Teaching new guys to reload...

[GoodOlBoy]

Had a couple of buddies came over yesterday and I gave them some instruction on reloading. I donated all the components and let them shoot their loads through my rifle. Since I can't handle cast lead myself for several more years (oncologists orders) I was glad to see it not go to waste as these guys seemed to enjoy the heck out of getting to load and shoot their first handloads. Besides with all the help everybody here has given me it wasn't much of a pay it forward, but at least it was something. It was a rewarding experience to see the grins on their faces when they realized they could make ammo as good or better than factory for a whole lot less money per round, AND could do it safely. Only problem is I think I created at least one monster. He's already got a giant order he's going to be putting in at midwayusa and amazon, and he's going monday to a lgs in his area to take advantage of a 4th of July sale in their reloading component section.....

It was alot of fun, but man am I worn out from the company and just the doing. Slept more than 12 hours last night and today, and I'm still dead tired. Oh well, it was worth it.

God Bless, and One Love!

oh and HAPPY 4th of JULY!

GoodOlBoy

[osteodoc08]

Sounds like you did good.

What was the specific reason your oncologist gave to not handle lead? Most of it is fear mongering.

[koehlerrk]

Good on you, and yes, I'd like to know why you can't handle lead...

If there's a real reason, vs a scare tactic, just wear some nitrile mechanics gloves. I started wearing them to keep grease and oil off my hands while working on cars since that makes me break out in a rash. I got to liking having clean hands when I'm done wrenching, and decided to try them when loading. Match made in heaven! No grimey hands, no worries about getting clean, and I find the grip on cases is as good or better than bare skin.

Here's the ones I currently use, love the textured fingers.

https://www.amazon.com/GREASE-BULLY-Black-Nitrile-Gloves/dp/B00FSLVF0K/ref=sr_1_4_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1467583981&sr=8-4&keywords=nitrile+mechanics+gloves

[GoodOlBoy]

I've got some nitrile gloves a good buddy of mine on here sent me that I wore while I was teaching them.

The main reason the oncologist doesn't want me handling lead since the cancer surgery and treatments is that they are just trying to eliminate the mystery of my continued rotten health. For more than a year I can't keep most foods down, barely eat, and have GAINED weight through all of it. I have chronic fatigue, and my arthritis and fibromyalgia is getting worse. My blood pressure bounces worse than a drunken grasshopper. But I'm not diabetic, and have low cholesterol... Yeah so there's all that

God Bless, and One Love!

GoodOlBoy

[Blackwater]

GOB, you did VERY good! Good to see the know how passed on and our hobby/avocation expanded. My own experience has usually been with younger guys who want to shortcut everything, and they often don't listen or think, and sometimes have come back humbled, saying something like, "I didn't believe you when you told me X - fill in the blank but I tried something different, and you were right. I had one guy, a normally very intelligent fellow, tell me this some 3 or 4 times! It takes more time and experience and bitter experiences for some to learn than it does for others. Kind'a frustrating, but learning the hard way sure makes you remember it! Hopefully, they'll learn that not ALL "shortcuts" are time-savers, but time wasters instead. I guess we all learned a few things "the hard way" along our own paths? The only thing I can't abide gracefully is someone who says, "well I don't want to do it that way, I want to do it this way." That always tells me I'm wasting my time, and maybe leading them to blow their darn fool heads off in the process. I try to make sure others know when I encounter one of these, so if sued, I'll have some witnesses on my own behalf. This is just the type of "modern" who'd do something like that, and I'm probably not as kind as I should be when I encounter it. If they have enough ego to instruct the instructor, they're usaually, at least in my experience, never gonna' learn much, and CAN be dangerous to themselves and anyone around them when they shoot their reloads! Thank God for the strength of modern bolt action rifles!!!

[Ken in Iowa]

Good for you GOB!

I have started several youngsters on the shooting/reloading path. It's so rewarding to share the knowledge. Goodness knows I'm not qualified to teach anything else! Lol!

[Jake70]

I've got some nitrile gloves a good buddy of mine on here sent me that I wore while I was teaching them.

The main reason the oncologist doesn't want me handling lead since the cancer surgery and treatments is that they are just trying to eliminate the mystery of my continued rotten health. For more than a year I can't keep most foods down, barely eat, and have GAINED weight through all of it. I have chronic fatigue, and my arthritis and fibromyalgia is getting worse. My blood pressure bounces worse than a drunken grasshopper. But I'm not diabetic, and have low cholesterol... Yeah so there's all that

God Bless, and One Love!

GoodOlBoy

Your a good man to do what you did. Getting new people involved in our hobby is the best way to keep it alive, and it helps to get new ideas flowing (such as PC bullets, who would have thought of that?).

I hope your health improves soon so that you can get to feeling better and get back into this great hobby of ours.

Best wishes

[GoodOlBoy]

Thanks guys. I know I have been anti-PC'd bullets for a long time, but with these issues the ones I was gifted are a saving grace. Again I appreciate it, you know who you are. I'm big enough to admit I was wrong about the PC bullet thing.

God Bless, and One Love!

GoodOlBoy

[Plate plinker]

Best wishes with your health being sick is a real bummer.

[OS OK]

GoodOlBoy...I hope you regain your health and you have my gratitude for bringing these Newbies to the Light!

The last two men I brought up now call me Sense...I find it embarrassing to some extent cause I don't think of myself in that light. The rewarding part is this...Now they have excelled, one filled a spare bedroom with loading eqpt., the other filled an entire 1/2 garage with his and they both make excellent loads for all their weapons. The second followed into casting about 6 months later...has more of a lead stash than I do!

It is our responsibility to do this. I wish I had $1 for every electrician journeyman I've made over the past 40 years! I'd prolly buy a new press.

Good on You...GoodOlBoy...OS OK

[PS Paul]

I've taught three people in my 30 + years of reloading and casting. One was a fella who worked for me in a rod & gun store who was in his mid 60's and he is now an active and proficient CAS competitor who participates on a regional level. The other two were guys in their twenties (both worked for me at the same gun store) and are now what you would call "gifted amateurs" and very active shooters. I gifted an entire single-stage setup to one of the kids (bought from a member here) and he in turn bought a turret setup and re-gifted the press and accessories to the other kid!

Those are success stories. Naturally, a few dozen others have come to me for the same tutelage, but these three were the only ones who I felt had the aptitude, patience, attention to detail and safe-handling skills to warrant spending my precious time with and turning down the others politely was also good decision-making. Knowing who to deny is just as important, if not MORE important, than choosing who to mentor, I believe.....