Lots of new reloaders!

[jnovotny]

Man there are lots of folks buying reloading equipment and componants these days. I hope that they all can safely reload without any supervision, just saying when I started loading I had mentors that helped me along. I have been telling some of the fellas at work that have gotten on this bandwagon that the best thing they can do is get a load book and read, read, read!

[btroj]

Reading is good. A well versed mentor who can sit beside you is better.

[jmorris]

Yep, many new folks are on the way, many have bought stuff and don't even reload yet. You are starting to see the results in threads like "small pistol magnum primers OK for rifle loads" and such.
Many don't use the search function but we were all young once and jumped in with both feet.
More "X" kaboom threads to follow I am sure. At least folks can say they didn't build faulty ammunition, every one knows that the Government built it...

[300winmag]

Reading is good. A well versed mentor who can sit beside you is better.

I started with both, books and mentor. I now have many books, mentor has long since passed away. I try now to pass on what I can to those that are willing to learn and have a good head on there shoulders. So for the newbies please read and read again, If you are 2nd guessing yourself Please ask for help.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

From what I hear, reloading equipment for sale is almost non existant. Even the warehouses are out of stock. A friend recently announcd he wanted to get into casting. That brings up a whole new set of potential horrors.

[Garpo]

The Speer Reloading Manual #11 and the Lyman CB Handbook 3rd edition were my instructors. And to this day, I still refer to them.

[dragon813gt]

I've been acting in a selfish manor lately. I've been telling everyone to not reload and definitely don't get into casting. I've been telling this to individuals that aren't going to read up and are most likely going to cause harm to themselves and possibly others. I feel that I'm doing them a favor

Most new reloaders are going to abandon it as soon as factory ammo becomes available easily. To many people are lazy and would rather just go buy ammo. I'm hoping to score some good deals on barely used equipment when that rolls around

[LUBEDUDE]

Over 40 years ago when I was 14, I knew no one to help me learn reloading. I was inspired by American Rifleman and Guns and Ammo.

I just dove in head first and learned on my own. From a Mec 600 Jr, to a Lee Loader (whack a mole), to a Rock Chucker, up the food chain so to speak.

Would not wish that on anyone. Like others said, mentoring is the best way.

[gunoil]

i read for 3 months and watched 800 youtubes.

Then bought !

But, bought trays and hand press from lee, used scale and hand scoops. Loaded 380 only for 9 months. Ergo prime and such. Then repeated above and bought LOADMASTER. It all worked for me!

[drklynoon]

I was lucky I had my father as a mentor and I am an avid reader. Those that are not as lucky have the benefit of forums although first hand instruction is usually best. I rarely advise people to get involved but often enough I advise them as to the benefits and detractions of our great hobby.

[slim1836]

I jumped in with both feet, first reloading, then casting. Been doing both less than 5 years. So far so good.

I thank the Cast Boolits membership for their contributions for it is they who have taught me the most. I'm on this site every day, I guess it's called an addiction. Learned a lot and have much more to learn.

No one around me (that I know) reloads or casts their own so what I have learned is through reading books, this site, and just doing it.

It brings me happiness to take wheel weights, cast them into projectiles, and develop a load that groups as good or better than factory ammo.

Gotta love it.

Slim

[merlin101]

I was on my own and learned by reading, I still have the first reloading book I bought. BASIC HANDLOADING by George C. Nonte Jr.
I highly recommend it for any newbie!

[farmerjim]

50 years ago I didn't know anyone who reloaded. I learned everything out of books. Started loading 12 gauge then pistol and rifle and casting my own Boolits. I stopped for about 40 years and just started back about 6 months ago. Many things have changed and many are the same. I am still learning. Most of it from this place. Thanks to all of you.

[TCoggins]

I learned reloading on my own, but started by reading and re-reading a loading manual, then started slow by loading some 45-70 for my Handi rifle. Of course, that progressed to handloading for pistols, and am currently loading .380, 9mm, 38 sp/357 mag/357 max.

I have a friend that wants to learn to reload. So he has had one of my loading manuals for about a couple months. I told him to get the components, and he could use my equipment. In talking to him, he is asking the right questions, so he is learning. We haven't loaded any rounds yet, but when we do, I will be there next to him making sure that everything goes as required. Everything is loaded on a single stage press, cases are primed by hand with a lee hand primer, and all powder loads are weighed with an RCBS chargemaster.

While I am not the greatest authority on handloading, if it isn't in a manual, it doesn't get loaded. I can only hope that all the new reloaders will get help and be willing to learn like this.

