammoth! Absolutely dwarfs my RC.

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

When I was born I had a primer pocket cleaner in one hand, and a sizing die in the other. I think the die was for a .41 Magnum.

 

[cloverleaf]

BK-
Im sure if you could get them to fit a Herters press would reload 50 BMG. You can find those old Herters presses on E-bay pretty cheap, the shipping will Kill you..... and the UPS guy. :lol: CL

 

[boomer68]

I think it was a .222 Remington in an old BSA CF2 varminter on a Lee Challenger 2001 :lol:

 

[tecumseh]

22-250