How long did it take you? - Page 2

jepp2 · July 12, 2012, 08:41 PM

I started shooting at age 4 and began reloading shotshells at age 12. I began loading for metallic cartridges around age 14. Been loading for 50 years now, wow how time flies.

So to directly answer your question I guess it took me 8 years. But I admit to being more interested in unloading them during many years.

warningshot · July 13, 2012, 02:16 AM

Six weeks, give or take a few days.

sob (sweet ole bill) · July 13, 2012, 03:42 AM

First, reloads were 12g as a junior in high school. Lost count of how many, but still plugging cases.
Started shooting .22 with Dad at age 8.
OMG !! Been reloading 50+ years, HEP ME, I'm OLD.

oldpapps · July 13, 2012, 09:18 AM

Had to be 8 plus years.
My dad bought me a Rem 700 in .222 and a C&H offset 'O' press for my 12 birthday.
When I was little I knew I was a 'big boy' when I got to dispatch the hogs with a .22 (I still have it). My grandmother normally did this as my dad, uncle and grandfather were working the hogs in. So I was shooting hogs (had to be in a certain spot a the rear of the skull or too much 'head meat' would be 'ruint') the fall after I turned 4 in August.
But that was a different world and better in so many ways.

Enjoy,

OSOK

FrankenMauser · July 13, 2012, 06:22 PM

I started shooting when I was about 4 years old.

As soon as I was tall enough and strong enough to work a reloading press handle, I had to help with reloading. With 4 boys, our dad's AR (Colt SP1) saw a lot of use. Keeping up with the demand warranted a lot of time at the reloading press. I think the first time I was enlisted for the job was when I was about 6 years old, charging cases and seating bullets for .223 Rem, of course.

So, for me, it's nearly a "What came first? The Chicken or the Egg?" kind of situation.

I know most people probably raised an eyebrow when they saw "6 years old". But, I must say... our father absolutely drilled safety checks and precision into our heads. Not once in the entire time we kids were reloading, did one of us load a squib, load an over-charge/double-charge, miss a primer, seat a primer sideways, or crush a case ... for any cartridge. And, we reloaded everything from 9mm to .44 Rem Mag, from .223 Rem to .375 H&H.

CrustyFN · July 13, 2012, 06:58 PM

I started reloading one month after I started shooting. I also have many guns that have never seen factory ammo.

Peter M. Eick · July 13, 2012, 07:47 PM

I started reloading about 20 minutes after I bought my first gun. I bought 100 rounds of commercial reloads and a lee classic die set, a rubber mallet, some powder, bullets and primers. Once I fired the first 50, I started making them 6 at a time till I got tired from all the whacking.

The high percentage of my guns have never seen a factory round. All of them are my reloads.

dwhite · July 15, 2012, 09:03 AM

One week.

Bought a .30-06 from an acquaintance. He threw in a box of bullets, a half pound of IMR-3031, box of large rifle primers, and a whack-a-mole Lee Loader. Couldn't wait to experiment. Had good results. Can't stop.

All the Best,
D. White

Ethan.G · July 15, 2012, 11:27 AM

2 years, started shooting in 2007 (i was 16) started loading in 2009 because 30/06 was just too expensive to buy. also it made it easier to shoot my buddys dads 38spl, didnt have to ask his dad to buy us ammo every other week hahahaha

mohr308 · July 15, 2012, 11:38 AM

took me 11 years, then once I started reloading I said to myself "why didn't i do this years ago"

Waldog · July 15, 2012, 12:40 PM

I guess I'm odd man out. I started shooting when I was about 7. My Dad had me priming cases at about the same time. Dad NEVER bought factory ammo. I always thought you couldn't shoot unless you reloaded. I'm 60 now.

It amazes me so few shooters are interested in reloading. It also amazes me that a shooter won't balk at spending $1000 on a nice firearm and then expresses interest in reloading but only wants to spend $29.95.

(OK, slight exaggeration but, you know what I mean.)

