Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters What was the first die set/press you owned?

I had loaded some with older Lyman 310 tools and a sizer that squeezed the brass into a tube using a large vice, but the first actual press I owned was an RCBS Rock Chucker and the first dies were .44 magnum. I still use that die set though I've replaced the FL die with a carbide die. I've loaded easily 50K rounds with that set of dies.

Thanks for the responses!

For those who did not say, were you mentored, or did you stumble through the learning curve on your own? In my case, I had outside influences help me learn. My father was not a reloader. He was good at many things, but wasn't mechanically inclined.

'70 RCBS 308 Winchester,243 Winchester dies and a RCBS JR press

12 ga. with a Ponsness/Warren press.

Lee Loader in 12 ga about 1969
Lee Loader in 25/06 1974
RCBS full length 25/06 dies and Rock Chucker 1975

I started with 310 tools and dies . First press was a Tru line of which I now own 5 . My modern press is a Lyman All American that allowed me to use standard size dies . Never felt a need to use anything newer . My grandfather talked me through the learning process starting when I was about 8 years old . He taught me to mold and size my own bullets ,process my cases , set my Ideal #5 powder measure and finish a properly loaded cartridge . My equipment at that time consisted of a 310 set in .357 Magnum and a Lee loader in 8mm , Ideal / Lyman molds , Ideal #1 sizer with dies and nose punches to match my molds, stamp pad and STP to lube cases , Ideal #5 powder measure and a SAECO lead pot. My powders were IMR 3031 and Red Dot . Later added Unique , Bullseye and 2400 and a set of .44 special and .45 colt dies and a #55 measure . Been adding every since . Pap ( grandfather ) was blind by the time he started teaching me but he was still a good and thorough teacher .

Lee C style press, bought the kit, only use the hand-primer these days. Bought it around 2003, so about 18 years under my belt. Wow lot of you guys got an early start, wish I would have started much sooner.

2nd, Lee 3 hole turret.

Now RCBS Summit, still have them all.

NVhntr jogged my memory.....

I actually started reloading 12 and 20 gauge shells a few years before I started reloading rifle cartridges. Started reloading shotgun shells in 1978. Bought the 30-30 dies in about '85 and my press in about '94.

A friend started my reloading for shotguns, my FIL started me reloading for rifles. I used his press and other equipment until I bought my press.

Lee Loader in 270 and 22-250. Thousands of rounds. First press was a rcbs and still is. Edk

About 1971 (ish), a Lyman All American Turret Press with Lyman dies. I think that my first die set were in 38/357! memtb

RCBS 30.06 dies and a rock chucker press which I am still using today ( 30 plus years and counting). I don't think you can wear one out.

Learned on my own referencing and reading load manuals. Reading magazines was useful. Eventually years later bought a Pro Crono that caused me to realize that book loads/velocity listed were not necessarily what could be achieved in a rifle with a generous chamber and bore. I also started measuring for concentricity (bullet alignment). It has been a science project since then, learning from testing.

First die was Lee Target hand die set for 270, to feed my new Ruger #1, sometime in the 1970's, I think.

First Press was RCBS in the 70's, feeding Winchester Highwalls in 219 DW and 22-30-30.

Bruce

Lee Loader for 30-30. After about 3 months, I said F' this and bought an RCBS Rock Chukar. 1977or'78. Still use the RCBS, still have the Lee Loader in the shop.

First press I owned was a RCBS Rockchucker, ironically I bought it when I worked for Mike Dillon on the 550 line when I was a kid.

I did my first reloading with a Lyman 310 tool for 30-30 and 30-06 for my Father under his tutelage.
In 1970 I moved up to a RCBS Rock Chucker and a 243. Still have the press and the set of dies
but no longer have a 243

First press was a Pacific Power C press and Pacific .30/06 dies from my folks at HS graduation.
Bought RCBS dies as needed, that is what the local stores carried.

It has been my only press for almost 50 years.

Redding #7 c frame press, Pacific 303 British dies, Herters balance beam scale. About 1970 from the Aledo Ill. gun show

I was mentored by a distant cousin who was actually older than my Dad. Used his equipment but my 270 dies for about 3 years before I bought my own gear. Which means my original post about swapping dies with the gunshop owner isn't quite correct, maybe he ordered the kit in whatever caliber he wanted and he just kept the dies. I don't remember for sure.

Dale

RCBS Rock Chucker kit with 270 WIN die set, bought new in 1978 from B&B pawn on Yadkin Rd in Fayetteville NC (near the 82nd ABN DIV gate). Bought a Speer #9 and a Lyman #45. Bought a Redding #3 powder measure and a RCBS 5-10 scale from Cumberland Knife & Gun on Bragg Blvd. about the same time I bought the press. I'm a self-taught handloader with those two books opened as I worked my way through the process (I did find books written by John Wooters and by Bob Hagel that helped with my education as well. I still have and use the press, dies, manual, and powder measure. I also kept one square carton of the original powder I loaded (H380) and one pack of the CCI 250 primers I bought to get started, none of the bullets are left though.