[Az Rick]

Worries me too. Especially those that start on progressive machines. The potential for a bad outcome is there. On another forum a fellow was kinda flippant about just destroying a Model 29. That's a $700-$800.00 mistake, well deserved. He is a new reloader. Thank goodness he just blew up his gun. No serious injury to him but what if someone had been beside him at the range? There is potential for harm to bystanders. You would be held liable.
If you are a new reloader, heed this,...Do not get distracted while reloading.

Like many of you, I load ammo that is a far cry better than anything else you can purchase. We take pride in that.

Read study and read more. There are folks here that will help. DO NOT READ POSTS ABOUT RECIPES OR LOADS AND USE THEM WITHOUT SOME KIND OF VERIFICATION. Reloading manuals are good, get several. Powder companies provide data on their Websites, read it.

Be safe,

[retread]

To all you folks that are new to reloading. The above comments are very important. Crawl before you walk and never run! Ignorance and distractions are the leading causes of accidents. I started reloading in 1960. I still follow the same advice you have been getting from the folks here. Read, Read. If you are in doubt, stop and ask for help. There are a lot of folks out there that will be glad to help. Above all be humble and be safe. Forums like this are a great resource. Back when I started we didn't have near the resources at our fingertips like you do today. Take advantage of the wealth of knowledge that is out there.

Retread

[btroj]

I learned to load and cast from a member here, 1Shirt, back in the early 80s.
Then I married his daughter. The rest is history.

I feel it is my duty to teach as many as possible to shoot, load, and cast.

[doulos]

About 30 years ago I bought a Lyman expert reloading kit with a Spar T turret And 2 reloading manuals. I learned by reading too. I knew no one else who did it. I taught myself and always started at the suggested starting loads. I didn't reload alot and only for handguns at the time. Just enough so that I would never be out of ammo. My interest turned heavily to muzzleloading and archery for along time. So my handgun shooting went down to about a 1000 rounds per year. I was burning many pounds of blackpowder instead. And I didnt handgun hunt as much. So most of my reloading was for my BPCR and that got me into casting.

Well I started about 6 years ago shooting more and hunting with handguns again. I started reloading a lot more too. I probably shoot about 5-6000 rounds of my handloads a year. I usually encourage people to learn how to handload. And make myself available to help them.

A few things I think are important to never forget
1. no distractions when relaoding
2. have more than 1 source of load data
and try to use up to date manuals.
3. always start at suggested starting loads
4. Know the signs of pressure
5. read ,read ,read
and if you are unsure, ask and study until you are
Forums like this are a good resource to learn how to do things.
6. I wont shoot anyone else's reloads
7. Any load I am unsure about I pull it and start again. The way to find out about a load isnt pulling the trigger and seeing what happens.
8. have more than 1 scale or at least some check weights to make sure you weight are accurate.
9. don't load for speed, load for quality.
I'm probably much slower on my Dillon 550b than a lot of people but its plenty fast for me.
10. keep records!!!!!!! and notes

This is not rocket science, but it is not learned overnight either. I think patience and a willingness to go slow are the greatest virtues.

We should be helping people to learn this skill not waiting for them to sell their equipment. I gave some of my older equipment to a friend I shoot with so he could learn. He is in the process of picking up some more stuff and we'll get started. I figure he will be way ahead of where I was just being able to sit and do it with someone to lead him. People who reload usually shoot a lot. It makes people more interested in shooting too. In todays anti gun climate we need as many avid knowledgeable shooters in our ranks as possible.

[27judge]

i started in 1960 with a lyman . i started casting a few months later. i have been thru much equipment over the years i still have 3 of my molds from 1960 and the lyman lead furnace. also held on to the old lyman powder scale. I now have many more molds a dillon 550 and 2 rockchuckers. im teaching both my grandsons 17 and 20 so they can continue on with my equipment . the loading life has been good to me and ive done one pile of shooting because of it tks for your time ken

[nhrifle]

I went to my local gunshop today and scored two boxes of primers, which was almost half of their entire stock. Tooling and components were almost gone. And once again, there were a bunch of people walking around, looking for answers to some very basic questions, the kind that scream, "I have no idea what I am doing will you please help me???"

The one shelf that was still fully stocked was the one with the reloading manuals. It scares me to think that all these new people are going to be relying on suspect and potentially dangerous data posted by equally inexperienced people on the net. I handed a couple of them books and said, "Read this before you do anything." I hope it sank in because ignorance in reloading can be potentially fatal.

Please, if you see someone just starting out, do what you can to scare them into getting a good, reputable book.