Gahunter12 · July 15, 2012, 01:02 PM

Well I got my first Deer rifle when I was 6yo. So from then til I started loading was 26 years. I actually got into pistol shooting 4 yrs ago on a weekly basis and saved all my cases for 2 yrs while I studied reloading on the Internet and purchased manuals to read. Two yrs ago when I purchased my equipment I had a good foundation to start with. I am really glad I took this route because I had a lot of confidence when I started with very few questions. I also had plenty of once fired cases to start with

Shootest · July 15, 2012, 01:13 PM

Started shooting at the ripe old age of 9, started reloading at 21, so that would be 12 years. And now I have been loading for 32 years. Its been fun.

arch308 · July 15, 2012, 01:53 PM

Just a few years in my case. When I got serious about hunting I wanted to use premium bullets. My brother had a single stage RCBS kit laying around that he had quit using, too tedious for him. We made a deal I would load his hunting rounds for him if he gave it too me. That was 30+ yrs ago and I'm still using it for rifle & pistol ammo. He doesn't shoot much at all, maybe 3-5 shots a year. Me, I shoot apx 500 rnds a month of handgun & 20+ rifle a year, depends on how good the hunting is that year.
Not only do I save a fair amount of cash but I enjoy the process and shoot high quality ammo. I feel you get a better reload with a single stage.
I prefere quality over quantity.

Fastercat · July 15, 2012, 03:12 PM

My earliest memory of shooting was sitting in my Dads lap squeezing off .30 carbine rounds. A wasp crawled into the barrel and though it was daylight the moon was out, so we "shot him to the moon".
Dad was a caster and reloader so I guess I've been at it all my life. I got my 1st LEE turret press when I got out of the Navy about 25 years ago. I never get tired of it.

July 13, 2012, 06:22 PM	#30
FrankenMauser Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2008 Location: In the valley above the plain Posts: 13,424	I started shooting when I was about 4 years old. As soon as I was tall enough and strong enough to work a reloading press handle, I had to help with reloading. With 4 boys, our dad's AR (Colt SP1) saw a lot of use. Keeping up with the demand warranted a lot of time at the reloading press. I think the first time I was enlisted for the job was when I was about 6 years old, charging cases and seating bullets for .223 Rem, of course. So, for me, it's nearly a "What came first? The Chicken or the Egg?" kind of situation. I know most people probably raised an eyebrow when they saw "6 years old". But, I must say... our father absolutely drilled safety checks and precision into our heads. Not once in the entire time we kids were reloading, did one of us load a squib, load an over-charge/double-charge, miss a primer, seat a primer sideways, or crush a case ... for any cartridge. And, we reloaded everything from 9mm to .44 Rem Mag, from .223 Rem to .375 H&H. __________________ Don't even try it. It's even worse than the internet would lead you to believe.

July 13, 2012, 06:58 PM	#31
CrustyFN Senior Member Join Date: June 4, 2006 Location: West Virginia Posts: 2,258	I started reloading one month after I started shooting. I also have many guns that have never seen factory ammo. __________________ I don't ever remember being absent minded.

July 13, 2012, 07:47 PM	#32
Peter M. Eick Senior Member Join Date: August 3, 1999 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 2,991	I started reloading about 20 minutes after I bought my first gun. I bought 100 rounds of commercial reloads and a lee classic die set, a rubber mallet, some powder, bullets and primers. Once I fired the first 50, I started making them 6 at a time till I got tired from all the whacking. The high percentage of my guns have never seen a factory round. All of them are my reloads. __________________ 10mm and 357sig, the best things to come along since the 38 super!

July 15, 2012, 12:40 PM	#36
Waldog Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 2007 Location: SOCAL Posts: 359	I guess I'm odd man out. I started shooting when I was about 7. My Dad had me priming cases at about the same time. Dad NEVER bought factory ammo. I always thought you couldn't shoot unless you reloaded. I'm 60 now. It amazes me so few shooters are interested in reloading. It also amazes me that a shooter won't balk at spending $1000 on a nice firearm and then expresses interest in reloading but only wants to spend $29.95. (OK, slight exaggeration but, you know what I mean.) __________________ I am the Christian Conservative that CNN warned you about!! “Socialism is the philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance and the gospel of envy.” Winston Churchill

July 15, 2012, 01:13 PM	#38
Shootest Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2011 Location: Just outside Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 722	Started shooting at the ripe old age of 9, started reloading at 21, so that would be 12 years. And now I have been loading for 32 years. Its been fun. __________________ The private ownership of firearms is an American Heritage. Anyone who disputes that is Anti-American and unpatriotic. NRA Life Member

July 12, 2012, 08:41 PM	#26
jepp2 Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 2008 Location: Loveland, CO Posts: 1,476	I started shooting at age 4 and began reloading shotshells at age 12. I began loading for metallic cartridges around age 14. Been loading for 50 years now, wow how time flies. So to directly answer your question I guess it took me 8 years. But I admit to being more interested in unloading them during many years.

