How has arthritis affected your casting and loading?

[bubba.50]

since the only ca'tridge guns I own at the time are a .22lr, .22mag, and an old Mossberg 12ga I use at the VFW meat shoots it hasn't affected my reloadin' much.

and I've stocked up on muzzler bullets buyin' up ones folks were gettin' rid of for bargain prices so, hasn't been much affect on castin' either. but the hands are gettin' stiffer by the day it seems so that when I shoot the muzzlers I don't much like foolin' with anything smaller than a .45cal & really prefer .50 & over to keep from bein' so fumble-fingered.

as far as the back, with all the deteriorated disks & pinched nerves can't do much of anything for an extended length of time. even settin' upright in a chair for long kills it. so it seems I spend most of my time kicked back in the recliner. like I really needed any reason to be lazy

[jim 44-40]

One good day of casting and shooting, with walk in woods = 2 bad days .when I feel better right back at it

[lightman]

For me, it not arthritis, it MS. Of all the MS symptoms, mine are leg weakness, balance problems and lack of stamina. I've always cast from a stool and casting is not a problem. But smelting wears me out! I have at least 2 large batches sorted and ready for the pot. Where I used to enjoy this, now I'm dreading it. Waiting on a time when a couple of buddies can come over to help. And yes, we do find ways to do these things. Often slower, or for shorter duration, or even trading our gang molds for smaller cavity molds.

[RichBaxter]

I had to retire due to rheumatoid arthritis. Fortunately I had my time in, but did not want to quit working at 58. I get an IV every 5 weeks, a shot every week, and take a number of pills each day.

The best thing I have found to help with casting was getting a Master Caster. I rely on it for most of my casting cores now. It is easy for me to pull that handle and not have to hold the weight of the mold.

I feel everyone's pain and can only say that you just keep going as best you can.

Rich

[mold maker]

Had arthritis long before retiring and just put up with it. Now it's to the point I can't stand for more than a minute at a time. Most every thing I do is seated. My hands aren't too bad yet, but starting to loose grip. Considering the abuse my back and legs have withstood, I'm happy to not be worse off. At 3/4 of a century, life is still an amazing experience
, even with the concessions I have to make.
I still have everything I came with, except 1/2" of my left thumb, hair, and my tonsils. I didn't come with teeth and am about back to that point.
Pain is a constant and lets me know it's still alive. This body has served me well, and I'll put up with the aches and pain till I get the next one.

[tygar]

LOL old guys & their ailments!

Well mine are mostly self inflicted, except for VN where I got blown out of a 6by & got 1 of my 3 major injuries to back.

Riding bucking horses, breaking & training them, competing & coaching until I was 40+ in wrestling, sombo, judo, & power lifting, teaching unarmed combat skills & doing various other stupidly harmful things to ones body.

So, after 2 broken necks, 17 other breaks, all neck vertebrae herniated, fused or roto-rootered, 4 in lumbar, DJD in spine, shoulders, hands, hips, cruciate & miniscus in knees, etc, ad nauseum, it's kinda difficult sometimes to do "stuff". So I just do it until it's no longer fun.

But...my trigger finger is still fine.

Just yesterday walked some of my property with a guy doing site work, clearing etc, & after up & down the little hills & draws & walking a mile or so, my knees were both hurting & siatica(sp) was acting up + back & hips. Took some meds, & then did some reloading of my new 338-06 & prepped some brass.

Feel OK today. Now to shoot the 338-06, 6.5 RM & 454 rifle & revolver that I have loaded up & ready to go. So then, the bad neck will be tweeked & will need some more "meds".

Just do it, stop when it hurts to bad, start again when it's better. Yep, the "Golden Years", arn't so golden!

[kootne]

I got real seized up in the hands about 8 or 9 years ago. Thought maybe I had carpal tunnel syndrome. After a bunch of tests the Doc says, "No, you got arthritis, ". Told me a bunch of possible medical treatments and then said, "before you do any thing, I can't tell you this as a Doctor, so I, Bert, am telling you, Dennis, as one friend to another, try taking some Tart Cherry Extract, a lot of people say it helps."
It was miraculous for me, a couple days and it was like I was never afflicted. It does not work for everyone, maybe 25% of folks I have given some to get better. But if you are in that group, it's way way cheaper than Doctor visits.
Here is the link to where I get it;
http://tasteatreat.com/
They offer several products, hunt around till you find the extract.
Hope this helps at least one person.
Dennis

[dverna]

It is difficult for me to cast with the larger molds for any period of time. I have a number of new molds that I may never use.

