How old were you

[HardColt]

Pat,
I enjoy reading your casting /reloading story.Very inspirational!!!!!Keep on casting and reloading.

[HardColt]

41, that was 15 yrs ago!!!!! Couldn't afford to feed my babies: Ruger P-85 & Colt 45 govt. Couldn't use them as legal dependents to qualify for food stamps either, plus, AF paycheck couldn't support the lead habit since I had three kids to provide for. Invested in Lyman, read it several times cover to cover and proceeded with caution like launching out an F-4 for the very first time. No regrets here. Gave up darkroom and photography for a more cheap &enjoyable hobby. Been going downrange ever since and couldn't recover.

[HardColt]

Sorry, about the wrong input. Don't have any intentions of hijacking the thread. Just not that computer savvy. My apologizes again.

[Tazman1602]

1980 at the age of 22. I had a Ruger Redhawk .44 Mag and was complaining about the cost of ammo and being able to shoot it.

An old guy I worked with bought me a Lee 240 grain TL SWC mold and taught me how to scarf wheelweights and make my own bullets. I thought I'd died and went to heaven at the time.

Over the years I got a couple of other molds but NEVER had any success with my rifles.............until a little over a year ago when I found this forum.

Now I've got two dozen molds, piles of bullets, and shoot almost nothing BUT cast except for deer hunting (my cast rifles don't have good enough scopes on them and I can't afford a new Leupold right now....) -- I cast mainly for big bore stuff and hunt with .243 Winchester. Would love to crack one with the big bore I carry with me to the blind if the dang things would come in before it was too dark to see the sights with my old eyes....

This forum alone has turned me from a mediocre caster into a casting NUT.......................

Art

[That'll Do]

I started casting at the ripe old age of 27, and I'm now..........28!

I started casting once the ammo shortage started to get out of hand. I now have a small collection on molds (about 10), and I cast for almost all the calibers I shoot. I still use jacketed bullets, but lead boolits are shot 90% of the time from my guns.

[Ajax]

I was 35 Iam now 36. Icasted a little with a Navy friend for muzzleloader, but nothing serious. I always wanted to cast for my rifles and pistols, but never had the time or the money. Then about a year ago I found this site and as they say "the rest is history". My wife, god bless her, has been 100% supportive but leary of casting herself. I think i just need to find her the right pistol to addict her with. since i have started i now cast for my rifle, pistol, muzzleloader and shotguns we own. But, beings i am still raising a child it is not progressing as fast as i would like, but it gives me something to look forward to.

Andy

[Fly-guy]

I started out by loading for an 8mm and 45 long colt in 1964 and still going at it strong after all these years. I've added quite a number of different calibers through the years and picked up on quite a few tips and tricks.

[bigjake]

I'm 50 yrs old, I've been casting 44mag and 9mm bullets out of 200 pounds of babbit for about 6 months.

before this, I built a small foundry out of a 16 gallion beer keg and melted aluminum and brass. I tried sand casting and lost foam casting. It was fun but its much too hot. you talk about hot molten metal, the radiant heat from the crucible while pouring is insane.

[WILCO]

Girl I was dating had a Dad that competed in Bullseye pistol in Sacramento in the late 60's. This guy taught me casting and reloading on an old A-4 RCBS press.

That's one way for a dad to distract his daughter's suitors.

I started reloading when I was 25 and casting at 38.

[old turtle]

I started molding with a friend in 1965 at age 27. Our level of proficiency can be reflected upon by our favorite saying "I have shot worse." Welcome to all casters, young and old.

[rattletrap1970]

Last month. I'm 40.
Casting is something I've wanted to do for a long time. Finally just bought a Lee Production pot, went around and got some wheel weights, then went to a gun shop and bought a box of used molds (17 of 'em), read up a bunch on here, and hit the ground runnin.

[BAGTIC]

Started casting fishing sinkers around 1958. Began casting bullets around 1960. I will be 68 on November 10 (tomorrow).

[JMtoolman]

I've only been casting for about 56 years, still don't know very much. Toolman

[notenoughguns]

First cast bullet was in 1964 at age 14 , been fighting the addiction ever since .

[johnvid]

I was also 59 when I fist started casting. That was only one year ago. At the time I was looking for a ready supply of loading components for my various calibers. In short order I have accumulated twelve moulds in seven different calibers.

I now shop for new firearms with casting in mind. My last rifle I bought was a 1985 Marlin since I already had a mould for my 458 Socom.

I also enjoy the peace of mind knowing that I'll always have a ready supply of boolits.
John

[SPRINGFIELDM141972]

I don't remember my first boolit. I grew up watching my dad cast for his .38 and .45. I do remember the first time I got burned from lead. I was 6 years old and ran down to the basement to "help". I ran into him while he had a ladle full of lead and some spilled onto my hand. Thirty two years later you can still make out the scar on my hand. Its a constant reminder to me slow down and pay attention.

Regards,
Everett

[Grapeshot]

That's a no brainer. I was 20 years old and stationed in Alaska. I had just gotten a battery of Muzzle loaders and my shooting buddies convinced me that I needed to be casting my own Minnie Balls as well as the Round Balls for my cap & ball revolvers. After buying some RB's from Dixie I took the plunge and purchased the molds and bullet making manuals to learn as much as I could about casting my own ammo. This led to bigger and better things after I turned 21 and began loading for cartridge guns.

[firefly1957]

I started casting fishing weights at 13 (sand castings) then neighbor gave me his mold he never used. At 18 I bought a Lyman electric for casting and started casting pistol and muzzle loading bullets. I like using a good bullet ladle better and use Coleman stove and cast iron pot for most bullets now have not plugged Lyman in for 20 years.

[steg]

1973, at 26 years old, started casting for my Security Six 38/357 still have the revolver, and that old Lyman mold, Ideal I think, I bought it used, and it still casts good boolits, only a single cavity though..................................steg

[Adk Mike]

1982 at age 26. I'm now 54 in the early years I cast for handguns to save money. Lately I cast mostly for my rifles. I really enjoy shooting steel plates and swingers. I couldn"t afford this kind of high volume shooting if I didn't cast. It's a great hobby !