What was your first powder buy?

[Ifishsum]

My first was Hodgdon BL-C(2) for my new .204 Ruger that I couldn't find any ammo for. That particular situation kicked off my reloading career in 2004; dies were available, I had 80 pieces of once-fired brass and an new-found addiction to precision shooting but no way to feed it. A friend and co-worker agreed to teach me how to load on his equipment and boy was I proud of those shiny little soldiers I'd just made. They shot even better yet than the factory ammo (which was still sub-MOA) and within a couple of months I bought a press and dies for just about every other rifle and handgun I owned. Now when I buy a gun I buy new brass and dies (and often a boolit mold) instead of ammo.

[Mk42gunner]

Herco in a brown paper sack; along with 100 Remington primers, a bag of Remigton wads, a bag of 7 1/2 shot, and a .410 Lee loader about 1976. I never did master crimping .410's with that Lee Loader.

Robert

[tarbe]

Green Dot powder , about 1969

Same here. Green dot in 1974 to load plinkers with a cast bullet in my 7mm Rem Mag.

[Dave C.]

W-W 231 in1978. Burned in in my first hand gun, a Nickle plated Colt MKII 357mag.

Dave C.

[Dave C.]

W-W 231 in1978. Burned it in my first hand gun, a Nickle plated Colt MKII 357mag.

Dave C.

[cephas53]

Bullseye used with a Lee handloader and some wc's for .38 special around 1975.

[emorris]

My first powder was IMR sr4756 to load 9mm with hornady 147 grain xtp bullets. I also used Lee's wack a mole loader. I remember the disappointment I had when the rounds wouldnt expand when I shot them into a 4x4 post. I though I needed more powder, so I added a little more in the lee scoop. I didnt even have a clue what a grain was. I realize how lucky I am now looking back. I got into reloading because I couldnt buy 9mm ammo due to not being 21, but I could buy the stuff to load 9mm.

[10 Spot Terminator]

IMR 4227 to load hotrod rounds for a Savage Sporter in 32-20 as per the Lyman 44th edition manual . It was the test firearm used in that edition and the factory ammo was severely handicapped due to all the old pistols out there. What a difference ! I was hooked for life. That would have been 1981 at Hunningtons Sporting Goods, Oroville California right next door to RCBS . That was a 2,000 fps 91 gr. gas checked hot rod from #2 alloy and was a great shooter !

10 Spot

[hd09]

A pound of UNIQUE for 38s back in 1980

[weakhand luke]

A trip to the drugstore to buy some sulphur and saltpeter, then later, a can of AL-7 to load 12 ga with a LeeLoader. Bought shot in 5# bags, wads were cardboard and felt with a new-fangled plastic over powder cup. Primers were Rem #57.

[blaser.306]

My first loader was a Lee Load all Jr. purchased by mail order on Sept 23 1983 ( still have the receipt ) and loader. That would put me at 14 years old ( sad but true ) and the first lb of powder was IMR SR 7625 purchased form an old timer that had a gunshop on Broadway ave. (Switzers was it's name) that has now been closed for 20 plus years! I still remember it like I just walked out the door with it! I took delivery of the powder in a white and multi colored striped plastic bag from the Hudsons bay co. and that was then placed into an empty Rodgers syrup can with the pry off lid for safe transport I suppose? Some of those memories are kind of nice to re live! When people weren't afraid to sell you a lb of powder from an open keg and wind up in court or worse because of it!

[grimace1]

My dad and I bought a pound of IMR 4064 and a pound of Unique, circa 1988.

[Lefty SRH]

My first powder was Winchester Super Target. It came with primers, wads, and a MEC Sizemaster press for 12ga. Still have that press, that was about 18yrs ago.

[koehlerrk]

Blue Dot.... for my 357 Marlin Levergun. Still my favorite round to reload...

[tward]

DuPont bulk smokeless for my 12ga with lee loader. Don't remember what I paid but I know it was hard coming up with the $9.95 for the Lee loader. This was 1959-60, still have the Lee loader and most of the can of Bulk Smokeless! Tim

[bart55]

1960 was the year a four pound keg of red dot along with a mec 310 loader for 16 gauge with a 12 ga conversion , I used that loader for years till I got a mec 650 ,I used that four pounds up within the first month or two ,Iwas loading for me my dad and my uncle !

[roverboy]

I started reloading in 1987 and bought .30-30 dies and some IMR 4198. It was still made by Dupont then.

[hithard]

1980, red dot one pound for trap! the man behind the counter told me I wasn't old enough. Good thing Mom was there. Even to this day she will go buy me some powder if I cannot find it in my area. Best Mom in the world! She would get kinda mad at the sound the vacumm made when going over the rug in my room. She never cut off my reloading though, talk about supporting your 14 yr old in the shooting world.

Thanks Mom!

[DX250]

I started with a # of Clays and a set of 38/357 dies and a Lee kit. I still have about half of the powder after 12 years.

[saintdel]

I'm relieved to read that I'm not the only one to keep the long empty cans of his first powders. In my case, that was Unique, 2400 and Bullseye for my pistol calibers. My first rifle powder was 4064 for my first centerfire, a Mossberg 30-06. All this was in 1972. Just the other day, after a long hiatus from reloading, I picked up that old cardboard 2400 can with the barely readable price tag sticker still on it ($6.95 I think) and thought "now why am I keeping this? I should toss it." But, like you said, it evokes the warm fuzzy feelings of back then, the delusions as I've come to see them which does not reduce the love I feel for the times. So I put it back in its resting place among the new stuff and picked up the current black plastic container of 2400 to load some 303 cb. Probably not going to keep that container once it's empty.