When did it stop being fun?

[Bazoo]

I've not got nearly the experience as most here, in either shooting or reloading. I know some folks that are "high speed", but im not. Im slow speed. I prefer single stage presses, hand presses and lee loaders. I prefer small batches of 100 or less. I have 2 batches of brass for my 30-30 that I use. One is 50 pieces, the other 33. I have more brass, but I like loading simple. I dont want to end up like you. I enjoy reloading and casting, and shooting, and hunting. I dont want that to change.

[GhostHawk]

No desire for a progressive here at all.

I load everything on a Lee Hand press. I do sometimes use a bigger lee press for full length sizing of rifle ammo.

I try to never load more than 50 in a given day. Never cast much more than 100.

Lately I've had my hands full with other projects, so have neglected the casting and reloading a little.
But I plan to be home for december, should give me time to catch up on casting and reloading.

[M-Tecs]

Started reloading in at 9 or 10 years old for a re-enactment club. Loading about 50,000 rounds for them on a single station press. Reloading was never fun until I purchased a 1050.

[bob208]

defined fun. it is a means to a end. the end is shooting. reloading has kept me sane. when I was laid up after a bad wreak . I cast and reloaded. when there was nothing on tv and before computers I cast to keep my hands busy. I got into muzzle loading so the centerfire loading fell off but the casting picked up. now the grandson wants to shoot and deer hunt. so I started loading again.

[Rooster]

I've been at it since the JC was a corporal and the Dillon I bought years ago sits with the dust cover on it most of the time. Maybe I'm slow, maybe I'm stubborn but I prefer a single stage and taking my time. To each his own I say.

[redhawk0]

Don...it might be time go rekindle the passion. Get out the old Target Loader for the 222...if you no longer have the rifle/loader...get an old Target loader kit for something you do have. Spend the time just producing quality ammo...one at a time. Build up two boxes...go shoot two boxes....then load 'em up again and shoot them again. Like the Righteous Brothers once sang...."Bring Back that Lovin' Feeling" Sometimes a return to your roots can be a great way to break the mundane routine feeling.

redhawk

[DCM]

It got to be no fun when I got way too wrapped up in the competition end of things.
I pulled the plug on that and only shoot a less formal pistol league when I feel like tuning up my pistol skills and have the time. I keep a whole different mindset with this and get a chuckle out of those that have my old mindset, especially when I beat them using my week hand just for kicks and practice LOL. It is a local range bullseye league and most folks have an easy going mindset but there are a few with the hard competition mindset.

Same with loading, it was a chore when all I did was feed the completion thing. Now I just go my own way loading whatever suits my fancy and it is much more satisfying.

[JBinMN]

I still make it fun by doing things that are interesting to me like testing different things that I have not done before, even if others have... I think for "me", it is the "doing" that makes it interesting rather than it being a chore.
It is something I can do on my own, even when no one else wants to be involved & go along. Even just plinking. I make it fun by challenging myself to do things I may not do if others were there...

Example, "Timed shooting", or " quick drawing/point shooting from the hip, or even shooting from odd positions...
and I find it a bummer that some of ya have lost the enthusiasm.

Hey though, stuff happens & it takes the person to make something stay interesting and exciting.
If you wait for someone else to do it, or go along to do it, you are likely gonna lose that battle... At least IME, that is how things work...

"Make the trail yourself if ya really want to get somewhere and do something!"... If others follow along later, or want to go along when you do... So much the better.


G'Luck! in ya'll who are finding handloading & reloading to be considered a chore. Only YOU can make it better...

[arlon]

The older I get the more I appreciate the "less is more" idea. I reload ammunition one cartridge at a time. I like my single stage press, single cavity moulds, single shot rifles and single shot pistols... I thought I'd shoot a lot more when I retired too, so far it has just been the opposite. I can't see targets like I used to. It is less fun than it was or maybe I've just found other things that are more fun.

[Wis Tom]

I still enjoy reloading, but just don't take as much time to shoot as much. My wife and I use to go down to our outdoor range almost every night, and shoot and pick up brass and lead, but my garage that is also our heating business, got so full of lead and 55 gallon drums full of brass, that this last year, we quit going. I think I miss the time with my wife, more than the shooting, as I have a 50 yd range right out my back deck, so I can still shoot anytime I want. I am also finding that as I age, it takes more out of me, through the workday, that I just don't have the same getup, at night, after working all day. It will be easier during the winter though, as I can take the cold better than the heat, and have alittle more time, during those months, to shoot and cast more.

[David2011]

Progressive reloaders look like too much trouble. I have been loading on a single stage since Early '70's, except when I had an early three hole Lee turret press that I used for my .357. My latest is an old RCBS Rockchucker I've had for I dunno how long. What isn't fun for me is trimming brass......all the rest is just fine and relaxing.