I am lucky to have a stockpile of about 30,000 bullets but I am looking for a Master Caster.

I am not the type who enjoys any aspect of producing bullets and ammunition except the production of rifle ammunition that is better than I can purchase. So, when I cast or reload, I wish to produce a lot at a time. Get in the groove, stay in the groove and get it done. I do not believe I have ever cast or reloaded bulk ammunition for less than two hours.

I have an Auto-drive for the PW800+ as I go through thousands of rounds of 12 ga. I made the mistake of selling the Hydro-drive on the Spolar....but my buddy needed it more than I did, and I do not shoot enough of the smaller gauges.

Old age is showing its affects and it will not get better. We will all face it....hopefully. My advice to those reading this thread is to invest in equipment that can keep you shooting longer as soon as you can. It will reduce the damage of repetitive type stresses and you will need it eventually anyway. Why not enjoy the benefits now of making the job easier.

[johnson1942]

take bee pollen 3 capsuals in the morning, 3 at noon and 3 in the evening. give it 2 weeks for the perfect results and keep doing it every day from then on and you will get relief. some way more than other but there will be relief.

[quilbilly]

I traded off my semi auto pistols because it became such a struggle to rack the slide. Revolvers are more fun anyway and easier to clean. The arthritis in my ankles and knees have not yet stopped me from getting a deer out of the woods by myself and a couple Aleves let me walk a couple miles on logging roads for hunting. My mountain bike lets me cover more ground these days and get my aerobic exercise.
All this being said, I only whine a little bit these days.

[Teddy (punchie)]

I hate winter every year I get something going on in my back. This year its a herniated disc, not a crush disc or out but talk about pain. Liken to be shocked by a fencer when it flared up. 4 to 6 hours of pure hell , told wife hear your chance to take me in the field like an old horse, and finish me off. Better yet cut the whole darn thing off, hurts too bad. We have all hit our thumps and fingers with a hammer, not even in the same class. God Bless !! anyone that has to go through this. I have had bad migraines and this would compare to a bad 9.8 as a 10 takes weeks for me to get over, the feeling and all of side effects. This is taking it good old time but from all I read and hear if I watch and strengthen I should be okay. I'll do what I can when is the way I look at things now. NO Arthritis as of yet so at almost 50 not too bad, no high blood pressure, no sugar, joins ache from time to time, feet ache, I just work on one thing at a time. We are going to have to stop all of the extra odd heavy labor work started to see just no time and wearing us all out.


I can tell you all this eat as best you can, stay away from too much of any one food or type, eat more vegetables and fruits, and lean meats, oily fish from cold water.


Watch how much wheat and ""gluten"" you eat.


Watch your weight.


Your only as old as you feel. Some days I feel 80, some 70 some 50 and only a few good days I feel like a kiddo excited about life and looking forward to a day of fun.


from Jan 4th till now hip and back are doing better still not right. Stand for more the 15 minute better move, sit in chair, better not be there for more then 15 minutes or so with out moving or lock out when I stand up left leg is achy and feels like it is going to maybe fail. Standing it feel like I have a cell phone on low vibrate and like my foot is cool like its just starting to get cold. Dr. say its the nerves healing, resetting it should get better. Pain is middle back to low back so so most days 5-8 meds working ?? just not the way I think they should.


God Bless !!! stay moving any way you can.

[Idaho45guy]

I used to scoff at threads like these and move on, thinking I had a lot of years before age caught up with me.

It has caught up...

I'm only 48 and am constantly surprised at what activity makes me sore or is difficult to do. Went to the doctor last week due to prostate issues.

No arthritis yet, thank God, but I'm sure it's coming. I now read these threads to be aware of what's coming next and to get some tips and tricks for dealing with it...