July 13, 2012, 02:16 AM	#27
warningshot Senior Member Join Date: October 7, 2009 Posts: 995	Six weeks, give or take a few days.

July 13, 2012, 03:42 AM	#28
sob (sweet ole bill) Member Join Date: October 13, 2008 Location: coastal North Carolina Posts: 65	First, reloads were 12g as a junior in high school. Lost count of how many, but still plugging cases. Started shooting .22 with Dad at age 8. OMG !! Been reloading 50+ years, HEP ME, I'm OLD.

July 13, 2012, 09:18 AM	#29
oldpapps Senior Member Join Date: September 22, 2011 Location: Middle America Posts: 518	Had to be 8 plus years. My dad bought me a Rem 700 in .222 and a C&H offset 'O' press for my 12 birthday. When I was little I knew I was a 'big boy' when I got to dispatch the hogs with a .22 (I still have it). My grandmother normally did this as my dad, uncle and grandfather were working the hogs in. So I was shooting hogs (had to be in a certain spot a the rear of the skull or too much 'head meat' would be 'ruint') the fall after I turned 4 in August. But that was a different world and better in so many ways. Enjoy, OSOK

July 15, 2012, 09:03 AM	#33
dwhite Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2007 Location: Wake County, N. Carolina Posts: 379	One week. Bought a .30-06 from an acquaintance. He threw in a box of bullets, a half pound of IMR-3031, box of large rifle primers, and a whack-a-mole Lee Loader. Couldn't wait to experiment. Had good results. Can't stop. All the Best, D. White

July 15, 2012, 11:27 AM	#34
Ethan.G Senior Member Join Date: March 13, 2012 Posts: 127	2 years, started shooting in 2007 (i was 16) started loading in 2009 because 30/06 was just too expensive to buy. also it made it easier to shoot my buddys dads 38spl, didnt have to ask his dad to buy us ammo every other week hahahaha

July 15, 2012, 11:38 AM	#35
mohr308 Senior Member Join Date: January 15, 2012 Location: Western New York Posts: 466	took me 11 years, then once I started reloading I said to myself "why didn't i do this years ago"

July 15, 2012, 01:02 PM	#37
Gahunter12 Junior Member Join Date: May 3, 2012 Posts: 13	Well I got my first Deer rifle when I was 6yo. So from then til I started loading was 26 years. I actually got into pistol shooting 4 yrs ago on a weekly basis and saved all my cases for 2 yrs while I studied reloading on the Internet and purchased manuals to read. Two yrs ago when I purchased my equipment I had a good foundation to start with. I am really glad I took this route because I had a lot of confidence when I started with very few questions. I also had plenty of once fired cases to start with

July 15, 2012, 01:53 PM	#39
arch308 Senior Member Join Date: November 6, 2011 Location: DFW, Texas Posts: 876	Just a few years in my case. When I got serious about hunting I wanted to use premium bullets. My brother had a single stage RCBS kit laying around that he had quit using, too tedious for him. We made a deal I would load his hunting rounds for him if he gave it too me. That was 30+ yrs ago and I'm still using it for rifle & pistol ammo. He doesn't shoot much at all, maybe 3-5 shots a year. Me, I shoot apx 500 rnds a month of handgun & 20+ rifle a year, depends on how good the hunting is that year. Not only do I save a fair amount of cash but I enjoy the process and shoot high quality ammo. I feel you get a better reload with a single stage. I prefere quality over quantity.

July 15, 2012, 03:12 PM	#40
Fastercat Member Join Date: July 15, 2012 Location: Indy Posts: 17	My earliest memory of shooting was sitting in my Dads lap squeezing off .30 carbine rounds. A wasp crawled into the barrel and though it was daylight the moon was out, so we "shot him to the moon". Dad was a caster and reloader so I guess I've been at it all my life. I got my 1st LEE turret press when I got out of the Navy about 25 years ago. I never get tired of it.