It depends very much on the press you choose. Some require a lot of constant tweaking and some just work once they're set up correctly. I was fortunate enough to make the correct decision with my first progressive and it makes reloading easy. I don't like trimming brass either.

Shooting became less fun for me due to two things. First, a job transfer took me to an area where there was little competitive shooting. The other think was a knee giving out. I've haad a knee replacement and the desire to shoot USPSA is returning. We're relocating to an are where the weather is more favorable to year 'round shooting and there is more activity. I'm not looking forward to moving the shop but getting it going again will be fun.

[Land Owner]

when my life long hunting partner died, the thrill was gone. my motivation simply got up and left the building. now I have no one with whom I shoot so casting and reloading have taken a back seat. I have more firearms, equipment, and components than I will use in another lifetime. I cannot take it with me and selling it is a chore, but one that I will wade through as I want YOU to be the recipients of my armory rather than some after-the-fact Jack who knows nothing of my amassed components and sells my tackle box full of sizing dies and top lunches for $50.00 at the Flea Market table to a savvy purchaser that KNOWS there is over $1,500.00 dollars worth of components in there. I suppose I should open a firearms and fishing tackle store. I could probably do that, and enjoy it, with the right sort of business partner(s).

[Rick Hodges]

I love to reload....though when I am pressed for time and it becomes a bit of a chore. For me it is like hunting.....I get as much fun out of the preparation for the hunt, the planning, choosing equipment, the anticipation as I do the actual hunt. Yes that includes developing loads to use, reloading the ammunition, sighting in the rifles. It is all part of the shooting/hunting/outdoors pursuits.

[Shawlerbrook]

Never was a high volume reloader. Loaded shotshells since I was 13( I’m 61 now) for rabbit hunting and an occasional trip to the skeet/trap range. Loaded rifle and pistol cartridges since my early 20’s for hunting and plinking. Now I load a box at a time and do it mainly because I shoot many obsolete/ uncommon calibers and find them expensive and/or difficult to purchase. I do get satisfaction out of making quality hunting ammo and feel secure I will always have something to put in the chamber.

[reloader28]

Dang I think I shoot so I will have empties to load, but to each his own! Have fun at what you like.

Your not alone. This is what I do

[mjwcaster]

I like reloading, but haven’t been doing it all that long.
I got into it to save money, but found I really enjoy it.
But like working on cars, it is fun when I do it because I want to, it is work when I have to do it because I am low on ammo.
Except filling primer tubes, I hate filling primer tubes.
I even enjoy sizing bullets on my cheap lee push through, but not when I have to do it.
It is nice to be able to go out to the garage and have something simple and brain dead to do at times like sizing bullets or prepping brass.

It is no fun when I have to get this mess of bullets sized because I have to load them to be able to go out shooting.
I keep trying to build an ammo stash, but I seem to shoot it up about as fast as I reload.
I think the best I have done is get a couple of thousand rounds ahead.
What seems to happen is that I like to test fire some if each batch just to check them.
Next thing I know that caliber gun becomes my go to gun and I shoot all the ammo I loaded.
I do manage to keep about a thousand rounds on hand per caliber, I get real antsy if I get lower than that.
Only reason I manage to keep that much is because I stop shooting that caliber when I get down to 1k and move onto something else.

I have plans to cast and load heavily this winter, hoping to get 5k ready in each of my handgun calibers, although I would prefer 10k. 5k to shoot next year and 5k for a stash.

Time to head out to the garage and load some 380, got a new lcp II that I need to shoot some more before it replaces my lcp custom as my edc.



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[JoeJames]

If all I ever reloaded was one specific load in one caliber, I reckon I'd get tired of it, but new calibers, new bullets, and new powder make it quite enjoyable. And after the reloading, checking for accuracy, point of aim, and velocity generally make it all worthwhile. Even exciting.

[mold maker]

After 60+ years the reason for doing it has changed, but the desire is even more intense. The sad thing is the ability to be mobile has declined to the point that it's a rare privilege to make it to the loading bench. That makes those times really special to me.
It took me over 3 months to process a K of .556 once fired brass. To me the completion was a real milestone. I probably won't ever finish loading them because I only occasionally shoot a few.
All that to say I still use an RCBS single stage even though I've had several quality progressives and simi-progressives. Doing each step hands-on gives me total control, and to me, that's all important.

[waksupi]

If you are using a progressive, you are just a reloader. Most of us are handloaders, and a single stage press is much more appropriate for the best quality ammunition.

[3leggedturtle]

Not that it’s not fun, it’s just that we/I used to only have a few guns and ammo. It was simpler to grab the only 3 guns and gear I had, and head out. Now when I go shooting I try to only bring 4 rifles and 5 pistols! Todd/3leg