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

RCBS Reloader set with 243 dies , since then its Redding dies and my latest set of custom dies is Whidden which are expensive but worth it .

Rockchucker, with .264WM and .338WM dies,

I was in love with the western skyline and mountains!

First does bought with my own money, Lee Loaded 30-30. My dad watched to make sure I was safe and said stay under the max load is hismanual, I did and I also shot a ton of rounds, lot of fun was had!! First press used was dad's Lymao True Line Jr. I saved up and bought a set 7-08 does to go with the ten 788 I got for my 16th birthday.

Like many others', mine was a Lee Loader. A classic.

I bought it altogether with 1lb of IMR4198, a brick of CCI400 primers, and a couple hundred 50gr Sierras.

All for my 222 Rem. A Mohawk 600 carbine with a full length stock.

Good ole days.

I started reloading to feed a custom wildcat with no factory ammo options. aka 585 Nyati dies from CH-4D and a RCBS Rockchucker press.

RCBS Rock Chucker and Redding dies either in 25-06 or 7mm RM. Wouldn’t change a thing.

First press was a MEC for 12 gauge shot shells around 1975. First metallic press was an rcbs rockchucker in 1978. First set of dies were rcbs 220 swift. Still have both and still use the press.

XL 650, 223 Rem. Up until then, my Dad's Rockchucker and HIS dies.

I was given a RCBS Rock Chucker with a set of RCBS 7mm-08 dies and .22-250 Lee RGB dies that got me started a little over a year ago.

My first reloading press was a RCBS Jr, still have it, still use it. My first reloading dies was 22/250 for a Ruger #1........I still have the rifle too.

I bought a rock chucker with Hornady dies. Along with this purchase was a stainless Ruger m77mk2 chambered in a 280 rem. This was the fall of 1995, I believe.This was my first rifle that I purchased with my own money and I’m not sure how I managed to save enough money considering how much fun I had back then.

Anyway, The rifle is gone but still have the dies and press.

RCBS Jr, and a set of RCBS dies in 270 Winchester bought in 1979 and both were used as recently as yesterday…..

Same Rock Chucker I use right now....

and the same RCBS die in 30/06 I still use....

but a lots been added in the way of dies, and a used Rock Chucker bought for $50 at a local gunstore 20 years ago or so...

Defunct Aussie brand called Simplex Turret press.
Die threads were out of square and it bent the necks when neck sizing only, as it wasn't strong enough for full length sizing.
Taught me a lot though...........

My first press was a hammer and a short piece of a two by four. My first set of dies was a Lee Loader in .444 Marlin caliber.

RCBS Rockchucker press and Redding titanium carbide dies in 38/357. Still using both 30 some years later.

RCBS, 30-06, 300wm, 250, 223. Late 80’s.

Bought a Rock Chucker press kit.
And an RCBS Master Reloading Kit.
Dies, lube/pad, deburr tool, scale, Uniflow, funnel, manual.


1987. I believe it was around $210 total.
Still have everything in the reloading kit, and the box.

Remember those good sturdy boxes that you could store stuff in?

My first was a lee loader. For shot guns went to a mec, neighbor had one. Rcbs rock chucker now.

My first metallic cartridge reloading press was a "C" press that I bought from Herter's in 1967 or 68, along with their .30-06 dies. I later replaced that press with RCBS Rockchucker, and I still have those dies.

My first shotshell reloader was a single stage Honey Bair in 12 ga that I bought in 1971. It still use it for hunting loads and is on my reloading bench next to my 4 Pacific/Hornady 366 progressive presses that I use for my 12, 20, 28 ga and .410 target loads.