[Mtnfolk75]

After 24.5 years of fighting drunks & handwriting reports I was forced to retire at 47 years old. I'm now 63 and walk with a cane due to balance issues, have bad hips from the Sam Brown and a bum right shoulder from a MC wreck. My hands are just about useless, they are numb and cramp quite a bit. I still ride ATV's, shoot, cast & reload. Have been using 2 cavity Aluminum Moulds and a Single Stage Rock Chucker for the last 6-7 years, mostly shoot .38/9mm revolvers. Have downsized to a .270 Winchester for a Big Game Rifle. I am putting a .243 together for my 14 year old Grandson and I may have to downsize further for myself. This winter we have had a lot more rain than normal ( 38+" since New Years ) so the joints have been stiffer as well .....But I'm ALIVE and plan on staying that way ......... Old Age is NOT for Sissies for sure.

[tomme boy]

I'm 45 and have to use a cane too. It is for balance and to lean on after walking for less than 50 yds. That is about my max I can walk right now. This is going to really hurt my extra $ as I will not be able to sell off all my extra brass I used to pick up. I have not been to the range all winter to pick up brass. I went to shoot 2 times and was not able to pick up anything. The brass I pick up helps me to pay for trips to the Dr's that are 90 miles away from here. And when I used to get lots of brass it payed me to keep shooting by buying my powder and primers.

I have some lidocaine 5% that seems to help a little on my hands. But it is sooo greasy. The not being able to go out in the woods for a walk and build a fire for lunch or dinner is what is really killing me. This is what has kept me sane and centered for many years. It was my way of reflecting. I can't do this now and it has really affected my mental state.

[Char-Gar]

I have had arthritis since my mid-40s, but it is not near as bad as some of you guys. I am now 74.7 years old.

I suspect that some of you have rheumatoid arthritis, which is much worse than osteoarthritis.

I have pain in my lower back, hips and knees. I walk with a cane, do most of my loading sitting down and shooting handguns, will have my hand hurting the next day, but I get along. Best to take it all in stride and not spend time complaining about what I can't do, but delight in what I can do. Life is much better than way.

"Arthur always was the worse one of those Ritis boys."

[fatelk]

Just this year I've been really feeling it in my toes. Sometimes I wonder about my hands and knees, but it's real minor at this point and doesn't slow me down much. I was getting some weird pain in my hands and wrists last winter that had me worried, but it went away and hasn't returned. My wife has me taking an assortment of vitamins and supplements so maybe that helps.

I really can't complain for myself. My son has been dealing with arthritis since he was three. That's no fun at all.

[opos]

Almost 80....lots of things busted, replaced and messed up over the years..doing many things is tough but what else can a man do? If I sit it hurts..if I walk it hurts..if I shoot it hurts and when I sleep I hurt...so I just do what I can, when I can and don't worry about any schedule or pre planned deals...I been doing taxes this morning..going to the garage and pick up some stuff that is scattererd and play with a couple of toy steam engines..then take the wife to a bit of lunch at Denny's and then who knows what for later..maybe a nap...maybe more internet...maybe play with the cat..just never know. Better than being in the ground.

[pjames32]

I'm still doing pretty well as I approach 70. I'm left handed and most of my problems are on the left side....shoulder, elbow and hand. I had to quit golf and limit shooting high recoil pistols. Reloading and casting I'm now doing the repetitive motions with my right arm. If you are right handed you might try to do more with your left side. I do dose with Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen before and after my sessions....please take them with food. I do sit whenever possible and take regular walk around breaks. Casting I'll do 10-20lb pot then quit for the day and have purchased some aluminum molds. Good luck on finding some relief.

[tomme boy]

Mine all started when I was 16. I was riding my motorcycle and a girl that was not paying attention decided to run me over.

[Mytmousemalibu]

My back is my weakest link.

I have:
3 herniated disks, lumber is ruptured
Degenerative disk disease
Moderate scoliosis
Arthritis
Neuropathy/sciatica
And a few other issues.

Here's the kicker... Im 35, been goin downhill since my mid-teens. I love casting but i have to sit to do it and even then im doing pretty good to make it and hour or so. If its heavy molds even less. I can sit at the press for longer but its hard on me too.