How do you politely tell people

[Jugband]

So this weekend is basically about the one year mark that I have been reloading/casting. When I tell people I do this I get one or do responses. The first one being is why? Which that one usually doesn't bother I tell them and than they think it is cool. The second one being "can you load me up some rounds". Usually I kind of fumble around and tell them i just don't have such and such dies or powder. It's not I don't trust my self to do it but, things can and do go wrong. If something went wrong I'd rather it happen to me and not the other person for obvious reasons. Only person I would consider is my brother. But, how do you tell them no with out coming across as one you don't know what your doing or just being jerk about it.

Why?? Don't get into the "Why" because that will just get you to the "Me Too" more quickly.

As for the second part, tell them that it's against federal law for you to manufacture ammo for sale and when they assure you that they won't tell

As for the supply question, just tell them that it's illegal for you to do it for money and free is out of the question because of the time and effort, even if they buy all the components then give them to you, and buy you new dies & shellholders, etc.

When they say that they won't tell anyone, which will absolutely be the next thing out of their mouth, point out that Accidents Happen.

Gun barrels get obstructed and blow up, accidental discharges shoot gun owners or others around them, and people sometimes just have a legitimate need to shoot other people. If any one of those things happened, or something else unforeseeable, someone in authority is going to be putting in some thought about the gun and it's ammo.

When that happens, it might not be them doing the telling.

So not selling it and not giving it away either is completely reasonable and valid. It should be end of discussion, and without anyone seeming The Bad Guy.

If it's not enough, you shouldn't worry about them considering you a jerk about it... who but a jerk would continue to press you after that point?

[oldblinddog]

My answer: You can't afford me, but I will tell you what BOOK to buy.

[LabGuy]

Lets see, if I pay myself minimum wage, it will cost... well a lot. I did did reload for someone in the early 1980s. I would happily teach someone. What the heck I'm a NRA Reloading Instructor.

[2ndAmendmentNut]

Winner Winner

And I usually start them out on a Lee Turret press not the Dillon

No, I offer to teach them and make them use one of those little Lee kits that requires a hammer.

In all seriousness I don't even talk about reloading unless the other individual happens to be a hand loader as well. I used to offer but only ever had one taker, and that was not a great experience.


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[michael.birdsley]

Lets see, if I pay myself minimum wage, it will cost... well a lot. I did did reload for someone in the early 1980s. I would happily teach someone. What the heck I'm a NRA Reloading Instructor.

How do you like being a reloading instructor?


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[Blackwater]

People just don't habitually think these days. They'll ask all sorts of things. But when you look at them with a big, wry grin, and ask if they'll come over and do some work for free for YOU, they kind'a get the message. The only people I'll reload for now is some young folks who I know and trust and respect, and that's usually just a gift, gratis, and tell them if those loads work well for them, I'll teach them how to get started loading their own and saving money. But I also warn them that it won't really save much money, because they'll just wind up shooting a lot more for the same amount of money. Once they reaload, I try to introduce them to casting, which can REALLY save them a LOT of money. Once they get hooked on shooting more, it's hard NOT to respond to the ability to shoot for as close to "free" as one can get. And the important thing is starting them off reading a good manual. Speer and Lyman are my favorites for a beginning reloader, but all are pretty darn good. When they start to ask good questions, and you see the light go on when you answer them, you know you've just raised one more reloader you can have fun with.

With ammo costs so high, marksmanship is taking a beating among most shooters. Only a reloader really stands a great chance at becoming a really good shot, and then, only if he seeks to become good with his guns. As Bill Jordan said in "No Second Place Winner," all of recorded history fails to record a single instance of a bad guy dying because of a quick, loud noise. Only hits count, and this applies on targets, afield for game, and for self defense. Too many folks buy a gun and a box of ctgs. and think they're "ready" now! We're never ready until we can place our bullets precisely. But the cheapskates don't tend to care about that, and go on believing what they want to believe, rather than what makes sense. It's almost a communicable disease these days!

Everybody has wants and desires, but to imagine they're rational when they're not is a good way to wind up with much regrets. And why someone wouldn't want to learn something new escapes me, but then, I guess I'm cut from a different mold than many today. It seems we've had so many things so easy in our lives today, many think they can have anything they want, just for the asking. It's an extension of the "entitlement mentality" seeping into folks' minds who really ought to know better. Impulse seems to be the order of the day, but look where that always leads, and it's a powerful motivator to do something different and more intellectually rational.

This doesn't just happen with reloaders, but all sorts of things. Truly, we really are the "ME" generation! We seldom consider anything else, and most folks are really jovial until you confront them with the simple content of their questions. I figure if they're willing to insult and/or take advantage of me, turnaround is fair play, and if they get offended, I always ask why it's OK for them to take advantage of me, and not visa versa. This usually shuts them up, and ceases a useless conversation. Occasionally, when we meet again later, they'll apologize, and I'm always kind and cordial with them unless they give me another reason to be otherwise. A few have actually later become reloaders. Not many, but a few.

Pour water in a glass, and it'll slosh up one side and then the other, but it always levels out given a little time. Dumb questions from folks who don't have their minds engaged at the time are a lot like that too.

