Passing on reloading skills

[bikerbowhunter]

Well I read all this while helping my wife clean string beans we grew for canning - talk about lost arts! A 70 year old friend taught me how to reload 12 years ago. Now he is 82 and I am 70. I have taught 4 others how to reload, plus one friend has bought all the equipment but health issues have kept him from actually loading. I have several younger friends who have bought equipment and want to reload, but haven't been able to find components. My 4 grandsons help me reload (ages 8-12), and I imagine some of them will continue on into the future. Reloading, or really, any involved hobby, has many obstacles to mastery, but it may be one, like gardening and canning, that is one of them that our culture is making obsolete.

 

[M1A1ABRAMS]

Welcome to the madness! Sounds like you the makings of a nice legacy going. The folks in your area that don't take advantage of your generosity are losing out big time. It might be 9+ pages, but look at the actual number of new reloaders mentioned. Less than 25 or so total so far. For the life of me, I can't figure out why.

As a newbie. A lot of the info on here is overwhelming. I admit I am lost on a lot of the threads on here. But I am trying to learn as best as I can. I am sure I should ask more questions. But I do not want to sidetrack someones thread. With what may seem to be a basic question for most. I try to figure it out over time on my own. And a lot of times I may not have the needed tools to perform what is needed done anyway. Lets say like neck turning for an example. Or using bushing dies. And then I start wondering if I should buy the tools. And then it's which brand of tools ? A fine example is I had bought the Hornady comparator kit. And then learned I should have bought, Short Action customs after reading a few threads.

 

[bikerbowhunter]

As a newbie. A lot of the info on here is overwhelming. I admit I am lost on a lot of the threads on here. But I am trying to learn as best as I can. I am sure I should ask more questions. But I do not want to sidetrack someones thread. With what may seem to be a basic question for most. I try to figure it out over time on my own. And a lot of times I may not have the needed tools to perform what is needed done anyway. Lets say like neck turning for an example. Or using bushing dies. And then I start wondering if I should buy the tools. And then it's which brand of tools ? A fine example is I had bought the Hornady comparator kit. And then learned I should have bought, Short Action customs after reading a few threads.

All the things you mentioned are unnecessary for the most part. My advice is to reload your cartridges doing the best you can following the manual's load recipe starting in the middle between the minimum and maximum powder, cartridge length (COL), then shoot them, writing down how they perform. As you run into specific problems, research it, try different solutions, and before you know it you will be a master. And yes, you will accumulate things you never really needed.

 

[C-130 Dude]

As a newbie. A lot of the info on here is overwhelming. I admit I am lost on a lot of the threads on here. But I am trying to learn as best as I can. I am sure I should ask more questions. But I do not want to sidetrack someones thread. With what may seem to be a basic question for most. I try to figure it out over time on my own. And a lot of times I may not have the needed tools to perform what is needed done anyway. Lets say like neck turning for an example. Or using bushing dies. And then I start wondering if I should buy the tools. And then it's which brand of tools ? A fine example is I had bought the Hornady comparator kit. And then learned I should have bought, Short Action customs after reading a few threads.

I have prescribed to the idea that no question asked is ever stupid. For that matter, if you don't ask, how will you know? Start your own thread and ask away. That's why we're here, to help out. As far as tools go, do your research well. Tools are like cars. SOME of them are obsolete the day after you get them. Someone always comes up with bigger and better. I bet your comparator is just as good as you use it. Does it do the job for you?And I'll bet the cost is far less.
Unless your rich or sponsored, don't let the hype dictate your purchases.

 

[C-130 Dude]

All the things you mentioned are unnecessary for the most part. My advice is to reload your cartridges doing the best you can following the manual's load recipe starting in the middle between the minimum and maximum powder, cartridge length (COL), then shoot them, writing down how they perform. As you run into specific problems, research it, try different solutions, and before you know it you will be a master. And yes, you will accumulate things you never really needed.

Boy ain't that the truth!

 

[C-130 Dude]

Well I read all this while helping my wife clean string beans we grew for canning - talk about lost arts! A 70 year old friend taught me how to reload 12 years ago. Now he is 82 and I am 70. I have taught 4 others how to reload, plus one friend has bought all the equipment but health issues have kept him from actually loading. I have several younger friends who have bought equipment and want to reload, but haven't been able to find components. My 4 grandsons help me reload (ages 8-12), and I imagine some of them will continue on into the future. Reloading, or really, any involved hobby, has many obstacles to mastery, but it may be one, like gardening and canning, that is one of them that our culture is making obsolete.

Sounds like exponential growth, passing it on to the family. That's how we continue and grow this obsession to excellence and self sufficiency. We'll maybe not obsession, but you know what I'm getting at.

 

[Allen Lone wolf]

Amen! Everyone that reloads had to start at the very thought of doing it not knowing anything about it. The only question that is stupid is the one you are afraid to ask. One of the most rewarding aspects of the process for me is taking a firearm that is under performing .going over that firearm bedding the stock, floating the barrel, trigger work making sure everything is done there, then starting the load work and seeing everything come together. I get excited talking about it. Then taking to the field and harvesting game to put in the freezer is the icing on the cake.