[Doggonekid]

I had that question asked to me the day before Thanksgiving. On Thanksgiving day I had him over to my garage and we casted boolits for several hours. I may of created a boolit monster. He now wants to get started on his own. The only questions he asks me now is where can he buy all the stuff he needs. If someone has a genuine interest I glad to teach them. If all they want is cheep ammo I just say; I don't load for anybody but myself. It get easer to say each time someone asks.

[Beef15]

For someone you like tell them to bring their brass a pound of powder and some primers and you will let them use your equipment. Have not had any takers yet. Most people think reloading = free ammo for them.

This has pretty much been my experience. One guy did come by and watch me load a few and I let him run a few through the press.

I just tell people no. No excuses. If you aren't family you aren't getting/shooting any. I'm a mechanic by trade, people are stupid. My reloads will not hurt a thing, but just like changing a car battery magically makes the brakes squeek three weeks later, my ammo will likely be blamed if 500 factory rounds later the mag catch fails. I get married to enough things.

[pjames32]

I offer to let them watch me reload, then offer to teach them if they want. I always start with a single stage press, often mine with the dies they have purchased, then they can buy their own equipment.
Not often do they accept my offer, but I've had a few over the years that have made it past the first demo.
PJ

[LabGuy]

How do you like being a reloading instructor?


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I have been an NRA instructor for about 3 years. I enjoy learning and teaching. Reloading has not been a very a very popular class, but then again I still have my day job and don't advertise. I have a Bass Pro Shop very close that does regular reloading workshops for free. That's hard to compete with. I have only taught two using the NRA curriculum.

[Nanook]

I've had several acquaintances over the years want me to "load some up for me" and I used the no license argument. I usually got the ol' "who's gonna know?" line in return. I'll know, and if anything at all goes wrong with that gun, everybody will know where the ammo came from. And that's even if it had nothing to do with the loads.
I offered lessons as well, and got no takers.

Too technical for some, I guess. Too many details to people raised on television to remember maybe. Or it could be the "get me something for nothing" mindset so prevalent in recent years.

[The_Hammer]

I always tell them that I don't shoot other people's reloads and that I suggest they do the same. If I'm going to eff up I'd rather it be me that eats than someone else.

[Texantothecore]

A lot of people I speak to are convinced that reloading equipment is very expensive and that it is also difficult to do. I thought that for years until I bumped into Lee Precision.

The only conversation I had earlier than that was one in which the speaker said it would cost 700 bucks to get set up. So I waited a good number of years to research and found out that azzhole was playing the one-upmanship card on me. Nine years later I discovered that it was dirt cheap and I picked a Lee single stage and I was off to the races.

I reload at the range and someone will ask what I'm doing as I use my Lee Classic Loader between shooting sessions. They are shocked when I tell them that my reloading kit cost 28.99.
"But I thought reloading equipment was expensive"
"28.99 plus shipping" I reply.
I then teach them to reload, have them do 5 to 10 rounds, hand them my gun and tell them to go shoot their first reloads.
At some point during the reloading of their own roundS the will say " It can't possibly be this easy."
I reply "it is exactly that easy."

Play the role of teacher, not big *** equipment freak with money to burn.

[JeffinNZ]

I see you are the rip old age of 31. In twenty years you will have transitioned into the age group where you don't feel the need to be polite anyone in such situations. I am borderline there already.

[NavyVet1959]

I see you are the rip old age of 31. In twenty years you will have transitioned into the age group where you don't feel the need to be polite anyone in such situations. I am borderline there already.

I've been at that point for quite awhile... Curmudgeon Extraordinaire...

On a side note, that will probably mean that if I outlive my wife, I will die alone and no one will know I'm dead until my body has mummified itself. All my bills are set up to pay automatically, so it's likely no one will know I'm dead for a LONG time.

[JWT]

so it's likely no one will know I'm dead for a LONG time.

The IRS won't forget you.

[Tazza]

The tax man will know

You joke about that, yet i remember something in the UK years ago, an old lady was dead for like a decade before someone actually checked. So it does happen.

I am a member on another forum, a moderator mate on there wasn't heard from for a month or two, i sent emails but had no reply. We later found out he had a heart attack and died after some detective work, googling his name and found an obituary notice. Found his daughter through facebook and got the bad news that it was indeed him.

So people you get to know on forums and so forth, you never know if something happened if you don't see them posting.

[Tazza]

JWT - I was too slow to hit enter on my post, you beat me to it.

[NavyVet1959]

The IRS won't forget you.

Well, being dead, I probably won't have *too* much income...

Assuming I'm on Social Security (damn ponzi scheme) at that time, I guess I will have *some* income that might get reported to the IRS. Very few (if any) of the stocks I own pay much in dividends or it gets rolled over and is protected from taxes until I withdraw the money from that account, so there's not going to be much income from that aspect if I'm dead. Last I heard, the IRS doesn't break down doors, they just send letters and if you ignore them, they put a lien on your house or just blatantly steal the money from your bank accounts, so I could be quite dehydrated before they ever tried to visit my house. The postal worker *might* notice a lot of mail piling up in my mailbox, but that implies that they actually *care* about what sort of job they do. Considering all the misdirected mail in my subdivision, I doubt that is the case.

[lightman]

We would miss ya!