 

[C-130 Dude]

Amen! Everyone that reloads had to start at the very thought of doing it not knowing anything about it. The only question that is stupid is the one you are afraid to ask. One of the most rewarding aspects of the process for me is taking a firearm that is under performing .going over that firearm bedding the stock, floating the barrel, trigger work making sure everything is done there, then starting the load work and seeing everything come together. I get excited talking about it. Then taking to the field and harvesting game to put in the freezer is the icing on the cake.

And that is oh, so very satisfying! You can look at yourself in the mirror and to your family and friends and say wholeheartedly that you did all the steps necessary to achieve and the results speak for themselves!

 

[victor3ranger]

And that is oh, so very satisfying! You can look at yourself in the mirror and to your family and friends and say wholeheartedly that you did all the steps necessary to achieve and the results speak for themselves!

Absolutely!! Amen

 

[AGGRO]

I think it falls under the 1st world problems syndrome. Reloading is a means to an end or an addiction or both. If reloading doesn't check a box for someone then there is simply no reason for someone to make the time and space investment. I don't tie my own flies although I have tied thousands in the past.

I have friends that hunt and I have offered to loan my old equipment or use of my reloading room. They just buy a couple of boxes of bullets instead just like I stop by the fly shop and grab a dozen flies. I also don't build my own arrows for archery hunting. Folks have the opportunity to do many other things with their time and reloading just isn't at the top of the list.

When I started reloading I had more time than money. My girlfriend bought me a complete RCBS kit for $199 for Christmas. Because of funds at the time, I didn't have a multitude of competing things I could be doing. I didn't have atv, sxs, boat, raft, cabin, house, rentals, motorcycles, cars, trucks, kids, elderly parents, a business and a regular job. I don't think I would be doing it today if I hadn't learned to reload when I had fewer distractions and fewer opportunities.
Today it has clearly progressed to an all out addiction.

Opportunities just seem to be greater these days for the younger generation. I am not entirely sure I can fault them for picking another opportunity over reloading. I can kind of see the end of the world argument, but I am not sure reloading is the first skill people are missing in that scenario.

Another aspect is teaching basics and letting someone progress through the process naturally. I have been at it for 30+ years and it is hard to just show someone the basics they need to know to get started. If you show them too much it just seems daunting and ridiculously expensive. Most of the things we dwell on just aren't relevant to someone getting started. They don't need $300 neck sizing dies with a micrometer seater, they don't need to figure out neck tension, they don't need to worry about shoulder set back, they don't need to anneal, they don't need to worry about seating depth, they don't need a $600 scale or a supertrickler. We sometimes make it look like rebuilding an aircraft jet engine and certifying it for flight. And then to justify our anal addiction we make it sound super dangerous.

In reality it is pretty **** simple and safe if you just know the basics and respect the reloading manual loads. When someone wants to see how to reload I dig out my $199 setup ($600 in today's dollars) and I show them the basics. If that is too much then there isn't any reason to go any further.

Dam, pretty good summary for most of us.

 

[Predator 22]

I am just getting into hand loading myself and wish I had someone local to really teach me one on one. You can learn a lot by reading the books from Nosler, Hornady, etc. and some of the reputable YouTube guys, but I'd rather find a trusted local master that can teach me the ways, help me establish a load development process, and get me going. I built a nice little bench, have some basic but quality tools/gear with a single stage press, and finally have enough components together to make some loads (still can't get my hands on any gold medal federal primers for large rifle or magnum however). I've only got as far as decapping once-fired brass and full-length sizing them, but the easy part is done and cases are cleaned. I'm in Colorado and I'm sure there are a lot of skilled hand loaders around here, but I just don't know where to find them or how to ask for help to see who'd be willing to spend some time doing a couple loading sessions.

What part of Colorado are you in? Pm me if you don't want to put it in the open forum.

 

[bsnyder]

I was taught by two friends to which I took it farther than they ever did. I found another friend who has since passed away but have all of his stuff. I have taught two. Both still load and shoot not as much as I preach to them that they should. 1 comes to visit once a year to shoot with me and once I get home we always get together. I look forward to teaching my nephew. Yes there's factory ammo and factory guns some shoot good some don't. 7 prc factory ammo is 53 bucks a box of twenty. I'd much rather load my self and not have to help Hornady continue to produce the crap that I've shot through the wife's new rifle. Does it keep minute of steel? Depends on the lot. I'd much rather take the time to roll my own. My family that now shoots more takes great pride in the ammo I load for them and that's pretty dang cool. So ya you can go by a 6.5 creed or prc and go buy a 38-45 dollar a box of twenty and kill a deer at 2-400 yards but that doesn't interest me in the slightest.

 

[crazymonkey]

My dad used to teach classes on reloading back In the day . But there's not much interest in it anymore so he quit . Now he just teaches rifle ,pistol,and shotgun, he also does armed guard training and some doj police training. It was a good thing for me because I acquired several presses and dies . It's just easier for most to buy ammo . The sad part is they tend to loose out on the benefits of reloading . Store bought stuff will not shoot as good as good reloads maid for a specific gun . Even match grade ammo will have some big swings in es and SD. Those are what causes hits or misses at distance.

 

[sturner]

Nope all they want to do is pull the trigger they will burn through whatever as much as I will let them but at least I get to teach all of them to shoot
My hope is my grandson will want to learn